Just four sandwich board licences have been issued by Dublin city council since new regulations kicked in last year.
Since September 2019 businesses have had to register for the footpath ads, paying an annual levy of €630.
158 boards have been seized by the local authorities ad board unit in the ten months since.
Close to 600 official warnings have been sent out, while 2,423 premises have been inspected for compliance.
Disability groups had welcomed the crackdown on the advertising signs, saying it cleared space for people who had difficulties moving through the city.
Dublin Town CEO, Richard Guiney, says he's not surprised by the low uptake;
"At the time we felt what was being proposed was unworkable, there were huge fees to acquire these sandwich boards and an incredible level of administration, including getting architectural drawings of your premises."
