Application for a service sign permit
- Permit or other obligation
- Nationwide except the Åland Islands
- Public service
Roadside guidance to a site that serves road users can be arranged. Road users are guided from one place to another using direction boards and signs. The services needed when travelling can be pointed out to road users with informative signs to service sites. The service site in question must have a sufficient level of service and the services indicated in the informative sign must be available at typical and regular times. The site must also have sufficient parking space, taking into account the number of visitors.
The colour of the sign depends on the main function of the service. Signs on blue background guide to services intended for all road users and signs on brown background guide to services intended for tourists and travellers.
You can use signs for services on blue or brown background or a location sign for tourist service on brown background plus an advance location sign for tourist service.
If the site is not a service, a location sign on black background and an advance location sign is used. A black-based address sign can be used in densely populated areas to direct to agencies, institutions, and industrial and commercial enterprises. Outside the densely populated area, the address sign can also direct to another individual site.
A positive permit decision includes measured drawings of the signs, a map of the sign locations and instructions for erecting the signs. Do not acquire any signs before receiving a permit decision.
Permit holders are responsible for acquiring, erecting and maintaining the signs at their own cost. Permit holders must acquire the signs from a manufacturer who has gained CE marking for its products (SFS-EN 12899 and SFS-EN 1090).
Do the following
Use the e-service primarily.
Signing into the service requires strong authentication. You will need either a bank ID, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Attach the following to the application:
- a map that shows the location of the site and any desired locations of the signs
- information about the offered services, number of customers seats, opening hours, etc.
Because permit decisions are always site-specific, the application must include all the signs for the site. If the site provides several services and you want to include each of them (max 3) in the signs, please indicate the order or priority of the services in the application.
If you cannot use the e-service, you can use printable forms. Irrespective of the location, submit the application form to the registry of the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre (P.O. Box 297, 33101 Tampere).
To whom and on what terms
The ELY Centre can grant permission to place roadside informative signs to guide road users if they do not cause any danger or harm to traffic and do not cause unreasonable harm to road maintenance.
The services offered at the site, the service level, the location of the site and other services in the neighbouring area are considered before granting a permit for an informative sign, as well as the traffic-related need for directions of the site.
The permit service of the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre has discretion in this matter. The guidelines for service site signs will be used in the discretion. The guidelines show the principles for signs to service sites and the prerequisites for the use of signs, regional direction plans and case-specific justifications.
A fee is charged for the service.
The service is subject to a fee.
Check the ELY Centre website for current prices (Service site signs). Rejected registrations are also subject to a fee.
Processing time
Check the average processing time on the ELY Centre website (Service site signs). An incomplete application or missing appendices will slow down the processing of the application.
Period of validity
The permit is valid for five years. The period of validity is stated in the permit decision. The signs must be set up within one year of receiving a positive permit decision.