# Sign Regulations in Wood Dale, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Wood Dale, Illinois regulates 34 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Identification Sign (Monument) - Nonresidential Uses in the Residential Zoning District zoning district are capped at 6 ft. tall and 24 sq. ft., with a Minimum of 3 feet from any property line setback (Sec. Sec. 13.601.A&B). Most commercial signs in Wood Dale require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zoning District | 3 | 6 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — |
| Nonresidential Zoning District | 19 | 45 ft. (measured from grade of Illinois Route 390) or 60 ft. (measured from grade along the south side of Thorndale Ave.) | 672 sq. ft. per sign face, max 2 sign faces | — |
| Town Center Business District | 1 | No projection above the roof, parapet, or fascia | 1.5 sq. ft. per 1 linear foot of building frontage or 75 sq. ft., whichever is less | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 12 | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Residential Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Identification Sign (Monument) - Nonresidential Use | 6 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — | Minimum of 3 feet from any property line | 1 per zoning lot | Minimum of 3 feet from any property line | — | Sec. 13.601.A&B |
| Identification Sign (Wall) - Nonresidential Use | No projection above the roof, parapet, or fascia of any building upon which it is located | 1.5 sq. ft. per 1 linear foot of building frontage or 50 sq. ft., whichever is less | — | — | 1 per street frontage per entity; plus 1 4 sq. ft. sign for any public rear entrance | Only over or on the portion of the building occupied by the entity identified by the wall sign | — | Sec. 13.601.A&B |
| Residential Entrance Monument Sign | 4 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — | Minimum of 3 feet from any property line | 1 per street frontage | Minimum of 3 feet from any property line | — | Sec. 13.601.A&B |

### Nonresidential Zoning District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning and Canopy Sign | No awning or canopy sign shall protrude above the ground floor or 20', whichever is less; nor above the canopy or awning | 2/3 of awning/canopy face | — | — | 1 per street frontage per business | Only over or on the portion of the building frontage occupied by the business identified by the sign; minimum 8' clearance above a sidewalk or vehicular use area | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.5 |
| Commercial Directional Sign | 4 ft. | 2 sq. ft. | — | Minimum of 3' from any property line | 1 per street frontage for directing traffic into the site; no max for others | Minimum of 3' from any property line | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.1 |
| Community Landmark Sign | 45 ft. (measured from grade of Illinois Route 390) or 60 ft. (measured from grade along the south side of Thorndale Ave.) | 672 sq. ft. per sign face, max 2 sign faces | 48 ft. | — | Only one allowed within the municipality | Within 700' of Illinois Route 83; visible from Illinois Route 390; along south side of Thorndale Ave. | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.10 |
| Menu Board Sign | 6 ft. | 25 sq. ft. | — | Minimum of 3' from any property line | 1 per zoning lot | Minimum of 3' from any property line | — | Sec. 13.602.A |
| Monument Sign - 50'-100' Street Frontage | 6 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | Min 3' from street line; set back from interior property lines min 10% of lot width | 1 per street frontage per lot (minimum 200' apart if more than one), plus 1 per business if site has multiple businesses | Minimum of 3' from street line and set back from interior property lines at least 10% of zoning lot width | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.1.b |
| Monument Sign - Over 100' Street Frontage | 10 ft. | 75 sq. ft. | — | 3' from street, 10% of lot width from interior lines | 1 per street frontage per lot (min 200' apart if more than one), plus 1 per business if site has multiple businesses | Minimum of 3' from street line, set back from interior property lines minimum 10% of zoning lot width | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.1.b |
| Monument Sign - Shopping Center Monument | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft. | — | Min 3' from any property line | 1 per large scale shopping center in addition to other permitted monument signs | Min 3' from any property line | — | Sec. 13.602.A & B.9 |
| Monument Sign - Tollway Bonus | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — | Same as other monument signs | 1 per zoning lot (tollway frontage only) | Along tollway (Illinois Route 390) or associated frontage road right of way; subject to same setbacks as other monument signs | — | Sec. 13.602.A |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign - Sandwich Board Sign | 4 ft. | — | 3 ft. | — | — | On private property, unless approved by City or applicable jurisdiction | — | Sec. 13.502 |
| Temporary Sign (General; excluding exemptions) | 6 ft. | 24 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per use/business at a time | Subject to approval by building official | — | Sec. 13.501-502 |
| Temporary Sign - Banner | 6 ft. | 24 sq. ft. (general case), 32 sq. ft. for nonresidential construction/real estate signs | — | — | 1 per use/business at a time | — | — | Sec. 13.501-502 |
| Temporary Construction Sign (Residential District) | — | 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | Sec. 13.402 |
| Temporary Construction Sign (Nonresidential District) | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per street frontage | On premises | — | Sec. 13.502 |
| Temporary Nonresidential Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per property per real estate company/agent | On premises | — | Sec. 13.502 |
| Temporary Open House Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | Min 2' from curb (if in ROW) | Max 5 per property | On subject property or within public right of way (min 2' from curb), must meet sight triangle requirement | — | Sec. 13.402 |
| Temporary Garage Sale Sign | — | 6 sq. ft. | — | Min 2' from curb (if in ROW) | Max 5 per property | On property or in public ROW (min 2' from curb), must meet sight triangle | — | Sec. 13.402 |

## Prohibited signs in Wood Dale

- No sign shall be erected or maintained at the intersection of any public rights of way in such a manner that obstructs the free and clear vision of a driver of a vehicle or pedestrian; all signs must maintain the sight triangle.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent or inhibit free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
- No sign may be displayed within the public right of way, unless otherwise allowed in the sign code.
- The illumination of a sign shall be from a steady, nonflashing source of light; flashing or intermittent intensity types are prohibited.
- Sign illumination shall not glare onto any public street or private residence and must be shielded as necessary.
- String lighting is prohibited on signs.
- All signs must comply with the construction and design standards of the chapter and the city building code.
- All signs and premises must be maintained in a clean and inoffensive condition; deteriorated signs are prohibited.
- No sign shall be erected or maintained in violation of permit requirements under Article VII.
- No signs, except construction or real estate signs as permitted, are allowed on vacant land.
- Affixed signs, attention-getting devices, off-premises signs, pole signs, portable signs, roof signs, and inadequately maintained signs are prohibited.
- Signs painted on the exterior wall of a building are prohibited.
- Signs that constitute a traffic hazard are prohibited, including those that obstruct vision, interfere with, or can be confused with traffic signals or make use of misguiding words/symbols.
- Unauthorized signs on public property or within the right of way (except government signs or as authorized) are prohibited.
- Unsafe signs or those that pose a public health or safety hazard are prohibited.
- No sign shall be constructed, located, erected, moved, reconstructed, extended, enlarged, converted, replaced, or altered except in conformance with the provisions of the sign code and after the issuance of a sign permit, unless exempt.
- No person shall place, maintain, or display unauthorized signs, signals, markings, or advertising signs imitating or resembling official traffic-control devices upon any street.
- No person may place or maintain, nor may any public authority permit, any traffic sign or signal bearing any commercial advertising.

## Signs exempt from permit in Wood Dale

- Bulletin boards (up to 16 square feet per side, located on premises).
- Construction signs in residential districts (one per street frontage, up to 16 square feet, non-illuminated, removed within 72 hours of completion).
- Corporate flags and institutional insignias (must be smaller than U.S. flag/government flags flown in conjunction).
- Directional signs with only noncommercial copy meeting specific size, height, and setback requirements.
- "For sale" signs on vehicles parked on residential property when the vehicle is owned by the property owner, or on nonresidential property where the owner is licensed to sell vehicles.
- Free speech signs, provided they are not placed in the public right of way or on public property.
- Garage sale signs (max 6 square feet, not illuminated, up to 5 per property, subject to placement, ID, and duration limits).
- Government flags.
- Government signs and public signs required by governmental bodies or authorized for public purpose by law, statute, or ordinance.
- Historical identification signs.
- Memorial plaques.
- Nameplates (specific area limits by dwelling type; for home-based businesses and management companies).
- Open house signs (max 6 square feet, not illuminated, up to 5 per property, subject to placement, ID, and duration limits).
- Professional directory signs (up to 24 square feet; wall or freestanding up to 6 feet high).
- Public information signs (specific size limits for parking area designation etc.).
- Real estate signs for residential properties (max 6 square feet, non-illuminated, one per premises, on subject property, removed within one day after closing/lease, ID requirements).
- Athletic scoreboards.
- Signs displayed on commercial accessory structures (gasoline pumps, ATM, vending machines, etc).
- Temporary displays or decorations associated with national, state, local, or religious holidays.
- Temporary promotional window signs in nonresidential zoning districts, subject to total window sign area limits and removal within 3 days of event conclusion.
- Time and temperature signs (so long as no commercial copy is displayed).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign plan is required when more than one wall, awning, canopy, and/or permanent window sign is proposed on any new building with multiple tenants; must be submitted for review by the Community Development Director.
- The master sign plan must include criteria for uniform style, appearance, color scheme, message format, font size/style, lighting, location, construction materials, and sign proportion.
- Upon approval, no sign shall be constructed, erected, placed, painted, or maintained except in conformance with the approved master sign plan; the plan is enforceable as any provision of the code.
- New signs may only be installed in compliance with the master sign plan, where one has been approved by the City.
- Community landmark signs must have their design reviewed by the Streetscape and Economic Enhancement Committee, then reviewed by City Council before permit submittal; permit is reviewed and approved under the standard building permit process.
- All requests for variations (variances) from the sign requirements require a public hearing before the Community Development Commission, with recommendation forwarded to the City Council for final approval.

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

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