# Sign Regulations in Roanoke, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Roanoke, Illinois regulates 23 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Identification Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3 feet tall and 3 square feet, with a 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less setback (Sec. 10-3-7(B)(2)).

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 16 | 25 feet | 64 square feet | — |
| R-1 Residential District, R-2 Residential District | 1 | 10 feet | 4 square feet | — |
| R-3 Residential District | 2 | 10 feet | 10 square feet | — |
| B-1 Central Business District | 4 | 25 feet or height of building, whichever is less | 40 square feet | — |
| B-2 General Retail Business District | 4 | 40 feet or twice height of building, whichever is less | 100 square feet | — |
| I-1 Industrial District | 4 | 75 feet or twice height of building, whichever is less | 200 square feet | — |

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign | 3 feet | 3 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | 1 per lot | Freestanding or wall sign on premises | — | 10-3-7(B)(2) |
| Institutional Sign (On-site) | 6 feet | 40 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | 1 per property | On premises of public, charitable, educational, or religious institution | — | 10-3-7(B)(4) |
| Institutional Sign (Off-site Directional) | 10 feet | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 per institution | Off site; one per institution | — | 10-3-7(B)(4) |
| Individual Property Sale or Rental Sign (Residential Districts) | 3 feet | 5 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | — | On premises only; freestanding or wall mounted; residential | — | 10-3-7(B)(8) |
| Individual Property Sale or Rental Sign (Non-residential Districts) | 12 feet | 25 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | — | On premises only; freestanding or wall mounted; other than residential | — | 10-3-7(B)(8) |
| Subdivision Sign (Residential Subdivision) | 10 feet | 32 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | 1 per street | Private property within new residential subdivision; one per street bordering or entering subdivision | — | 10-3-7(B)(9) |
| Subdivision Sign (Commercial/Industrial Subdivision) | 25 feet | 64 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | 1 per street | Private property within new commercial or industrial subdivision; one per street bordering or entering subdivision | — | 10-3-7(B)(9) |
| Construction Sign (Residential Districts) | 3 feet | 5 square feet | — | 10 feet from property line or 1/2 front yard depth, whichever is less | — | On premises of construction/alteration/repair; residential districts | — | 10-3-7(B)(10) |

### B-1 Central Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 40 square feet | — | — | 1 per business | On building wall; parallel to building face | — | 10-3-7(E)(2),(5) |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 feet or height of building, whichever is less | — | — | — | 1 per business | On premises; cannot project into public way | — | 10-3-7(E)(3) |
| Projecting Sign | Cannot exceed height of the building; bottom at least 8 feet above sidewalk finish grade | — | — | At least 2 feet from curb line if projecting over public way | 1 per business | May extend into public way but not closer than 2 feet to any curb line | — | 10-3-7(E)(4) |
| Awning or Marquee Sign | — | 10 square feet | — | At least 2 feet from curb line if projecting over public way | 1 per business (in combination with projecting/freestanding sign) | Attached to awning/marquee; bottom at least 8 feet above sidewalk grade; may extend into public way but not closer than 2 feet to curb line | — | 10-3-7(E)(6) |

### B-2 General Retail Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per business | On building wall; parallel to building face | — | 10-3-7(F)(5) |
| Freestanding Sign | 40 feet or twice height of building, whichever is less | 100 square feet | — | At least 12 feet from property line | 1 per business | At least 12 feet from property line; must not extend into public way | — | 10-3-7(F)(2) |
| Projecting Sign | Cannot project above roof of building; bottom at least 8 feet above sidewalk or ground | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per business | May not extend into public way | — | 10-3-7(F)(3) |
| Roof Sign | 10 feet as measured from roof directly beneath | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per business | Located wholly within roof area of structure | — | 10-3-7(F)(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Roanoke

- No sign shall project onto the public right of way or interfere with an authorized traffic signal, traffic control device, traffic sign, or street sign or device, or interfere with required corner lot visibility.
- No sign shall be attached to a tree, utility pole, post, fence, hedge, rock, or any other structure or natural feature on public property or within a public right of way, except for authorized traffic control devices, street signs, or markers.
- No sign shall be located on vacant property except a sign advertising the premises for sale or lease and which meets the ordinance's standards.
- No sign shall prevent free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
- Any sign that is abandoned, ceases to be used for 30 days, or for which the business is no longer conducted on the premises for 30 days, must be removed according to the ordinance schedule.
- Any unlawfully installed or maintained sign must be immediately removed.
- Signs must be properly maintained at all times in good and safe structural condition.
- No exposed bulbs or strobe lights are allowed on any sign.
- With the exception of authorized public traffic control devices, dial clocks, and time and temperature devices, flashing, revolving, or animated signs are permitted only in specified business and industrial districts.
- Illuminated signs are not permitted in any residential district except for defined institutional signs.
- Lighting, flashing, or motion of a sign shall not create a hazardous or annoying glare or condition.
- No unauthorized person may post signs limiting or prohibiting parking on any Village street or right-of-way without prior Village authorization.
- No person shall place, maintain or display any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device purporting to be or resembling an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or that attempts to direct the movement of traffic or control or limit parking, or that hides from view or interferes with traffic movement, the regulation of parking, or the effectiveness of any traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal.
- No highway or right-of-way traffic sign or signal may bear any commercial advertising.
- It is unlawful for any person to deface, injure, damage, remove, move, or interfere with any official traffic sign or signal or any other Village sign.
- No sign shall project over or across any property line.

## Signs exempt from permit in Roanoke

- Signs erected by or on order of a public officer in the performance of a public duty (including public, noncommercial signs such as safety, danger, trespassing, traffic, scenic or historical point of interest signs, memorial plaques, etc.), may be illuminated.
- Identification signs with specific size, height, and setback limitations (non-illuminated unless otherwise specified).
- Integral signs (e.g., building names, dates, commemorative tablets) when made an integral part of the building.
- Institutional signs on premises of a public, charitable, educational, or religious institution meeting specified area, height, setback, and illumination restrictions.
- Private traffic direction and related signs, meeting specified area, height, mounting, and location requirements.
- Community event signs, subject to limits on timing, size, and clearance above public ways.
- Political or campaign signs, subject to area, property owner consent, location, and timing restrictions.
- Individual property sale or rental signs meeting size, height, location, and removal requirements.
- Subdivision signs for new developments, temporary, subject to limits on number, area, height, location, and removal.
- Construction signs meeting location, timing, and size criteria.
- Holiday signs or displays (national, state, community, religious) permitted for up to 45 days during the holiday period, may be illuminated.
- Underground public utility warning signs of standard type.
- Horizontal directional signs on and flush with paved areas are exempt from some standards for private traffic direction signs.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs must comply with all regulations set forth in the ordinance; there is no explicit mention of a required master sign plan or sign plan application in the ordinance sections provided.
- Nonconforming signs that become more than 50% destroyed may not be reconstructed except in conformity with the zoning code, unless a variance is granted by the zoning board after public hearing as required by law.
- The zoning administrator is empowered to enforce removal of noncompliant signs after written notice and may place a lien for expenses if not removed voluntarily.
- No explicit requirements for a master sign plan or sign plan submission were found in the ordinance text provided.

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

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