# Sign Regulations in Evanston, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Evanston, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/evanston
- **Data last verified:** 2025-07-24
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Evanston/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZO_CH19SIRE)

## At a glance

Evanston, Illinois regulates 38 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Commercial Districts - (B1, B2, B3, C1, C1A, C2) zoning district are capped at 3 feet (within 3 feet of lot line); otherwise, up to distance from sign to lot line, but not above 15.5 feet tall and 120 square feet per sign (or 0.25% lot area), with a 3 feet from lot line for 3 ft height, and otherwise height not exceeding distance to lot line. setback (Sec. 6-19-9(B)). Most commercial signs in Evanston require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts - Single-Family Residential District (R1), Single-Family Residential District (R2), Two-Family Residential District (R3), General Residential District (R4, R4a, R5, R6) | 3 | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Commercial Districts - (B1, B2, B3, C1, C1A, C2) | 14 | 25 feet | 500 square feet | — |
| Industrial Districts - (I1, I2, I3) | 5 | 15.5 feet | 125 square feet per sign (200 sq ft if one wall sign per facade and individual character sign) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 23 | 8 feet | Less than 50 sq ft | — |

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

### Commercial Districts - (B1, B2, B3, C1, C1A, C2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15.5 feet | 125 square feet per sign (200 sq ft if one wall sign per facade and individual character sign) | — | — | Unlimited (subject to area reduction per additional sign) | Portion of exterior wall coterminous with occupancy; not above 15.5 feet. | — | 6-19-9(A) |
| Tall-Building Identification Wall Sign | — | 100 square feet | — | — | One per facade | Placed between the floor of the top story and the top of the wall of the building. | — | 6-19-9(A)(6) |
| Freestanding Sign | 3 feet (within 3 feet of lot line); otherwise, up to distance from sign to lot line, but not above 15.5 feet | 120 square feet per sign (or 0.25% lot area) | — | 3 feet from lot line for 3 ft height, and otherwise height not exceeding distance to lot line. | One per frontage | Not within 20 ft of any circulation lane leading to ROW; not beyond perimeter lot line. | — | 6-19-9(B) |
| Marquee Sign | — | 500 square feet | — | — | One per facade | Affixed/located to a vertical/nearly vertical face of a marquee. Not to extend beyond curb line. | — | 6-19-9(E) |
| Canopy/Awning Sign | — | 15% of vertical section area | — | Awning: project min 36 in from building, max 24 in from curb line. | — | Flush to face of canopy/awning. 7 ft 6 in minimum clearance for frame; 6 ft 8 in minimum for skirt. Not extending above or beyond the canopy/awning. | — | 6-19-9(F) |
| Blade Sign | 15.5 feet (top of sign); clearance of 7 ft 6 in min from grade | 2 feet wide, 3 feet high | 2 feet | — | One per business | Projecting from and perpendicular to facade | — | 6-19-9(L) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 square feet per face, 64 square feet total | — | — | Maximum of those allowed by permit limitations | Only upon the premises to which the special, unique, or limited activity occurs. | — | 6-19-9(I) |
| Vehicle Dealership Freestanding Sign | 25 feet | 140 square feet per sign face | — | — | One per dealership, two per parcel | At lot line; must be separated by at least 50 feet | — | 6-19-9(J) |

### Industrial Districts - (I1, I2, I3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 15.5 feet | 125 square feet per sign (200 sq ft if one wall sign per facade and individual character sign) | — | — | Unlimited (subject to area reduction per additional sign) | Portion of exterior wall coterminous with occupancy; not above 15.5 feet. | — | 6-19-9(A) |
| Freestanding Sign | 3 feet (within 3 feet of lot line); otherwise, up to distance from sign to lot line, but not above 15.5 feet | 120 square feet per sign (or 0.25% lot area) | — | 3 feet from lot line for 3 ft height, and otherwise height not exceeding distance to lot line. | One per frontage | Not within 20 ft of any circulation lane leading to ROW; not beyond perimeter lot line. | — | 6-19-9(B) |
| Permanent Window Sign | — | 20% of window area | — | — | — | Within the transparent glazed area of the window. | — | 6-19-9(C) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 square feet per face, 64 square feet total | — | — | Maximum of those allowed by permit limitations | Only upon the premises to which the special, unique, or limited activity occurs. | — | 6-19-9(I) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 48 square feet | — | — | One per street frontage | May not be located in the public right-of-way. | — | 6-19-5(T) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bulletin Board | — | 12 square feet | — | — | — | On premises of institution. | — | 6-19-5(C) |
| Business Nameplate | — | 1 square foot | — | — | One per proprietor | — | — | 6-19-5(D) |
| Institutional Identity Sign | — | 30 square feet | — | 10 feet from street lot line | — | Not less than 10 feet from street lot line | — | 6-19-5(E) |
| Construction Sign | — | 16 sq ft (single-family), 48 sq ft (commercial, industrial, multi-family or planned dev <100,000 sq ft), 96 sq ft (parcels >100,000 sq ft) | — | — | One per frontage | On the premises where work is under construction. | — | 6-19-5(F) |
| Garage Sale Sign | — | 4 square feet per sign | — | — | No more than 2 per sale | On the premises of sale, or other private property with owner permission. | — | 6-19-5(H) |
| Management Sign | 3 feet | 6 square feet (2' x 3') | 2 feet | — | — | — | — | 6-19-5(M) |
| Menu Board Sign (Drive-In/Through) | 8 feet | 25 square feet | — | — | One per drive-in or drive-through facility | — | — | 6-19-5(N) |
| "Open" Sign | — | 4 square feet per sign | — | — | One per frontage, two per property overall | On subject property, not in public ROW. | — | 6-19-5(R) |

## Prohibited signs in Evanston

- All signs not specifically permitted in this Chapter are prohibited in any location in the City.
- No sign shall be permitted to contain statements, words or pictures of an obscene and/or pornographic character.
- No sign or advertising structure shall be erected, relocated or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to, or egress from any door, window or fire escape.
- No sign or advertising structure shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- No sign shall interfere with any opening required for ventilation.
- It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any fluttering, undulating, swinging, rotating, blinking, or flashing sign or attention gathering device.
- No sign or advertising structure nor its associated landscaping shall be erected, installed or maintained in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision or to distract the attention of the driver of any vehicle.
- No sign or advertising structure shall be erected or maintained in such a manner as to be likely to interfere with, obstruct the view of, or imitate, resemble, or be confused with any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.
- No sign or advertising structure shall make use of the words 'stop', 'go', 'slow', 'look', 'caution', 'warning', 'danger', or any similar word, phrase, symbol, or character, or employ red, yellow, orange, green or other colored lamp or light, in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic.
- No person shall park on the public right-of-way, public property, or private property so as to be prominently visible from a public right-of-way any vehicle or trailer which has attached thereto or located thereon any sign or advertising device, for the flagrant purpose of providing advertisement of products or directing people to a business or activity.
- Signs shall not be installed closer than twenty-four inches (24") horizontally or vertically from any electrical conductor or public utility guy wire.
- No signs or advertising structures which are constructed on public thoroughfares, or within five feet (5') thereof, shall have nails, tacks or wires or other hazardous projections protruding therefrom (except certain electrical devices).
- Any glass forming a part of any sign shall be safety glass; any single piece or pane exceeding three square feet must be wired glass.
- No handbills, posters, notices, or similar attention gathering devices shall be posted or affixed on traffic control boxes, signs, lamp poles, utility poles, traffic control supports, viaducts, or other locations as further regulated under Title 3.
- No signs shall be nailed, tacked or otherwise affixed to trees or other vegetation in such a way as to puncture bark.
- All illuminated signs are subject to intensity and glare limitations to prevent casting of glare or direct light upon adjacent public rights-of-way or surrounding property.
- Illuminated signs shall not have any flashing, scintillating, traveling, or blinking lights or rotating beacons, except for commercial variable message signs (CVMS).
- No sign or its parts shall be permitted to be movable or rotating, nor shall any sign have illuminated effects which convey the illusion of movement.
- With the exception of marquee signs, gasoline price signs, CVMS signs, and exempt signs, no sign may contain movable letters or other changeable copy.
- Except in conjunction with legal nonconforming commercial and industrial uses, no signs other than those exempted under Section 4-10-6 shall be permitted on property in a residential zoning district.
- A sign which displays a commercial message is permitted only on the premises where the business, profession, accommodation, commodity, service, entertainment, or other commercial activity represented on the sign is located.
- No permit issued for a sign may be assigned or transferred to any other person.

## Signs exempt from permit in Evanston

- Address numerals and other sign information required to identify a location by law or governmental order, rule, or regulation (limited in size).
- Auxiliary signs placed in store windows regarding hours of operation, accepted charge cards, warnings or similar information.
- Bulletin boards not exceeding twelve (12) square feet for public, eleemosynary or religious institutions located on their premises.
- Nonilluminated business nameplates not exceeding one square foot, one per proprietor.
- For an institution such as a college or university campus, an identity sign designating only the name and address of the institution or campus, not exceeding thirty (30) square feet, located at least 10 feet from a street lot line.
- One construction sign per frontage, within size limits, on premises where work is under valid building or demolition permit, removed within ten days of completion.
- Flags, standards, emblems and insignia of governmental, political, civic, philanthropic, religious or educational organizations, less than fifty (50) square feet, and displayed for noncommercial purposes.
- Temporary garage sale signs meeting size, quantity, location, and timing restrictions.
- Signs of a duly constituted governmental body (including traffic and regulatory signs, legal notices, and approved safety notices).
- Commemorative plaques, memorial tablets, or emblems of official historical bodies (max 4 sq ft, flat mounted).
- Temporary holiday decorations relating to accepted civic, patriotic or religious holidays.
- Directory signs located on the interior of a premises and oriented only to persons within that premises, with size limits.
- Management signs (2' x 3') indicating the real estate management agent and contact info, may include 'For Rent'.
- One menu board sign for a drive-in or drive-through, within size and height limits.
- Model home signs not exceeding four (4) square feet when more than one unit is available.
- Plaques, tablets, cornerstones, or inlaid lettering denoting a structure's name and date.
- Noncommercial signs, not exceeding six (6) square feet per occupancy.
- Nonilluminated 'Open' signs, not exceeding four (4) square feet, limited to times when premises is open for inspection, location and quantity limits.
- Temporary political or campaign signs (max 6 sq ft per occupancy) on private property.
- One real estate sign per street frontage, within district-specific size limits, not illuminated, not in right-of-way, limited to 180 days.
- One nonilluminated nameplate not exceeding twelve (12) square feet for certain residential/institutional buildings, location limits.
- Service station price signs not exceeding minimum requirements by state law.
- Site information signs of no more than four (4) square feet providing direction or instruction.
- Special displays for public demonstrations, civic welfare, or charitable purposes, with City Council approval, no noncharitable advertising, deadline for removal.
- Temporary window signs meeting size, date, placement, and display duration limits.
- Permanent, nonflashing signs on vending machines, gasoline pumps, etc., within size limits.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No permit shall be issued for a permanent sign to be located on a premises for which a unified sign plan (formerly known as comprehensive sign plan or sign district plan) has been approved for the premises unless the sign complies with the provisions thereof.
- A unified sign plan may be requested for premises with certain attributes, including multiple frontages, large land area, multiple tenant spaces or buildings, or planned development status.
- Application for a unified sign plan must include a format for all signs on premises, indicating size, color, location, illumination, lettering type, mounting, and landscaping details.
- Approval of a unified sign plan requires a public hearing before the Land Use Commission (after notice), with standards for approval related to scale, compatibility, and harmony with surroundings.
- When a dealership changes ownership or acquires a new vehicle line, no new sign(s) may be erected and no modifications to existing signs may be made without the owner having filed a sign package with the City and receiving the City's approval.

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

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