Billboard and Sign Licensing in Egypt: Law 208 of 2020 Explained

Every billboard and every shop sign facing a public road in Egypt falls under one law: Law 208 of 2020 on regulating advertisements on public roads. This guide summarises what it says, article by article, for advertisers, shop owners and billboard operators. It is based on the published text of the law; the executive regulations and the decisions of each authority add detail, so check with yours before you build. This is general information, not legal advice.

What counts as an advertisement or sign

Article 1 defines an advertisement or sign as any visual product, written, drawn or made of any material, intended for display with the aim of advertising or sending a news, promotional or informational message to road users. That covers billboards, unipoles and screens, and also the sign over your shop.

Who regulates, and who issues the licence

• The National Authority for Regulating Advertisements on Public Roads (Article 2) reports to the Prime Minister and alone sets the standards and rules for advertisements and signs, including the use of renewable energy and surveillance cameras.
• The competent authority issues the licence. Article 1 defines it as the local units, the city authorities of the New Urban Communities Authority, the General Authority for Roads and Bridges, or any other body with jurisdiction over the site. In practice: your district for a shop in an established city, the city authority in New Cairo, Sheikh Zayed or 6th of October, and the roads authority along its highways.
• The advertiser applies. The law defines the advertiser as the individuals, companies or agencies working in advertising, or those for whom advertising is one of their activities.

The licence

• No licence, no sign. No advertisement or sign may be placed without a licence (Article 3), and no licence may be granted for one that breaks the Authority's standards (Article 4).
• 60 days. The authority must decide within 60 days of the application. If it does not, and the application had the required documents, the silence counts as implicit approval.
• Three years at most, renewable for equal periods on request and with the authority's approval.
• It can be cancelled for new planning, the look of the area or traffic reasons, with the licence holder keeping any right to compensation.

Fees

• Licence fee: set by the head of the competent authority, within the Authority's rules, up to EGP 10,000 for issuing or renewing (Article 5). Payable in cash or electronically.
• Site-use charge: each authority also sets a charge for using advertising locations, 20% of which goes to the state treasury. The law places no cap on it.
• Private property: the site-use charge does not apply to advertisements and signs on buildings and land owned by private individuals or companies. Taxes and road setbacks still apply.

Exemptions

Article 7 exempts four cases from licensing:

1. For-sale or for-rent advertisements for the property itself.
2. Advertisements, notices and bulletins issued by a public authority or required by law.
3. Signs of non-profit bodies, when related to the purposes they were set up for.
4. Signs for public occasions, such as religious or national holidays and sporting, cultural or social festivals.

Under Article 10 the Authority can also grant an individual exemption, on the competent authority's proposal, with its own conditions.

Maintenance

The licence holder must maintain the advertisement or sign as the competent authority specifies (Article 6). If you don't, 15 days after a registered-mail notice the authority may do the work itself at your expense and collect the cost by administrative seizure.

Inspections and penalties

• Designated staff of the Authority and of the competent authority have judicial-officer powers to inspect advertisements and record violations (Article 8).
• Placing an advertisement or sign in breach of the law is punished by a fine of two to three times the cost of the works, multiplied by the number of violations (Article 9).
• In every case the court orders removal, restoring the place, and paying double the licence fee. If the violator doesn't remove it in time, the authority may, at their expense and without liability for damage.
• The owner has one month after removal to reclaim the sign by paying the removal costs and double the fee; after that the authority may sell it.
• A sign that endangers road users, residents or property, or blocks traffic, can be removed administratively at the violator's expense.

What this means for you

• Renting a billboard: the operator normally holds the licence for the structure. Ask for confirmation that the site is licensed for your booking period. See our billboard price guide for what boards cost.
• Putting up a shop sign: apply to your district, or the city authority in a new city, before ordering the sign. Our shop sign guide covers types and design.
• Running billboards: keep each site's licence number and expiry date against the board, and plan renewals well before the three years run out. SkylineDOOH's tools for agencies track permits per site, with reminders before they expire.