20/10/2025
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20/10/2025
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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 20: Kuwait Municipality has completed a comprehensive study to amend the country’s advertising regulations and is preparing to forward the revised draft to the Municipal Council for final approval.
The updated regulations introduce significant changes, including new fines, technical definitions, and operational guidelines aimed at streamlining advertising practices and enhancing visual order across the country.
- An “Advertising Medium” is defined as any fixed or mobile platform—traditional or electronic—used for displaying advertisements, such as billboards, posters, balloons, vehicles, or electronic screens.
- “Advertising Site” encompasses all locations where advertisements can be placed, including shops, buildings, public property, roadsides, and beaches.
- “Electronic Billboards” are classified as either moving (displaying video or text) or fixed (non-moving throughout the license period). The Municipality is designated as the Competent Authority responsible for supervising and enforcing the regulations, while ministries and public entities are identified as Concerned Authorities overseeing specific activities.
Updated Licensing RulesnLicensing procedures will be streamlined, with renewal processes now available electronically. The municipality reserves the right to revoke or shorten license validity when deemed necessary for public interest, without liability or compensation to the license holder. The duration for most advertising licenses remains one year, except for auction-based advertisements or those explicitly defined otherwise.
License holders will be responsible for maintaining advertisements throughout the license period, and for removing them within three weeks of license expiry, non-renewal, or activity closure. Failure to comply will authorize the municipality to remove advertisements at the licensee’s expense.
Design and Structural StandardsnThe new rules introduce aesthetic and safety conditions for billboards.
- Lighting must not be bright or glaring.
- Trade names must be uniform in color and size, except for commercial agencies.
- The maximum height of a billboard, including its base, should not exceed seven meters.
- A protective frame is allowed if it enhances the billboard’s appearance, provided it does not exceed 50 centimeters on each side.
Commercial billboards cannot be left blank; licensees are required to fill empty spaces with designs or covers to prevent visual distortion.
For recurring advertisements, the minimum annual fee will be KD 75 per square meter for each side of an electronic billboard.
Specific Provisions for Vehicle and Facade Advertising
- Advertising on taxis and delivery vehicles must be confined to the vehicle’s sides without protrusion.
- A non-moving electronic display may be installed on the roof, with a maximum size of 40 cm x 120 cm, subject to approval from the Ministry of Interior.
- For shopfronts, advertisements must be installed at the top of the façade, with a maximum height of three meters, ensuring they do not obstruct residential views.
- In multi-story buildings, lighting must be fixed and self-contained.
- Lightbox advertisements are now permitted to hang from shop fronts under new technical standards.
Visual Harmony and Public InterestnThe amendments emphasize maintaining Kuwait’s urban aesthetic and ensuring that all advertisements comply with safety and public interest standards. Engineering plans for new installations must be submitted by municipality-approved engineering offices, detailing specifications, materials, and installation methods.
Officials noted that the revisions aim to balance commercial freedom with visual organization, reinforcing Kuwait’s commitment to urban regulation, safety, and environmental integrity.
Once approved by the Municipal Council, the new regulations will serve as the comprehensive legal framework governing all advertising activities across the country — covering everything from small shopfront signs to large-scale electronic billboards.
