These are the questions we hear most from landowners, brands, agencies and developers. We keep the answers practical. Where a figure or timeline depends on your site, we say so, because those are confirmed on your quotation.
For detail on a specific format or service, follow the links to the relevant page.
Approvals and legal
Do I need approval to put up a billboard? Yes. Outdoor advertising needs approval from the relevant authority, which is usually the local municipality. Near roads managed by SANRAL or a provincial roads department, that authority is involved too, and the landowner must consent. We assist with applications and supporting documents, but we cannot promise approval, as the decision is the authority's.
Can I put a billboard on my own property? Owning the land does not remove the need for approval. Municipal by-laws and roads authority rules still apply. Read the approvals guide before you commit to a structure.
Who is responsible if approval is refused? The decision belongs to the authority. We help prepare the application and supporting documents, and we can advise on whether a different position or design could work.
Structures and sizes
Which billboard type suits my site? It depends on available ground, wind exposure, sight lines and the approving authority's rules. Our billboard types pages compare unipoles, monopoles, double-sided, V-shape and others.
What sizes are common? Formats such as 6 m x 3 m, 12 m x 3 m and 18 m x 6 m are common examples, but the face you can use depends on the site and approvals. See the sizes guide.
Do you build structures for landowners? Yes. Landowners can have a structure designed, approved, built and flighted, with maintenance after.
Digital billboards
Can my static billboard be converted to digital? Sometimes. The frame, power supply and approvals all need to be reviewed first. See billboard upgrades.
Are there limits on digital screens? The approving authority may restrict brightness, operating hours and content. We plan for those conditions from the start.
Do you supply digital content? We offer content management for digital billboards, so schedules and creative can be handled for you.
Printing, flighting and artwork
What is flighting? Flighting is installing a new skin on a billboard face and removing the old one. See billboard flighting.
What artwork files do you need? It depends on the face size and material. The artwork requirements page lists what to prepare, and we check files before printing.
What material should I print on? PVC or flex suits many faces, mesh suits windy sites and backlit material suits lit faces. We advise on the right choice for your face.
Rentals, cost and coverage
Can I rent billboard space? Yes, on available sites. Locations, sizes and flighting periods are confirmed at enquiry. See billboard rentals.
How much does a billboard cost? We do not publish prices, because costs depend on the structure, site and approvals. Pricing is confirmed on your quotation.
Where do you work? Gauteng, all South African provinces, and Southern and wider Africa. Outside Gauteng and South Africa, we travel or use approved local partners, confirmed at quotation.
Do you supply the structure and the skin together? Yes. A turnkey job covers approvals assistance, structure, skin, flighting and maintenance, with inclusions confirmed on your quotation.
Can you inspect an old billboard? Yes. We inspect structures, faces and lighting and report on what needs attention.
At a glance
Billboard FAQs from Billboards Africa answer the questions landowners, brands, agencies and developers ask most often about outdoor advertising in South Africa. They cover billboard approvals from municipalities, SANRAL and provincial roads departments, structure types such as unipoles and monopoles, common billboard sizes, digital LED billboards, billboard flighting, artwork files, rentals and coverage across Gauteng and Africa.
Billboard prices and timelines depend on the structure, site and approvals, so these answers explain what affects them and how we confirm them on your quotation. Where a question needs site-specific advice, use the quote form or call us. Billboards Africa assists with approval applications, arranges engineering sign-off as sites require and serves Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and the wider region. Pricing and timing are always confirmed on your quotation. We also answer questions about rope access, mobile crane work, building wraps and large format banners. Browse the answers, then use the quote form for site-specific advice on your billboard in Gauteng or beyond.
Common questions
How do I get started?
Use the quote form with your site address, photographs and the work you need.
Can you maintain billboards you did not build?
Yes. We inspect, repair and maintain existing structures after assessing them.
Do you handle cross-border jobs?
Yes. Transport, import duties and local permits are confirmed per project.
Do you design the artwork?
Yes, design is available, and you can also supply your own files.
Can I visit your office?
By appointment only.
