Night lighting of bright advertisements and bright signs
Verified 17 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry in charge of the Environment
In order to reduce nuisance, night lighting bright advertisements and bright signs is regulated. This lighting obeys shutdown times precise.
The extinction times to be respected vary depending on the type of device :
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Bright advertising
Advertising illuminated by a light source specially provided for this purpose. It includes advertising for posters illuminated by projection or transparency, digital advertising on screens that can display still images, moving images and videos, and other lighting devices consisting mainly of neon lights, often settled on roofs.
An advertisement corresponds to any inscription, form or image, intended to inform the public or to attract its attention. A sign or pre-sign is not an advertisement.
Advertising is said bright when a light source, specially provided for this purpose, participates in its production.
Light advertising is divided into 2 categories:
- the advertising with projection or transparency illuminated posters
- luminous advertising other than that supporting posters illuminated by projection or transparency. This includes the digital advertising broadcast on screens that can display still images, moving images, and videos.
The light advertising shall be off between 1 and 6 a.m on the whole national territory.
Bright advertisements (shutdown times)
Bright sign
Any inscription, form or image affixed to a building relating to an activity carried out therein having a light source that can be illuminated by projection or transparency, digital screen or any other luminous device.
A luminous sign corresponds to any inscription, shape or image affixed to a building relating to an activity carried out there.
The sign is said bright when a light source, specially provided for this purpose.
The illuminated signs must be switched off between 1 am and 6 am when the reported activity has ceased.
If the activity stops between midnight and 7 a.m., the light sign can be switched off 1 hour after the activity ends. And if the activity starts between midnight and 7 a.m., the light sign can be lit 1 hour before the start of the activity.
The flashing signs are prohibited, with the exception of pharmacy signs or any other emergency service.
Illuminated sign (time of extinction)
General exemptions
The obligation to extinguish by night does not apply to bright advertisements following:
- which are supported by the street furniture assigned to transport services and during service hours. The digital ads must be still-image.
- which are settled in theright-of-way of airports
- which are settled in theright-of-way markets of national interest (MIN).
Whether it's for the bright advertisements or bright signs, it may also be decided to suspend the night-time extinction rules at of exceptional events defined by municipal or prefectural decree.
Illuminated advertisements derogations from extinction times
Illuminated signs derogations from fire-extinguishing times (paragraph 5)
Derogation in case of serious and imminent threat to security of supply
In case of serious and imminent threat to the security of electricity supply, the Minister responsible for energy may prohibit:
- all light advertising
- all advertising with projection or transparency illuminated posters
- all digital advertising in and outside urban areas
- or any advertisements located inside a premises when their location makes them visible from the public highway.
It must be operation or lighting is remotely controllable.
This prohibition may extend to lanes open to public traffic as well as airports, railway and bus stations and public transport stations and stops.
Derogation in case of serious and imminent threat to security of supply
Clarification of the exemption in case of a serious and imminent threat to security of supply
Derogation to extend night-time off schedules in an RLP
The mayor or a EPCI: titleContent can decide via their RLP: titleContent of stricter night-time extinction rules that those resulting from national regulations (between 1 and 6 a.m.) for bright advertisements and the illuminated signs.
The authors of the RLP: titleContent may determine different extinction ranges according to zones or according to the time of year.
To learn more about the local advertising regulations (LPR) you can consult the sheet dedicated to this subject.
Possibility of more restrictive regulation in an IPR than in the national regulation (paragraph 2)
Administrative penalties
In case of failure to comply with the extinguishment obligation from bright advertising and bright signs, the mayor can take a formal notice order ordering, in the 5 days, from the notification of the order by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt:
- the removal of the light advertisements and the light signs concerned
- or compliance with those provisions, with the light advertisements and the light signs concerned (for example: provide a system for turning off the device at off-time)
- or the restoration of the site.
If the company keeps its night lighting beyond this period, it will then have to pay a penalty payment of €200 per day and per device.
Criminal sanctions
The affixing, causing to be affixed or maintaining, after formal notice, an advertisement or a luminous sign without respecting the extinction times shall be punishable by fine from €1,500 (natural person) and €7,500 (legal person).
Failure to comply with the prohibition on the emission of any luminous advertisement, any advertisement supporting illuminated posters by projection or transparency or any digital advertisement in the event of a serious and imminent threat to security of supply shall also be punishable by fine from €1,500 (natural person) and €7,500 (legal person).
The criminal liability of legal persons and that of their directors may be cumulated for the same acts. For example, a leader as a natural person may be held personally criminally liable, even if the company has already been convicted of the same acts.
A legal person may only be fined. The amount of the fine shall be multiplied by 5 compared to that provided for natural persons.
Formal notice in the event of failure to comply with the extinguishment obligation
Administrative fine amount
Penalty for failure to comply with the ban due to a serious and imminent threat to security of supply
Criminal sanction in case of failure to extinguish at night
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Derogation in case of serious and imminent threat to security of supply
Possibility of more restrictive regulation in an IPR than in the national regulation (paragraph 2)
Formal notice in the event of failure to comply with the extinguishment obligation
Amount of the administrative fine
Penalty for failure to comply with the ban due to a serious and imminent threat to security of supply
Illuminated advertisements (schedules and exceptions)
Illuminated signs (opening hours and exceptions)
Criminal sanction in case of failure to extinguish at night
Prevention of light pollution
Clarification of the exemption in case of a serious and imminent threat to security of supply