# Sign Regulations in Alsip, Illinois

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Alsip, Illinois, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Alsip, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/alsip
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Alsip/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH3AD_ARTIISI)

## At a glance

Alsip, Illinois regulates 21 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Advertising Sign - Multi-message Digital Monument Sign (Corner Lot)s in the Business District zoning district are capped at 12 ft (structure); 8 ft (panel) tall, 16 ft wide x 12 ft high (structure); digital panel 8 ft high x 16 ft wide; depth 2 ft max, and 16 ft wide, with a 4 ft min from ground, 12-50 ft from corner per angle bisector setback (Sec. Sec. 3-30(b)(11)). Most commercial signs in Alsip require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-I, R-2, R-3, R-4, Residential District | 15 | 15 ft max, 4 ft min above ground | 32 sq ft | — |
| Business District | 4 | 18 inches projection from wall; can project no more than 2 ft above roof/parapet | 100 sq ft per side | — |
| Industrial District | 2 | 12 ft (structure); 8 ft (panel) | 250 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### R-I, R-2, R-3, R-4, Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Real Estate Sign | — | 6 sq ft or 2 ft x 3 ft | 3 ft | — | 1 per location | On the property or in the window of the property being advertised. Not on public parkways, utility poles, fences, or trees. Must not obstruct public sidewalks. | — | Sec. 3-29; Sec. 3-25(a) |
| Public/Charitable/Religious Institution Sign | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | — | On the premises of the institution | — | Sec. 3-25(c) |
| Construction Site Sign | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Work construction site | — | Sec. 3-25(d) |
| Occupational Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | — | Commercial building, public institutional building, or dwelling house | — | Sec. 3-25(e) |
| Identification Sign or Nameplate (Institutional Use) | — | 24 sq ft (including bulletin board) | — | — | 1 per building | For church, school, hospital, library, or similar uses | — | Sec. 3-30(a)(1) |
| Identification Sign for Multiple-Family Residential Building - Wall Mounted | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Attached to wall of the building | — | Sec. 3-30(a)(3) |
| Identification Sign for Multiple-Family Residential Building - Freestanding | 15 ft max, 4 ft min above ground | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building | Freestanding | — | Sec. 3-30(a)(3) |
| Temporary Subdivision Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per major entrance | At major street entrance to new approved subdivision | — | Sec. 3-30(a)(5) |

### Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Ground Sign | 15 ft for wood signs, 35 ft for metal signs | 100 sq ft per side | — | 4 ft clearance from ground at corners with 25 ft setback; 25 ft from property lines on corners | 1 per lot | On lot, must not project over property line, not as close to front property line as to obstruct vision of traffic | — | Sec. 3-30(b)(2), (b)(8), (b)(9), (b)(10), (b)(7) |
| Business Wall Sign | 18 inches projection from wall; can project no more than 2 ft above roof/parapet | 100 sq ft per street frontage | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Non-obstructing, safely attached, does not block windows, doors, or fire escapes | — | Sec. 3-30(b)(3), (b)(4) |
| Electronic Message Sign (L.E.D. Type) | — | L.E.D. portion not exceeding 50 sq ft | — | — | — | On business property | — | Sec. 3-30(b)(6) |
| Advertising Sign - Multi-message Digital Monument Sign (Corner Lot) | 12 ft (structure); 8 ft (panel) | 16 ft wide x 12 ft high (structure); digital panel 8 ft high x 16 ft wide; depth 2 ft max | 16 ft | 4 ft min from ground, 12-50 ft from corner per angle bisector | 1 per lot (corner lot only) | Corner of intersection of two county, two state, or county and state thoroughfares. 4 ft min from ground to bottom of panel. Center of face no closer than 12 ft and no further than 50 ft from the corner | — | Sec. 3-30(b)(11) |

### Industrial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Industrial Sign | — | 250 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 3-30(c)(2) |
| Advertising Sign - Multi-message Digital Monument Sign (Corner Lot) | 12 ft (structure); 8 ft (panel) | 16 ft wide x 12 ft high (structure); digital panel 8 ft high x 16 ft wide; 2 ft depth | 16 ft | 4 ft min from ground; 12-50 ft from corner | 1 per lot (corner lot only) | Corner of intersection of two county, two state, or county and state thoroughfares. 4 ft min from ground to bottom of panel. Center of face no closer than 12 ft and no further than 50 ft from the corner, per 45-degree bisector rule | — | Sec. 3-30(c)(3) |

## Prohibited signs in Alsip

- Portable signs or any similar sign of a temporary nature not securely anchored to the ground or to a building or structure.
- Signs in the public right-of-way which are not public signs or located on permitted bus shelters.
- Signs attached to trees, fences, public utility poles, stand pipes, gutter drains or fire escapes, other than warning signs issued by government officials or public utilities.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, fire escape, driveway or utility lines.
- Signs which by reason of their size, location, movement, color or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed to be a traffic control sign, signal or device.
- Signs which hide or interfere with traffic flow or any street sign, signal or device.
- Signs or any advertising device attached to or located on a parked vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way, public property or private property for the basic purpose of providing an advertisement of products or services or directing people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises.
- Signs which do not meet the standards of, or otherwise violate, the Illinois Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971, as amended.
- Signs with revolving beams or beacons of light resembling any emergency vehicle or facility.
- It is not permitted to outline buildings by use of exposed neon tubing, strings of lights or otherwise.
- Display of air or gas filled figures, or balloons shall not be permitted at any time without board approval.
- All illuminated signs shall require an electrical permit and conform to the Village of Alsip's Electrical Codes. At no time, shall any temporary electrical wiring or extension cords be used to provide electricity to signs.
- All ground signs and the property immediately surrounding the same, shall be maintained by the owner in a clean and inoffensive state, free and clear of high weeds, rubbish and debris. Failure to do so shall be sufficient cause for revocation of permits issued.
- Advertising signs (billboards), except that no more than 13 advertising signs are allowed only along the Interstate 294 corridor (sign must face I-294). If an advertising sign is removed, the number of permitted advertising signs shall automatically decrease by one.
- Signs with a surface area in excess of 250 square feet.
- Advertising signs, except in the form of multi-message digital monument signs at locations authorized in section 3-30.
- No wall sign shall project more than two feet above the roof or parapet line of the building, nor extend more than 18 inches from wall to which it is attached.
- No wall sign shall be erected so as to prevent free ingress or egress from any window, door or fire escape.
- It shall be unlawful to erect any ground sign higher than 15 feet for wood signs, or 35 feet for metal signs, above the level of the street upon which the sign faces.
- No business ground sign having less than four feet between the lowest portion of the face of the sign and ground level can be erected on a corner of any lot unless the setback is a minimum of 25 feet from the property lines on both street sides.
- No ground business sign can be erected as close to the front property line so that it obstructs the vision of traffic. No portion of said sign shall be permitted to overhang the property line or public walk.
- Any sign which poses an imminent peril to persons or property shall be removed immediately.
- All signs which are erected on street or sidewalk lines or within three feet thereof, shall have a smooth surface and no nails, tacks or wires shall be permitted to protrude therefrom.
- No permit application will be denied, based in whole or in part, on the content of or message conveyed by the proposed sign.

## Signs exempt from permit in Alsip

- Real estate signs located within the R-I, R-2, R-3 and R-4 zoning districts, which do not exceed six square feet or two feet by three feet, which advertise the sale, rental or lease of the premises upon which said signs are located.
- Professional name plates not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Signs not over eight square feet in area for public, charitable or religious institutions when the signs are located on the premises of said institution.
- Signs denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor when placed upon work construction site; such signs shall not exceed six square feet in area.
- Occupational signs denoting only the name and profession of an occupant in a commercial building, public institutional building or a dwelling house, and not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Tablets, grade markers, head stones, memorial plates, or other remembrances of persons or events which are noncommercial in nature, when cut into any masonry surface or constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials.
- Traffic signs, municipal signs, legal notices, railroad crossing signs, and similar noncommercial signs in the public interest or erected by a public officer in the performance of a public duty. Such signs may be placed in public parkways, state or county rights-of-way or municipal property.
- No trespassing signs, warning signs (such as "Beware of Dog"), notification signs of emergency personnel and similar signs, provided that the sign does not exceed two square feet in sign area and there are no more than two such signs on a lot.
- Temporary window real estate, personal celebration, special events and garage sale signs, provided no such sign exceeds six square feet in area, no more than two temporary signs are placed on the property at any one time, and no more than one temporary sign of a particular type on the property at any one time; no illumination; erected no earlier than 30 days before and removed no later than seven days after the sale/event; garage sale signs for no longer than three days; personal or family celebration signs for no longer than one week.
- Noncommercial signs permitted up to a total area of 16 square feet for each zoning lot, located only on private property; not displayed more than 30 days prior to and 14 days after the event for which intended. Outdoor political campaign signs on residential property are not subject to any time limitation or permit requirement in any zoning district, but are subject to the square feet requirement. No noncommercial or political sign shall be placed in public parkways, state or county rights-of-way or municipal property.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- There is no explicit mention of a master sign plan, comprehensive sign plan, or required variance meeting for signs in the provided ordinance text.
- Permit applications for signs require submittal of plans or specifications (two blueprints or ink drawings) and are reviewed for compliance by the superintendent of buildings.
- The only reference to additional review is if a permit application is denied, in which case an appeal can be made to the board of trustees, who will then schedule a hearing.
- Business or advertising sign structures to be erected upon the roof of a building require approval of the village board (decision based on safety considerations only).
- Extensions of time past the 60-day limit for temporary, promotional, or similar outdoor displays require board approval.
- Display of air or gas filled figures, or balloons is not permitted at any time without board approval.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Alsip — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Alsip+IL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-alsip

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