Schaumburg, IL Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Off-premises billboards
- Prohibited, § 155.50(D)
- Max digital sign area
- 30 sq ft (governmental/noncommercial only)
- Max height
- 7 feet from base
- Minimum spacing
- 850 feet between electronic signs
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 footcandles above ambient at 55 ft
- Residential road hours
- Prohibited entirely
Summary
Schaumburg bans off-premises billboards outright under Village Code § 155.50(D). On-premises electronic message boards are allowed only for governmental and noncommercial uses, capped at 30 square feet, with strict brightness, spacing and hours-of-operation limits.
(D)Billboards and Other Off-Premises Signs: Billboards and other off-premises signs are prohibited. Banners, flags and other installations on village-owned streetlight poles or other village property, where approved by, and installed by, the village, in furtherance of public purposes, are not considered off-premises signs.(E)Electronic Message Board and Other Moving and Flashing Signs: Signs which flash, revolve, rotate, swing, undulate, or otherwise attract attention through the movement or flashing of parts, including automatic, electronically controlled copy changes, or through the impression of movement or flashing except for those signs fully located within an enclosed building...(2)Governmental entity signs...(a)Image Display: Sign images shall change no faster than once every ten (10) seconds, and must be static (i.e., no flashing, scrolling, animated text or images)...(g)Hours of Operation:...2.Major Collector Roadways: Electronic signs may only operate between the hours of 6:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m....3.Minor Collector Roadways and Residential Roadways: Shall be prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56 Update 1 | Policy Manual: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
50(D) flatly prohibits billboards and other off-premises signs anywhere in Schaumburg; only village-installed banners on streetlight poles are exempted. 50(E) separately bans electronic message board, moving and flashing signs for commercial businesses, with a narrow carve-out for governmental entities (the village, school districts, park district) and noncommercial civic, educational or cultural uses. Those permitted digital signs must be built into a ground sign, capped at 30 square feet of message area per face, and no taller than 7 feet from grade. 3 footcandles above ambient light measured at 55 feet, with automatic dimming required.
Images may change no faster than once every 10 seconds and must be static, no scrolling or animation, and outside advertising is banned on these displays. on major collector roads, and a full prohibition on minor collector and residential roads. 114. A limited exception lets a 'public service object' carry a changeable digital ad panel up to 30 square feet if it sits at least 100 feet from the right-of-way and reserves one in ten displays for village community content.
Violations & Fines
The director of community development enforces sign rules; an unpermitted or noncompliant electronic sign is treated as prohibited and can be ordered removed at the owner's expense under § 155.158. General code penalties under § 10.99 apply to violations without a specific penalty: fines run from $100 to $50,000, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business in Schaumburg put up a digital billboard?
Are digital signs allowed for schools or park districts?
What hours can an electronic sign run in Schaumburg?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Schaumburg
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