# Sign Regulations in Peoria, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Peoria, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/peoria
- **Data last verified:** 2025-06-23
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/il/peoria/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CO_APXAUNDECO_8.0GEDEST_8.3SI)

## At a glance

Peoria, Illinois regulates 41 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Inflatables (Temporary Grand Opening)s in the Commercial Sign District (CG, C1, C2) zoning district are capped at 25 ft. tall, 30 ft. width/diameter, and 30 ft. wide, with a 20 ft from property line, 10 ft from building setback (Sec. 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table). Most commercial signs in Peoria require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Sign District (A1, RE, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8) | 9 | 5 ft. | 20% of façade (combined with wall signs) | — |
| Commercial Sign District (CG, C1, C2) | 24 | 40 ft. above road centerline | 700 sq. ft. | — |
| Office Sign District (CN, O1, O2) | 15 | 8 ft. minimum clearance over grade | 70 sq. ft. or 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of frontage, whichever is less | — |
| Industrial Sign District (I1, I2, I3) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Central Business Sign District (B1) | 11 | Freestanding: up to twice height of building; max 40 ft. | 40% of building facade | — |
| C-2 Large Scale Commercial | 1 | 5 ft. max for pole mounted | 40 sq. ft. | — |
| Non Residential | 3 | — | 64 sq. ft. | — |
| Residential | 3 | — | 16 sq. ft. | — |
| All | 4 | 5 ft. | 20 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | Included in sign area calculation | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Commercial Sign District (CG, C1, C2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Pole Mounted Banner | 5 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | 1 per frontage | Pole mounted | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Inflatables (Temporary Grand Opening) | 25 ft. | 30 ft. width/diameter | 30 ft. | 20 ft from property line, 10 ft from building | 1 | At location of new business | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Special Sales Banner (C-2 Only) | 5 ft. max (for pole mounted banners) | 40 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line for poles | Unlimited | Wall or pole mounted | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| On-premise Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. | 70 sq. ft. or 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of frontage, whichever is less | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | More than 1 if separated by at least 150 ft. | On-premise | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table and 8.3.10.C.1 |
| Off-premise Freestanding Sign (≤300 sq. ft.) | 30 ft. above road centerline | 300 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | Per spacing and city-wide cap | Principle arterial only | — | 8.3.10.C.2.a, b, d, f, g, h |
| Off-premise Freestanding Sign (>300 sq. ft.) | 40 ft. above road centerline | 700 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | Per city-wide cap, spacing | C2 and Industrial Districts only, on principle arterial | — | 8.3.10.C.2.a, c, d, f, g, i, j |
| Menu Board | 6 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 build-to for secondary/corner yard | 2 per drive-thru lane | Drive-thru lanes, not in primary front yard | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Directional Sign (On-premise) | 4.5 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | Not required, but must not block driveway visibility | 1 per entrance/exit | Accessory to parking and driveways | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |

### Office Sign District (CN, O1, O2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Banner | — | 20% of façade (combined with wall signs) | — | — | 1 per frontage | Wall/Fence | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Wall/Fence Banners |
| Temporary Pole Mounted Banner | 5 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | 1 per frontage | Pole mounted | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Light Standard Temporary Sign | 8 ft. minimum clearance over grade | 18 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per pole | Light standard | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| On-premise Freestanding Sign | 5 ft. | 70 sq. ft. or 1 sq. ft. per lineal foot of frontage, whichever is less | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 minimum build-to line | More than 1 if separated by at least 150 ft. | On-premise | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table and 8.3.10.C.1 |
| Menu Board | 6 ft. | 40 sq. ft. | — | 1/2 required yard or 1/2 build-to for secondary/corner yard | 2 per drive-thru lane | Drive-thru lanes, not in primary front yard | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Canopy & Awning Sign | Minimum 7 ft above sidewalk | 25% of canopy surface for business name/logo/purpose | — | — | ≤25% of façade | Canopy or awning on building | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Marquee Sign | min. 7 ft above sidewalk, max 5 ft above marquee roof line | 20% of façade (excluding doors/windows) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On marquee; front, over, or under canopy | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |
| Directional Sign (On-premise) | 4.5 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | Not required, but must not block driveway visibility | 1 per entrance/exit | Accessory to parking and driveways | — | 8.3.10.A Temporary Signs Table |

### Central Business Sign District (B1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 | On property offered for rent, sale, or lease | — | 8.3.11.A.1 |
| Construction Sign | — | 12 sq. ft. | — | 12 ft from property line/1/2 front yard | 1 | On property under construction | — | 8.3.11.A.2 |
| Institutional Bulletin Board | — | 20 sq. ft. | — | 12 ft from property line/1/2 front yard | 1 | For public/institutional buildings | — | 8.3.11.A.3 |
| On-premise Projecting or Freestanding Sign | Freestanding: up to twice height of building; max 40 ft. | Based on principal street frontage | — | — | 1 per facing | Street frontage | — | 8.3.11.A.4 |
| On-premise Wall Sign | — | 40% of building facade | — | — | — | On building wall (first 40 ft of height only counts toward area) | — | 8.3.11.A.5 |
| Off-premise Freestanding Sign | Up to 40 ft. | Per C2 regulations; up to 700 sq. ft. | — | — | Per city-wide cap/spacing | Pursuant to 8.3.10.C.2 (C2 and Industrial rules) | — | 8.3.11.A.6 |
| On-premise Roof Sign | 30 ft. above roof line, or below max allowed building height, whichever is less | 40% of building facade; letters ≤16% of building facade | — | — | 1 per facade | On building roof, one per facade | — | 8.3.11.A.7 |
| Temporary Banner/Event Banner | — | 40% of building facade | — | — | 1 per building | One per building, any wall | — | 8.3.11.A.12 |

## Prohibited signs in Peoria

- Signs which move, or give the appearance of moving, with the exception of certain temporary signs or exempt signs (includes pennants, streamers, string pennants, 'garrison' size flags other than the official US flag, 'feather' and 'tear drop signs,' and similar signs that flutter, undulate, swing, rotate, oscillate or move by natural or artificial means).
- Signs containing any flashing or running lights or lights creating an illusion of movement except for signs in the B1 district and electronic multiple message signs subject to specific requirements.
- Signs which imitate official traffic signs or use the words 'stop,' 'look,' 'danger,' 'go slow,' 'caution,' or 'warning' except where part of a business name, but this does not include accessory parking lot, driveway, or roadway signs.
- Portable or wheeled signs.
- Signs placed on a parked vehicle or trailer where the apparent purpose is to advertise a product or direct people to a business on the same or nearby property.
- A sign in any residence district, exceeding a height of 3.5 feet above street grade within 12 feet of the intersecting street lines bordering a corner lot.
- A sign in any nonresidential district within 8 feet of the intersecting street lines bordering a corner lot, except above the first floor.
- Signs in required transitional buffer yards (TBY).
- Wall, roof, projecting or stacked off-premises signs.
- Murals on structures with solely a single-family or multi-family residential use/structure and associated accessory structures in residential districts.
- Signs shall not obstruct visibility from a driveway to an abutting street or vice versa.

## Signs exempt from permit in Peoria

- House numbers and house nameplates (nameplates not exceeding one square foot).
- Paper notices placed on bulletin boards or kiosks maintained by governmental organizations.
- Signs erected or required by governmental bodies or authorized for a public purpose by law, statute, or ordinance; such public signs may be of any type, number, area, height, location, or illumination as authorized.
- Flags bearing the officially adopted design of a nation, state, or political subdivision of a state (flags not to exceed 30 square feet, except US garrison size flags are allowed).
- Business flags displaying the name of the business and corporation logo/symbol; each nonresidential zoning lot permitted one flag not to exceed 30 square feet.
- Murals in non-residential districts and on structures with legal non-residential uses/structures in residential zoning districts.
- Pedestrian signs not to exceed 6 square feet in area.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Sign regulations, controls, and provisions are made in accordance with an overall plan and program for public safety, area development, and general welfare.
- Regulation of the location, size, placement and certain features of signs is intended to support local groups in collectively determining policies for private signing and lighting in their areas.
- Zoning review shall accompany all building permit applications for signs. Properties not requiring a building permit must still comply with zoning requirements, subject to complaint-based enforcement.
- Waivers of off-premises sign regulations are subject to a major variance; such variances cannot exceed the city-wide maximum cap.
- Shopping center signage is subject to special use and local sign regulation procedures.
- Local sign regulations (aka 'master sign plans' or area sign plans) for shopping centers, associations, university/hospital campuses, or office/industrial parks may be established and must be submitted to the Development Review Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, and approved by the City Council. If approved, these local sign regulations supersede the ordinance for the affected area.
- Special types of signs (historic signs, certain inflatables, marquee/rooftop signs in nonresidential districts) require a special permit via the special use process after public hearing.
- Local sign regulations must be binding on all persons in the specified area, and follow prescribed submittal and approval procedures.

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

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