Sign Regulations in Waukegan, IL (2026)
4 verified sign regulations for Waukegan, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Political Signs
Waukegan has no sign category labeled 'political signs'; it regulates yard signs about candidates and issues under its Non-Commercial Messaging Signs exemption, capping them at 6 square feet and 4 feet tall, unlit and unanimated. Political campaign signs are also the one message type exempt from the code's 30-day expired-event abandonment rule.
Waukegan Political & Non-Commercial Sign Rules
Light RestrictionsWaukegan Unified Development Ordinance (Appendix A) §§ 12.02.I.1.d, 12.02.J.9
d.Any sign announcing an event or the date or dates of an event which has passed, with the exception of political campaign signs... 9.Non-Commercial Messaging Signs, subject to the following conditions:a.Limited to the following dimensions:i.A maximum surface area of six square feet per sign face; andii.A maximum height of four feet.b.May not incorporate animated or automatically changing graph...
Garage Sale Signs
Garage and yard sale signs in Waukegan must follow the City's yard sign standard: a maximum of eight square feet in residential districts, set back at least four feet from the right-of-way, with supporting posts no taller than six feet.
Waukegan Garage Sale Sign Size and Setback
Some RestrictionsWaukegan UDO Sec. 9.04.B.3.e; Yard Signs standard (Sec. 12.04.N)
e.Signs. Garage and yard sale signs must be in accordance with Section 12.06.N (Yard Signs). N.Yard Signs1.Size. The maximum total measured sign area is eight square feet in the CR, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, L1, L2, and L3 districts and 32 square feet in all other districts.2.Design. A yard sign may consist of a sign face of wood, metal, or other material. The surrounding trim and supporting uprights...
Digital Billboards
Waukegan allows electronic message center signs only on lots with at least 200 feet of frontage and 1.5 acres, capped at 40 square feet or half the sign face. Brightness cannot exceed 0.3 foot-candles above ambient light, flashing and video are banned, and each message must hold for five seconds.
Waukegan Electronic Message Center Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsWaukegan Unified Development Ordinance (Appendix A) § 12.04.F
Electronic message centers are permitted on zoning lots that have at least 200 feet of frontage and 1.5 acres of lot area... No electronic message center may be located within 250 feet of any residential district and must be at least fifteen feet from the property line. Size. The electronic message center in its entirety is limited to 50 percent of a sign's area, or 40 square feet, whichever is...
Window Signs
Waukegan caps window signage at 20 percent of the glass it's displayed on, counting every accessory sign in that window toward the limit. Window signs also cannot block entryways or keep the public or public safety personnel from seeing into or out of the business.
Waukegan Window Sign Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsWaukegan Unified Development Ordinance (Appendix A) § 12.04.M
M.Window Signs1.Size. The maximum total measured window sign area is 20 percent of the window in which the sign is displayed, including accessory window signs, if any.2.Location. Window signs may not obscure entry areas or prevent the general public or public safety personnel from viewing interior or exterior activity of the premises.3.Design. Any neon borders of a wall sign must be protected b...
Looking for Lake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Waukegan city rules.
Sign Regulations in Lake County →