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Will County, IL Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Posting window
60 days before election
Removal deadline
6 days after vote
Max copy area
32 sq ft per lot
Max height
6 feet
Applies to
Unincorporated Will County only

Summary

Unincorporated Will County allows campaign signs without a permit for 60 days before an election and requires removal within six days after.

City-specific rules exist: Joliet has its own political signs rules that differ from Will County's county-level regulations. If you live in Joliet, check the city-specific page instead.

Campaign signs. Temporary campaign (candidate or ballot issue) signs are allowed for a period of not more than 60 days before an election, referendum, or similar voting event. Temporary campaign signs must be removed no later than six days after the voting event. The total copy area for all campaign signs allowed without a sign permit may not exceed 32 square feet per lot and campaign signs allowed without a sign permit may not exceed six feet in height.

(4)   Special event (temporary) signs. Temporary signs and banners may be allowed for on-site special events such as grand openings, festivals, special promotions and similar events located on the site on which the sign is located. These signs may be in place no more than 21 days per calendar year.

(5)   Window signs. Temporary window signs are allowed when a sale of goods or services is being conducted by a business establishment located on the premises. Such signs are allowed in addition to all other authorized signs, provided they do not exceed 33% of the area of the window to which they are affixed. Temporary window signs may not exceed 64 square feet in area, regardless of the size of the window to which it is affixed, and no establishment may have more than 100 square feet of temporary window signs displayed at any one time. No temporary window sign may be affixed to the exterior of any window, wall or other exterior surface of the structure.

Source: Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015)View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).

Full Breakdown

In unincorporated Will County, temporary campaign (candidate or ballot issue) signs don't need a sign permit, but they're time-limited: allowed no more than 60 days before an election, referendum, or similar voting event, and must come down within six days after. Total copy area for permit-free campaign signs on a lot is capped at 32 square feet, and none may exceed six feet in height. This applies only outside Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield, and Lockport, which zone under their own municipal codes.

Violations & Fines

Signs left up past the six-day post-election deadline, or exceeding the 32-square-foot lot total or six-foot height cap, are subject to the county's sign-permit and zoning enforcement process as unpermitted signage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a campaign sign in unincorporated Will County?
No. Temporary campaign signs are allowed without a sign permit if they meet the timing, size, and height limits in § 155-13.30(C)(3).
How long can a campaign sign stay up after the election?
It must be removed no later than six days after the voting event, per the county's Unified Development Ordinance.
Does this rule apply inside Joliet or Bolingbrook?
No. Those cities have their own zoning codes; Will County's sign rules govern unincorporated areas only.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Will County

All Will County rules

Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois sign regulations overview

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