Malaysia Signboard Language Rules 2026: How Big Must Bahasa Melayu Be? DBP Sah Bahasa, the ¾ Rule, Trademark Exceptions, Fees and Council Fines

A new shop, a new restaurant, a new office lobby sign. The artwork looks great in Chinese or English, the fabricator is ready, and then the council asks for a document nobody mentioned: a language endorsement from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). In Malaysia, signboards are regulated twice. DBP checks the Malay. The local council decides whether the sign may go up at all. This guide sets out the actual rules on Bahasa Melayu size and position, what DBP accepts and rejects, what it costs, and what happens when a sign ignores the rules.

Quick answer (as at October 2026): Every business signboard in Malaysia must carry Bahasa Melayu (BM), spelled and used correctly. Where another language appears, PLANMalaysia's 2018 signboard guideline caps its letter height at ¾ of the BM letter height, and DBP's terms (updated 19 August 2026) require BM to be larger, clearer and placed above the other language. Only marks with MyIPO status, or names approved by SSM, are exempt. DBP's Sah Bahasa check costs RM30 per local council for a premise signboard (RM60 for billboards and electronic ads). DBP does not issue the licence. The council does, and council by-laws can carry fines of up to RM2,000 under the Local Government Act 1976.

Two gates: DBP checks the language, the council licenses the sign

Foreign owners often assume "DBP approval" is the signboard permit. It is not. DBP's own terms say so directly: its role is to verify the national language in advertisements, and the local authority (PBT) is the body responsible for approving the advertisement licence. In practice you pass through both gates in sequence, and the council will not move until DBP has cleared the wording.

That is why a DBP signboard approval is the first step in any council signboard application, and why it should happen before the sign is fabricated. A rejected design costs a redesign. A rejected installed sign costs a new sign.

The legal basis: why Malay must come first

The starting point is Article 152 of the Federal Constitution, which makes Malay the national language, together with the National Language Act 1963/67. DBP itself is a statutory body under the DBP Act 1959 (Act 213). The Act was last amended in 1995 and gives DBP no power to fine businesses. That gap is why ministers have repeatedly promised an amendment to give DBP enforcement powers. At the time of writing, enforcement against signboards still sits with the local councils.

The councils' power comes from section 102(c) of the Local Government Act 1976, which lets every local authority make by-laws "to regulate, license, restrict, prevent or remove the exhibition of advertisements". Each council has its own advertisement by-laws. In Kuala Lumpur these are the Advertisements (Federal Territory) By-Laws 1982. Most councils write the language rule into those by-laws or into the conditions of the signboard licence, and they refer to DBP's endorsement as proof of compliance.

DBP's terms say expressly that its rulings follow two national guidelines: the business-premise signboard guideline (2018), approved by PLANMalaysia's planning and development committee, and the outdoor billboard guideline (2009), approved by the Cabinet on 31 October 2008 and by the 61st National Council for Local Government on 2 December 2008.

The numbers: how big Bahasa Melayu must be, and where it goes

You will see "BM must be 30% bigger" repeated online. That figure is not in the national guideline. What the 2018 guideline actually says is that text in another language may be no taller than ¾ of the Malay text. Put the other way round, the Malay must be at least a third taller. DBP's own terms add colour and position: Malay in a bright, clear, readable colour, above the other language.

These are the national baseline for terrace shop lots. Councils can and do add their own conditions, for example on illumination, heritage zones or shopping-mall frontages, so treat the table as the minimum, not the whole list.

Brand names, trademarks and the MyIPO exception

The most common question from Chinese and foreign brands is whether their brand must be translated. DBP's answer depends on registration status, not on how famous the brand is.

• Registered with SSM or with MyIPO status. If the foreign-language name is approved by SSM, or the mark has Registered, Protected, Published or Accepted status at MyIPO, DBP can accept it as it is. The mark on the sign must match the mark as filed exactly.
• Neither. The words must be translated into Malay, or shown bilingually with Malay taking priority in letter size, colour and position.
• Slogans and extra descriptions. The same test applies. An unregistered English tagline needs a Malay version that is larger and placed above it.

The 2018 guideline is more relaxed here: it says trademarks, logos, taglines and slogans placed on a signboard need not be translated, provided their letters are no taller than ¾ of the main brand lettering. In practice DBP applies its own, stricter test, and DBP's endorsement is what the council asks for. So plan on the stricter rule. This is also a practical reason to file your mark early. A pending application that has reached Accepted or Published status at MyIPO already counts. Our guide to trademark registration in Malaysia explains those stages and the timelines.

How to apply on DBP Sah Bahasa, step by step

DBP runs the language check online through its Sah Bahasa portal (dbpsahbahasa.my). The applicant registers an account, uploads the artwork, pays online and downloads the endorsement once approved.

1. Register and activate an account on DBP Sah Bahasa, in the company's name.
2. Prepare the artwork: a coloured design with exact dimensions, every word that will appear, and the SSM-registered name as it will be shown. If you rely on a trademark, have the MyIPO record ready.
3. Choose the category and the council. A shop signboard is a papan tanda application. Billboards, pillar ads and electronic screens are iklan. The endorsement is issued for the use and council you applied for.
4. Pay online. Cash is not accepted on the portal.
5. Respond to corrections. If DBP does not approve, you amend the design and resubmit through the "kemas kini" (update) button.
6. Download the certificate (sijil pengesahan) and attach it to the council's signboard or premise licence application.

Because the fee is per council, a chain opening in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam files three endorsements, one per council, even with identical artwork. If you would rather not deal with the portal, our DBP signboard language approval service pre-checks the Malay wording and layout against DBP's terms, then files and follows up for you.

After DBP: the council signboard licence

The DBP certificate is an attachment, not the finish line. In most councils the signboard is licensed together with the premise: DBKL handles both through its eLesen system, and the Selangor councils run their own portals. The council looks at things DBP does not, such as structure, size, position, illumination, whether the sign blocks windows or neighbouring signs, and heritage-zone controls. It then charges its own signboard fee, usually calculated by area.

The order that saves money is always the same: artwork → DBP endorsement → council licence → fabrication and installation. For the council side in detail, see our guides to the DBKL business licence in Kuala Lumpur and to council business premise licences across Malaysia.

Penalties and enforcement

Because DBP cannot fine, enforcement comes from the council under its by-laws. Section 104 of the Local Government Act 1976 caps what a by-law can impose: a fine of up to RM2,000, up to one year's imprisonment, or both, plus up to RM200 for each day a continuing offence carries on after conviction. Most cases never reach court. Councils usually issue a compound and a notice to correct or remove the sign.

The mistakes we see most often

• Chinese or English larger than the Malay. This is the most common reason for rejection and the most common target of council enforcement.
• Malay placed below the foreign language. Even with the right size, DBP wants Malay on top.
• Machine-translated Malay. DBP checks spelling, terminology and grammar, and rejects wording that is impolite or has a negative connotation. A literal translation of a Chinese shop name often fails on all three.
• Missing business activity. A sign that shows only a brand, with no BM description of what the shop does, does not meet the guideline.
• Brand not yet filed at MyIPO. Without MyIPO status or SSM approval, the foreign-language brand has to be translated or made bilingual.
• Fabricating first. Paying for a lightbox and then redesigning it after rejection is the most expensive way to learn the rules. Our signboard design and fabrication service works from DBP-cleared artwork for this reason.
• One endorsement for every outlet. The fee and the certificate are per council. A second outlet under a different council needs its own.

Name changes, rebrands and renewals

The endorsement covers the artwork you submitted. Change the artwork and you need a new one. Common triggers:

• Company name change. The SSM-registered name on the sign must match the new name. Our guide to what to update after a company name change lists the signboard alongside bank, LHDN and licences.
• Rebrand or new slogan. New wording, new endorsement.
• New outlet or move. A different council means a new endorsement, and the premise licence starts again.
• Council renewal. Some councils ask for a current endorsement when renewing, especially if the sign has changed. In that case a DBP signboard re-approval comes before the licence renewal.

A short checklist before you send artwork to the fabricator

1. Is there a Malay line on the primary brand, or is the brand a registered or proprietary mark?
2. Is every non-Malay line no taller than ¾ of the Malay, and placed below it?
3. Is the business activity written in Malay at the top left?
4. Does the SSM-registered company name appear, below the brand?
5. Does all lettering fit within ⅔ of the signboard height, on a board no taller than 1.22 m (for terrace lots)?
6. Is there space at the bottom right for the council permit number?
7. Has DBP issued the endorsement for this council?

If any answer is "not sure", fix it on the artwork. ONEKEY BIZ handles the Malay wording, the DBP Sah Bahasa filing and the council licence as one job, for shops and offices across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Talk to us before you fabricate, or WhatsApp +60 12-321 1349.

This article is general information only, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Policies, thresholds and official fees are set by the relevant Malaysian authorities and may change. Talk to our consultants about your specific situation.