# Sign Regulations in North Aurora, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Aurora, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/north-aurora
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/North_Aurora/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=TIT15BUCO_CH15.48SI)

## At a glance

North Aurora, Illinois regulates 29 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Freestanding Signs in the Business Zoning Districts zoning district are capped at 20 ft tall and Max 100 sq ft, with a Min 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. 15.48.100(B)). Most commercial signs in North Aurora require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | — | 100 sq ft | — |
| Residential Districts | 5 | 6 ft (if ground sign) | 32 sq ft | — |
| Business Zoning Districts | 7 | 20 ft | Max 300 sq ft for all wall signs per building facade | — |
| Lincoln Highway (Route 31) Special Sign District | 4 | 8 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| North Aurora Auto Mall Special Sign District | 3 | 20 ft | 300 sq ft per building facade | — |
| Industrial Zoning Districts, Light Industry Zoning Districts, Office Research Zoning Districts | 4 | 10 ft | 225 sq ft per facade | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Class 2 - Residential Real Estate/Contractor) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Must be on subject property. 1 per road frontage. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 2 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 3 - Community event/Political/Portable/Residential Marketing) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Business, industrial, office, or with special use. 1 per road frontage. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 3 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 4 - Portable/Business/Industrial/Office) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Business, industrial, office, or with special use. 1 per road frontage. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 4 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 5 - Property Leasing/Marketing) | — | 80 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Business, industrial, office or special use. 1 per road frontage. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 5 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 6 - Grand Opening/Seasonal Sale/Church Event/Search Lights) | — | 48 sq ft | — | — | 1 per zoning lot | Business, industrial, office or special use. Max 1/zoning lot. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 6 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 7 - Sandwich Board) | — | 8 sq ft | — | — | 1 per road frontage | Business, industrial, office (on subject property). 1 per road frontage. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 7 |
| Temporary Sign (Class 8 - Inflatable Balloons) | — | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per zoning lot | Business, industrial, office or special use. Max 1/zoning lot. | — | 15.48.080 Table 1, Class 8 |
| Neon Window Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building facade | One per building facade, must be in window. | — | 15.48.160(F) |

### Residential Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exempt Sign (as per 15.48.070) | — | Varies by sign type | — | — | — | Residential district | — | 15.48.090(A) |
| Temporary Sign (Class 1 & 2) | — | 4 sq ft (Class 1), 6 sq ft (Class 2) | — | — | — | Residential district | — | 15.48.090(A), 15.48.080 Table 1 |
| Name and Address Plate (Buildings 3+ Units) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | Multi-unit residential | — | 15.48.090(B) |
| Identification Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 6 ft (if ground sign) | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per building entrance | 1 per building entrance, nonresidential use (e.g. church, public building, cemetery, golf course) | — | 15.48.090(C) |
| Residential Development Sign | — | — | — | — | max 2 per entrance | Major entrance(s) to residential development/PUD; max 2 per entrance | — | 15.48.090(D) |

### Business Zoning Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exempt Sign (as per 15.48.070) | — | Varies by sign type | — | — | — | Business district | — | 15.48.100(A) |
| Temporary Sign (as per 15.48.080, all classes permitted by Table 1) | — | Varies by class | — | — | — | Business district | — | 15.48.100(A) |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 ft | Max 100 sq ft | — | Min 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot (except corner lots: 1 per frontage) | On portion of lot with public or private street frontage. 1 per lot (corner lots, 1 per street) | — | 15.48.100(B) |
| Wall Sign - Single Tenant | — | Max 300 sq ft for all wall signs per building facade | — | — | 3 per building facade (single tenant) | Any building facade except facing residential uses/zones | — | 15.48.100(C) |
| Wall Sign - Multi-Tenant | — | — | — | — | 1 per tenant facade facing street | 1 wall sign per tenant space per facade facing a public/private street | — | 15.48.100(C) |
| Canopy/Awning Sign | — | Counted towards wall sign permitted sq ft | — | — | No limit | Affixed to building | — | 15.48.100(C)(5) |
| Menu Board Sign | 8 ft | 24 sq ft | — | — | 2 per lot/outlot | Drive-through restaurants, in addition to permitted freestanding sign | — | 15.48.100(B)(9) |

## Prohibited signs in North Aurora

- Off-site signs, except for those described in Section 15.48.070—Lincoln Highway Special Sign District or within an approved planned development.
- Animated signs, except where approved within a planned development and traditional barber poles (not exceeding two feet in height and projecting not more than twelve inches from the building, and only to identify a hair-cutting establishment).
- Obsolete signs must be removed within thirty days of the business, organization, activity, or service ceasing to operate at the site.
- Projecting signs.
- Pole signs, except for exemptions as outlined in Section 15.48.070 or those approved within a planned unit development.
- Roof signs.
- Vehicle signs, unless the vehicle does not remain in one visible place for more than twenty-four hours, is actually used for transportation, and is properly registered and insured for use on public streets in Illinois.
- Any sign determined by the enforcement officer and/or chief of police to constitute a traffic or pedestrian danger, by reason of size, condition, or illumination.
- Signs with neon lighting and lettering are prohibited in the Lincoln Highway (Route 31) special sign district.
- Marquees (except for theaters) are prohibited in the Lincoln Highway (Route 31) special sign district.
- Signs displaying obscene content as defined by the ordinance.
- No signs (except those installed by the village or state of Illinois) are permitted within a public right-of-way.
- Signs may not be painted directly on any surface of a building.
- Exposed light bulbs, neon or LED tubes, flashing, blinking or traveling and similar illumination are prohibited, except as specifically provided or approved as part of a planned unit development.
- No sign with a height greater than thirty inches above the crown of the adjacent streets shall be constructed or placed within the corner visibility triangle as defined (twenty-five feet from the point of intersection of street right-of-way lines).
- No signs shall be located within a fifteen-foot triangle area of a public street right of way and driveway or private street.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Aurora

- Identification tags giving only the name, address, and telephone number of the owner, not more than one square foot in sign area.
- Name and address plates giving only the name and address of the resident, not more than one square foot in sign area. (House numbers must be at least five inches high and contrasting in color.)
- Memorial signs or tablets and signs denoting the date of erection of buildings, no larger than five square feet.
- On-site directional and warning signs not exceeding five square feet in area.
- Signs erected by a governmental body, or under the direction of such a body (including traffic signs, railroad crossing signs, safety signs, and signs identifying public schools and playgrounds). Banners, community entry signs, and directional signs included in a community sign district are also exempt.
- The flag, pennant or insignia of any government or of any religious, charitable or fraternal organization is allowed, provided it is flown with and is not larger than the American flag.
- One logo flag of a company is allowed, provided it is flown with and is not larger than the American flag.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Approval of a unified business center sign plan is required before any sign permit will be issued for a sign to be located in a unified business center. The plan must be approved by the village board, after review and recommendation of the plan commission, and must include specifications for size, color, location, illumination, lettering type, and mounting details.
- The unified business center sign plan must comply with criteria relating to scale, proportion, harmony, compatibility, and unified image among signs.
- A comprehensive community sign program may be established by the village by resolution and must be approved by the village board.
- Approval of a unified business center sign plan is at the discretion of the village board, after review and recommendation of the plan commission, and a permit shall not be issued until such plan is approved and the sign complies with the provisions thereof.
- Owners of nonconforming signs must apply for a variance (administrative or standard) if they wish to keep the sign; standard variance requests require a public meeting/hearing with the plan commission and possible village board action.
- The plan commission or village board may require sign plan submittals including drawings or photographs as necessary when considering variance applications.

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

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