# Sign Regulations in Berkeley, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Berkeley, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/berkeley
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Berkeley, Illinois regulates 18 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Monument Sign (Under 10,000 sq ft, bldg 20 ft from ROW)s in the Business Districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4) zoning district are capped at 9 ft (if masonry <2 ft), 11 ft (if masonry ≥2 ft); masonry base 1-2 ft high and 75% width. tall and 64 sq ft per face (2 faces allowed), with a Minimum 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. 12-13-9E5). Most commercial signs in Berkeley require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | — | — | — |
| Business Districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4) | 13 | 36 inches | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces allowed) | — |
| Industrial Districts (M-1, M-2, M-3) | 11 | 36 inches | 64 sq ft per face (2-sided) | — |
| Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Districts (R-2, R-3) | 5 | 4 ft | 25% of window area; illuminated window signs: 20% of window area. | — |
| Multiple-Family Residential Districts (R-4) | 6 | 4 ft | 25% of window area; illuminated window signs: 20% of window area. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Business Districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | Varies by building setback and frontage (see formula) | — | — | 1 per frontage, plus 1 on non-frontage wall (subject to area limits; maximum 2 walls per building). | On exterior wall, within 12" parallel, on each building frontage; 1 per frontage, plus 1 on a non-frontage wall if total does not exceed allowed area. | — | 12-13-9B |
| Monument Sign (Under 10,000 sq ft, bldg 20 ft from ROW) | 9 ft (if masonry <2 ft), 11 ft (if masonry ≥2 ft); masonry base 1-2 ft high and 75% width. | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces allowed) | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | 1 per zoning lot | 1 per zoning lot. Min 5 ft setback. | — | 12-13-9E5 |
| Monument Sign (Over 10,000 sq ft, min 50 ft from ROW, with ≥4 businesses) | 20 ft | 10 sq ft per establishment, plus one 10 sq ft sign for building. | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | 1 per zoning lot | 1 per zoning lot, near lot center at ROW. | — | 12-13-9E6 |
| Monument Sign (Over 10,000 sq ft, min 50 ft from ROW, 1 business) | 20 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2 faces allowed) | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | 1 per zoning lot | 1 per zoning lot, near lot center at ROW. | — | 12-13-9E7 |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft; Advertising Flag: 12 ft | 6 sq ft; Banner: 16 sq ft; Advertising Flag: 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 at a time; up to 3 per year, new business can have 4. | — | — | 12-13-9F |
| A-Frame Sign (Temporary) | 36 inches | — | 30 inches | — | 1 at a time per licensee | On-site during business hours | — | 12-13-9F6 |
| Real Estate Sign | ≤8 ft; Exempted if ≤4 ft and ≤6 sq ft | Lots ≤1 acre: 32 sq ft; >1 acre: 64 sq ft; Signs ≤6 sq ft exempt from permit. | — | — | 1 per lot plus open house sign | 1 per lot, plus allowed temporary sign(s) | — | 12-13-9G |
| Parking Lot Sign | — | Max 10 sq ft for all parking lot signs on a lot. | — | — | No more than 4 signs and 6 faces per zoning lot | Up to 4 signs (6 faces) per lot | — | 12-13-9H |

### Industrial Districts (M-1, M-2, M-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 1 sq ft per foot of frontage | — | — | 1 per frontage, no more than 2 faces in total | On exterior wall, max 2 faces per building. | — | 12-13-10A |
| Window Sign | — | 40% of window area; illuminated: max 20% | — | — | — | On/in windows | — | 12-13-10B |
| Awning Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Vertical surface of awning. | — | 12-13-10C |
| Monument Sign (min 50 ft from ROW and ≥10,000 sq ft bldg) | Lesser of building height or 15 ft | 64 sq ft per face (2-sided) | — | 5 ft minimum setback | 1 per zoning lot | Minimum 50 ft from property line, 1 per zoning lot. | — | 12-13-10D |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft; Advertising Flag: 12 ft | 6 sq ft; Banner: 16 sq ft; Advertising Flag: 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 at a time per business | — | — | 12-13-10E |
| A-Frame Sign (Temporary) | 36 inches | — | 30 inches | — | 1 at a time per business | Displayed during business hours | — | 12-13-10E6 |
| Real Estate Sign | ≤8 ft; Exempted if ≤4 ft and ≤6 sq ft | ≤1 acre: 32 sq ft; >1 acre: 64 sq ft; Signs ≤6 sq ft exempt from permit. | — | — | 1 per lot plus open house | 1 per lot | — | 12-13-10F |
| Parking Lot Sign | — | All parking lot signs: 16 sq ft on a lot at one time | — | — | ≤6 signs, 8 faces | No more than 6 signs (8 faces) per lot. | — | 12-13-10G |

### Multiple-Family Residential Districts (R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area; illuminated window signs: 20% of window area. | — | — | — | On/in windows | — | 12-13-12C |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft per face, up to 2 faces | — | — | 1 at a time | — | — | 12-13-12D |
| A-Frame Sign (Temporary) | 4 ft (if included as a temporary sign) | 6 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 at a time (counts toward temporary sign limit) | — | — | 12-13-12D6 |
| Banner Sign | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 at a time | — | — | 12-13-12E |
| Parking Lot Sign | — | 4 sq ft per face | — | — | No more than 2 signs (4 faces) | No more than 2 signs (4 faces) on a lot | — | 12-13-12F |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot (+1 open house sign for 72 hrs) | — | — | 12-13-12G |

## Prohibited signs in Berkeley

- No sign, other than signs owned by the village, shall be allowed on public rights of way or public property.
- No sign shall be erected, relocated, maintained or otherwise permitted to obstruct or prevent free ingress or egress from any door, fire escape, stairway, or window of any building or structure.
- No sign shall be attached to a utility pole, tree, standpipe, gutter drain, or fire escape, nor shall any sign be erected so as to impair access to a roof.
- No sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained where, by reason of its position, shape, color, or wording, it may interfere with, obstruct the view of or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal device, nor shall it otherwise cause a safety hazard.
- No sign shall be permitted in the applicable setback.
- No sign shall be placed without proper approval or permits as required by this chapter at the time of sign placement.
- No sign shall remain in place contrary to the time limits of any permit or the time limits set forth in this chapter.
- No sign shall be installed, erected, constructed, enlarged, relocated, altered, converted, or maintained without first obtaining a permit (except where exempt as noted in the ordinance).
- No externally illuminated sign shall be operated when it is damaged or portions of the face are missing, allowing the light source to be seen directly.
- No sign, other than wall signs, shall be painted directly on a wall or fence.
- No exterior signs employing exposed gas tubes are permitted.
- No internally illuminated sign shall have a transparent background, allowing direct view of the light source.

## Signs exempt from permit in Berkeley

- Signs not visible beyond the boundaries of the zoning lot upon which they are situated.
- Any official traffic signs authorized from time to time by the Illinois Compiled Statutes and the ordinances of the village.
- Signs of noncommercial nature and in the public interest erected by, or on the order of, a public official.
- Flags.
- Warning signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit shall be issued for any individual sign requiring a permit unless and until a master signage plan or a common signage plan for the zoning lot on which the sign will be erected has been submitted to the zoning administrator and approved by the zoning administrator as conforming with this section.
- For any zoning lot on which the owner proposes to erect one or more signs requiring a permit, the owner shall submit to the zoning administrator a master signage plan.
- If the owners of two or more contiguous zoning lots, or the owner of a single lot with more than one building, submit a common signage plan, a 20% increase in maximum sign area may be allowed; the common signage plan must conform to requirements including standards for consistency among all signs.
- A master signage plan or common signage plan shall be included in any development plan, site plan, planned unit development plan, or other official plan required by the village and shall be processed simultaneously with such plan.
- After approval of a master signage plan or common signage plan, no sign shall be erected, placed, painted, or maintained except in conformance with such plan, and such plan may be enforced in the same way as any provision of this chapter.
- If any new or amended common signage plan is filed for a zoning lot where existing signs are located, the plan must include a schedule for bringing into conformance, within six months, all non-conforming signs with both the plan and the requirements of this chapter on the date of submission.

## 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 5 zoning districts in Berkeley — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Berkeley+IL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-berkeley

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