The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s outdoor advertising permitting process will become fully electronic Aug. 1, ending the acceptance of paper applications for permits to place advertisements along state highways.
NJDOT already had an online permitting system in place, but paper applications remained an option. The change will make electronic submissions mandatory through the NJDOT Outdoor Advertising E-Permitting system.
The transition is part of the state’s broader effort to modernize regulatory processes under Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s Executive Order 5, which directs agencies to streamline regulations to save time and money while improving affordability, accountability and transparency.
The move coincides with the department’s Major Access Permitting (MAP) process overhaul, which also will become fully electronic Aug. 1.
NJDOT Commissioner Priya Jain said shifting outdoor advertising permits to a fully electronic platform will make it easier and more efficient to process and track applications while improving the customer experience.
“Through Governor Sherrill’s leadership and the use of technology, we are modernizing our processes and making NJDOT more responsive to our customers,” Jain said.
The final day NJDOT will accept paper outdoor advertising applications is July 31, 2026. Applicants who submitted paper applications before the deadline should contact their processing office to confirm the status of their submissions, NJDOT said.
Businesses seeking to advertise a product, service, event or location on a billboard or other outdoor signage that is not located on their own property must obtain a state permit. NJDOT processes more than 250 new outdoor advertising permit applications annually, along with about 6,800 renewal applications.
The outdoor advertising e-permitting system is available at oa.njdotepermits.net/Accounts.
