Berwyn, IL Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Chapter 691 is a single section, and it works as a calendar rule. Section 691.01(A) covers exterior items of a primarily decorative nature that are visible from the public right-of-way and associated with the celebration of seasonal events or holidays. Those items can be displayed no earlier than 60 days prior to the holiday and must be removed no later than 60 days after the holiday. The clock runs from the holiday itself, so each holiday has its own window.

The ordinance does not name string lights, wreaths or yard figures one by one. Its test is the item's character and visibility: exterior, primarily decorative, seen from the public right-of-way, and tied to a seasonal event or holiday. A display that a passerby on the street can see is inside the rule, while one placed inside a window or building where it cannot be seen from the right-of-way is not described by the section.

Enforcement is staged. Under § 691.01(B), a warning is issued for the first offense, and the owner has a period of 30 days to comply with the stated regulations. Under § 691.01(C), a citation can be issued for subsequent violations, with a minimum penalty of $50 for each violation. The text sets that floor and no ceiling of its own; Berwyn's general code penalty in § 202.99 sets fines of not more than $2,000 for each violation where another penalty is not specifically provided.

The section was adopted by Ord. 12-2 on January 24, 2012. Inflatable yard decorations are governed separately by § 672.16, which prohibits decorative inflatables outside rear and side yards regardless of the season, and Berwyn's Zoning Code carries its own sign regulations that apply to signs as distinct from seasonal decorations.