# Sign Regulations in Vernon Hills, Illinois

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Vernon Hills, Illinois (IL)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/illinois/vernon-hills
- **Data last verified:** 2025-07-24
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/il/vernon_hills/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH19SI)

## At a glance

Vernon Hills, Illinois regulates 35 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Ground-Mounted Sign (Identity - Single-Family)s in the Single-Family Residence District (R-1), Single-Family Residence District (R-2), Single-Family Residence District (R-3), Single-Family Residence District (R-3A), Single-Family Residence District (R-4), Single-Family Residence District (R-5), Two-Family and Attached Single-Family Residence District (R-6), Multiple-Family Dwelling District (R-7) zoning district are capped at Top not more than 5 ft above centerline of the street (if ground-mounted) tall and 2 sq ft, with a Minimum 15 ft from any lot line setback (Sec. Sec. 19-3(b)(2)-(5); Sec. 19-9(a)). Most commercial signs in Vernon Hills require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single-Family Residence District (R-1), Single-Family Residence District (R-2), Single-Family Residence District (R-3), Single-Family Residence District (R-3A), Single-Family Residence District (R-4), Single-Family Residence District (R-5), Two-Family and Attached Single-Family Residence District (R-6), Multiple-Family Dwelling District (R-7) | 5 | Top not more than 5 ft above centerline of the street (if ground-mounted) | 6 sq ft | — |
| General Business District (B-1), Office, Research and Development District (O-R & D), Business Park District (BP) | 11 | 8 ft above walk (Appendix A, Building Mounted Diagram 2) | Up to 150 sq ft (cap), calculated at 1 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage | — |
| Public and Institutional Buildings (PIB) | 5 | 8 ft above adjacent curb or centerline of street/parking lot | Up to 150 sq ft (cap), calculated at 1 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage | — |
| Conservation and Open Space (COS) | 4 | 8 ft above adjacent curb or centerline of street/parking lot | Up to 150 sq ft (cap), calculated at 1 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 14 | 8 ft above centerline of abutting street (first 3 ft of exposed support posts/beams are not counted toward face area) | 50 sq ft | — |

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

### Single-Family Residence District (R-1), Single-Family Residence District (R-2), Single-Family Residence District (R-3), Single-Family Residence District (R-3A), Single-Family Residence District (R-4), Single-Family Residence District (R-5), Two-Family and Attached Single-Family Residence District (R-6), Multiple-Family Dwelling District (R-7)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Identity - Single-Family) | Top not more than 5 ft above centerline of the street (if ground-mounted) | 2 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft from any lot line | 1 per single-family dwelling unit | Anywhere on the premises, except as restricted by zoning ordinance; must be at least 15 ft from any lot lines | — | Sec. 19-3(b)(2)-(5); Sec. 19-9(a) |
| Wall Sign (Identity - Single-Family) | Shall not project above the roof line; not mounted on the roof | 2 sq ft | — | Minimum 15 ft from any lot line | 1 per single-family dwelling unit | Anywhere on the premises; at least 15 ft from any lot lines | — | Sec. 19-3(b)(2)-(5); Sec. 19-9(a) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Development Identity - Multiple-Family) | Top not more than 5 ft above centerline of the street (if ground-mounted) | 2 sq ft per dwelling unit; maximum total aggregate 12 sq ft (all signs on premises) | — | Minimum 15 ft from any lot line | One or more signs allowed provided total aggregate area does not exceed formula and cap | Anywhere on the premises; at least 15 ft from any lot lines | — | Sec. 19-3(b)(2)-(5); Sec. 19-9(a) |
| Wall Sign (Development Identity - Multiple-Family) | Shall not project above the roof line; not mounted on the roof | 2 sq ft per dwelling unit; maximum total aggregate 12 sq ft (all signs on premises) | — | Minimum 15 ft from any lot line | One or more signs allowed provided total aggregate area does not exceed formula and cap | Anywhere on the premises; at least 15 ft from any lot lines | — | Sec. 19-3(b)(2)-(5); Sec. 19-9(a) |
| Rental Sign (Residential) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | On the premises announcing rooms/apartment/house for rent; residential zones only | — | Sec. 19-5(5) |

### General Business District (B-1), Office, Research and Development District (O-R & D), Business Park District (BP)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Building-Mounted Identity - Primary Frontage) | Shall not project above roofline | Up to 150 sq ft (cap), calculated at 1 sq ft per linear foot of building frontage | — | — | Entitlement: 1 building-mounted sign per public street or public access road frontage for owner/prime tenant with an exterior public entrance; tenants with separate entrances each entitled to a sign; subtenants without direct exterior entrance are not entitled | On building wall, fascia, or canopy (marquee) | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(2)-(6)a; Sec. 19-3(c)(4); Sec. 19-3(c)(3); Sec. 19-8; Sec. 19-9(a)-(b) |
| Wall Sign (Setback ≥ 250 ft) | Shall not project above roofline | Greater of formula above; may exceed 150 sq ft if 3% of total building face is greater | — | — | Per entitlement (1 per frontage for owner/prime tenant with exterior public entrance) | On building wall, fascia, or canopy (marquee) | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(6)a |
| Wall Sign (Multiple Frontages - Secondary Frontages) | Shall not project above roofline | Cap 75 sq ft on secondary frontages (50% of 150 sq ft cap); area still calculated at 1 sq ft per linear foot | — | — | 1 per frontage for qualifying owner/prime tenant; multi-tenant buildings with separate entrances may each have a sign | On building wall, fascia, or canopy (marquee) | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(6)b |
| Under Canopy Sign (Identity or Directional) | 8 ft above walk (Appendix A, Building Mounted Diagram 2) | 3 sq ft | — | — | Not specifically limited by number; limited by area and entitlement for building-mounted signs | Under canopy (marquee) attached to building | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(6)a; Appendix A (Building Mounted, Diagram 2) |
| Ground-Mounted Sign (Freestanding) | 8 ft above adjacent curb or, where no curb exists, the centerline of the street or parking lot | 50 sq ft per side (up to 2 sides) | — | Minimum 10 ft from street right-of-way and/or lot line | 1 per dedicated street frontage with driveway entrance; plus 1 additional per Sec. 19-3(c)(7)b.2 if criteria met | Parallel or perpendicular to the street/thoroughfare it faces; if corner, at 45-degree angle | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(6)c; Sec. 19-3(c)(7)b.1-2; Sec. 19-3(c)(8)d-e-f; Sec. 19-3(c)(9)b; Appendix A (Ground Mounted) |
| Menu Board (Drive-up Restaurant) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft per sign | — | — | Up to 2 per drive-up restaurant use | On-site at drive-up lanes | — | Sec. 19-3(c)(7)d |
| Window Sign (General, Commercially-Zoned Businesses) | Prohibited above first floor | Up to 50 sq ft; limited to 20% of each contiguous first-floor window/door area | — | — | No explicit limit for general window signs; LED EMC: no more than 2 per establishment | Interior, within 12 inches of inside of first-floor commercial windows; separate calculations for elevations facing public parking lots or street rights-of-way | — | Sec. 19-4(6)(a)-(h) |
| Window Sign - Electronic Message Center (LED) | First floor only | Up to 25 sq ft, and within the 20%/50 sq ft aggregate limits | — | — | Maximum 2 per business establishment | Interior, first-floor window areas of commercially-zoned businesses | — | Sec. 19-4(6)(h)1-7 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign (Temporary) | — | 32 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On construction site; not in public right-of-way | — | Sec. 19-4(1); Sec. 19-9 |
| Garage Sale Sign (Temporary) | — | 3 sq ft | — | — | — | On sale premises; directional signs allowed off-premises only on private property with owner permission; no placement in public right-of-way | — | Sec. 19-4(2) |
| Real Estate Sign (Single-Family Residential Premises) | — | 6 sq ft per side | — | — | Up to 2 per premises | On the premises to which they refer; not in any public right-of-way | — | Sec. 19-4(3)(a) |
| Real Estate Sign (Commercial Premises) | — | 32 sq ft per side | — | — | Up to 2 per premises | On the premises to which they refer; not in any public right-of-way | — | Sec. 19-4(3)(a) |
| Real Estate Open House Sign (Directional) | — | — | — | — | 1 per premises (open house directional) | Allowed on neighbors' properties at street intersections only, with prior permission | — | Sec. 19-4(3)(b) |
| Political/Public-Issue Sign | 4 ft above grade | 6 sq ft | — | — | — | Confined to private property and common property of legally recorded homeowners associations; prohibited within all public and private rights-of-way, including islands and medians; not within 100 ft of front door of any polling place | — | Sec. 19-4(5)(a)-(h) |
| Developer’s Sign (Temporary Development Advertising/Directional) | 8 ft above centerline of abutting street (first 3 ft of exposed support posts/beams are not counted toward face area) | 50 sq ft per sign face | — | Minimum 10 ft from any public right-of-way and/or lot lines | 1 (<10 acres) or 2 (>10 acres) | On private property of the premises being advertised; not within 10 ft of any public right-of-way and/or lot lines | — | Sec. 19-4(7)(a)-(h); Sec. 19-3(c)(8) |
| Flags and Flag Poles (Commercial/Industrial/Rental Sites) | Flag poles limited to max of 5 ft above height of the building where pole is erected, but not higher than 40 ft above grade | No flag shall exceed 50 sq ft in area | — | — | Max 3 flag poles per parcel | On commercial, industrial, and rental sites | — | Sec. 19-5(6) |

## Prohibited signs in Vernon Hills

- Obscene, indecent, or immoral content that offends public morals and decency.
- Imitation of official traffic signs/signals or use of traffic-control words such as “Stop,” “Go Slow,” “Caution,” “Danger,” “Warning,” or similar.
- Signs whose size, shape, location, movement, content, coloring, or illumination may be confused with traffic-control devices, or that hide from view any traffic or street sign/signal.
- Advertising an activity, business, product, or service no longer conducted on the premises (abandoned messages).
- Moving signs.
- Signs that contain or consist of banners, posters, pennants, ribbons, streamers, strings of light bulbs, spinners, balloons, or similar devices (unless specifically permitted elsewhere in the chapter).
- Signs that may swing or noticeably move due to wind, or appear to move or flicker by optical illusion.
- Placement within 1,000 feet of traffic signals/signs/devices or intersecting/merging/approaching traffic where the sign obscures or interferes with visibility for motorists or pedestrians.
- Changing copy signs (manual or automatic) displaying messages other than time and temperature, except as allowed in the exemptions.
- Off-premises advertising (billboards/leased outdoor advertising) directing attention to uses not on the same lot, whether commercial or noncommercial.
- Searchlights and portable signs (prohibited under temporary sign regulations).
- Illumination limits: no blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights; no beacon lights; no colored lights that could be confused with traffic-control devices; lighting must not create traffic hazards; no exposed reflective bulbs or incandescent lamps over 15 watts visible from streets/adjacent property; no strobe lights; no spotlights/floodlights that reflect toward public ways; no exposed gas-filled discharge tubing (neon or similar) on the exterior or visible through the sign face.
- Signs on vehicles primarily used for advertising are prohibited; operating or parking an advertising vehicle (including trailers) for display is unlawful without approval (subject to limited exceptions for business identification during use/at residence or place of business, political campaign windows, governmental markings, mass transit, temporary stickers, and approved parades).

## Signs exempt from permit in Vernon Hills

- Signs not visible from a public right-of-way or other areas open to the public are exempt from this chapter (exception: drive-up menus not seen from public rights-of-way are not exempt).
- Items not considered signs: official court or public notices; national or state flags; emblems or insignia of a government, school, or religious group.
- Public noncommercial signs in the public interest erected by or on order of the Village Board or a public officer (e.g., safety/danger/trespassing/traffic signs, memorial plaques, historical interest, village-sponsored events such as farmer’s market, Summer Celebration, Holiday Light Show).
- Integral building inscriptions (names, dates, monumental citations, commemorative tablets) carved into or made of permanent materials and integral to the structure.
- Private traffic-direction signs (into or within a premises) not exceeding 3 sq ft per sign; may be illuminated per Sec. 19-8; must not include establishment names/identity; horizontal directional signs on and flush with paved areas are exempt from these standards.
- Small tenant identification signs up to 2 sq ft, flat against the building, non-illuminated, announcing only the name and occupation of the building tenant.
- Residential rental signs (rooms/table board/apartment/house for rent) up to 6 sq ft; permitted in residential zones only.
- Flags and flagpoles at commercial, industrial, and rental sites subject to limits (ground-mounted; max height 5 ft above building height but not over 40 ft; max three poles per parcel; one flag per pole except a federally approved subordinate flag may be displayed below the U.S. flag; U.S. flag must be displayed if other flags are displayed; corporate flags smaller than the U.S. flag; no flag over 50 sq ft).
- Ground-mounted externally illuminated sand-blasted/routed/carved-wood signs for schools, places of worship, the Park District, and government entities, if location/size/height/content comply with the chapter; permit required.
- Ground-mounted automatic changing copy signs for public schools, the Park District, and government entities, if location/size/construction/height comply with the chapter or are otherwise approved by the Village Board; permit required.
- Ground-mounted manual changing copy signs for public schools, the Park District, houses of worship, and government entities, if location/size/construction/height comply with the chapter or are otherwise approved by the Village Board; permit required.
- Village-owned right-of-way directional sign structures where businesses may lease a tenant directional panel under Chapter 10, Article X.
- Permit exceptions applicable village-wide: (a) replacing copy on an approved sign designed for replaceable copy (not including replacement of a wall-sign face); (b) normal maintenance (painting, cleaning, non-structural repair) without structural change, with Building Department informed; (c) temporary and exempt signs are exempt from permit unless Sections 19-4 or 19-5 require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No master sign plan or unified sign plan requirement is stated in Chapter 19.
- Development identification (monument) signs for residential subdivisions, retail centers, and commercial developments require Village Board approval of size, location, content, and construction materials before Building Department permit issuance.
- Drive-up restaurant menu boards (up to two per use) are permitted only via special use permit.
- Directional signs for public institutions in public rights-of-way require a written request to the Village Manager; if approved, the Village installs the signs.
- Ground-mounted automatic or manual changing copy signs for certain public entities may be permitted and, if not meeting chapter standards, may be otherwise approved by the Village Board; permits are required.
- Appeals of the Building Commissioner’s interpretations/decisions go to the Zoning Board of Appeals; the Board of Trustees may sustain, overrule, or modify. Variations may be granted by the Board of Trustees upon referral from the Zoning Board of Appeals (per zoning ordinance procedures).
- General permit rule: no sign may be erected, altered, or relocated without a sign permit unless expressly exempt; electrical permits are also required where applicable.
- If a zoning classification is not included or a new zone is created, no signs are permitted in that zone until Chapter 19 is amended to include it.

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

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