Illuminated Signs & LED Neon Signs in Wellington

Wellington City Council manages signs through the Signs chapter of its Proposed District Plan. The points below come from the hearing panel's recommended version of that chapter (27 January 2025); decisions and appeals may since have changed the wording, so confirm the current rules with the council. According to that text:

• On-site signs are a permitted activity if they meet the standards for area, number, height and position; signs that do not comply need resource consent (restricted discretionary).
• Size: a single sign is limited to 20 m² in the City Centre and Mixed Use zones, and 5 m² in Neighbourhood Centre, Local Centre and Commercial zones.
• Illumination: any illuminated sign must be designed, measured and assessed under AS/NZS 4282:2019 (obtrusive effects of outdoor lighting), with night-time luminance capped at 250 cd/m².
• Traffic safety: signs read from a road must not have flashing or moving lights, and within 100 m of an intersection they must show static messages and images only.
• Heritage: on heritage buildings, heritage structures and in heritage areas, a single sign up to 0.5 m² showing the name or purpose of the activity is permitted; anything else needs resource consent.
• Verandahs: one verandah sign per tenancy, with 2.5 m clearance for signs under the verandah.
• State highways: signs read from a state highway where the speed limit is 80 km/h or more must not be internally illuminated.

Building consent: under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004, a sign generally does not need a building consent if no face is larger than 6 m² and its top is no more than 3 m above the ground, or if a chartered professional engineer designs or reviews it. Larger or higher signs need a building consent, and exempt signs must still meet the Building Code and the district plan.

Sources: Wellington Proposed District Plan – Signs chapter (recommended changes, Jan 2025), Building Act exemption as explained by Christchurch City Council, Heritage New Zealand, as of October 2026. This is not legal advice – the local authority makes the final decision.

Council applications for signs usually need drawings or a photomontage with dimensions, position, projection and the illumination method. With your free design preview you get:

• your sign shown on a photo of your storefront
• dimensions, materials and light colour
• which elements light up and which are printed

You or your sign installer submit the application.

• Indoor LED neon signs come with fixings and a plug-in power supply – hang it up and plug it in, step by step in our installation guide.
• Outdoor signs, light boxes and hard-wired signs must be connected by a registered electrician – in New Zealand, hard-wired electrical work is generally restricted to registered electricians (see the Electrical Workers Registration Board). Wellington has plenty of sign installers who also fit signs made by others.

Tell us where the sign will go and we will tell you what you need for installation.

• LED neon signs – window signs for bars, cafés and salons
• Back-lit acrylic letters – softly halo-lit letters for a calmer look in heritage areas
• Channel letters – illuminated letters for the storefront
• Projecting signs – blade signs, within the District Plan and road-projection rules

All sign types at a glance

1. Send your logo, sketch or text – ideally with a photo of your storefront
2. Receive your free digital design preview
3. After your approval, production takes about 2–3 weeks
4. Insured delivery to your address in Wellington

Every sign is dimmable and comes with a remote control and a 24-month warranty. Shipping is included – nothing extra to pay when it arrives.

Do I need consent for an illuminated sign in Wellington?
Not always. In the recommended text of the Proposed District Plan, on-site signs that meet the area, height and illumination standards are permitted; signs that do not comply need resource consent. Check the current rules with the council.

Can I have a neon sign on a heritage building in Wellington?
In that text, a single sign up to 0.5 m² showing the name or purpose of the activity is permitted on heritage buildings and in heritage areas; larger or additional signs need resource consent.

Do you install signs in Wellington?
Indoor LED neon signs come with fixings and a plug-in power supply, so you can hang them yourself. Outdoor signs, light boxes and hard-wired signs must be connected by a registered electrician.

Can I see the sign on my storefront before ordering?
Yes. Send us a photo of your storefront and we will show you a free design preview with your sign in place.