how much do brown tourist signs cost

Brown tourist signs

Find out where and how to apply for tourist signage for your Quality Assured business.

Make your business easier to find

Available to eligible quality assured businesses, how to apply for a brown tourist sign, a quick guide to making your application.

Confirming your eligibility and applying to your local authority roads department

Check that you qualify as a tourist destination

A tourist destination is defined in traffic sign legislation* as a permanently established attraction or facility that:

• attracts or is used by visitors to an area
• is open to the public without prior booking during its normal opening hours
• is recognised by us

*As defined by The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016

Join our Quality Assurance Scheme

To be eligible for signage, you must be a current member of our Quality Assurance Scheme. Ongoing participation in the scheme is necessary to retain tourist signs.

Request your letter of accreditation

Before you apply for a brown tourist sign, you'll need an official accreditation letter. To ask for one, eligible businesses should contact  [email protected]

Please note that we are responsible for approving eligibility to apply for signage. Our remit does not include responsibility for approving signage.

Apply to local authority roads department

Once you have your accreditation letter you can make your application. Your first point of contact should be your local authority roads department. They manage all requests and can progress your application on local roads. Approval is their decision.

Where applicable,  you may asked to liaise with Transport Scotland or one of their operating companies. This is the case for signage requests on trunk roads or motorways.

Further advice and guidance on tourist signs

The purpose of tourist signs is to provide clear directions to enable visitors to reach quality tourist destinations safely by vehicle. Example of tourist destinations include:

Establishments primarily acting as retail outlets (including retail parks, shopping centres and garden centres) are only eligible for tourist signs if recognised by us as a "tourist shop" through our visitor attraction Quality Assurance Scheme in addition to meeting all the other relevant criteria.

Tourist destinations not eligible for tourist signposting: 

• exclusive use venues
• group accommodation providers 
• where multiple units have a manned reception area and have on-spec accommodation available on a nightly basis
• where the accommodation is eligible for traffic management or road safety issues in certain circumstances
• worshiping churches

Not currently eligible?

If you are not currently a Quality Assured business and would like to join,  find out how to apply for our Quality Assurance Scheme .

If you think that there is not an appropriate Quality Assurance Scheme for your business, please contact us to discuss your options. You can email us at  [email protected] .

Frequently asked questions

The information shown on a tourist sign must conform to the designs prescribed in the  Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) . Effective signs provide clear information allowing visitors to reach a destination safely. A tourist sign will show the name of the business, distance to the business (where appropriate) and the VisitScotland thistle logo. Further information on this can be obtained from your local authority. 

If eligible, for existing Quality Assurance members we can issue the accreditation letter within five working days.

For businesses applying to join a Quality Assurance scheme the timescale can vary. We cannot issue a letter of accreditation in advance of a grading visit, or before a star grading has been awarded.

If you take over a business that has a tourist sign then you need to meet the criteria to be eligible. This includes continued participation in the relevant Quality Assurance Scheme.

If you sell your business and have a tourist sign, remember to pass the details to the new owner. It will become their responsibility, and they will need to be Quality Assured to retain the sign(s). 

To retain eligibility for tourist signposting you must meet the Quality Assurance criteria on an annual basis. 

You will be liable to have your sign removed at your cost if:

• you withdraw from a Quality Assurance Scheme
• you fail to achieve an award
• you no longer meet the eligibility criteria

It is advisable to have a realistic understanding of the likely costs.

Costs are influenced by the type of road as well as the distance to the destination.

Prices can start from several hundred pounds for signs on local roads. Prices can escalate to many thousands of pounds for motorway or trunk road signing.

You should have appropriate funding identified before proceeding with an application.

Tourist signs take time to be installed. The process includes approval, agreement on location and number of signs, manufacture of the signs and setting them up. The majority of applications are usually concluded within six months. Occasionally the process can take significantly longer depending on the complexity involved.

To be eligible for signs on the motorway network your establishment should be Quality Assured. It should also receive at least 50,000 visitors each year, or more than 10,000 visitors in the peak month. In either case, these thresholds should have been met in each of the previous three years.

Please note that these visitor number thresholds apply only to motorways. There is no visitor number requirement for non-motorway trunk roads (A class roads).

Adequate car parking to accommodate the volume of vehicles expected to visit is also taken into consideration.

For further information, please  read Transport Scotland's trunk road and motorway tourist signposting guidance . 

Contact us with your signposting enquiry

Eligible businesses can get in touch to request a supporting letter of accreditation.

We can also help answer any signage queries you may have.

Related links

Quality assurance, taste our best, the scottish thistle awards, marketing opportunities.

Brown tourist signs

We can help you in your application for a brown tourist sign..

If you're part of our Quality Assurance Scheme , we can help you find out if your business is eligible for a brown tourist sign and provide you with a letter of accreditation. You can then apply to your local traffic authority for a sign.

How to apply for a brown tourist sign

A quick guide to making your application.

How to apply to your local authority for your brown tourist sign

Check that you qualify as a tourist destination

A tourist destination is defined in traffic sign legislation* as a permanently established attraction or facility that:

• Attracts or is used by visitors to an area
• Is open to the public without prior booking during its normal opening hours
• Is recognised by VisitScotland.

*As defined by The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016

Join VisitScotland's Quality Assurance Scheme

To be eligible for signage, you must be part of our Quality Assurance Scheme .

Get your accreditation letter from VisitScotland

Before you apply for a brown tourist sign, you'll need an official accreditation letter from VisitScotland. To ask for an accreditation letter, please email [email protected]

Apply to your Home Traffic Authority

Once you have your accreditation letter, you can make your application.

• Local roads: to your Home Traffic Authority - your local authority roads department
• Trunk roads or motorways , you'll need to  apply to Transport Scotland

Further advice and guidance

The purpose of tourist signs, also known as brown signs or white on brown signs, is to provide clear and consistent directions to enable visitors to reach tourist destinations safely by car, and to minimise the risk of dangerous manoeuvres. Tourist signs are directional aids, not advertising signs, and should not be used as a substitute for effective marketing. They are intended to assist attractions and facilities which visitors would otherwise have difficulty finding.

Establishments primarily acting as retail outlets (including retail parks, shopping centres and garden centres) are only eligible for white on brown tourist signs if recognised by VisitScotland as a "tourist shop" through our Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme in addition to meeting all the other relevant criteria.

Tourist destinations not eligible for tourist signposting: 

• Where multiple units have a manned reception area and have on-spec accommodation available on a nightly basis
• Where the accommodation is eligible for traffic management or road safety issues in certain circumstances
• Worshiping churches
• Exclusive use venues
• Group accommodation providers 

Is my business eligible to apply?

In order to be eligible to apply for signage, you are required to demonstrate participation in a relevant Quality Assurance scheme. Our role in the application process is to provide an accreditation letter confirming that the applicant holds a current Quality Assurance award.

If your business has two distinct elements and you wish to mention both on the brown sign, then both elements need to meet the individual eligibility criteria. For example, with “hotel and restaurant”, both the hotel and the restaurant would need to be separately Quality Assured. Another example might be “gift shop and café”.

Please note that VisitScotland are only responsible for approving eligibility to apply for signage and is not responsible for approving signage. The final agreement to sign your establishment is at the discretion of your local authority for local roads and Transport Scotland for trunk roads and motorways.

How do I apply for a tourist sign? 

Written confirmation of your Quality Assurance scheme participation is a requirement and an official accreditation letter can be obtained by sending a request to [email protected] . Please note that we cannot issue a letter of accreditation in advance of a Quality Assurance visit, or before the star grading has been officially awarded.

Applying for a sign on a local road

Once in receipt of your accreditation letter an official application can be submitted to your Home Traffic Authority (HTA). For local roads your HTA will be your local authority roads department. They co-ordinate the application process and are able to offer guidance with queries relating to sign location, number of signs, costs, timescales and so on. They can also assist should your request cross local authority boundaries or include a mix of trunk road, motorway and local road sites. We can provide the most suitable HTA contact upon request.

Applying for a sign on a trunk road or motorway

In cases where a destination takes its access directly from a trunk road or motorway, Transport Scotland is the Home Traffic Authority. If your business is situated directly on a trunk road or motorway you should contact Transport Scotland with your accreditation letter to make a formal application.  Please consult the "Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy and Guidance" on the Transport Scotland website to find out more . 

Not currently eligible?

If you are not currently participating in one of VisitScotland’s Quality Grading Schemes and would like to join, you can find out more by visiting our Quality Assurance process page . If you think that there is not an appropriate scheme for your business, but you would still like to apply for a sign, please contact us to discuss your options. You can email [email protected] . 

Here are some frequently asked questions about tourist signposting:

1. what information do tourist signs include.

The information shown on a tourist sign must conform to the designs prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) . Effective signs provide clear information allowing visitors to reach a destination safely. A tourist sign will show the name of the business, distance to the business (where appropriate) and the VisitScotland thistle logo. Further information on this can be obtained from your local authority. 

2. My business is Quality Assured and I have requested an accreditation letter - when will I receive it?

Generally, for existing participants in Quality Assurance schemes, VisitScotland issues the accreditation letter within 2-5 working days. For businesses applying to join a Quality Assurance scheme for the first time, a grading visit is normally scheduled within 16 weeks of receipt of an application to join. Please note that VisitScotland cannot issue a letter of accreditation in advance of a Quality Assurance visit, or before the star grading has been officially awarded. 

3. What happens if I buy or sell a business with a brown sign?

If you take over a business that previously had a brown sign then you should make sure that your business still meets the criteria to be eligible for tourist signposting. This includes continued participation in the relevant Quality Assurance scheme on an annual basis. If you sell your business and have a brown sign, remember to pass the details of your brown sign to the new owner as it will become their responsibility. The business will be required to be Quality Assured with the new owner to retain the brown sign(s). 

4. What if I withdraw from the VisitScotland Quality Assurance Scheme?

If you withdraw from a Quality Assurance scheme, fail to achieve an award or no longer meet the criteria, you will be liable to have your sign removed at your cost. To retain eligibility for tourist signposting you must meet the Quality Assurance criteria on an annual basis. 

5. How much do tourist signs cost?

It is advisable to have a realistic understanding of the likely costs and to have appropriate funding identified before proceeding with an application. Prices can range from several hundred pounds for small signs on local roads to many thousands of pounds for larger motorway or trunk road signing. Costs are often influenced by the type of road on which the signs are to be installed as well as the distance to the destination. Additional factors that need to be taken into consideration are design costs, road safety and traffic management requirements, materials used, number of signs required and the size and position of the sign(s). 

6. How long will it take to for my tourist signposting to be installed?

Tourist signs take time to be installed. The process of installing a sign includes approval, agreement on wording and number of signs, manufacture of the signs and physically setting them up. The majority of applications are usually concluded within six months. However, please note that on occasion, the process can take significantly longer and may take up to two years from start to finish depending on the complexity involved. 

7. Can I apply for motorway signing for my visitor attraction?

To be eligible for signs on the motorway network, your establishment should be Quality Assured and have received receive at least 50,000 visitors each year or in excess of 10,000 visitors in the peak month. In either case these thresholds should have been met in each of the previous three years. Please note that these visitor number thresholds apply only to motorways – there is no visitor number requirement for non-motorway trunk roads (A class roads). Adequate car parking to accommodate the volume of vehicles expected to visit the tourist attraction or facility is also taken into consideration. Where appropriate this parking should include provision for the parking of minibuses and coaches. For further details and advice on this please contact Transport Scotland .   

Apply for a brown tourist road sign

Brown tourism signs can be used to help guide people to a tourist destination. If your establishment meets the criteria you can apply for signs to be installed.

Eligibility

To be eligible for tourism signing your establishment must:

• Normally be open for at least 4 hours per day and at least 150 days a year, and be accessible without the need to pre book.
• Have sufficient amenities for people with disabilities. This includes a disabled toilet where toilets are available, suitable ramping for wheelchair users and designated parking.

There are also a number of specific conditions that must be met depending on the type of tourist attraction or facility. These are explained in the application pack we will send to you on request.

Occasionally we have to reject applications from eligible venues due to the number of signs already in place in a specific location. 

Non-refundable application fee: £170

Sign designs: first 4 signs - £100 per sign, £75 per sign thereafter

You must also pay for construction costs to install the signs. A scheme with 4 signs can cost anything upwards from £1000. As requirements vary depending on each site, construction costs can vary considerably and are paid after the signs are installed.

Although the signs remain the property of Leicestershire County Council, any maintenance or replacement costs are your responsibility.

The process will usually take at least 5 to 6 months to complete. Please bear this in mind when making your application. 

All customers will need to upload the following to complete the form:

• A map image showing locations for where they want the tourist signs to be
• Some evidence of previous promotions of the venue's location and how they give visitors clear directions to the venue
• A document showing the venue's opening hours

Depending on the type of venue, some customers may need to upload the following (where applicable):

• Written confirmation of partnership with VisitBritain (tourist information centres only)
• Information supporting how the venue is of special interest to the tourism industry (retail establishments only)
• Written confirmation from the Youth Hostels Association (youth hostels only)
• Proof of membership to the Caravan Club, or Camping and Caravanning Club (camping and caravan sites only)
• Up to date evidence that the site is licensed by us (camping and caravan sites only)

​ Request a Tourism Sign

If you require any further information, please contact Highways Customer Services on 0116 305 0001.  

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Signs for your premises.

Disclaimer:  While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the Pink Book, we regret that we cannot be responsible for any errors. The Pink Book contains general information about laws applicable to your business. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such.  Read our full disclaimer .

If you intend to display any outdoor signs and/or advertisements, you may need to apply to the planning authority for consent.

The need for consent from the planning authority depends on whether signs are fully, partially or non-illuminated and where they are situated.

You will also need to ensure that any signs displayed are not misleading, as this could constitute a breach of unfair trading and misleading marketing legislation.

The highways department of your local authority can advise on brown tourism signs.

Do the regulations apply to me?

Yes: if you display any outdoor signs and/or advertisements, you need to comply with:

• The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 ;
• The Consumer Protection Regulations 2008 relating to unfair trading and misleading marketing (see the Unfair Trading Practices section).

Planning regulations and permission

The display of all outdoor signs and advertisements is controlled by local planning authorities under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007.

Local planning authorities are required to exercise their powers under the regulations with regard to amenity and public safety, taking into account relevant development plan policies in so far as they relate to amenity (including both visual and aural amenity) and public safety, as well as any other relevant factors.

These regulations can be complex, and you are strongly advised to seek the advice of the planning department of your local authority (see Further guidance below) before commissioning and setting up any signs for your premises.

A very brief summary of the regulations is given here:

• ‘Express consent’ means that you have to apply to the planning authority for consent to display the proposed sign.
• ‘Deemed consent’ means that consent is deemed to have been given by the planning authority and you do not have to apply for it.

Signs on your premises

Illuminated and non-illuminated signs.

Fully illuminated signs always require express consent from the planning authority (although this is not normally the case if the sign is displayed inside a window, rather than on the wall or doorway outside).

Partially illuminated signs (for example where only letters, and not the background, are illuminated) may not require express consent.

Non-illuminated signs can normally be displayed with deemed consent if they are fixed to the building, although there are limitations placed on the height of the sign and on the size of any characters or symbols on it.

Listed buildings

If your property is a Listed Building, you will always have to obtain Listed Building consent before you display a sign.

Signs at the entrance to your premises

You may normally put a non-illuminated sign by your gate, driveway or within the grounds of your establishment with deemed consent (subject to limitations on overall size, height and size of characters or symbols).

Signs in advance of your premises

If you wish to put up directional signs by the side of the roads approaching your establishment, for example in a field overlooking the road (with the landowner’s permission, of course), you must always seek the express consent of the planning authority.

Provided that your premises are not within areas of special control or other areas with protective designations, flag advertisements that do not require express consent are restricted to:

• A single flag from a single flagpole projecting from the premises with either the company name or logo of the company, or the advertising of a specific event of limited duration – such as a sale.
• Two flags on flagstaffs not attached to a building.

Special controls

In sensitive places, for example conservation areas, the deemed consent may be removed by an Article 4 Declaration. You must apply for consent for signs on or at the entrance to your premises. In some rural localities, an Area of Special Control Advertisements may restrict all outdoor advertising.

Ensuring signs are not misleading

You should also ensure that any signs displayed are not misleading. For example, it is illegal for a non-assessed property to display a Quality Grading Scheme sign or to display a sign showing an incorrect rating.

For more information on misleading signs, see the Unfair trading practices section.

Brown tourism signs

Both attractions and accommodation businesses can apply for brown tourism signs. However, in practice, accommodation establishments have been less successful with their applications than visitor attractions.

The first step is to contact the highways department of your local authority, which will advise you about procedures, local policy and the cost of such signs. Each local highways authority has its own guidelines that balance local environmental and road safety interests with those of the tourism industry.

Your local highway authority controls signs on the roads in its area, and sets local policy on brown signs. Highways England controls signs on trunk roads and motorways.

The standard for tourism signing on the trunk road network, and guidance on signage on local roads in England, is available on the Highways England website – along with an application form for signs on roads managed by Highways England. However, it should be noted that the application process can take up to nine months and a sign can be expensive: from £8,000 to £20,000 if it is on a single carriageway, and from £17,000 to £40,000 if it is on a motorway.

Note: guidance on tourist signs has been modified to ensure that priority is given to genuine tourist attractions rather than wider retail, sport or leisure facilities. There has also been a move towards greater transparency in the application process and improving processing times. While this guidance only applies to motorways and trunk roads, local highway authorities will be encouraged to apply similar standards.

Further guidance

Your local authority.

For informal advice or to apply for consent for signage on your property, contact the planning department of your local authority.

Outdoor Advertisements and Signs

Outdoor Advertisements and Signs - A Guide for Advertisers can be downloaded from Gov.uk.

Applying for a brown tourism sign

The Highways England website contains a range of guidance publications related to tourism signage on both trunk and non-trunk roads.

Find local support

Your local Destination Organisation or your local authority may also be able to advise you on the local situation with brown signs.

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Follow the brown signs

The history of the humble brown tourist sign, where it all began….

We stole brown tourist signs from the French (anyone who has ever driven in France knows how artistic, elaborate and massive their brown signs are pointing to historic towns, châteaus, bridges and abbeys, among many other places of tourist interest all over France). French brown signs had been directing motorists to attractions and facilities from the 1970s, so in the early ’80s (the decade of my childhood) Britain introduced them in Kent (my home county) and Nottinghamshire as an experiment to see if they might work here too. Kent got signs with symbols on them to denote the relevant attraction or facility type and Nottinghamshire got ones with only text to see whether including a recognisable image on the signs made them easier for motorists to use. Signs with symbols proved the winner and very soon regulations for tourist signing were written into the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions Manual . Since then different symbols representing the different types of tourist attraction and facility across Britain were designed and by the late 1980s brown signs with intriguing symbols on them began popping up along roadsides across the country.

Where we are now…

It is not actually known how many brown signed attractions there are in the UK since management and administration of them no longer lies with a central authority. It was once The British Tourist Board, but when it became VisitBritain the responsibility was handed over to local councils and The Highways Agency who now control which attractions and facilities qualify for a brown sign. I don’t know but I would estimate there must be tens of thousands of them.

What makes a brown sign…

Technically the definition of a brown signed destination is “a permanently established attraction or facility which attracts or is used by visitors to an area and which is open to the public without prior booking during its normal opening hours” (as stated by the Highways Agency). Brown tourist signed attractions and facilities must first apply to their local council or Highways Agency (depending on whether the signs will appear on local roads or bigger trunk roads), then prove they provide tourist interest and meet requirements like a certain number of visitors per year and disabled parking etc. Luckily for visitors though the rules are pretty accommodating which means that brown signs can point to such small, quirky and unique joys as paperweight museums, gnome gardens, seal sanctuaries and observatories as well as the more mainstream attractions such as theme parks, cathedrals, ice rinks and zoos.

The changing face of tourism and tourist destinations in Britain…

Modern tourism as we know it began when our ever curious and pleasure seeking Victorian ancestors got the opportunity to travel. Previously the Victorian public had relied on horse and carriages along rutted roads to get around, limiting the distance and speed to they could travel to their destinations. However when the railway network spread across Britain during the 19th century Victorians could suddenly travel on a scale no one had ever thought possible.

They visited seaside resorts, pleasure gardens, sites of historical significance and a whole host of other quirky destinations they deemed worth a pleasure trip. They revelled in their new-found freedom to explore the country and these detinations began seeing the positive effect of receiving visitors en mass. Some art galleries and museums were opened to the public earlier than 19th century but on the whole they were few and accessed predominately by the elitist classes. Soon however the relative ease with which people could move around and spend their money helped to open up more tourist “attractions”. By the 1950s with the introduction of the paid holiday leisure and tourism had become a full blown industry in it’s own right. Destinations that were once simply local curiosities became infamous to an area and soon facilities started emerging that catered for these tourists in greater numbers. Organisations such as English Heritage and the National Trust were formed to protect and open up heritage destinations to the British public.

By the 1980s when the new formalised tourist signage was brought onto Britain’s roads it was clear that tourist destinations could not only provide an informative and interesting way to spend one’s leisure time, but these destinations could also be a significant player in the UK economy. Tourism now contributes over £115 billion to the economy every year and there are more destinations than ever that are supported by the government, the visiting public and grant giving organisations.

The 93 symbols that have slowly grown from their original few (including castles, National Trust properties and museums) since the ’80s now encompass an unbelievably wide range of what we now accept, and take for granted. They are all places where we can go to spend our leisure time, including sports arenas, arts spaces, places of outstanding natural beauty, museums, industrial heritage and cultural destinations . What I find fascinating is that many of these symbols point to destinations that never started out as tourist attractions, but have sprung up from a need to protect, celebrate and educate future generations about a world that has gone before them. Gradually since the Age of Enlightenment during the 18th century the advances in science, engineering and technology have fuelled an astonishing change in the way we live our lives, which is so far removed from the world even 60 or 70 years ago before WWII. I am always heartened by a visit a brown-signed destination and think it’s so important to soak up whatever these places have to tell me. Many are places that not long ago didn’t even exist, or there wasn’t a need to preserve their subject matter, and just looking at the huge array of brown signed destinations goes to show the changing face of our modern world.

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Brown tourist signs

Tourist traffic signs are provided to guide visitors along the most appropriate route for the final stages of their journey.

Tourist signs on motorways and trunk roads, such as the A1(M), A19(T), A64(T) and A64(T), are the responsibility of Highways England. We are responsible for tourist signs on all A, B and C class roads and most unclassified roads.

The application fee is £165 and is non-refundable. Signs are provided at your own expense, including the cost of design, installation, and the repair or replacement signs as a result of theft, vehicle damage or general wear and tear in the future.

Tourist signs will normally be provided:

• If the road network to and from the tourist destination can safely accommodate the traffic likely to be generated
• at a maximum distance of three miles from tourist destination and usually only from the nearest A or B road, or from the nearest settlement
• on a single sign bearing the details of both tourist destinations where there is more than one tourist destination approved for tourist signs at a junction

Tourist signs are not normally permitted if:

• premises are located on, and accessible from, a main A or B road and visible to passing traffic
• existing signs are sufficient to guide visitors to your premises
• there is private advertisement sign relating to your facility
• the destination is part of a larger attraction which already has tourism signs
• the destination approach already has the maximum number of tourist destination signs
• there are unauthorised direction or advertising signs to the destination

Frequently asked questions

What do i need to consider before applying for a tourist sign.

Applicants should check that their tourist destination satisfies the criteria in the following areas:

Tourist destination

Tourist signs applications will be assessed against location criteria which varies dependent on whether they are classed as an urban or rural location. These are defined as:

To prevent an overload of information signs on individual junctions a maximum number of tourism signs is permitted as follows:

• roads with a speed limit of 30 mph or 40 mph- 3
• roads with a speed limit of 50 mph and above- 4
• where more than the maximum number of tourist traffic signs is reached at a particular junction, priority will be given to the destinations with the greatest visitor numbers

It should not be assumed that tourist traffic signs will be provided on all suitable access routes to a tourist destination.

Please note that eligibility under the 'quality criteria' and 'locational criteria' does not mean entitlement to signage.

Attraction quality

The applicant must demonstrate as part of the application that the tourist destination meets the following quality criteria:

• all relevant consents are in place from other authorities (where applicable) e.g. appropriate planning permission, possession of a fire certificate and certificates of health and hygiene for staff involved in food preparation
• safely accessible either on site, or close by (within 250m). Note: in most cases, on-street parking will not be considered an acceptable replacement for off-road parking
• able to meet the requirements of visitors in terms of capacity, and to accommodate buses where necessary
• able to provide some secure cycle parking facilities.
• there are adequate toilets, including facilities for disabled people, either at the destination or close by
• there is adequate publicity material, including a clear and accurate map and/or directions
• the destination generally is of good quality, well maintained and adheres to the accessibility standards suitable for its use, notably legislation relating to disabled access contained within the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• tourist attractions are accredited by the  'Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service' , or by another recognised national or regional organisation of this sort
• tourist facilities are  recognised by an appropriate body , concerned with maintaining quality standards

Please note that eligibility under the 'Quality Criteria' and 'Locational Criteria' does not mean entitlement to signage.

Location of attraction

Examples of organisations which would be acceptable are as follows:

Tourist facility

Examples of the various schemes in operation are as follows:

What will the tourist sign look like?

For road safety and environmental reasons, the messages on tourist signs are kept to a minimum:

Often, only symbols will be used to identify facilities. Succinct naming of a destination is generally acceptable, descriptive words and phrases will not be permitted. In general, individual naming of facilities will not be permitted except for road safety or traffic management reasons.

Example tourist signs

How do I apply for a tourist sign?

You should first check that your business meets the requirements of a tourist destination and eligibility criteria (see frequently asked question).

You should then complete the    tourist destination signs application form (pdf / 229 KB)  and return it, along with all supporting documents, to your local highway area office for assessment. You can find contact details for your nearest area office at the back of the document.

When you submit your completed application form, the following must also be provided:

• documentation confirming membership of appropriate quality assurance scheme
• copies of relevant planning permissions / certificates / licences
• examples of publicity material / guides for your tourist destination
• application fee of £165 made payable to 'North Yorkshire Council' via cheque payment

What happens once I have completed a tourist sign application?

On receipt of a fully completed application form and additional documentation required your application will proceed through the following stages:

What are the conditions of authorisation for tourist signs?

The conditions are:

• if the facility or attraction ceases to be eligible under this policy after the signs have been erected, North Yorkshire Council has the right to remove the signs from the highway
• the permitted symbols that indicate types of tourist destinations are shown in Schedule 14 of The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002. In special cases, the home traffic authority can apply for authorisation to use symbols not shown in this schedule
• any applications received will be assessed for compliance against the specified quality of attraction and locational criteria. However, when considering an individual application, other organisations such as the tourist board will be consulted and for all applications the national park authority if the signing is to be placed within a national park
• once installed, any tourist traffic signs provided will become the property of North Yorkshire Council and will be covered against any third party insurance claims, but will not be insured against theft, vehicle damage or general wear and tear. Any future costs to repair or replace signs for these reasons, will be expected to be met by the applicant. Where more than one tourist destination is indicated on a sign, then the cost of repairs or replacement will be shared equally among the operators of the destinations
• North Yorkshire Council reserves the right to remove, reposition or alter the design of any signs which may be installed, if this is thought necessary in the interests of road safety, traffic management or to accommodate other traffic signs in the vicinity

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Brown tourist signs

To get a brown tourist sign, you must apply for an assessment and pay the relevant non-refundable fee. We will then give you a quote for the cost of putting up the signs .

Before you apply, please read the information that follows carefully to make sure your destination meets the conditions for a tourist sign. We ask for a non-refundable fee with each application so we can cover the costs of inspection, design, and preparing a quote. If your application is not successful because your destination doesn’t meet the conditions, you won’t get your money back. 

Your destination must meet a set of standard conditions as well as any specific conditions relevant to the type of destination. This is because too many road signs can be a distraction for drivers and cause accidents.

Standard conditions for brown tourist signs 

Brown tourist road signs are to help people find a destination. For this reason, we only put them up where the destination is hard to find and where the place attracts visitors other than those who come regularly. 

Before we can agree to a sign, we’ll expect you to be doing everything you can to help visitors find your destination. For example, your website and marketing material must give clear directions or a map, together with the best post code for sat nav use.

We won’t consider putting up signs for destinations on a main road unless access is awkward and people can’t see the turning in time.  

To qualify for a sign, the destination must be open to the public and provide recreation, education, historical interest or services. It must also: 

• open for at least 4 hours a day, 150 days a year – though we might accept a different pattern of opening hours if we think the tourism value of the destination is high enough
• provide car parking, catering and toilet facilities appropriate for the expected number of visitors
• be available to the public without the need to pre-book or be a member
• attract visitors from outside the local area
• comply with all relevant statutory requirements
• be publicised to tourists and advertised in tourist promotions

We can only put signs up in places where the signs won’t cause any traffic problems. Where possible, we use existing sign structures.

Types of destinations and any specific conditions

The types of destinations for which we may be able to erect tourism signs include:Accommodation and hospitality in rural areas, Hotels, B&Bs, self-catering accommodation and youth hostels, together with pubs and restaurants where food is served both at lunchtimes and in the evening.

Camping and caravanning sites

Touring sites with at least 20 pitches for casual overnight use and which are licensed under either the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 or the Public Health Act 1936.

Static sites where people don’t need to book might qualify, but we can’t include a caravan symbol on the sign. That’s because it might confuse people with touring caravans looking for a pitch.

Craft centres, shops and other retail attractions can qualify for tourism signs where:

• there is a mix of facilities providing a genuine leisure experience
• the retail facility is unique or unusual
• most customers travel from outside the area

Garden centres no longer qualify.

Countryside attractions

Cycle routes, picnic sites, natural attractions such as forests or country parks, farm centres and leisure drives.

Entertainment

Cinemas, theatres, concert halls and theme parks.

Leisure centres, sports clubs open to non-members, golf driving ranges, fisheries, stadiums.

Other 

Tourist information centres, zoos, museums, historic or architectural buildings.

Costs for brown tourist signs

The total cost for brown signs will be the non-refundable assessment fee plus the cost of making and erecting the signs. 

Tourist sign non-refundable assessment fees

The non-refundable assessment fee covers inspection, assessment, design and quote.

• 1 sign - £361.78
• 2 signs - £602.13
• each extra sign - £121.43

Cost of making and erecting tourist signs

You can expect to pay a minimum of £1,000 for us to make the signs and put them up. The cost will depend on the number of signs, the size of the signs, and the number of new posts needed. We will use where existing posts where possible. 

There will be extra costs if we need temporary traffic lights or other traffic management measures to protect the workers putting the sign up. 

How to apply for tourism signs

We recommend you contact us at  [email protected]  before you apply so we can talk about whether your destination is likely to meet the conditions.

Once you’ve decided to apply, you’ll need to fill in the tourism sign application form (MS Word, 49KB) and send it to us with a cheque for the non refundable assessment fee. 

Any ongoing repairs or sign replacements will need to be funded by the person making the request.

What happens next

We’ll contact you to arrange to visit. When we come, we see if your destination meets the conditions, talk about how many signs you want, and do a site inspection to check where the signs could go. If we agree to provide signs, we do the design and give you a confirmed quote for the project.

If you consider a highways issue to be dangerous, or an emergency:

Call the Highways Customer Services Team on 0300 123 5020 during office hours 8:30am – 5:00pm

Call the Out of hours team on 0300 123 5025 after 5pm and before 8:30am, including weekends.

Page last reviewed: 30 August 2023

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• Road infrastructure
• Traffic signs, signals and markings

Brown tourist signs

Response to a request for information regarding brown tourist signs.

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Design Manual For Road and Bridges extract

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• Roads, highways and maintenance
• Highway licences
• Banners and signs

Brown tourism signs

Tourism signs (also known as brown signs) direct drivers to an attraction or facility along the most appropriate route. They are not there to advertise a business.

We manage brown tourism signs on all public roads in Dorset, except for trunk roads which are managed by  Highways England.

Fees and charges

• stage 1: application - £315
• stage 2: supply of signs - at cost + 10% for administration
• stage 3: ongoing maintenance - all future maintenance costs will be met by the applicant. Quote to be provided on request to the highways sign shop

Details of how to arrange payment are indicated on the application form.

Apply for brown tourism signs

Read through these documents to understand more about the application process and check your business meets our criteria:

• tourism signs policy
• tourism signs requirements

You'll need to refer to this information when you complete your application.

Download the tourism sign application form .

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Brown tourist signs

Brown tourist signs in Scotland have a blue thistle symbol. They’re widely recognised and provide clear and consistent directions for people already aware of a business or tourist attraction, but which may be hard to find. Brown signs aren’t meant as any kind of advertising.

You can find more information about road markings and signs on the Department for Transport's website .

Applying for a sign

The first thing to do is check you qualify on the Visit Scotland website and if you do, sign up to their Quality Assurance Scheme. You’ll receive an accreditation letter once you’re signed up.

If you’ve got an accreditation letter you can complete our online form .  Have a scan or photo of the letter ready as you’ll be asked to upload it as part of your application.

What happens once you’ve applied

Once you’ve submitted your request we’ll contact you to discuss potential sign designs and locations. We’ll normally visit your premises to establish if there are any restrictions on where we can put a sign.

Ordering a sign

Once the design has been finalised we’ll send you an estimated cost for us to put the sign up. Once you’ve accepted the design and cost we’ll order the signs, and once the work is complete we’ll send you an invoice.

Damaged or missing signs

Once your sign is up, we take on responsibility for the maintenance of the sign. You can report damaged or missing signs .

Removing signs

If you leave the Visit Scotland quality assurance scheme we’ll remove your sign. You can use our online form  tell us you’re no longer accredited.