# Sign Regulations in Rock Island, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Rock Island, Illinois regulates 24 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (B-2)s in the Central Business District (B-2), Community Business District (B-3) zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall and 120 sq ft, with a 1 ft for up to 100 sq ft; plus 1 ft for each 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. setback (Sec. Sec. 4-69(d), Sec. 4-65). Most commercial signs in Rock Island require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Office District (O-1), Office Research And Technology District (ORT) | 2 | 6 ft max | 32 sq ft per sign; 64 sq ft total per property | — |
| Neighborhood Business District (B-1) | 3 | 25 ft | 120 sq ft per sign; up to 250 sq ft total per property from all signs | — |
| Central Business District (B-2), Community Business District (B-3) | 4 | 25 ft | 160 sq ft | — |
| Highway Business District (B-4), Light Industrial District (I-1), General Industrial District (I-2) | 4 | 25 ft | 300 sq ft | — |
| University/College District (U-1) | 2 | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — |
| Residential Zoning Districts, Conservation Zoning Districts | 4 | 6 ft | 30 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | No more than 4 ft above façade | 96 sq ft | — |
| Nonconforming Uses | 2 | 6 ft | 15 sq ft | — |

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

### Central Business District (B-2), Community Business District (B-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building façade. | — | Sec. 4-69(d), (e), Sec. 4-64 |
| Freestanding Sign (B-2) | 15 ft | 120 sq ft | — | 1 ft for up to 100 sq ft; plus 1 ft for each 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | One per street frontage | Setback 1 ft for first 100 sq ft; Add 1 ft for every 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | — | Sec. 4-69(d), Sec. 4-65 |
| Freestanding Sign (B-3) | 20 ft | 160 sq ft | — | 1 ft for up to 100 sq ft; plus 1 ft for each 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | One per street frontage | Setback 1 ft for first 100 sq ft; Add 1 ft for every 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | — | Sec. 4-69(e), Sec. 4-65 |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign | 25 ft | 72 sq ft | 25 ft | 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 50 ft from residential | — | Min 25 ft front setback, 10 ft side, 50 ft from residentially zoned parcel. | — | Sec. 4-69(d), (e), Sec. 4-65(a)(4) |

### Highway Business District (B-4), Light Industrial District (I-1), General Industrial District (I-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On building façade. | — | Sec. 4-69(f), (g), (h), Sec. 4-64 |
| Freestanding Sign (B-4) | 25 ft | 160 sq ft | — | 1 ft for up to 100 sq ft; plus 1 ft for each 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | One per street frontage | Setback 1 ft for first 100 sq ft; Add 1 ft for every 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | — | Sec. 4-69(f), Sec. 4-65 |
| Freestanding Sign (I-1, I-2) | 25 ft | 160 sq ft | — | 1 ft for up to 100 sq ft; plus 1 ft for each 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | One per street frontage | Setback 1 ft for first 100 sq ft; Add 1 ft for every 10 sq ft over 100 sq ft. | — | Sec. 4-69(g), (h), Sec. 4-65 |
| Outdoor Advertising Sign | 25 ft | 300 sq ft | 25 ft | 25 ft front, 10 ft side, 50 ft from residential | — | Min 25 ft front yard, 10 ft side yard, 50 ft from residentially zoned parcel. | — | Sec. 4-65(a)(4), Sec. 4-69(f)-(h) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (General) | No more than 4 ft above façade | — | — | — | — | On any building façade facing a street. | — | Sec. 4-64 |
| Projecting Sign (Attached) | — | — | 18 inches max between principal faces | — | — | Project from building face. | — | Sec. 4-64(a)(9)-(12) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of ground floor window pane area | — | — | — | Window, ground floor façade. | — | Sec. 4-64(a)(13) |
| Roof Sign | — | Subject to attached sign cap. | — | — | — | On roof. | — | Sec. 4-66 |
| Temporary Sign (Residential <2 acres, Real Estate) | — | 6 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way | — | On property, at least 10 ft from street right-of-way. | — | Sec. 4-68(a) |
| Temporary Sign (Lots 2 acres+, Real Estate) | — | 96 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way | — | On property, at least 10 ft from right-of-way. | — | Sec. 4-68(b) |
| Temporary Sign (Construction) | — | 96 sq ft | — | 10 ft from right-of-way or per zone, whichever is more lenient | — | On development site, at least 10 ft from right-of-way or per district setback, whichever is less restrictive. | — | Sec. 4-68(c) |
| Electronic Message Sign (Freestanding/Projecting only) | — | Max 50% of total sign area | — | — | Only one per lot | Freestanding sign or projecting attached sign only. | — | Sec. 4-67 |

## Prohibited signs in Rock Island

- Signs which incorporate in any manner moving, scintillating, or revolving lights, or signs with flashing lights that have a change frequency of less than five seconds, except for traffic warning devices and signs giving public service information (e.g., time, date, temperature, weather, or similar information).
- Any revolving sign with a rotation frequency more than eight revolutions per minute.
- LED storefront lights, string lights, or rope lights placed within or around windows or on a building façade other than holiday decorations.
- Any sign which obstructs free passage from one part of a roof to any other part and free ingress or egress from a required door, window, fire escape, roof opening or other required exitway.
- Portable signs, with the exception of sidewalk signs that are six square feet in area (measuring both sides collectively) or smaller.
- Freestanding spinners, except as the city council may authorize temporarily for civic or nonprofit organizations.
- Temporary signs that are in place for more than thirty continuous days.
- Vehicle signs.
- Video display screens.
- Strobe lights, moving or fixed spotlights, and floodlights/searchlights.
- Flashing lights.
- Temporary signs or banners wrapped around or attached to a permanent sign structure, light post, fence, or similar fixture, along with any sign attached or affixed with zip-ties, adhesives, or similar non-permanent means.
- Temporary signs are prohibited from being affixed to roofs.

## Signs exempt from permit in Rock Island

- Traffic warning devices and signs giving public service information, such as but not limited to time, date, temperature, weather, or similar information, are exempt from the prohibition on moving, scintillating, or revolving/flashing lights.
- Holiday decorations are exempt from the prohibition on LED storefront lights, string lights, or rope lights placed within or around windows or on a building façade.
- Sidewalk signs that are six square feet in area or smaller (measured collectively on both sides) are exempt from the prohibition on portable signs.
- Freestanding spinners may be allowed temporarily if authorized by the city council for civic or nonprofit organizations.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- For roof signs, no sign shall be placed upon a roof unless the roof has been determined by an architectural or structural engineer to have sufficient strength; the signature and seal of the engineer must be attached to all plans for proposed roof signs before a permit will be issued.
- Nonconforming sign completion: If a permit for a sign was issued before the effective date of the article, approved plans may be completed as permitted, subject thereafter to nonconforming sign regulations.
- Signs for special use permits are allowed only when authorized by the City Council and must conform to requirements; may imply the need for plan approval.
- Outdoor advertising signs up to seventy two (72) square feet must be considered a use authorized by the Board of Appeals in B-1, B-2, and B-3 zoning districts (suggesting a variance or special approval process).

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

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