# Sign Regulations in Carbondale, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Carbondale, Illinois regulates 25 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Monument Signs in the BPR zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 50 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides, with a 15 ft from curb line setback (Sec. 15.4.10.7.A,B,C,I). Most commercial signs in Carbondale require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BPR | 12 | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides | — |
| SB, BPL, BWA | 1 | 15 ft | Maximum 120 sq ft per side (80 sq ft base, can increase by setback formula) | — |
| AG, PA, BPR, SB, BPL, BWA, NB, PUD, LI, GI | 1 | — | — | — |
| Commercial zoning district, Commercial districts, Business districts, Business district (SB, BPL, BWA, BPR) | 3 | — | 32 sq ft per side, 2 sides permitted | — |
| Residential zoning district, Residential district, All districts | 5 | — | 16 sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential district (excluding BPR district), Nonresidential district, Non-residential Districts, LI, GI, Office/industrial park | 2 | 25 ft or height of nearest building, whichever is less | 64 sq ft per side | — |
| All districts | 4 | 6 ft | 24 sq ft per side | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 2 | 6 ft if freestanding | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### BPR

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 ft | 50 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides | — | 15 ft from curb line | One per street frontage; two permitted if frontage >300 ft and at least 50 ft apart | 15 ft setback from street curb line; may not encroach on right of way | — | 15.4.10.7.A,B,C,I |
| Architectural Sign | Cannot exceed facade height | — | — | — | No limit (cumulative sq ft applies) | On building facade; cannot exceed facade height; not on roof | — | 15.4.10.7.C.2,E,G |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | Projects max. 4 ft from structure | — | One per storefront | On building, min. 8 ft clearance over sidewalk/ground. May project over right of way with insurance/indemnity. | — | 15.4.10.7.F |
| Under Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Under canopy, min. 8 ft clearance to ground/sidewalk; may project over right of way with insurance/indemnity | — | 15.4.10.7.G.2 |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | 25% of surface area of any awning/canopy may be used for copy | — | — | — | On awning/canopy | — | 15.4.10.7.G.1 |
| A-frame (Sandwich Board) Sign | 3 ft | 6 sq ft per side, two sides | 2 ft | — | — | Within 15 ft of front entrance; must allow 3.5 ft clear passage on sidewalk; cannot block accessible routes | — | 15.4.10.7.J |
| Temporary Banner - Commercial | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One temporary banner per business at a time | Mounted to building | — | 15.4.10.7.K.1 |
| Temporary Sign - Noncommercial | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One temporary sign per organization at a time | — | — | 15.4.10.7.K.2 |

### Residential zoning district, Residential district, All districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 12 sq ft per side, 2 sides allowed | — | — | 1 per lot frontage; 2 if >300 ft | One per lot frontage; second if frontage >300 ft | — | 15.4.10.9.B.2 |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side, 2 sides allowed | — | — | One per frontage | One per frontage | — | 15.4.10.9.C.4 |
| Political Sign | — | 6 sq ft per side, 2 sides allowed | — | — | — | Must not be on public right of way or obstruct vision | — | 15.4.10.9.F.1,3,4; 15.6.5.4.F |
| Temporary Yard Sale Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15.4.10.9.G; 15.6.5.4.D |
| Directory Sign - Multi-unit dwellings and mobile home parks | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One | On site | — | 15.4.10.9.J |

### All districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Subdivision Entrance/Identification Sign | 6 ft | 24 sq ft per side | — | — | One pair per entrance; no two pairs less than 1,000 ft apart | Subject to admin approval at subdivision entrance | — | 15.4.10.9.I |
| Historic Area/Building Sign | — | Freestanding: max 12 sq ft; Building-mounted: n/a | — | — | — | Freestanding or mounted on building | — | 15.4.10.9.D,E |
| Directory Sign - Multi-unit dwellings and mobile home parks | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | One | One per development/park | — | 15.4.10.9.J |
| Mural | — | May cover entire facade | — | — | — | Building, fence or other surface | — | 15.4.10.9.N |

## Prohibited signs in Carbondale

- Off premises signs are prohibited.
- Pennants, propellers, paddle wheels, streamers, spinners, or other attraction devices designed to be set in motion by the wind or motorized are prohibited, except as permitted in special sign provisions.
- Festoon lights are prohibited.
- Moving signs are prohibited except as permitted in nonresidential regulations.
- Flashing signs are prohibited, except as allowed in certain non-residential districts.
- Signs with bare bulb illumination exceeding the equivalent amount of lumens emitted by a 25-watt incandescent bulb are prohibited.
- Temporary signs are prohibited except as specifically allowed.
- Portable signs are prohibited except as permitted in special sign provisions.
- Any sign attached to, or placed on, a vehicle or trailer parked on public or private property is prohibited unless: the primary purpose of such vehicle or trailer is not the display of signs; the signs are painted on or magnetically affixed to vehicles that do not contain changeable letters or copy; the vehicle or trailer is in operating condition, currently registered and licensed to operate on public streets, and actively used or available for use in the daily function of the business.
- No sign may be erected on, suspended over, or encroach upon the public right of way, except as specifically allowed.
- No sign may be attached to utility poles, trees (on private or public property), streetlight poles, street or traffic signs, or fire hydrants.
- No sign shall be erected or located so as to obstruct the visual clearance needed for safe vehicle or pedestrian traffic.
- No temporary sign shall be erected within 20 feet of the curb line of any adjoining street surface except those in the BPR district (which must be flush mounted to the building).
- No commercial signs may be carried, waved, or otherwise displayed by persons either on public rights of way or in a manner visible from public rights of way, if intended to draw attention for a commercial purpose.
- No political sign may be attached to utility poles, trees on public right of way, streetlight poles, street or traffic signs, or fire hydrants.
- All obsolete signs (advertising business no longer operated or product no longer sold) must be covered or removed within 30 days after notice from the administrative official.
- Nonconforming signs that are altered, abandoned, in violation of the ordinance, hazardous, removed, destroyed, or damaged to the extent unusable, lose their right to remain and must be removed or brought into conformity.
- It is unlawful for any person to possess highway signs, signals, or markers owned by the city or Illinois Department of Transportation unless authorized.
- No person may place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device that imitates or obstructs official traffic signs or attempts to direct movement of traffic.
- No person may place or maintain any traffic sign or signal on a highway bearing commercial advertising.
- Banners as permanently mounted signage are prohibited in the BPR district.

## Signs exempt from permit in Carbondale

- The maintenance of existing sign areas (per Section 15.4.10.12) does not require a sign permit.
- Construction signs (erected after construction has commenced) and temporary real estate signs do not require a sign permit.
- Window promotional signs do not require a sign permit, except electrically operated window promotional signs which are considered architectural signs.
- Yard sale signs do not require a sign permit.
- Signs for historic places and buildings do not require a sign permit.
- Political signs do not require a sign permit.
- Murals are permitted in all districts and are not regulated based on content; they do not count towards allotted square footage for architectural signs.
- Temporary construction signs required by a government for a project are permitted, including those larger than standard if required by governmental standards.
- No sign permit is required for exempted temporary signs as specified above, though all such signs must meet other applicable requirements.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The owner of any sign suspended over public right of way must submit an insurance certificate listing the city as additionally insured prior to the issuance of a sign permit.
- Directory signs for multi-unit dwelling developments and mobile home parks must comply with noted provisions but there is no explicit requirement for a master sign plan.
- Permanent off-premises directional signs require formal approval by the controlling government agency (if on public right of way) and, if on city right of way, must have an approved encroachment permit.
- Location of all entrance or identification signs for subdivisions is subject to the approval of the administrative official.
- Permit fees for temporary noncommercial signs may be waived with approval of the administrative official.
- Permit required for temporary commercial and noncommercial signs; a new permit must be issued for each display, unless otherwise authorized under the original permit.
- A-frame signs in the BPR district require the issuance of an annual sign permit.
- Inflatable signs require a sign permit and must comply with additional requirements.
- Alterations to nonconforming signs requiring a new permit must bring the sign into conformity or remove it within 30 days of notice.
- There is no specific reference to a required master sign plan or sign plan for all developments citywide in the provided ordinance text.

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

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