# Sign Regulations in Shelbyville, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Shelbyville, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/shelbyville
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/IL/Shelbyville/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=SUHITA_TIT8TR_CH2GEPR_8-2-4SISI)

## At a glance

Shelbyville, Illinois regulates 17 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Nameplate Sign (Single-Family Dwelling)s in the R1 Single-Family Residential District (R1) zoning district are capped at 1 sq ft (Sec. 9-2-8(c)(1), 9-2-8(g)). Most commercial signs in Shelbyville require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R1 Single-Family Residential District (R1) | 4 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| R2 Single-, Two-, and Multi-Family Residential District (R2) | 3 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| R3 Mobile Home District (R3) | 2 | — | 9 sq ft | — |
| B1 Local Business District (B1) | 2 | — | 30 sq ft (B1) | — |
| B2 General Business District (B2), M1 Light Industrial District (M1), M2 General Industrial District (M2) | 1 | — | B2: 40 sq ft each; M1: 200 sq ft each; M2: 300 sq ft each | — |
| O1 Professional Office District (O1) | 1 | — | 5 sq ft per side | — |
| FP Flood Plain District (FP) | 1 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| FL Federal Land District (FL) | 1 | — | 12 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 12 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### R1 Single-Family Residential District (R1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign (Single-Family Dwelling) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | On dwelling unit | — | 9-2-8(c)(1), 9-2-8(g) |
| House Numbering Plate | — | — | — | — | — | On dwelling unit | — | 9-2-8(c)(1) |
| Bulletin Board or Identification Sign (Permitted Use Other than Dwellings) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per use per street frontage; 1 per 500 ft for extended frontage | On premises of eligible use | — | 9-2-8(c)(3), 9-2-8(g) |
| Temporary Sign (for sale/rent, development, public interest event etc.) | — | Varies (For Sale: 12 sq ft; Construction/Development: 12 sq ft; Event: 24 sq ft max) | — | — | 1 per applicable use | On respective site only | — | 9-2-8(f)(3-8), 9-2-8(g) |

### R2 Single-, Two-, and Multi-Family Residential District (R2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign (Single or Two-Family Dwelling, Row House) | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | 1 per dwelling unit | On dwelling unit | — | 9-2-8(c)(1) |
| Identification Sign (Multiple-Family Residences, Residential Projects) | — | 9 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage; 1 per 500 ft | On premises | — | 9-2-8(c)(2,4) |
| Bulletin Board or Identification Sign (Non-dwelling uses) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per street frontage; 1 per 500 ft | On premises of use | — | 9-2-8(c)(3,4) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional/Traffic Control Signs (Governmental) | — | — | — | — | — | Within right-of-way or as needed | — | 9-2-8(a)(4), (f)(5) |
| Parking Area Signs (Entrance/Exit, Conditions of Use) | — | 2 sq ft (entrance/exit); 9 sq ft (conditions) | — | — | See above | On parking lot | — | 9-2-8(f)(1) |
| Bulletin Board/Identification Sign (Public Recreation/Community Facility) | — | 12 sq ft | — | — | — | On site | — | 9-2-8(f)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Shelbyville

- No sign shall be erected or maintained at any location where, by reason of its position, wording, illumination, size, shape, or color it may obstruct, impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal or device.
- No sign shall contain or make use of any phrase, symbol, shape, form or character in such a manner as to interfere with, mislead or confuse moving traffic.
- No exterior sign having flashing, or animated illumination shall be permitted except in those business districts wherein general street lighting is provided and traffic movement on adjoining streets is regulated at 30 miles per hour or less.
- There shall be no signs other than government erected traffic control signs or City information signs within any City street right-of-way without Council approval.
- No part of any sign which is attached to a building shall be erected to a height greater than the height of the building.
- No illuminated sign shall be permitted within 50 feet of any residential district unless the illumination of such sign is so designed that it does not reflect or shine light onto property in such district.
- No part of any freestanding sign shall be erected to a height greater than that specified for accessory structures in the district in which the sign is located.
- The minimum height of any overhanging sign shall be ten feet measured from the surface of the walk. No sign shall overhang a walk for more than eight feet nor shall any sign overhang within two feet of the face of the curb. No sign in the City shall overhang any street, alley or public way that is liable to travel by motor vehicles.
- No freestanding sign shall be erected or maintained within ten feet of any side lot line.
- Effective April 15, 2019, any sign of 140 square feet or more must pertain to, and be associated with, the business on the property on which the sign is located.
- Effective April 15, 2019, signs of 140 square feet or more must be constructed no less than 500 feet from any other sign of 140 square feet or more.
- Effective April 15, 2019, no sign of 140 square feet or more may be constructed or erected within any Residential district.

## Signs exempt from permit in Shelbyville

- This Section shall not be construed to prohibit dwelling units from displaying house-numbering plates for identification.
- The following signs are permitted by right in any district: one sign for permitted or required parking areas (not more than two square feet at each entrance/exit; one sign not more than nine square feet identifying conditions of use for each 25 spaces); one bulletin board or identification sign for each public recreation or community facility use, not to exceed 12 square feet (one per 500 feet for extended frontages); one 'for sale' or 'for rent' sign not more than 12 square feet for each dwelling unit, garage, or other quarters where appropriate; one sign, not more than 12 square feet in area, pertaining to the sale of agricultural products raised on the premises; signs established by, or by order of, any governmental agency; one sign, not more than 12 square feet, for construction and development (for the duration of active construction only); one temporary sign (not over 24 square feet) for an event of public interest, permitted on the event site for up to 30 days before and to be removed immediately after the event, as well as directional signs for such events (not over three square feet, allowed up to 14 days before the event and to be removed after); one real estate subdivision sign (not over 300 square feet), located on the property, for approved subdivisions, illuminated but without flashing/intermittent/animated illumination, for the duration of unsold property, with annual permits.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Before any person may erect, hang or otherwise display any permanent or semi-permanent sign within the City, that person must secure a sign permit from the City Building Commissioner and pay the applicable fee; the Council or Building Commissioner may require satisfactory engineering specifications before the permit is granted.
- In any specific case, the Council or Building Commissioner may require satisfactory engineering specifications of the sign before the permit shall be granted.
- For certain Special Exceptions and Planned Residential Developments, a Development Plan or landscape/sign plan may be required as part of the application, subject to Commission approval.
- Outdoor advertising signs and outdoor artificial lighting must be approved by the Commission for Special Exceptions as indicated in the Requirements Key (see Figure 9, item 'v').

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

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