# Sign Regulations in Macomb, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Macomb, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/macomb
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Macomb/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH17PL_ARTVIIDESTAPALDI_DIV3SI)

## At a glance

Macomb, Illinois regulates 17 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Temporary Signs in the B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District zoning district are capped at 4 ft tall and 16 sq ft per face (Sec. Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E.). Most commercial signs in Macomb require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 40 ft pole (B-1, B-2, O/I, M, and ROS); 24 ft pole all other districts | Greater than 150 sq ft is a billboard. Bulletin-size billboards >=400 sq ft require special use permit | — |
| AG-1 Agricultural District | 6 | 30 ft | Max 300 sq ft combined for all wall signs, subject to frontage/setback formula | — |
| R-1 District, R-2 District, RMH District | 3 | 16 ft | 100 sq ft per face | — |
| R-3 District, R-4 District | 4 | 16 ft | 100 sq ft per face | — |
| O/I Office/Institutional District, ROS Recreation and Open Space District | 7 | 30 ft or building wall height | 200 sq ft per face | — |
| B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District | 9 | 30 ft or wall height | Max 700 sq ft for all flat/wall combined; ≤25% of wall surface | — |
| B-3 Downtown Business District, ASMU Adams Street Mixed Use District | 10 | 30 ft | Combined flat/wall sign area not to exceed 100 sq ft or 25% of wall surface, whichever is less | — |
| M-1 Manufacturing District, M-2 Manufacturing District | 8 | 30 ft | Combined wall/flat signs not to exceed 400 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### B-1 Business District, B-2 Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 2 | — | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Feather Flag | 10 ft | 16 sq ft per flag | — | — | 1/100 l.f. | — | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Wall Sign | 30 ft or wall height | Max 700 sq ft for all flat/wall combined; ≤25% of wall surface | — | — | 4/use | On wall/flat on building | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 1/lot | Freestanding, must be within landscaping area | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Monument Sign - Development Entry | 16 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1/use | Development entry | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Window Sign | 30 ft (max per table, effectively limited by window height) | 25% of window area per floor | — | — | No limit | Window | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Marquee Sign | First floor | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1/use | Marquee of building | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |
| Canopy/Awning Sign | 30 ft | 40 sq ft | — | — | 1/use | On canopy or awning | — | Sec. 17-895(e), Table 7.3.5.E. |

### B-3 Downtown Business District, ASMU Adams Street Mixed Use District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 2 | — | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Projecting Sign | Building wall height | 20 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Building facade (projecting) | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Feather Flag | 10 ft | 16 sq ft per flag | — | — | 1 per 100 l.f. | — | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Flat Sign | 10 ft | Combined flat/wall sign area not to exceed 100 sq ft or 25% of wall surface, whichever is less | — | — | 4/structure | Building wall | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Wall Sign | Building wall height | Combined flat/wall sign area not to exceed 100 sq ft or 25% of wall surface, whichever is less | — | — | 4/structure | Building wall | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Sidewalk Sign | 6 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1/lot | On sidewalk (in ASMU, min. 3 ft pedestrian clearance required) | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Canopy/Awning Sign | 30 ft | 40 sq ft on one side; 30 sq ft for each addtl side | — | — | 1/use | On canopy/awning | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |
| Nameplate, Identifying Building Name | 8 ft if ground mounted | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1/building | On building or ground | — | Sec. 17-895(f), Table 7.3.5.F. |

### M-1 Manufacturing District, M-2 Manufacturing District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | 4 ft | 16 sq ft | — | — | 2 | — | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Feather Flag | 10 ft | 16 sq ft per flag | — | — | 1/100 l.f. | — | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Wall/Flat Sign | Height of wall | Combined wall/flat signs not to exceed 400 sq ft | — | — | 3/structure | Structure wall | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Monument Sign | 8 ft | 60 sq ft | — | — | 2/lot | Freestanding, must be in landscape area | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Pole Sign | 30 ft | 150 sq ft; or 100 sq ft per use (if multi-use) | — | — | 2/lot | — | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area per floor | — | — | No limit | Window | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Projecting Sign | Height of wall | Max 60 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Projecting from building wall | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |
| Nameplate, Identifying Building Name | 8 ft if ground mounted | 3 sq ft | — | — | 1/building | On building or ground | — | Sec. 17-895(g), Table 7.3.5.G. |

## Prohibited signs in Macomb

- Signs which move, or give the appearance of movement. This includes signs which flutter, undulate, swing, rotate, oscillate, or otherwise move by natural or artificial means. (Feather flags, pennants, banners, and streamers may only be used on a temporary basis in business and industrial zones and require permit approval.)
- Roof signs.
- Signs which imitate traffic signs by use of similar shapes and colors to existing traffic signs, except those accessory to parking lots.
- Portable or wheeled signs.
- Signs placed on parked vehicles or trailers.
- Inflatable images such as balloons may be used only on a temporary basis in business and industrial zones and may not be used for longer than five days in any 30-day period.
- Signs or other similar devices, internal or external, containing rapidly flashing or running lights or lights being at an interval, color, or shape similar to lights as utilized by emergency service vehicles.
- No sign, whether temporary or permanent, shall be located within or shall obstruct the public right-of-way in any manner without the prior written consent of the city council.
- No sign shall be erected or placed so as to prevent free ingress and egress from any door, window, or fire escape, nor shall such sign be attached to any standpipe or fire escape.
- Nails, tacks, or wires or other hazardous projections are prohibited for permanent sign construction.

## Signs exempt from permit in Macomb

- Signs used for safety purposes relative to the repair or maintenance of streets, sidewalks, or utilities in a public right-of-way.
- Nameplates not to exceed two square feet in area.
- Address plaque not to exceed two square feet in area.
- Paper notices placed on designated information kiosks.
- Signs and public notices erected or required by governmental bodies, or authorized for a public purpose by any law, statute, or ordinance. Such signs may be of any type, number, area, height, location, or illumination as authorized.
- Flags up to 120 square feet in size and a 40 foot height of pole in B-1, B-2, O/I, M, and ROS districts; in all other districts and the downtown overlay district, flags limited to 20 square feet in size and 24 foot pole height to be considered a flag. (Flags must be rectangular, made of weather resistant material, capable of being raised or lowered daily, and suspended from a freestanding pole.)
- A flag that has been adopted by the federal, state, or local government may be displayed as provided under applicable law.
- Plaques and cornerstones not to exceed two square feet in area, constructed of bronze or other incombustible materials and permanently affixed to the building or premises.
- Matter appearing on gasoline pumps, newspaper vending boxes, ATMs, and other vending machines as purchased or installed.
- Matter appearing on or adjacent to entry doors not exceeding one square foot in area per establishment.
- Matter appearing on display windows or doors to retail or service establishments not exceeding a cumulative total of two square feet in area per establishment.
- Temporary or neighborhood signs not exceeding eight square feet in area in residential districts and 32 square feet in nonresidential districts. No limit on the number of such signs. Signs shall be removed within seven days after the event in nonresidential districts.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit general requirement for a master sign plan or comprehensive sign plan is stated for all signs; however, a permit application for each sign must include a detailed drawing or blueprint showing construction details, sign face(s), lighting, location, and relation to nearby buildings and streets, as per Sec. 17-893(c).
- For billboards (Sec. 17-896), application for a billboard permit must include a site plan, a plan of the proposed billboard, a map showing spacing with respect to existing billboards, and evidence of any federal or state permits.
- For approval of changes or deviations to an approved landscape plan (which may be required as part of a comprehensive site plan), changes shall require the approval of the community development coordinator and may be subject to the procedures for a variance as established in article IV.
- For monument—development entry signs in R-1, R-2, RMH, R-3, and R-4 districts, a special use permit is required, which is similar in process to seeking a variance or a type of site/sign plan approval.
- All permanent and temporary signs require a permit, and the permit application must be reviewed and approved by the community development coordinator for compliance before issuance. There is no blanket master sign plan process, but comprehensive submittals are required per permit.

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

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