# Sign Regulations in Tremont, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Tremont, Illinois regulates 34 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Temporary Real Estate Sign (On-site)s in the Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) zoning district are capped at 4.5 ft tall and 7 sq ft, with a 8 feet from other lots setback (Sec. § 153.200(E)(3)(a)-(f)). Most commercial signs in Tremont require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3) | 14 | No more than one story in height or 14 feet above curb level, whichever is lower | 60 sq ft (no more than 30 sq ft per face) | — |
| Office Space District (OS-1) | 2 | 20 ft above curb | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of frontage; not > 300 sq ft | — |
| Business Districts (B-1, B-2) | 9 | 30 ft | Max 300 sq ft | — |
| Industrial Districts (I-1, I-2) | 3 | 35 ft above curb | 150 sq ft per face | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 5 ft | 32 sq ft total, 16 sq ft per face | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### Residential Districts (R-1, R-2, R-3)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate/Identification Sign (Single/Two-family) | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | Per dwelling | Single-family or two-family dwellings; on dwelling | — | § 153.200(E)(1)(a) |
| Identification Sign (Multi-family) | — | 16 sq ft | — | Not closer than 8 feet to any other lot. | 1 per building | Multi-family dwellings | — | § 153.200(E)(1)(b) |
| Project Entrance Sign (Residential Project) | — | 32 sq ft; not more than 16 sq ft per side | — | Not closer than 16 feet to other lot | One per street | One per street at project entrances | — | § 153.200(E)(1)(c) |
| Identification Sign (Non-residential Use) | — | 60 sq ft (no more than 30 sq ft per face) | — | 8 feet from lot | 1 per use | Church, cemetery, educational, recreation, or social facility | — | § 153.200(E)(2)(a), (E)(2)(b) |
| Parking Area Entrance/Exit Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entrance/exit | At each entrance/exit to parking area | — | § 153.200(E)(2)(d) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (On-site) | 4.5 ft | 7 sq ft | — | 8 feet from other lots | 1 per property (2 for corner lots) | On site, property for sale/rent | — | § 153.200(E)(3)(a)-(f) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (Off-site Directional) | 4.5 ft | 3 sq ft | — | 8 feet from other lots | 1 per sale property | Off-site, within village limits, with owner permission (not in Route 9 right-of-way) | — | § 153.200(E)(3)(d), (g) |
| Real Estate Open House Sign | 4.5 ft | 3 sq ft | — | 8 feet from other lots | 2 per open house | At open house | — | § 153.200(E)(3)(e), (g) |

### Business Districts (B-1, B-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (B-1) | 20 ft (or not above roof line) | 15% of wall area | — | — | — | Building wall | — | § 153.200(G)(2)(a), (G)(2)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign (B-1) | 20 ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of frontage | — | — | — | Freestanding on lot | — | § 153.200(G)(2)(a), (G)(2)(b) |
| Freestanding Sign (Integrated Retail/Office Complex B-1) | 20 ft above curb | Max 150 sq ft | — | — | 1 per complex (in addition to regular) | Integrated complex; freestanding | — | § 153.200(G)(2)(c) |
| Perpendicular Sign (B-1) | — | Same as freestanding sign | — | — | — | Perpendicular to building | — | § 153.200(G)(2)(d) |
| Wall Sign (B-2) | 20 ft or not above roof line | 15% of wall area | — | — | — | Building wall | — | § 153.200(G)(3)(a), (G)(3)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign (B-2) | 30 ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of frontage | — | — | — | Freestanding on lot | — | § 153.200(G)(3)(b), (G)(3)(c) |
| Freestanding Sign (Integrated Retail/Office Complex B-2, OS-1) | 20 ft above curb | Max 300 sq ft | — | — | 1 per complex (in addition to regular) | Integrated complex; freestanding | — | § 153.200(G)(3)(d) |
| Temporary Real Estate Sign (B-1, B-2) | 7 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot, 2 for corner lots | One per lot of record, two on corners | — | § 153.200(G)(5) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Portable Sign | 5 ft | 32 sq ft total, 16 sq ft per face | — | — | 1 per business location | Districts B-1, B-2, I-1, I-2; on the same lot as business | — | § 153.200(D)(9) |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft | 6 sq ft | — | No setback required | — | On-premises | — | § 153.200(D)(16) |
| Political Sign (Residential) | — | 4 sq ft | — | Not on right-of-way | — | Residential districts, private property only. | — | § 153.200(D)(17) |
| Political Sign (Commercial/Industrial) | — | 32 sq ft | — | Not on right-of-way | — | Commercial/Industrial districts, private property only. | — | § 153.200(D)(17) |
| Garage/Yard Sale Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 153.200(D)(18) |
| Construction Sign (General Contractor) | 4.5 ft | 12 sq ft | — | — | 1 per site (exceptions for delivery signs) | At construction site | — | § 153.200(D)(20) |
| Construction Sign (Subcontractor) | — | — | — | — | 1 per subcontractor | At construction site | — | § 153.200(D)(20)(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Tremont

- No sign, outdoor advertising structure, or display of any character shall be permitted, except in conformity with the sign regulations.
- No sign shall be of such brightness or shall flash, scintillate or move as to create hazardous or annoying glare.
- No sign shall be so located as to materially impede or so illuminated as to interfere with the effectiveness of any traffic control device or obstruct a motorist’s view at any street or highway intersection.
- No sign shall be pasted or painted directly on the surface of any wall or roof.
- No sign shall be permitted to be placed on a fence in any residential district (R-1, R-2 or R-3 Districts).
- No sign shall be permitted to be placed on a fence in any commercial or industrial district unless the fence meets the setback requirements for a sign in that zoning district.
- Portable signs shall not be illuminated.
- No outdoor advertising sign or part thereof shall be located on any property without the consent of the owner, holder, lessee, agent or trustee.
- Any sign which for 14 consecutive days has directed attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution or business which is no longer in operation or existence shall be deemed to be abandoned and shall be removed within 45 days after said 14-day period.
- No sign shall be mutilated or disfigured.
- No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the movement of traffic or the effectiveness of an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal.
- No person shall place or maintain, nor shall any public authority permit, upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing any commercial advertising.
- No person shall sell or offer for sale any traffic-control device to be used on any street or highway in the village which does not conform to the requirements of the ordinance.
- Except for employees or contractors authorized by the village, it is unlawful to possess a highway sign, signal, or marker owned by the village.
- Advertising signs are prohibited in residential districts except as outlined in the ordinance.
- Advertising signs are prohibited in B-1, B-2, I-1, and I-2 districts.
- Illuminated signs are prohibited in residential districts except for church bulletins and educational institutions. Illuminated time and temperature or automated language signs are prohibited in all residential districts.

## Signs exempt from permit in Tremont

- Signs used exclusively for the posting or displaying of official notices by a public agency or official or by a person giving legal notice, and signs erected or maintained by a public agency or official or required by law to be displayed by a public utility for directional warning or informational purposes are not subject to the regulations of the sign ordinance.
- Permits are not required for temporary signs that announce a campaign drive or civic event, but such signs must be removed within seven days after the event.
- Permits are not required for temporary real estate signs, but such signs must comply with size requirements.
- No permit is required for political signs, garage/yard sale signs, or special occasion signs (with compliance to specific requirements).
- Temporary construction signs are not required to obtain a permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
- Directional information signs of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs may be erected upon private property adjacent to highways.
- Erection of Adopt-A-Highway signs by the village as provided in the state’s Adopt-A-Highway Act is not prohibited.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A building permit is required for the erection, construction, placement, or replacement of any sign to be permanently attached to a building, to be permanently erected as a free-standing sign, for any portable sign or for any temporary sign.
- No master sign plan or variance meeting requirement is indicated in the ordinance.

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

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