Vehicle Signage {location} Regulations

Advertising and Destination Signs

The Department of Transport and Main Roads allows the fitting of advertising signs on all vehicles and destination signs on buses.

These vehicles prominently display advertising material or information that, in some cases, is illuminated.

Advertising display units must be securely attached to the vehicle and must not have any sharp edges or projections. The display units must not obscure the vehicle’s mandatory lighting equipment or restrict the driver’s field of view.

The use of highly reflective material must not be used in the advertising or destination sign.

Illuminated Displays

Where the advertising or destination display is illuminated, the following requirements apply:

• Flashing lights must not be used to draw attention to the display, or illuminate any part of the sign.
• Any external lighting used to illuminate the advertising display must not be directly visible to the driver of the vehicle.
• Internal low-level illumination may be used to light translucent panels provided the level of illumination is sufficiently low so as to avoid glare, either for the driver or other road users. 

Car Signage {location} requirements for ride-booking vehicles

All vehicles used to provide ride-booking services (excluding taxis and limousines) must display a ride-booking service identification sign, approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) when the vehicle is in service.

Booking entity authorisation (BEA) holders must not operate and drivers must not provide ride-booking services without TMR approval of the displayed vehicle sign {location}.

Purpose of vehicle signs {location}

Unlike taxis and limousines, ride-booking vehicles do not have distinctive number plates to aid in identification.

Vehicle Stickers {loction} help passengers identify their ride-booking vehicle and assist TMR compliance officers and the Queensland Police Service to undertake their duties.

Sign requirements

Rideshare signage example.

BEA holders must obtain TMR approval for their vehicle signs. Signs must be:

• retroreflective
• square and at least 146mm x 146mm in size
• clearly visible from at least 20m away from the windscreen
• able to clearly identify the booking entity by displaying the name, logo, trademark or similar identifier.

These graphics should be the main feature of the sign.

Displaying multiple signs

If you take bookings from multiple applications or platforms, you must display the correct signs for each booking entity. This might mean that you display 2 or more signs on your vehicle. However, they must not obstruct your view of the road or traffic.

Drivers who find multiple signage is obstructing their view of traffic or the road must reduce the number of signs and only display relevant BEA signage for the booking they are taking.

Generic, cut-down or overlapping signage is not permitted for drivers who provide services for multiple entities. Driver fines of $322 (with a maximum penalty of $3,226) apply.

Vehicle Signage {loction} Guidelines

Booking entities should consider the following when developing their sign:

• Keep the design simple and uncluttered to ensure the sign is visible from at least 20m away.
• Design must not be likely to offend a reasonable person.
• Limit the use of generic wording such as ‘Booked Hire’, ‘Booked for Hire’ or ‘Booked Hire Vehicle’, for the use of the main design element.
• Words such as ‘taxi’, ‘taxi-cab’, ‘cab’, ‘limousine’, ‘limo’ or a similar expression cannot be used on a booked hire service identification sign.