Sign Regulations in Arlington Heights, IL

If you live in Arlington Heights or are thinking about moving there, sign regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Arlington Heights has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of sign regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Digital Billboards

Arlington Heights, Illinois (Cook County) allows electronic message signs only in designated major arterial commercial corridors, and only as the lower portion of a monument-style ground sign no taller than ten feet. Every application goes through Design Commission conditional review and Village Board of Trustees approval, and off-premises advertising is never allowed.

Key details: Allowed locations: Designated major arterial commercial corridors only. Sign type: Monument ground sign only, max 10 ft tall. Max display size: 33% of allowable ground sign area. Area range: 40 to 80 sq ft, based on road width/speed. Quantity per property: One electronic message sign.

An electronic message sign installed or operated outside these standards, such as running video, off-premises ads, or exceeding brightness limits, is treated as an unlawful sign under Chapter 30's general enforcement provisions. The Director of Building gives the permittee written notice, and if the sign is not brought into compliance within 20 days it can be removed at the owner's expense, with unpaid removal costs becoming a lien recorded with the Cook County Recorder.

Compared to other cities, Arlington Heights takes a harder line on digital billboards. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Window Signs

Arlington Heights, Illinois caps window signs at 40 percent of the individual window pane under Village Code Chapter 30, which covers the Village in Cook County (excluding Chicago and any other jurisdiction). No sign permit is required for a compliant window sign, but every sign must sit inside a single pane and cannot be combined with others to cover more glass.

Key details: Coverage limit: 40% of individual window pane. Permit required: No, exempt under § 30-103. Combining signs: Prohibited within same window. Correction period: 1 year after notice of violation. Appeal deadline: 30 days to Design Commission.

An owner who receives the Village's 45-day notice of a window sign exceeding 40 percent coverage has one year to remove or resize the signage. Any owner who disputes the notice can file a written appeal with the Design Commission within 30 days of the notice date; the Design Commission reviews the appeal and forwards a recommendation to the Village Board of Trustees, which may grant, deny or modify it.

Garage Sale Signs

Garage sale signs in Arlington Heights count as temporary signs under Municipal Code Sections 30-601 through 30-604: a single-family lot in an R district can post no more than 8 square feet of temporary signage total, and every sign must come down within seven days of the sale's end.

Key details: Removal deadline: Within 7 days after sale ends, Sec. 30-603. R-district cap: 8 sq ft total temporary signage, Sec. 30-601a. Other district cap: 64 sq ft total, 32 sq ft per sign. Right-of-way: Building Director permit required, Sec. 30-602. Enforcement: Village Manager may remove as nuisance, Sec. 30-604.

A garage sale sign left up more than seven days after the sale ends, or posted in the right-of-way without a Building Department permit, is a nuisance the Village Manager or a designee can remove directly under Section 30-604, with the cost of removal recoverable from the poster through a civil complaint.

The Bottom Line

Arlington Heights's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Arlington Heights is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Arlington Heights's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.