# Sign Regulations in St Charles, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** St Charles, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/st-charles
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-22
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/il/st._charles/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT17ZO_CH17.28SI)

## At a glance

St Charles, Illinois regulates 52 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Entryway Monument Sign - Residential Development (10–30 units)s in the Residential Districts (RE, RS, RT, RM) zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 50 sf, with a Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way setback (Sec. Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A)). Most commercial signs in St Charles require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 8 | No sign affixed to a building shall project higher than the building height | 50 sf or 75% of total sign area, whichever is less | — |
| Residential Districts (RE, RS, RT, RM) | 7 | 8 ft | 75 sf | — |
| CBD-1 District (CBD-1) | 11 | 15 ft | 125 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — |
| CBD-2 District (CBD-2) | 7 | 10 ft | 50 sf | — |
| BL District (BL), BC District (BC), BR District (BR) | 10 | 30 ft | 225 sf | — |
| O-R District (O-R) | 7 | 15 ft | 100 sf | — |
| M-1 District (M-1), M-2 District (M-2) | 7 | 10 ft | 100 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — |
| PL District (PL) | 5 | 10 ft | 64 sf | — |
| BT Overlay District (BT) | 5 | 8 ft | 50 sf | — |

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

### Residential Districts (RE, RS, RT, RM)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Entryway Monument Sign - Residential Development (10–30 units) | 8 ft | 50 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | Two, plus one for each additional external street frontage for developments of more than ten acres | Entryway; residential development of 10 or more units | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A) |
| Entryway Monument Sign - Residential Development (30+ units) | 8 ft | 75 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | Two, plus one for each additional external street frontage for developments of more than ten acres | Entryway; residential development of 30 or more units | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A) |
| Freestanding Sign (Type A) - Non-Residential Uses | 8 ft | 16 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | One per lot | On non-residential uses allowed in residential districts (includes non-residential uses allowed in BT Overlay District; not permitted for Home Occupations) | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A) |
| Freestanding Sign (Type B) - Non-Residential Uses | 8 ft | 50 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | One per lot | On non-residential uses allowed in residential districts (includes non-residential uses allowed in BT Overlay District; not permitted for Home Occupations) | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A) |
| Wall Sign - Non-Residential Uses | No higher than height of building (general standard) | Calculated by formula | — | — | One per non-residential use or one per street frontage, whichever is greater | Building wall | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A); 17.28.040(B) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign - Non-Residential Uses | — | Lettering limited per formula | — | — | One per non-residential use or one per street frontage, whichever is greater | Awning/Canopy frontage | — | Table 17.28-1; 17.28.050(A); 17.28.060(F) |
| Temporary Sign (Residential - Large Lots) | Freestanding: 8 ft; Wall: no higher than building height | 32 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | One per street frontage | Developed lots over 4 acres and vacant lots over 1 acre; one per street frontage | — | 17.28.100(C)(3) |

### CBD-1 District (CBD-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Shopping Center Sign | 15 ft | 100 sf | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | One per street frontage | Shopping Center property | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Freestanding Sign (Type A) | 8 ft | 16 sf | — | None (Type A) | One per lot | On lot | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Freestanding Sign (Type B) | 12 ft | 50 sf | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | One per lot | On lot | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Wall Sign (Primary) | No higher than height of building | 125 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — | — | One per business, one per building street frontage, or one per business street frontage, whichever is greater | Building wall with street frontage or per business | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Wall Sign (Secondary) | No higher than height of building | 100 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — | — | One per wall without street frontage facing a parking lot or public plaza OR one per additional public entrance on a wall without street frontage | Only on a wall without street frontage facing a parking lot or public plaza; or on a wall without street frontage at an additional public entrance | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | No higher than height of building | Per formula (lettering only) | — | — | One per business, one per building street frontage, one per business street frontage, or one per public entrance to business, whichever is greater | Awning/Canopy frontage | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B); 17.28.060(F) |
| Projecting Sign (Primary) | No higher than height of building | 18 sf; Additional 12 sf permitted for a clock or time display | — | — | One per business | Projecting from wall | — | Table 17.28-2 (CBD-1); 17.28.050(B) |
| Temporary Sign (CBD-1) | Freestanding: ≤1 acre and 1–5 acres: 8 ft; ≥5 acres: 10 ft | By lot size: ≤1 acre: 32 sf; 1–5 acres: 64 sf; ≥5 acres: 100 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | One per street frontage | One per street frontage of the lot | — | 17.28.100(C)(1) |

### BL District (BL), BC District (BC), BR District (BR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Shopping Center Sign - Primary | 30 ft | 225 sf | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per Shopping Center | Shopping Center property | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Freestanding Shopping Center Sign - Additional Street Frontage | 15 ft | 100 sf | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per additional Shopping Center street frontage | Additional Shopping Center street frontage | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Freestanding Sign - Primary Building | 15 ft | 100 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per lot | On lot | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Freestanding Sign - Additional Principal Building | 15 ft | 50 sf or per formula, whichever is less | — | Minimum 10 ft from right-of-way | 1 per additional principal building | On lot with additional principal building(s) | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Wall Sign | No higher than height of building | Calculated by formula; if the use has no exterior wall frontage, area shall not exceed 1.5% of the floor area | — | — | One per business or street frontage, whichever is greater | Building wall | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Awning/Canopy Sign | — | Per formula (lettering only) | — | — | 1 per business or street frontage, whichever is greater | Awning/Canopy frontage | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B); 17.28.060(C)(2), (F) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 8 sf | — | — | 1 per business | Projecting from wall | — | Table 17.28-2 (BL/BC/BR); 17.28.050(B) |
| Temporary Sign (BL/BC/BR) | Freestanding: ≤1 acre and 1–5 acres: 8 ft; ≥5 acres: 10 ft | By lot size: ≤1 acre: 32 sf; 1–5 acres: 64 sf; ≥5 acres: 100 sf | — | Minimum 5 ft from right-of-way | One per street frontage | One per street frontage of the lot | — | 17.28.100(C)(1) |

## Prohibited signs in St Charles

- It is unlawful to erect, relocate, modify, or alter any sign or its supporting structure in violation of this chapter; any sign not allowed as a permitted or exempt sign is prohibited.
- No sign may be placed on a lot without prior consent of the property owner.
- No signs may be erected on any public right-of-way except those placed by government agencies or otherwise authorized by the jurisdiction; unauthorized right-of-way signs may be removed by the City without notice.
- No foundation, pole, frame, cabinet, or other structural support may be erected or maintained independently of an allowed sign; supports must be removed when the sign is removed, except a support may remain up to 30 days following issuance of a permit to change the sign face or erect a different sign using the same support.
- No sign or other advertising structure may have lights or illumination that flash, move, rotate, scintillate, blink, flicker, vary in intensity or color, or use intermittent electrical pulsations.
- Exterior signs may be illuminated only during business hours or between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., whichever is later.
- Sign illumination must be designed, located, shielded and directed to prevent glare or direct light upon adjacent streets and surrounding properties.
- Backlit awnings are prohibited.
- Signs that constitute a traffic hazard are prohibited, including: obstructing clear vision at streets, intersections, parking lot entrances/exits, or driveways; interfering with or being confused with authorized traffic control devices due to position, shape, or color; using words such as STOP, LOOK, DETOUR, DANGER in a manner that misleads or confuses traffic; and illuminating a sign in red, green, or amber in a manner that could be confused with a traffic signal.
- No sign may have visible moving, revolving, or rotating parts or visible mechanical movement of any kind, except for the movable hands of street clocks and movement caused by wind for banners or flags.
- No sign may display obscene or patently offensive sexual content lacking redeeming social value.
- No sign or advertising structure may be erected, relocated, or maintained so as to prevent free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape; no sign may be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- Signs on parked vehicles in off-street parking/loading areas or outdoor motor vehicle display areas are prohibited unless the sign pertains to the sale/lease/rental of the vehicle or is affixed to a vehicle used to carry goods/people or provide services at least one day per week; signs used to circumvent the code via vehicles/trailers are prohibited; lights or attention-getting devices may not be used to draw attention; vehicles must be parked on paved, designated spaces and not in front or exterior side yards, including driveways.
- Portable signs are prohibited except when authorized by a governmental agency in conjunction with construction or enforcement activities.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited in all districts except as specifically allowed: in the PL District a freestanding sign may be located on an adjacent PL lot; in CBD-1, CBD-2, BL, BC, BR, M1, and M2 Districts, lots without street frontage may place a sign on a freestanding sign on an adjoining off-premises lot with street frontage, subject to property owner authorization, sign quantity limits, and up to 50% additional sign face area.
- No sign affixed to a building may project higher than the building height.
- Wall signs must be affixed flat to the wall and may not project more than 12 inches; wall signs may not cover wholly or partially any wall opening or architectural feature.

## Signs exempt from permit in St Charles

- Maintenance operations do not require a permit: changing copy on an existing changeable copy sign; painting, repainting, cleaning, or other normal maintenance that does not involve structural changes, changes to permanent copy, or changes to electrical components.
- Regulatory signs for identification, information, directional, or public safety purposes erected or required by governmental bodies, or authorized for a public purpose by law/statute/ordinance (including those authorized in the right-of-way), do not require a permit.
- Flags displaying non-commercial content are allowed and do not require a permit; one commercial flag is allowed per non-residential lot.
- Non-commercial temporary displays or decorations customarily associated with holidays or periods of observance do not require a permit and may be erected no earlier than 45 days before and must be removed no later than 14 days after the holiday/observance.
- Non-illuminated yard signs do not require a permit, subject to: maximum area 6 sq ft; if freestanding, max height 5 ft; if attached, max 10 ft above grade; allowed in front or exterior side yards only; not closer than 10 ft to any interior side or rear yard; maximum one per lot (two for corner/through lots); must be staked or attached to an existing structure; during the 90 days preceding a local, state, or national election, there is no limit on the number of yard signs.
- Signs intended to be viewed only from the lot where located and not visible from a street frontage or adjacent lot do not require a permit.
- Window signs may cover no more than 50% of the window frame area; window signs that are not permanently affixed to the window do not require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign plan may be required by the Building Official when more than one wall sign, awning, or canopy is proposed on any building with multiple tenants.

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

---

PermitPal — AI sign code research. Full HTML page: https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/st-charles