# Sign Regulations in Woodridge, Illinois

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

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

## At a glance

Woodridge, Illinois regulates 25 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Monument Sign (Residential Use)s in the R-1, R-2, R-3, A-1, A-2 zoning district are capped at 5 ft. tall and 32 sq. ft. per sign (64 sq. ft. max per development), with a 10 ft from property line unless exception granted. setback (Sec. Table 9-11-5-B.1). Most commercial signs in Woodridge require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | — | — | — |
| R-1, R-2, R-3, A-1, A-2 | 8 | 6 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| B-1, B-2, B-3, RBC, ORI, M-1 | 22 | 25 ft (large), 18 ft (med), 12 ft (small), other per table | 250 sq. ft. (B-1, B-2, B-3); 150 sq. ft. (RBC, ORI); 300 sq. ft. (M-1) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All Permanent and Temporary Signs (General Design and Maintenance Standards) | — | — | — | Detached: 10 ft from property lines unless exception applies. Temporary: 5 ft from property lines. Detached signs in principal corridors have extended setback rules. No sign in or over ROW except specific exceptions. | — | Attached signs must be on signable area of building, detached signs must meet setback and landscaping; signage not allowed on trees or utility poles except for public safety; no signage in public ROW except as allowed for governmental, event, or emergency management, utility, or village banners. | — | 9-11-2, 9-11-3, 9-11-4, 9-11-5 B.2-4; 6-3-6; 8-1E-11 |

### R-1, R-2, R-3, A-1, A-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per facade | On facade of building (signable area). | — | Table 9-11-5-A-1, 9-11-2 A.2. |
| Monument Sign (Residential Use) | 5 ft. | 32 sq. ft. per sign (64 sq. ft. max per development) | — | 10 ft from property line unless exception granted. | See sign_size_restrictions | At subdivision or development access, on commonly owned open space. | — | Table 9-11-5-B.1 |
| Monument Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 6 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft from property line unless exception granted. | 1 | — | — | Table 9-11-5-B.1; 9-11-7 |
| Bus Stop and Transit Shelter Bench Signs | — | Sized according to primary function of shelter/bench; not for signage display | — | — | Signs may be incorporated into transit shelter designs. | On transit shelters/benches. | — | Table 9-11-5-B.1 |
| Electronic Message Center (Nonresidential Only) | — | Up to 50% of allowed monument sign area | — | Same as monument sign | — | On monument sign only | — | 9-11-7 B |
| Yard Sign (Temporary) | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. per sign; 24 sq. ft. total | — | 5 ft from property line | No maximum | On private property | — | Table 9-11-6(A)(1); Table 9-11-6-D-1 |
| Swing Sign (Temporary) | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 | On private property | — | Table 9-11-6(A)(1); Table 9-11-6-D-1 |
| Site Sign (Temporary) | 5 ft. | 12 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | On private property, not for parcels with residential use | — | Table 9-11-6(A)(1); Table 9-11-6-D-1 |

### B-1, B-2, B-3, RBC, ORI, M-1

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 20 ft. above average surrounding grade | 5 sq. ft. (max signable area on awning valence) | — | — | 1 per awning | On awnings on buildings. | — | Table 9-11-5-A-2 |
| Marquee Sign | 20 ft. above average surrounding grade | 20 sq. ft. per face, up to 3 faces | — | — | 1 per building | Marquee structures on permitted buildings only | — | Table 9-11-5-A-2 |
| Drive-through Sign | 7 ft. | 25 sq. ft. per sign, 75 sq. ft. total | — | 15 ft from residential lot line | 3 drive-through signs per drive-through/dine-in | Drive-through establishment area, min 15 ft from residential zone | — | Table 9-11-5-A-2, Table 9-11-5-B-2 |
| Monument Sign (Nonresidential Use) | 10 ft. (B-1, B-2, B-3, RBC, ORI), 12 ft. (M-1) | 160 sq. ft. (B-1, B-2, B-3, ORI), 40/80 sq. ft. (RBC by linear facade), 120 sq. ft. (M-1) | — | 10 ft from property line (B-1, B-2, B-3, RBC), 5 ft. from ROW (ORI) | 1 per lot (if no pole sign) | On nonresidential lot; see zone limitations | — | Table 9-11-5-B-2 |
| Directional Sign (Nonresidential) | 5 ft. | 10 sq ft. | — | No minimum; must keep out of travel path | 1 per ingress/egress | At drive or walkway ingress/egress | — | Table 9-11-5-B-2 |
| Electronic Message Center (Multi-Tenant) | 25 ft (large), 18 ft (med), 12 ft (small), other per table | See Table 9-11-7 C, e.g. 8'x12', 6'x9', 4'x6' for EMC screen per sign prototype/size | — | Table: 100-500 ft from res. zone, 10 ft from all other property lines. | See additional_requirements | As allowed by sign prototype, not less than 100-500 ft from res. zones; 10 ft from all other property lines. | — | 9-11-7 C, Table 9-11-7 C |
| Swing Sign (Temporary) | 4 ft. | 6 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | On property | — | Table 9-11-6(A)(2) |
| Site Sign (Temporary) | 8 ft. (B-1/B-2/B-3); 12 ft (RBC/ORI/M-1) | 32 sq. ft. (B-1/B-2/B-3); 200 sq. ft. (RBC); 150 sq. ft. (ORI/M-1) | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per frontage | On private property | — | Table 9-11-6(A)(2); Table 9-11-6-D-1 |

## Prohibited signs in Woodridge

- Signs with more than two sign faces.
- Signs that are a traffic hazard because they simulate or imitate any traffic sign or signal in size, color, lettering, or design.
- Animated or moving signs visible from public rights-of-way, including moving, swinging, rotating, flashing, blinking, scintillating, fluctuating, or otherwise animated light, except as allowed in section 9-11-7 (Message Centers).
- Vehicle signs.
- Portable signs, except as specifically permitted in section 9-11-6 (Temporary signs).
- Billboards.
- Roof signs.
- Use of sound, smoke, or odor emitters in sign elements or structures (temporary or permanent).
- Awnings that are back lit and/or made of plastic.
- Use of stacked products (e.g., tires, soft drink cases, bagged soil or mulch) as sign elements.
- Unfinished wood support structures, except that stake signs may use unfinished stakes.
- Flags, banners, or comparable elements designed to move in the wind, if not affixed to permanent flagpoles or flagpoles mounted to buildings, when visible from public rights of way.
- Spinning or moving parts visible from public rights of way.
- Exposed reflective type bulb or strobe lights visible from public rights of way.
- Flashing lights visible from public rights of way.
- Use of motor vehicles as sign elements unless: vehicles are functional, currently licensed, signage is incidental to use of vehicle, and properly parked.
- Use of semi-trailers, shipping containers, or portable storage units as sign elements unless: functional for storage/pick-up/delivery, currently licensed, and properly parked or located on an active construction site.
- Text or graphics of an indecent or immoral nature and harmful to minors.
- Text or graphics that advertise unlawful activity.
- Text or graphics that are obscene, contain fighting words, defamation, incite imminent lawless action, or are true threats.
- Text or graphics presenting clear and present danger due to confusion with traffic signs/signals (e.g., using words like "Stop," "Yield," "Caution," or "Danger" in a misleading way).
- Signs may not obstruct building ingress or egress, including doors, windows, fire escapes, exitways, or prevent free passage across/onto roof areas.
- Signs may not obstruct required openings for ventilation (with exceptions for transom windows).
- Signs may not obstruct building or site features necessary for public safety (e.g., standpipes, fire hydrants).
- Signs may not obstruct sight distance triangles as required by code.
- No signs (temporary or permanent) may be posted/installed/mounted on trees.
- No signs may be posted/installed/mounted on utility poles, light poles, or utility cabinets unless posted by the village or utility provider for public safety/identification purposes.
- Signs may not be located in or over public rights-of-way, except for certain government signs or signs identified in an approved sign design program.
- Signs may not be located with less clearance from communication or power lines than prescribed by state law.
- Signs may not be placed within overhead utility easements.
- No sign face may contain more than twenty (20) items of information.
- All signs and outside lighting: No wire may be exposed to view; all wire must be in a raceway or protected by other approved methods.
- Freestanding signs and outside lighting poles must be wired underground.
- Signs that do not display a message for more than thirty (30) days are deemed abandoned.

## Signs exempt from permit in Woodridge

- Official and legal notice signs issued by any court, public body, person, or officer in performance of a public duty, or in giving any legal notice.
- Signs erected, constructed, placed, maintained, or otherwise posted, owned or leased by the village.
- Signs affixed to a building/structure that do not exceed one (1) square foot in area (one per elevation visible from public rights-of-way or neighboring property); and signs less than three-fourths of a square foot affixed to machines, equipment, fences, gates, walls, gasoline pumps, public telephones, or utility cabinets.
- Flags not larger than thirty (30) square feet affixed to permanent flagpoles or flagpoles mounted to buildings.
- Signs being carried by people (not exempt if set down or propped on objects).
- Bumper stickers on vehicles.
- Interior signs not visible from residential lots, abutting property or public rights-of-way.
- Traffic control signs and other public safety signs installed by the village or other jurisdiction or required of a developer.
- Address signs required by the village are exempt from sign area calculations, provided numbers/letters are not more than fourteen (14) inches in height.
- Exception for outdoor political campaign signs on residential property: other than size regulations, display is not prohibited.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Generally, all construction, relocation, enlargement, alteration, and modification of signs require conformity with the ordinance and approval via sign permit, unless otherwise exempted.
- A sign permit is required for all permitted signs exceeding six (6) square feet in area, unless otherwise exempted.
- The zoning officer may require applicants to submit photometric (lighting) plans as a condition to the issuance of a sign permit, particularly for illuminated signs or electronic message centers.
- For master planning or developments with multi-tenant electronic message centers, the sign permit application must identify eligible tenants for signage.
- Signs constructed by the village or another governmental or quasi-governmental entity may be permitted over rights-of-way when approved as part of a sign design program or intergovernmental agreement.
- When a new signage material is proposed, the zoning officer will determine material class and duration per sign code.
- Developments that use multi-tenant electronic message centers must meet eligibility and submit a sign permit application including eligible businesses.
- Sign plans/programs may be referenced/required in provisions related to banners or signage in public rights-of-way.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Woodridge, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Woodridge+IL&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-woodridge

---

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