# Sign Regulations in Clinton, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Clinton, Illinois regulates 22 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Entrance/Exit Sign (Accessory to Parking Area)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 8 ft above curb level tall and 3 sq ft per sign (Sec. 10-3-9(B)1).

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential District | 2 | One story or 20' above curb level (whichever is lower) | — | — |
| C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, C-3 (more than 1/2 mile from US Route 51 Bypass) | 1 | — | See formula | — |
| C-3 (within 1/2 mile of US Route 51 Bypass) | 1 | — | 200 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 19 | 8 ft above curb level | 24 sq ft (all signs and boards combined) | — |

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

### Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | One story or 20' above curb level (whichever is lower) | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | 10-3-9(A) |
| Freestanding Sign | One story or 20' above curb level (whichever is lower) | — | — | — | — | On premises | — | 10-3-9(A) |

### C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, C-3 (more than 1/2 mile from US Route 51 Bypass)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business and Advertising Sign | — | See formula | — | — | — | On premises | — | 10-3-9(A)1,2,3 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance/Exit Sign (Accessory to Parking Area) | 8 ft above curb level | 3 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per entrance/exit | At entrance/exit to parking area | — | 10-3-9(B)1 |
| Parking Area Condition/Identity Sign | — | 8 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per parking area; 2 on corner lot | At parking area | — | 10-3-9(B)1,2 |
| Institutional Sign (Wall Mounted) | Not to project above roofline or facade | 24 sq ft (all signs and boards combined) | — | — | — | On premises of institution | — | 10-3-9(C)4 |
| Institutional Sign (Freestanding) | 6 ft | 24 sq ft (all signs and boards combined) | — | — | — | On premises of institution | — | 10-3-9(C)4 |
| Private Traffic Direction Sign (Freestanding) | 8 ft | 5 sq ft per sign | — | — | — | On premises | — | 10-3-9(C)5 |
| Political Campaign Sign | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | — | On private property | — | 10-3-9(C)7 |
| Individual Property Sale or Rental Sign (Freestanding or Wall Mounted) | — | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot; 2 on corner lot | On premises | — | 10-3-9(C)8 |
| Home Occupation Sign (Wall Mounted or Freestanding) | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises | — | 10-3-9(C)9 |

## Prohibited signs in Clinton

- No sign shall project beyond the property line into the public way.
- No sign shall project higher than one story or twenty feet above the curb level, whichever is lower.
- Signs located in the direct line vision of any traffic control signal shall not have flashing, intermittent, red, green or amber illumination.
- Signs which refer to businesses no longer in existence or operation at the location advertised shall be removed within ninety (90) days after the effective date of discontinuance of the business at the location(s) advertised.
- Signs which make use of words such as 'stop', 'look', 'danger', or any other words, phrases, symbols or characters, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic are strictly prohibited.
- It shall be unlawful to obstruct or prevent in any way the light from any public lamp from falling upon the street, or to obstruct visibility of any traffic control device.

## Signs exempt from permit in Clinton

- Signs of a public, noncommercial nature, including safety signs, danger signs, trespassing signs, traffic signs, signs indicating scenic or historical points of interest, memorial plaques, and all signs erected by or on order of a public officer in the performance of a public duty.
- Identification signs which identify the business, owner, manager, or resident and set forth the address of the premises where the sign is located, and which contain no other material.
- Names of buildings, dates of construction, commemorative tablets and the like, when carved into stone, concrete, or similar material or made of bronze, aluminum, or other permanent type of construction and made an integral part of the building or structure.
- Institutional signs or bulletin boards for public, charitable, educational, or religious institutions, provided size and mounting limitations are followed.
- Private traffic direction signs and related signs, within size and height restrictions.
- Community event signs advertising public entertainment or events of public interest, unlighted, and with temporal restrictions.
- Political campaign signs or posters for candidates or issues, within size and duration limitations, and confined to private property.
- On-premises individual property sale or rental signs meeting size, number, and placement limitations, and non-illuminated.
- Home occupation signs (wall mounted or freestanding) not exceeding one per premises or four square feet in area.
- Standard types of warning signs marking routes of underground public utility pipes, conduits, and cables.
- Any sign which sets forth the house or building address.
- Window signs affixed temporarily to windows identifying a product, or permanently affixed signs with the name, monogram, logo, address, and phone number.
- Subdivision signs announcing participants or purpose of subdivision (non-advertising), temporary and to be replaced after one year if a permanent sign is planned.
- Construction signs announcing participants or purpose of construction/repair, confined to site, with removal within 30 days of completion.

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

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