Sangamon County, IL Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- No: exempt under § 17.62.050
- Placement ban
- No trees, poles, benches, ROW
- Must be posted on
- Private property only
- Fixed removal deadline
- None specified in code
Summary
Garage and yard sale signs count as temporary signs in unincorporated Sangamon County: no permit is required, but they cannot be attached to trees, utility poles, benches, streetlights, or placed on public property or right-of-way.
Snipe signs or signs attached to trees, telephone poles, public benches, streetlights, or placed on any public property or public right-of-way. Signs placed on vehicles or trailers which are parked or located for the primary purpose of displaying said sign (this does not apply to signs or lettering on buses, taxis, or vehicles operating during the normal course of business). Roof Signs. Portable Signs. Off-Premise Signs except those that meet the requirements of the Illinois Outdoor Advertising Control Act of 1971, as amended, 225 ILCS 440/1 et seq. Flashing signs except digital display signs which indicate the time, temperature or weather or other similar information shall not be considered flashing signs, provided that the total area of such sign is not greater than sixteen (16) square feet. Animated Signs. Signs which move or give the appearance of movement. This category includes signs which flutter, undulate, swing, rotate, oscillate or otherwise move by natural or artificial means. Signs in violation of Section 17.40.010 (B) concerning obstructions on corner lots at the intersection of any two streets. In this restricted area pole signs with a sixteen (16) inches maximum pole diameter and clearance of ten (10) feet between the bottom of the sign and grade shall be permitted. (Res. 12 Ex. D(part), May 8, 2001)
HISTORY Amended by Res. Res 7-1 on 11/14/2023
Full Breakdown
Section 17.62.010 defines 'temporary sign' to expressly include garage sale and yard sale signs, and § 17.62.050 exempts temporary signs from the permit requirement other signs need. But § 17.62.030's snipe-sign ban still applies: no sign, including a garage-sale sign, may be attached to a tree, telephone pole, public bench or streetlight, or placed on public property or a public right-of-way, it has to go on private property. The code sets no separate removal deadline for garage-sale signs specifically, unlike the 7-day post-election rule it gives political signs.
Violations & Fines
Posting a sign on a pole, tree or public right-of-way is unlawful under § 17.62.020 and enforced as a zoning violation under § 17.78.010: a petty offense fined $25–$500 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a garage sale sign in unincorporated Sangamon County?
Can I staple my garage sale sign to a utility pole or street sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sangamon County
Compare Sangamon County to another location·View the Illinois sign regulations overview
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