Every outdoor sign in Glenview is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the Glenview code it came from.
Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in Glenview.
Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in Glenview, Illinois. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.
Before you order or install a sign in Glenview, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.
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Building Signs
Building Sign Max Number
1 primary identification wall sign per building; additional wall signs may be permitted on side and rear walls facing private streets or public rights-of-way where no primary identification sign is in the same line of sight.
Building Sign Formula
8% of the entire facade, including doors and windows; the total wall-sign allowance also includes blade signs and awnings.
Exemptions
Exempt Signs
Source-backed exempt signs: 335. Signs accessory to parking \nareas. \nSigns accessory to parking areas are permit-\nted, subject to the following regulations: \n(1) \nOne sign may be erected to designate \neach entrance to or exit from a parking \narea, and each such sign shall be no more \nthan two square feet in area. Such signs \nare exempt from minimum setback \nrequirements, but shall be located at \nleast one foot behind the lot line. \n
Illumination
Illumination
Source-backed illumination rules: 337. Content upon \nsuch signage shall be permit-\nted to change once per meal \nservice to correspond with \nchanges in the availability over \ntime of related categories of \nmenu items but shall not \ninclude video, flashing images \nor effects, or moving content. \niii. \nOne drive-thru order confirma-\ntion sign display comprised of \nup to 2.5 square feet depicting \ncustomer orders for review prior \nto purcha
Illumination 2
Source-backed illumination rules: ere there are no \nprimary identification signs in the \nsame line of sight. \n § 98-337\nZONING\nCD98:109\nSupp. No. 41 \n\nb. \nWhere a single building is devoted \nto two or more uses, each use is \nallowed a primary identification wall \nsign. The maximum sign area shall \nbe determined by the proportionate \nshare of the front face, including \ndoors and windows, of the principal \ntenant space occupied by each
Nonconforming
Nonconforming Signs
Source-backed nonconforming signs: 339. Nonconforming signs. \nLawful \nnonconforming \nsigns \nmay \nbe \nmaintained, subject to the following regulations: \n(1) \nWhere any nonconforming sign projects \nover public property, the owner shall post \nwith the building and zoning director a \nbond or indemnity policy, or a certificate \nthereof by the surety or insurance \ncompany with a ten-day prior notice of \ncancellation provision, approved by the
Permits
Permit Required
Source-backed sign permit requirement: 332. Permit required; exemptions. \n(a) No sign may be painted, constructed, \nerected, remodeled, relocated or expanded until \na sign permit is obtained in accordance with the\n\nchapter
Permit Required 3
Source-backed sign permit requirement: nillumi-\nnated sign, not exceeding 25 square \nfeet in area, indicating the names of \nany or all of the architects, engineers \nand contractors engaged in the \nconstruction. On corner lots, two \nsuch signs shall be permitted, one \nfacing each street. Any sign permit-\nted under this subsection shall be \nremoved by the person erecting such \nsign, not longer than two weeks \nafter completion of the structure \ni
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Temporary
Temporary Signs
Source-backed temporary sign rules: ot include \nvideo, flashing images or effects, \nor moving content. \niv. \nOne drive-thru price confirma-\ntion sign display comprised of \nup to 1.0 square foot depicting \nthe total price per transaction \nshall be permitted per drive-\nthru lane upon any wall sign \notherwise \npermitted \nin \naccordance with section 98-337. \nf. \nSigns accessory to transit stations/\nshelters. One sign display comprised \nof
Temporary Signs 2
Source-backed temporary sign rules: ay request approval through \nthe appearance review process. \nc. \nShopping center owners/managers \nare permitted four temporary special \nevent banners per year. Temporary \nspecial event banners are only \npermitted to be displayed in common \nareas or on monument signs four \ntimes per year after creating design \nguidelines for banner display and \nreceiving approval from the either \nthe Glenview Development C
Temporary Signs
Temp Sign Rules
Shopping center owners/managers may display four temporary special event banners per year; size and height are not specified; appearance-review approval is required.
Temp Signs Allowed
Yes for shopping center owners/managers: four temporary special event banners per year, with appearance-review approval required; a permit is not specified.
Wall Signs
Wall Signs 2
Source-backed wall sign rules: orner \nlot, two signs, one facing \neach street, shall be \npermitted. \nii. \nLandscaping/Illumination. \n1. \nThe sign base shall be \nsurrounded by year-round \nlandscaping that equals \nor exceeds 2.0 square feet \nof landscaping per 1.0 \nsquare foot of sign area of \nthe sign face with the larg-\nest sign area. \n2. \nSign \nfaces \nshall \nbe \nconstructed of an opaque \nsurface. \niii. \nSize and design. \n1
Wall Signs 3
Source-backed wall sign rules: gns, one facing \neach street, shall be \npermitted. \nii. \nLandscaping/Illumination. \n1. \nThe sign base shall be \nsurrounded by year-round \nlandscaping that equals \nor exceeds 2.0 square feet \nof landscaping per 1.0 \nsquare foot of sign area of \nthe sign face with the larg-\nest sign area. \n2. \nSign \nfaces \nshall \nbe \nconstructed of an opaque \nsurface. \niii. \nSize and design. \n1. \nSigns shall not
Source-backed window sign rules: upp. No. 41 \n\nindicating the time and/or temperature \nand are not more frequent than every 15 \nseconds. For the purposes of this article, \nthe term \"flashing, rotating, animated or \nmoving signs\" shall include flashing, rotat-\ning, animated or moving window signs. \nNo flashing signs, rotating or moving \nsigns, animated signs, signs with moving \nlights, or creating the illusion of move-\nment shall be perm
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