# Sign Regulations in Palos Park, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Palos Park, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/palos-park
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

Palos Park, Illinois regulates 19 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Real Estate Signs in the R District, Residential District zoning district are capped at 4 ft (ground sign) tall and 5 sq ft per face; max 2 faces, with a Must be on property, not public property unless special permission setback (Sec. 1480.14(a)-(g)). Most commercial signs in Palos Park require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R District, Residential District | 3 | 4 ft (ground sign) | 10 sq ft (except church bulletin board: 24 sq ft) | — |
| B District, M District, Business District | 5 | 10 ft | 120 sq ft per sign | — |
| Nonresidential Districts | 1 | 4 ft (ground sign) | 8 sq ft per face; max 2 faces | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 5 ft above curb or grade at base | 32 sq ft per face | — |

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

### R District, Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Plaque - Dwelling Unit | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | On dwelling unit | — | 1480.11(a)(1) |
| Identification Plaque - Non-Dwelling Unit | — | 10 sq ft (except church bulletin board: 24 sq ft) | — | — | 1 per building | On non-dwelling structure | — | 1480.11(a)(2) |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft (ground sign) | 5 sq ft per face; max 2 faces | — | Must be on property, not public property unless special permission | 1 per zoning lot | On premises for sale/lease only | — | 1480.14(a)-(g) |

### B District, M District, Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign - Single Tenant | 10 ft | <50 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per 150 ft road frontage per lot side | On commercial or industrial lots, per lot side with public road frontage | — | 1480.08(b)-(d) |
| Ground Sign - Multi-Tenant | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street abutting property | Only on lots with >1 commercial use; Business District only | — | 1480.08(h) |
| Wall Sign | — | 120 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per commercial unit (corner unit: 2, one per exterior wall) | On walls facing road frontage or other commercial uses | — | 1480.09(a)-(d) |
| Identification Plaque | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — | — | Not stated | Only in grassy landscaped areas, surrounded by landscaping | — | 1480.11(b) |
| Real Estate Sign | 4 ft (ground sign) | 8 sq ft per face; max 2 faces | — | Must be on property, not public property unless special permission | 1 per zoning lot | On premises for sale/lease only | — | 1480.14(a)-(g) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | No more than necessary to cover window/entrance; text limited to 8 inches high | — | No extension beyond 12 inches inside curb line | Not specified | On front/side of awning attached to building | — | 1480.10(a)-(f) |
| Temporary Sign - Window | — | — | — | — | Not specified | Inside building windows | — | 1480.12(a)(1), (b) |
| Temporary Sign - Walkway/Ground (not illuminated) | — | 8 sq ft per face | — | — | Not specified | On walkway or ground between building and parking lot | — | 1480.12(a)(3),(7),(b) |
| Temporary Balloon Figure (Ground) | — | — | — | 3 ft from property line | 1 per property | On ground, at least 3 feet from property line | — | 1480.12(a)(4),(6) |
| Temporary Ground Sign (General) | 5 ft above curb or grade at base | 32 sq ft per face | — | 3 ft behind all property lines; 50 ft from any other signs | 2 per property frontage | At least 3 ft behind all property lines | — | 1480.12(a)(5)-(7),(b) |
| Temporary Ground Sign (Special Construction Area) | 5 ft above curb/grade at base | 32 sq ft per face | — | 3 ft behind property line, 50 ft from other signs | 2 per single tenant property, 6 per multi-tenant property (in specified zones, only during construction) | As above | — | 1480.12(a)(5)H |
| Political Sign | — | Per general sign size chapter requirements | — | Cannot be in public right of way or on poles/supports as described | Not specified | Private property only, not on utility pole/street light/road sign/public right-of-way | — | 1480.13 |
| Open House Sign | Same as Real Estate Sign | Same as Real Estate Sign (see zone) | — | — | 3 per open house | Only during hours of open house, only on private property | — | 1480.15 |

## Prohibited signs in Palos Park

- Signs preventing free ingress to or egress from any door, window or fire escape, or attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs erected at street intersections that obstruct free and clear vision or interfere with, obstruct, or are confusing/misleading to traffic.
- Commercial variable message signs and flashing signs, except as otherwise allowed or as legal non-conforming signs (subject to sunset provision and limitations).
- Revolving beacons.
- Roof signs.
- Signs attached to utility poles.
- Signs painted on the wall of a structure.
- Signs located on property other than the property on which the business it advertises is located, unless specific height, size, and location requirements are met for adjacent commercial lots with cross-access.
- Signs located on property other than the property on which the use to which it relates is located, unless specific height, size, and location requirements are met for property adjacent to property owned by a unit of local government and relating to the unit of local government’s use.
- Signs that block the view of, or access to, a door, fire hydrant, other sign, sidewalk, or parking area, or distract vehicular traffic.
- Signs attached to trees or utility posts.
- Temporary signs with moving parts, or carried by a person or animal.

## Signs exempt from permit in Palos Park

- Non-illuminated real estate signs not exceeding eight square feet in area, advertising the sale, rental, or lease of only the premises upon which such a sign is located, with only one sign permitted at a time and at least fifteen feet from a lot line.
- Signs associated with a Special Use approved by Ordinance and authorized as a structure in a Special Use Ordinance, provided they are specifically approved. These signs are not exempt from permitting requirements unless specified otherwise.
- Minor repairs and maintenance of signs do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No explicit mention of a master sign plan, sign plan, or required variance meeting for general sign approval in the ordinance text. Permits are required for most signs with exceptions and require submission of plans and specifications for approval, but there is no general citywide sign plan or variance meeting process stated in the referenced sections.
- Building Commissioner examines all sign permit applications for compliance with plans, specifications, and all relevant laws and ordinances.

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

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