# Sign Regulations in Downers Grove, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Downers Grove, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/downers-grove
- **Data last verified:** 2025-12-10
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://downersgrove.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=Article_28.IX_Signs)

## At a glance

Downers Grove, Illinois regulates 29 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Monument Sign (Less than 100 ft Lot Width)s in the Residential zoning districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-5A, R-6) zoning district are capped at 8 feet tall and 24 square feet, with a 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines setback (Sec. Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1). Most commercial signs in Downers Grove 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 | 6 | 20 feet | 225 square feet | — |
| Downtown And Fairview Districts (DC, DB, DT, FC, FB, FT) | 13 | 12 inches | 25% of window area | — |
| Residential zoning districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-5A, R-6) | 14 | 12 inches | 100 square feet per sign | — |
| Nonresidential zoning districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, O-R, O-R-M, M-1, M-2) | 15 | 15 feet | 100 square feet per sign | — |
| Manufacturing zoning district (M-1, M-2) | 13 | 12 inches | 100 square feet per sign | — |

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

### Residential zoning districts (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-5A, R-6)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign (Less than 100 ft Lot Width) | 8 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Monument Sign (100-259 ft Lot Width) | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines (100 feet interior if >10 ft h or 36 sq ft) | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Shingle Sign | 7 feet | 10 square feet per side | — | 8 feet from interior lot lines; no street setback | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(4) |
| Wall Sign - Tall Building (4+ stories) | — | 100 square feet per sign | — | — | 1 per side (up to 3) | On up to 3 sides of building | — | Sec 28.9.050(c)(4) |
| Projecting Sign - First Floor | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per establishment | For first floor establishment | — | Sec 28.9.050(e)(1) |
| Projecting Sign - Second Floor | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | Over or within 2 ft of first floor pedestrian access | — | Sec 28.9.050(e)(2) |
| Under-Canopy Sign | 12 inches | — | 4 feet | — | — | Under canopy soffit/ceiling | — | Sec 28.9.050(g) |
| Ornamental Entry Gate Sign - Residential | 8 feet | 25 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per entry point | At entry to development along arterial/collector street, one on each side of ingress | — | Sec 28.9.070(a)(1) |

### Nonresidential zoning districts (B-1, B-2, B-3, O-R, O-R-M, M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign (Less than 100 ft Lot Width) | 8 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Monument Sign (100-259 ft Lot Width) | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines (100 feet interior if >10 ft h or 36 sq ft) | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Monument Sign - Multi-tenant Shopping Center (Less than 100 ft Street Frontage) | 8 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines | 1 | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(2)(c) |
| Monument Sign - Multi-tenant Shopping Center (100-500 ft Street Frontage) | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines (100 ft interior if >10 ft h or 36 sq ft) | 1 | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(2)(b) |
| Monument Sign - Multi-tenant Shopping Center (Greater than 500 ft Street Frontage) | 15 feet | 60 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines (100 ft interior if >10 ft h or 36 sq ft) | 2 | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(2)(a) |
| Shingle Sign | 7 feet | 10 square feet per side | — | 8 feet from interior lot lines; no street setback | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(4) |
| Wall Sign - Tall Building (4+ stories) | — | 100 square feet per sign | — | — | 1 per side (up to 3) | On up to 3 sides of building | — | Sec 28.9.050(c)(4) |
| Projecting Sign - First Floor | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per establishment | For first floor establishment | — | Sec 28.9.050(e)(1) |

### Manufacturing zoning district (M-1, M-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign (Less than 100 ft Lot Width) | 8 feet | 24 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Monument Sign (100-259 ft Lot Width) | 10 feet | 36 square feet | — | 10 feet from street ROW, 25 feet from other lot lines (100 feet interior if >10 ft h or 36 sq ft) | 1 per lot (2 if multiple street frontages separated by 100 ft) | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(1) Table 9-1 |
| Shingle Sign | 7 feet | 10 square feet per side | — | 8 feet from interior lot lines; no street setback | 1 per lot | Per lot | — | Sec 28.9.050(b)(4) |
| Wall Sign - Tall Building (4+ stories) | — | 100 square feet per sign | — | — | 1 per side (up to 3) | On up to 3 sides of building | — | Sec 28.9.050(c)(4) |
| Projecting Sign - First Floor | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per establishment | For first floor establishment | — | Sec 28.9.050(e)(1) |
| Projecting Sign - Second Floor | — | 6 square feet | — | — | 1 per building | Over or within 2 ft of first floor pedestrian access | — | Sec 28.9.050(e)(2) |
| Under-Canopy Sign | 12 inches | — | 4 feet | — | — | Under canopy soffit/ceiling | — | Sec 28.9.050(g) |
| Ornamental Entry Gate Sign - Manufacturing | 10 feet | 50 square feet | — | — | Up to 2 per entry point | At entry to development along arterial/collector street, one on each side of ingress | — | Sec 28.9.070(a)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Downers Grove

- any sign or structure that constitutes a hazard to public health or safety
- any signs attached to utility, traffic signal poles, light poles, or standards except for governmental signs
- signs that by their color, location, or design resemble or conflict with traffic control signs or signals
- except for governmental signs, no sign may be located on the public right-of-way or affixed to or upon public property
- portable signs, except for sandwich board signs that are allowed in the DC, DB, DT, FC, FB or FT zoning districts
- vehicle signs when the vehicle is not licensed, insured or operational
- advertising off-premise signs
- moving signs
- LED and flashing signs
- signs with bare bulb illumination, except for marquees located in the DC, DB, DT, FC, FB or FT zoning districts
- attention-getting devices
- signs containing exposed gas tubing exterior to the building, including argon and neon
- roof signs
- box-type signs in the DC, DB, DT, FC, FB or FT zoning districts
- any sign that advertises, identifies, or pertains to a business no longer conducted or a product no longer sold on the premises within the previous thirty days
- any sign painted directly on a wall, roof, or fence
- any sign placed or attached to a telecommunications tower, pole or antenna
- signs containing manual changeable copy consisting of more than two lines, except fueling stations, governmental agencies, schools and religious assembly uses have up to four lines
- signs containing electronic changeable copy/message board
- single pole signs with a base of less than two feet in width
- any other sign not expressly permitted in this Article
- no sign may be designed, constructed or maintained in a manner that presents a danger to the public health, safety or welfare
- content of signs limited to the business, service, and activity available or conducted on the subject lot
- signs subject to setback regulations of the subject zoning district unless otherwise specified

## Signs exempt from permit in Downers Grove

- Governmental signs, public signs and other signs incidental to those signs for identification, information or directional purposes erected or required by governmental bodies or authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute or ordinance
- Railroad crossing and signs of public utility companies indicating danger or that serve as an aid to public safety or that show the location of underground facilities
- Street address signs up to four square feet in area
- Decorations temporarily displayed in connection with a Village-sponsored or approved event or a generally recognized or national holiday
- Temporary signs at a residence commemorating a personal event such as a birth, birthday, anniversary or graduation
- 'No trespassing' or similar signs regulating the use of property, provided such signs are no more than two square feet in area
- Noncommercial flags of any country, State or unit of local government
- Real estate signs with specified size, height, placement and other restrictions
- Political signs and noncommercial signs, provided total area of all such signs together may not exceed twelve square feet per lot and not placed in public right-of-way
- Garage sale, rummage sale, yard sale and estate sale signs with specified placement, size and other restrictions
- Memorial signs and tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into masonry surface or inlaid so as to be part of the building or when constructed of bronze or other non-combustible material
- 'Help wanted' signs up to two square feet in area, located on a window or door with predominant text
- Public notice signs up to nine square feet in area or six feet in height on property subject to a public meeting or hearing
- Vehicle signs when the vehicle is licensed, insured, operational and used for business operation without remaining stationary for extended periods
- Up to one contractor sign per lot not exceeding six square feet in area, removed upon completion of work

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

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