# Sign Regulations in Decatur, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Decatur, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/decatur
- **Data last verified:** 2025-11-05
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://decaturil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/871/Zoning-Ordinance-PDF?bidId=#page=167)

## At a glance

Decatur, Illinois regulates 23 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (Under 5 acres)s in the Agriculture District (AG), Single Family Residence District (R1, R2, R3), Two-Family Residence District (R5) zoning district are capped at 10 feet tall and 50 square feet, with a 5 feet from any property line setback (Sec. SECTION XXVI C.2). Most commercial signs in Decatur require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 4 | 35 feet; 40 feet if two faces on one-way street | 300 square feet per face (including border/trim, excluding base/supports); back-to-back single sign if <=30 degrees | — |
| Agriculture District (AG), Single Family Residence District (R1, R2, R3), Two-Family Residence District (R5) | 9 | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Multiple Dwelling District (R6) | 6 | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Office District (O1) | 6 | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Neighborhood Shopping District (B1) | 6 | 20 feet | 75 square feet | — |
| Commercial District (B2), Planned Shopping District (B3), Intensive Commercial/Light Industrial District (M1), Heavy Industrial District (M2) | 10 | 170 feet | 900 square feet | — |
| Central Business District (B4) | 10 | 35 feet | 300 square feet | — |
| Limited Industrial District (M3) | 6 | 10 feet | 50 square feet | — |
| Planned Development District (PD) | 5 | 35 feet | 200 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### Agriculture District (AG), Single Family Residence District (R1, R2, R3), Two-Family Residence District (R5)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Under 5 acres) | 10 feet | 50 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI C.2 |
| Freestanding Sign (5 acres or more) | 15 feet | 75 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI C.2 |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per main building | On main building | — | SECTION XXVI C.3 |
| Wall Sign - Home Occupation | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 1 | On main building | — | SECTION XXVI C.1.b |
| Subdivision Identification Sign | — | 50 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per major entrance | At each major entrance to the subdivision | — | SECTION XXVI C.4 |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 5 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI C.5.a |
| Extended Temporary Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI C.5.b |
| Temporary Wall Sign or Banner - Other Uses | — | Combined with permanent wall signs not to exceed 15 percent of the wall | — | — | 3 total on main building | Attached to main building | — | SECTION XXVI C.5.d |

### Commercial District (B2), Planned Shopping District (B3), Intensive Commercial/Light Industrial District (M1), Heavy Industrial District (M2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (Under 500 ft frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (500 ft or more frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 2 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (800 ft or more frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 3 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - Multi-Tenant Three or More Businesses | 35 feet | 200 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per development | Per development | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.a |
| Extended Temporary Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.b |
| Temporary Wall Sign or Banner | — | Combined with permanent wall signs not to exceed 15 percent of the wall | — | — | 3 total on main building | Attached to main building | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.c |
| Interstate Freestanding Sign | 170 feet | 900 square feet | — | 200 feet from another interstate freestanding sign | 1 per lot | Along interstate frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.10 |

### Central Business District (B4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (Under 500 ft frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (500 ft or more frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 2 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - One or Two Businesses (800 ft or more frontage) | 35 feet | 100 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 3 per frontage | Per frontage | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Freestanding Sign - Multi-Tenant Three or More Businesses | 35 feet | 200 square feet | — | 5 feet from any property line | 1 per development | Per development | — | SECTION XXVI F.3 |
| Temporary Freestanding Sign | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.a |
| Extended Temporary Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per lot | On lot | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.b |
| Temporary Wall Sign or Banner | — | Combined with permanent wall signs not to exceed 15 percent of the wall | — | — | 3 total on main building | Attached to main building | — | SECTION XXVI F.5.c |
| Rooftop Sign | 20 feet above roof deck, coping or parapet (combined building + sign not exceed B-4 max height) | 300 square feet | 1/3 of building face width at top | — | — | On roof of 3+ story building | — | SECTION XXVI F.7 |

## Prohibited signs in Decatur

- Pennants, streamers, lines of whirling or spinning elements, and similar
- Revolving or flashing beacons that resemble traffic control devices or emergency vehicle signals
- Signs which are an imitation of, or resemble in shape, size, copy or color an official traffic sign or signal
- Signs portraying obscene, indecent or immoral matter
- Signs employing exterior brilliant, intermittent, rotating or flashing lights, including electronic message unit signs, shall not be permitted within 100 feet of the boundary of any "R" District
- No sign, except those necessary for traffic and parking control and projecting yard signs as listed in subparagraph 13, shall be posted in a right-of-way, boulevard, or other publicly-owned space
- No portion of any sign, exclusive of the standard of a freestanding sign, located within a vision clearance area, shall be less than nine feet above the level of the sidewalk or lot line (or twelve feet where traffic lights may be obscured)

## Signs exempt from permit in Decatur

- Outdoor political campaign signs on residential property for residential use are exempt from the time period regulations and the number of temporary signs to be displayed
- Signs necessary for traffic and parking control are exempt from the right-of-way prohibition

## Sign plan & submission notes

- In the B-3 Planned Shopping District, greater flexibility of uses including signs is allowed if the entire district is planned and developed as a unit
- In the PD Planned Development District, development including signs is subject to intensive review and the terms of a development order approved by City Council
- In the SPD Special Planned Development District, development including signs is subject to intensive review and the terms of a development order approved by City Council
- Projecting yard signs may be permitted to extend over the right-of-way in the B-4 District and within any specially designated sign district, planned unit development or other overlay district, subject to proof of liability insurance and indemnification of the City

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/decatur