Waukegan, IL Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 12.04.F Electronic Message Centers
- Minimum lot
- 200 ft frontage, 1.5 acres (waived in E District)
- Setback from housing
- 250 ft from any residential district
- Max size
- 40 sq ft or 50% of sign area, whichever less
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 foot-candles above ambient, phased dimmer required
- Message hold time
- Minimum 5 seconds per static message
- Banned outright
- Flashing, scrolling, rotating lights, and video
Summary
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.
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 less... 'undue brightness' will be construed to mean illumination of a white portion of the sign in excess of 0.3 foot candles above ambient light levels... Flashing lights, scrolling lights, and rotating of lights around the sign so as to draw attention and cause distraction are prohibited. Each message displayed on an electric message center must be static or depicted for a minimum of five seconds. ...Display of videos is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 113).
Full Breakdown
5 acres of lot area, a threshold waived only in the E (Entertainment) District. No electronic message center may sit within 250 feet of a residential district or closer than 15 feet to the property line. The display portion is capped at 50 percent of the sign's total area or 40 square feet, whichever is smaller, and may use white incandescent lamps, LEDs, or magnetic discs. 3 foot-candles above the ambient light level, tested with a foot-candle meter aimed at the display from 100 feet away about 30 minutes after sunset, comparing the display off against the display showing full white copy.
Every sign needs an automatic phased proportional dimmer that lowers nighttime brightness, and before a permit issues the manufacturer must certify in writing that brightness is factory-preset to these limits and password-protected against end-user changes. The City can order brightness reduced on request if levels exceed the cap. Flashing, scrolling, and rotating lights meant to draw attention are prohibited, each displayed message must remain static for a minimum of five seconds, and video display is banned entirely.
Violations & Fines
An electronic message center that flashes, scrolls, shows video, or exceeds the 0.3 foot-candle brightness ceiling is treated as a prohibited sign under the general sign standards. The owner has 30 days after notice to fix or remove it; after that, the City may remove the sign itself, bill the property owner for the cost, and file a lien against the property if the bill goes unpaid for 30 more days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business in Waukegan put up a digital billboard next to a house?
How bright can an electronic message center be in Waukegan?
Are scrolling or video signs legal on Waukegan storefronts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukegan
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