# Sign Regulations in Lansing, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lansing, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/lansing
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Lansing/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIILAUSFIBURERE_CH56ZO_ARTXIIISI)

## At a glance

Lansing, Illinois regulates 17 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Monument Identification Signs in the R1 Single-Family Residence District (R1), R2 Single-Family Residence District (R2), R3 Single-Family Attached Residence District (R3), R4 General Residence District (R4) zoning district are capped at 5 ft tall and 40 sq. ft. (Sec. Sec. 56-420 Table 56-420). Most commercial signs in Lansing require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R1 Single-Family Residence District (R1), R2 Single-Family Residence District (R2), R3 Single-Family Attached Residence District (R3), R4 General Residence District (R4) | 3 | 5 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| B1-T Downtown Transition Overlay District (B1-T), B2 Community Retail and Service District (B2), B3 General Business District (B3), CBD Downtown District (CBD) | 11 | 30 ft or building height, whichever is lower; shopping center ID: max 64 sq. ft. and 20 ft high | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| M1 Limited Manufacturing District (M1), AT Airport Technical Overlay District (AT) | 9 | 30 ft or building height, whichever is lower; unified development ID: max 64 sq. ft. and 20 ft high | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 16 sq. ft. | — |

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

### R1 Single-Family Residence District (R1), R2 Single-Family Residence District (R2), R3 Single-Family Attached Residence District (R3), R4 General Residence District (R4)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Identification Sign | 5 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | One per street frontage | On premises of place of worship, school, multifamily residential building or complex | — | Sec. 56-420 Table 56-420 |
| Monument Entrance Sign | 5 ft | 40 sq. ft. | — | — | One per street frontage | At entrance to residential developments | — | Sec. 56-420 Table 56-420 |
| Exempt Signs (Residential) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 56-409, Sec. 56-420 Table 56-420 |

### B1-T Downtown Transition Overlay District (B1-T), B2 Community Retail and Service District (B2), B3 General Business District (B3), CBD Downtown District (CBD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 ft above curb level or building height, whichever is lower | 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of street frontage (aggregate, per face) | — | — | One per building face fronting public street | Building face fronting a public street or adjacent to parking area | — | Sec. 56-419(3), Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | — | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | One per street frontage (plus one ID for shopping centers) | Per street frontage; only where buildings set back from property lines | — | Sec. 56-419(2), Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Pole Sign | 30 ft or building height, whichever is lower; shopping center ID: max 64 sq. ft. and 20 ft high | — | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | One per street frontage (plus one ID for shopping centers) | Per street frontage, only where buildings set back from property lines | — | Sec. 56-419(1), Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Identification) - Ground Floor | — | Included in district max sign area | — | — | — | Ground floor windows | — | Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Identification) - Upper Floor or Rear Location | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | One per business | Upper floor or rear location windows | — | Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Advertisement) | — | 30% of total glass surface and not to exceed 1 sq. ft. per lineal ft of street frontage | — | — | — | Within display windows | — | Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Canopy/Marquee Sign | — | Not exceeding 24 inches in height on front and side portions | — | — | — | Canopy/marquee on front and side portions | — | Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Temporary Sign (All types) | — | 64 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 in use at a time; 4 per year | — | — | Sec. 56-419(6), Table 56-422 |

### M1 Limited Manufacturing District (M1), AT Airport Technical Overlay District (AT)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | 20 ft above curb level or building height, whichever is lower | 1 sq. ft. per 5 lineal feet of street frontage (aggregate, per face) | — | — | One per building face fronting street | Building face fronting a public street or adjacent to parking area (max 50% of maximum area) | — | Sec. 56-422, Table 56-422 |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | — | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | One per street frontage (plus one ID for unified developments) | Street frontage | — | Sec. 56-419(2), Table 56-422 |
| Pole Sign | 30 ft or building height, whichever is lower; unified development ID: max 64 sq. ft. and 20 ft high | — | — | Minimum 5 ft from property line | One per street frontage (plus one ID for unified developments) | Street frontage, only where buildings set back from property lines | — | Sec. 56-419(1), Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Identification) - Ground Floor | — | Included in district max sign area | — | — | — | Ground floor windows | — | Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Identification) - Upper Floor or Rear Location | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | — | One per business | Upper floor or rear windows | — | Table 56-422 |
| Window Sign (Advertisement) | — | 30% of total glass surface and not to exceed 1 sq. ft. per lineal ft of street frontage | — | — | — | Within display windows | — | Table 56-422 |
| Canopy/Marquee Sign | — | Not exceeding 24 inches in height on front and side portions | — | — | — | Canopy/marquee on front and side portions | — | Table 56-422 |
| Temporary Sign (All types) | — | 64 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 in use at a time; 4 per year | — | — | Sec. 56-419(6), Table 56-422 |

## Prohibited signs in Lansing

- Signs which move, or give the appearance of movement including, but not limited to, signs that flutter, undulate, swing, rotate, oscillate or otherwise move by natural or artificial means, and signs containing flashing or running lights giving the illusion of movement. Exceptions: Temporary signs such as pennants, banners and streamers (with permit); and time and temperature signs.
- Roof signs.
- Off-premises signs, with the exception of those located within 300 feet of the I-94 right-of-way which may only be approved by the village board of trustees.
- Signs which imitate traffic signs, including but not limited to signs containing STOP, DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, or GO SLOW, unless this is part of a business name; signs accessory to a parking lot are not prohibited.
- Signs placed on parked vehicles or trailers where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct the public to a business or activity located on or off the same premises.
- Flashing signs or lights.
- Signs which display obscene, indecent or immoral matter.
- Human signs (signs held by or attached to a human for advertising or drawing attention to an individual, business, commodity, service or product, including costumes). Exception: Nonprofit Lansing-based organizations conducting fundraisers.
- Portable signs, such as sandwich board or 'A' frame signs.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to obstruct the free and clear vision of a driver of a vehicle or a pedestrian.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent the free ingress or egress from any door, window or fire escape, and no signs shall be attached to a stand pipe or fire escape.
- No person shall place, paste, print or affix, in any manner, a handbill, sign, poster, advertisement or notice of any kind in any public right-of-way.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
- No sign or sign illumination shall cast direct light onto adjacent property or streets, especially near residential areas (illumination standards apply).
- All signs must be constructed and maintained in good structural and aesthetic condition; lack of maintenance is prohibited and subject to enforcement.
- All signs and sign structures must be designed and constructed to withstand wind pressures and dead-loads as required by the building code.
- Each newly erected or remodeled sign must bear a clearly legible identification plate listing the responsible party.
- Signs are prohibited that are not authorized by the sign ordinance or master sign plan unless a legal variation is approved.
- All signs must meet the construction and design standards set forth for signs in the building code.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lansing

- Signs used for safety purposes relative to the repair or maintenance of streets, sidewalks or utilities in a public right-of-way.
- Address numbers not exceeding two square feet in area.
- Signs and public notices erected or required by governmental bodies, or authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute, or ordinance.
- Signs identifying the telephone, restrooms and similar facilities, provided no advertising matter accompanies the sign.
- Flags of any country, state or unit of local government, with flagpoles limited to 20 feet in residential districts and 40 feet in nonresidential districts.
- Corporate flags, when flown in conjunction with the flag of the United States of America, provided such corporate flag is no larger than 24 square feet in area.
- Memorial plaques and cornerstones, when permanently affixed to a building or premises.
- Identification signs, notices, and bulletin boards for public, charitable, religious, educational or similar type of organizations/institutions when not exceeding 16 square feet and located on the same premises as the institution.
- Time and temperature signs containing computer generated messages, such as a public service time, temperature and date, not exceeding 18 square feet.
- Temporary political signs limited in size to four feet by four feet in sign area, located on private property at least five feet from any property line.
- Signs for property designated by the federal, state or local governments as a historical location, site or landmark.
- Residential real estate signs: Up to 8 sq. ft., 1 per street frontage, only on the property, with additional specific restrictions on height/location and removal when sold/leased.
- Commercial real estate signs: Up to 32 sq. ft., 1 per street frontage, only on the property, with removal when sold/leased.
- Real estate open house signs: Up to 6 sq. ft., maximum 4 per property, at intersections within 1 mile, only during actual open house event.
- Miscellaneous matter on gasoline pumps, newspaper vending boxes, ATMs, vending machines, or on/adjacent to entry doors indicating use (e.g., 'Push', 'Pull', 'Closed', business hours, credit cards accepted).
- On individual residential lots, one non-illuminated construction sign (up to 12 sq. ft.) bearing the name of contractor(s), displayed only during construction and removed within seven days of completion.
- Portable and wheeled signs (including sandwich/A-frame) are permitted on commercial/institutional property if maintained in good condition and located a minimum of five feet from any property line (exception to sandwich/A-frame ban in prohibited signs); not in right-of-way or sidewalk; not illuminated.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign, except those identified as exempt in article XIII, shall be erected, constructed, altered or relocated without first obtaining a sign permit from the building commissioner (Sec. 56-97(a)).
- Applications for sign permits shall be filed in accordance with Sec. 56-92. (All plans that are part of any application shall be at a scale sufficient to permit clear understanding.)
- Master sign plans are permitted for planned developments, commercial shopping centers, office/industrial parks, university/college/medical campuses, or any association of merchants/building owners in a specified village area, subject to review and approval by the planning and zoning board of appeals (Sec. 56-422).
- A master sign plan shall require a public hearing per Sec. 56-93 and must clearly set forth the maximum permitted sign area that would be permitted for all signs under the code for the development.
- Master sign plan may vary type, number, and area for individual signs within the maximum allowed for the development, but may not allow otherwise prohibited signs, nor additional height or total sign area overall.
- No master sign plan will be approved unless the plan and regulations are binding upon all persons/entities in the development/shopping center/campus/area intended to apply.
- Upon approval of a master sign plan by the planning and zoning board of appeals, the approved plan and its regulations replace the requirements of the sign ordinance for the affected area.
- A variation from the strict application of sign regulations, including sign area, height, or otherwise, may be sought by application for a variance under section 56-101, which provides for a public hearing and approval by the appropriate bodies.
- Permanent signage, landscaping plans, and site plans may be required as part of the site plan review for new construction or significant remodeling (see Appendix C and Sec. 56-358 and 56-92).
- Signage plans are required to be submitted as part of overall site plan applications for exterior construction and development activity that requires site plan submittal (Appendix C, Sec. 5c).

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

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