McHenry County, IL Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 16.72.060(C)
- Static message
- Minimum 10 seconds per image
- Banned
- Blinking, scrolling, animation, video
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 footcandles above ambient
- Off-premises ads
- Need a conditional use permit
- Fine
- $100-$500 per week, § 16.84.010
Summary
Digital signs in unincorporated McHenry County must hold each message static for at least ten seconds, skip blinking or animation entirely, and cap brightness at 0.3 footcandles above ambient light under UDO Section 16.72.060(C). Off-premises digital advertising also needs a conditional use permit.
C. Digital Sign Message Controls. 1. Each message or image displayed on a digital sign must be static and depicted for a minimum of ten (10) seconds before changing. 2. Blinking, flashing, scrolling, or strobe-light effects are prohibited. 3. Animation and/or streaming video of any type is prohibited. ... 5. A digital sign must not exceed a maximum illumination of three-tenths (0.3) footcandles above the ambient light level when measured from a distance equal to the square root of the square footage of the sign multiplied by one hundred (100). (Measurement distance = sign area x 100)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-5: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. A25-0037, passed 8-19-2025 | State legislation current through ALS 2025 Pamphlet No. 1).
Full Breakdown
060(C), Digital Sign Message Controls, sets the operating rules for every digital sign in unincorporated McHenry County. Each message or image must stay static for a minimum of ten seconds before it changes, and the code flatly bans blinking, flashing, scrolling, or strobe-light effects, along with any animation or streaming video. 030(EE). 3) of a footcandle above the ambient light level, measured from a distance equal to the square root of the sign's square footage multiplied by one hundred; every digital sign must also carry an ambient light monitor that automatically dims or brightens the display as outdoor light conditions change, rather than running at a fixed intensity.
060(B), which limit a non-digital sign to sixty footcandles measured ten inches from the face and require all sign illumination to be fully shielded away from roadways and neighboring properties. 3-footcandle ceiling, and every digital sign must be programmed to automatically revert to a full black screen the moment it malfunctions, so a stuck or glitching display cannot keep running bright or in motion.
Violations & Fines
A digital sign that displays off-premises advertising without the required conditional use permit, or that exceeds the 0.3-footcandle brightness ceiling, is a zoning ordinance violation under Section 16.84.010: a fine of $100 to $500, with each week of continued noncompliance a separate offense. The County can also revoke the sign permit itself where a violation is found, under Section 16.72.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a digital sign message stay still?
Can a digital sign show video or scrolling text?
Can I run a digital billboard for another business?
How bright can a digital sign be at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in McHenry County
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