# Sign Regulations in Bridgeview, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Bridgeview, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/bridgeview
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-19
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://bridgeview-il.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BV_ZoningMap.pdf)

## At a glance

Bridgeview, Illinois regulates 15 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Multi-Family Building Nameplate and Identification Signs in the Residential Zoning Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) zoning district are capped at 5 feet tall and 20 square feet for identification sign, with a At least 6 feet from property line setback (Sec. 6-17-14(c)). Most commercial signs in Bridgeview require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | — | 40 square feet for tracts of 1 acre or more | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 6 | 5 feet | 60 square feet combined surface area | — |
| Commercial Zoning Districts (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4) | 4 | 10 feet for developments under 400,000 square feet | 40 square feet for developments under 400,000 square feet | — |
| Industrial Zoning Districts (I-1, I-2) | 2 | 10 feet | 40 square feet | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign | — | 12 square feet per acre, or 40 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | One sign permitted | Confined to the site of the construction | — | 6-17-12(a) |
| Real Estate For Sale or Lease Sign | — | 40 square feet for tracts of 1 acre or more | — | — | No more than 2 signs permitted | Located on the real estate to be sold or leased | — | 6-17-12(b) |
| Not-for-Profit and Religious Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | — | Adjoining a street | — | 6-17-12(c) |
| Informational Sign for Public, Charitable or Religious Event | — | 40 square feet | — | — | — | — | — | 6-17-12(d) |
| Banner, Pennant, Hot Air Balloon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6-17-12(e) |
| Temporary and Portable Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6-17-12(f) |

### Residential Zoning Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single Family Residential Nameplate | — | 2 square feet | — | — | Two signs permitted | Mailboxes or at least 6 feet from property line | — | 6-17-14(a) |
| Street Address Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | Two signs permitted | Mailboxes or near doorways | — | 6-17-14(b) |
| Multi-Family Building Nameplate and Identification Sign | 5 feet | 20 square feet for identification sign | — | At least 6 feet from property line | One nameplate and one identification sign per entrance | At vehicular entrance or major public entrance | — | 6-17-14(c) |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | — | 12 square feet per acre, or 40 square feet, whichever is less | — | — | Two signs permitted per subdivision | At each entrance to the subdivision | — | 6-17-14(d) |
| Identification Sign for Institutional and Other Non-Residential Uses | — | 60 square feet combined surface area | — | — | No more than 2 signs per lot | — | — | 6-17-14(e) |
| Window Sign | — | 20% of total window area | — | — | — | In windows | — | 6-17-14(f) |

### Commercial Zoning Districts (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Identification Sign | 10 feet for developments under 400,000 square feet | 40 square feet for developments under 400,000 square feet | — | — | One sign per lot, exceptions for larger lots | Per lot, except for lots with over 300 feet of frontage | — | 6-17-15(a) |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | One sign per lot frontage | Per lot frontage on a public right-of-way | — | 6-17-15(b) |
| Window Sign | — | — | — | — | — | In windows | — | 6-17-15(c) |
| Banner | — | — | — | — | — | Affixed to parking lot light poles | — | 6-17-15(d) |

## Prohibited signs in Bridgeview

- Portable signs or temporary signs except where allowed by permit for a maximum of 30 days in a 6-month period provided that there is at least 30 days between permits.
- Signs which are painted directly onto any exterior wall of any building or other structure.
- Signs in public rights-of-way which are not public signs or located on permitted bus shelters.
- Streamers, posters, ribbons, light strings, light bulbs, light bands, spinners, attention-getting devices that move, blinking, electronic or flashing signs except time, temperature and date signs, signs which exhibit changing natural or artificial light or color effects, and festoon lighting, signs (other than neon signs) which contain bare, unshielded light or tubes which are visible from a public street or a private residence.
- Signs attached to trees, fences, public utility poles standpipes, gutter drains or fire escapes, other than warning signs issued by government officials or public utilities.
- Abandoned or defunct signs, including the posts or other supports therefore, that advertise or identify an activity, business product or service that is no longer conducted or available on the premises where such sign is located.
- Signs which move, rotate, change position, have moving parts, or create the illusion of movement, whether the movement is caused by the wind or mechanically, except for the rotation of barber poles and permissible changeable copy signs.
- Signs which prevent free ingress or access from any door, window, fire escape, driveway or utility lines.
- A frame, sandwich board, sidewalk or curb signs on the public right-of-way.
- Projection signs which are suspended from or supported by a wall, awning or canopy and which are approximately perpendicular thereto.
- Roof signs or any sign erected upon, against or directly above a roof or on top of or above the parapet of a building, whichever forms the top line of the building silhouette.
- Hologram signs.
- Signs which contain advertising matter which is untruthful.
- Signs which emit an audible sound, odor or visible matter.
- Signs which by reason of their size, location, movement, content, coloring or manner of illumination may be confused with or construed to be traffic-control sign, signal or device, or the light of an emergency or road equipment vehicle, except where such sign is accessory to a parking area and gives directions or instructions to drivers or pedestrians.
- 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 advertising of products or devices or direct people to a business or activity located on the same or nearby property or any other premises, except for temporary truckload sale signs.
- Off-premises (off-site) signs, such as billboards, but excluding public directional signs.
- Signs which do not meet the standards of, or which otherwise violate the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971 (225 ILCS 440/1, et seq.).
- Signs which project over any sidewalk, parkway, street, walkway, public way or public easement or beyond alley lot lines.
- Signs which contain radio or microwave transmitters, or slots or boxes for the distribution of pamphlets or similar materials.

## Signs exempt from permit in Bridgeview

- Changing of the advertising copy or message on an existing approved painted or printed sign, changeable copy sign or similar approved sign, whether electrical, illuminated or non-illuminated or painted message, which is specifically designed for the use of replaceable copy.
- Painting, repainting, cleaning or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign for which a permit has been previously issued, so long as the sign is not otherwise modified in any way.
- Replacement of the plastic face will be exempted from the permit requirement, provided that it is due to breakage or deterioration of the face.
- Changes in the content of a window display; window signs and window promotional signs.
- Changes in the content of permitted temporary signs.
- Public signs.
- Pennants for model homes.
- Signs painted on or attached to a truck, bus, trailer, or other vehicle which is used in the normal course of a business which is not primarily the display of the sign on the vehicle, and which is not parked overnight visible to a public right-of-way.
- Tablets, grave markers, headstones, memorial statuary and plaques, or other remembrances of persons or events which are noncommercial in nature.
- Any flag, emblem, or insignia of a government or noncommercial enterprise, provided that it is not larger than 96 square feet and does not amount to an attention-getting device for commercial purposes.
- No trespassing signs, warning signs (such as 'Beware of Dog'), notification signs for emergency personnel, and other such signs, provided that the sign does not exceed 2 square feet in sign surface area and there are no more than 2 such signs on the lot.
- Temporary personal celebration, special event and garage sale signs, subject to specific size and placement restrictions.
- Signs for candidates seeking public political office and for referendum appearing on the ballot at any election shall be permitted up to a total area of 16 square feet for each zoning lot and shall be located only on private property.
- Signs for a public event at a location in the Village conducted by a unit of government not exceeding 8 square feet located on private property (not on the public right-of-way and not on utility poles) for a period not earlier than 10 days before the event nor 2 days after the event.
- The owner of a zoning lot which is in the process of being sold or rented, may erect one freestanding ground sign subject to specific size and placement restrictions.
- Directional signs shall be permitted, provided that no such sign shall have a sign surface area larger than 8 square feet.
- Signs Designating Parking Areas and Entrances and Exits to parking Areas, Other Than Parking Areas for Single Family Dwellings.
- Names of buildings, dates of erection, monumental citations and commemorative tablets when carved into stone, concrete, or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum or other permanent type construction and made an integral part of the structure shall be permitted.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The Building Commissioner shall have the right to grant a variation or a waiver to any provision of this article provided that the public convenience will be served and where literal enforcement of this article will cause undue hardship.
- The Mayor and Board of Trustees reserves to itself the right to grant a variation or waiver to any provision of this article by formal action at a public meeting.

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

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