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Validation procedures

Checklist for Signboard Owners

1. Appoint Eligible Professionals / Contractors

Appoint a Prescribed Building Professional (PBP) and/or Prescribed Registered Contractor (PRC) to carry out inspection and/or strengthening works (if required) for the unauthorised signboard. For details, please see Persons Eligible to be Appointed.

Search for Eligible Professionals / Contractors Online

2. Provide Signboard Owner Information

Personal particulars and contact information of the signboard owner must be provided in the specified form to be submitted to the BD.

3. Check Validity Period

Beware of the legal status of the validated signboard and make fresh validation submission or remove the signboard after expiry of the 5-year validity period.

For validation submission without strengthening works involved

  • The inspection date by the appointed person as denoted on the specified form submitted to the BD will be counted as the effective date for commencement of the 5-year validation period.

For validation submission involving strengthening works

  • The effective date will be counted from the date for completion of the strengthening works as denoted on the specified form.

To avoid abuse of the Validation Scheme in the latter situation, the BD may refuse the validation submission if after notifying the BD of the commencement of the strengthening works, the submission of the corresponding notice on completion of works remains outstanding for over 2 months afterward without a reasonable explanation.

4. Undertake Maintenance

Undertake to maintain the signboard in a structurally safe condition at all times, and to remove the unauthorised signboard when ceasing to operate the business and notify the BD.

5. Display Identification of validated signboards

Display of reference number for the validation submission on the validated signboard for identification

6. Observe Deed of Mutual Covenant

If the validation involves unauthorised signboard erected at the exterior or other common parts of the building, the signboard owner should:

  • Liaise with the co-owners of the building/owners’ corporation, the management company and/or the owners concerned regarding the right of use of these common parts, especially before the commencement of strengthening works (if any)
  • Observe all obligations as stipulated in the deed of mutual covenant (DMC) of the building. The obligations include but are not limited to the arrangement of third-party liability insurance.

Background Information

Signboard validation may be initiated by the "Person who arranged the works" (i.e. inspection and /or strengthening) or the "person for whom the signboard was erected (i.e. the signboard owner) as stated in section 24(2)(c)(i) of the BO.

The signboard owner may be a registered company or an individual person who owns a premises/ the external wall or is operating a business at the building to which the signboard is attached.

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