BMC announces Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2025

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has released the Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2025, introducing a unified technical and regulatory framework for hoardings, digital screens and outdoor media formats across Mumbai. The new guidelines replace the earlier zone-based system, bringing in defined size caps, mandatory engineering standards and enhanced compliance requirements for every category of OOH structure. 

Defined size caps across formats 

While the policy removes the Zone 1/2/3 classification, it clearly defines the upper size limit for hoardings across Mumbai. As noted in official briefings, the maximum permissible size for a single hoarding face is approximately 12 m × 12 m (around 40 ft × 40 ft). Advertisers may install hoardings anywhere in the city, but only within the dimensions and configurations recognised under the policy. 

The formats permitted under the policy include: 

• Single-sided hoardings, within the prescribed height and width. 

• Back-to-back hoardings, subject to structural and dimensional norms. 

• V-shape and L-shape formats, complying with the approved configurations. 

• Gantry and unipole structures, meeting the dimensional and engineering standards. 

• Rooftop hoardings, only where the building satisfies the required structural strength and clearance rules. 

No format may exceed the dimensions defined for its category. 

Structural SOP and engineering requirements 

The 2025 policy introduces a detailed Structural Stability SOP applicable to all static and digital OOH formats. Every installation must follow technical and engineering standards that include: 

• Certified structural designs and wind-load calculations appropriate to Mumbai’s coastal wind conditions. 

• Foundation and anchoring specifications that meet the site’s structural requirements. 

• Compliance with seismic and environmental safety norms as mandated for the region. 

• Annual structural audits conducted by licensed structural engineers. 

• Mandatory insurance coverage for the structure and surrounding risk. 

• Display of safety and permit plates visibly on every hoarding. 

Permissions and renewals are conditional upon meeting these engineering requirements. 

Digital OOH controls: luminance, timing and police approvals 

Digital screens and illuminated hoardings fall under a stricter set of regulations. The new policy requires: 

• Luminance capped at a 3:1 ratio, ensuring the screen does not exceed three times the brightness of its environment. 

• Automatic brightness adjustment systems, ensuring proper day/night illumination. 

• Restrictions on flickering visuals, rapid transitions or distracting animations, especially on high-traffic corridors. 

• Limited placement of high-intensity LED screens near intersections, traffic signals and sensitive areas. 

• Mandatory NOC from the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) for all illuminated and digital OOH formats. 

Digital screens in malls, commercial complexes and private properties must comply with these lighting and content standards. 

Location rules and prohibited zones 

The policy outlines clear restrictions on where hoardings may be installed. Under the new rules, hoardings are not permitted: 

• On footpaths or pedestrian infrastructure of any form. 

• On most building terraces, unless the structure meets stringent stability requirements. 

• In locations that obstruct visibility of traffic signs, junctions or road curvature. 

• Within buffer zones around schools, hospitals, heritage precincts and religious structures, where advertising is restricted. 

• On road medians, green belts or tree zones, except for approved formats. 

Rooftop and elevated installations must meet additional clearance and certification requirements. 

Permission system and administrative framework 

All advertising permissions will now be processed through a single-window online portal, which will handle: 

• Submission of structural drawings, certifications and geo-tagged photographs. 

• Upload and verification of Traffic Police NOCs for illuminated formats. 

• Online payment, renewals and document management. 

• Monitoring of compliance and violation records in real time. 

Permission validity is now strictly enforced, with licences lapsing three months after expiry unless renewed within the stipulated window. 

Financial safeguards and tender conditions 

For advertising on BMC-owned assets, the policy mandates: 

• E-tendering for all commercial media rights, 

• Bank guarantees equivalent to one year’s advertisement fee, 

• Mandatory insurance, and 

• Compliance with all structural and illumination norms, regardless of tender terms. 

This framework aims to standardise commercial processes and reduce ambiguity in permissions. 

Enforcement and penalties 

The enforcement section grants BMC expanded authority over non-compliant structures. Key provisions include: 

• Immediate removal of unauthorized or unsafe structures, without the need for prior notice. 

• Joint liability on both the advertiser and the property owner, ensuring accountability at both ends. 

• Penalties equal to twice the applicable advertisement fee, calculated from the date of erection—even if the hoarding remained blank. 

• Blacklisting of habitual violators, restricting future permissions. 

• Recovery of removal charges and forfeiture of deposits where required. 

The policy emphasises strict compliance and uniform enforcement across all wards. 

With its defined size caps, standardised format specifications, strengthened engineering norms and strict illumination controls, the Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2025 establishes a more disciplined operational environment for OOH in Mumbai. The rules bring clarity, predictability and improved safety to the city’s advertising ecosystem, while creating a single, uniform reference framework for media owners, advertisers and agencies.