OUTDOOR SIGNS (13-96-010 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 13, ch. 13-96, art. I

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-010 Generally.

13-96-010 Generally. Buildings defined in Section 13-56-220 as miscellaneous buildings and structures shall comply with all structural and other applicable requirements of this Code and with the special requirements of this chapter. (Prior code § 61-1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-020 Outdoor signs - Generally.

13-96-020 Outdoor signs - Generally. Outdoor signs shall comply with all applicable provisions of this Code and with the special provisions of Sections 13-96-030 to 13-96-080, inclusive, and Article XIII of Chapter 13-20. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a conflict between any outdoor sign provisions in the Code, including this Chapter 13-96, and Title 17, which establishes city digital signs as exempt signs subject to the location, projection, height, sign face area and other regulations expressly set forth in such Title 17, the Title 17 regulations shall govern and control. City digital signs shall remain subject, however, to Section 13-20-675 and the structural safety and construction requirements of this Title 13, including design load, compressive stress, wind pressure, and combustibility requirements. (Prior code § 61-2; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-12, p. 44485, § 8; Amend Coun. J. 4-30-14, p. 80382, § 4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-030 Definitions.

13-96-030 Definitions. For the purposes of this Code, certain terms are hereby defined as follows: (a) "Outdoor signs" shall include all fabricated signs and their supporting structures erected on the ground or attached to or supported by a building or structure. (b) "Open sign" means a sign in which the area of any surface exposed to the wind does not exceed 50 percent of the aggregate area of the sign. (c) "Ground sign" means a sign supported by uprights or braces on the ground. (d) "Roof sign" means a sign erected on the roof of a building. (e) "Flat sign" means a sign which is attached to a wall of a building and projects not more than 15 inches from such wall except that lighting reflectors may project from such wall a distance not exceeding eight feet. (f) "Projecting sign" means a sign which is attached to a wall of a building and projects more than 15 inches beyond such wall. (g) "Marquee sign" means a sign which is mounted on or against the facia of a marquee. (h) "Sign structure" means and consists of the supports, uprights, bracing and framework of the sign. (i) "Structural trim" means and includes the molding, battens, cappings, nailing, strips, latticing and platforms which are attached to the sign structure. (j) "Display surface" means the surface made available either by the structure or the sign facing for the mounting of letters and decorations. (k) "Sign facing" means the opaque or transparent surface or surfaces of the sign, upon, against or through which the message of the sign is exhibited. (l) "Letters and decorations" means and includes the letters, illustrations, symbols, figures, insignia and other devices employed to express and illustrate the message of the sign. (m) "Abandoned outdoor sign" means: (i) any outdoor sign that has had no advertising or business identification message on it for at least six consecutive months; or (ii) any outdoor sign that: (A) is attached to a building or lot, and (B) identifies or describes either a business that has not been located in that building or lot for at least six consecutive months or a product or service not sold or leased within that building or lot for at least six consecutive months or identifies or describes either a business or service which has either failed to obtain or maintain a valid City of Chicago business license or licenses, if required, for said building or lot; or (iii) any outdoor sign for which the annual inspection fee required by this Code has not been paid and is past due for at least six consecutive months; or (iv) any sign for which any permit number for said sign has not been displayed in the manner required by Section 13-20-620 for at least six consecutive months. (n) "Abandoned outdoor sign structure" means an outdoor sign structure: (i) that has not had any sign copy, other than abandoned sign copy, attached to it for at least six consecutive months; or (ii) that has a sign for which the sign inspection fee required by this Code has not been paid and is past due for at least six consecutive months; or (iii) for which any permit number for said sign or sign structure has not been displayed in the manner required by Section 13-20-620 for at least six consecutive months. (Prior code § 61-2.1; Amend Coun. J. 2-25-88, p. 10732; Amend Coun. J. 9-27-00, p. 41633, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 27)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-040 General requirements.

13-96-040 General requirements. All outdoor signs hereinafter erected or altered shall comply with the following general requirements: (a) Signs shall be adequately supported to resist wind loads as required in Chapter 13-52. (b) All signs projecting over public property shall comply with the requirements of Section 13-128-130. (c) Electric signs and unmounted signboards shall comply with the requirements of Section 13-96-090. (d) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prevent the application of restrictions pertaining to signs as provided in the Chicago Zoning Ordinance. (e) The operation of any crane, as defined in Section 4-288-020, used to hoist either a sign or any component of a sign structure shall be operated by a licensed crane operator in accordance with Chapter 4-288 of this Code. (Prior code § 61-2.2; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 28)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-041 Abandoned outdoor signs and structures - Duty to report to Commissioner and revocation of permit.

13-96-041 Abandoned outdoor signs and structures - Duty to report to Commissioner and revocation of permit. (a) For purposes of this section, "sign element" or "element" means a sign, a sign structure or both, as well as any sign exterior lighting, monitoring camera or other sign-related equipment (b) Within ten days after an outdoor sign element becomes abandoned, the owner, manager or other person in charge of the building or parcel of property containing the abandoned sign element shall: (1) notify the Building Commissioner, in writing, on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of the abandonment; and (2) cause all abandoned elements to be removed, at his or her own cost, within thirty days of reporting the abandonment to the Commissioner, unless the Commissioner grants approval in writing for a longer removal period. Any person who violates this subsection shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than $2,000.00 for each offense. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent an earlier reporting of the abandonment to the Commissioner. If a sign element is voluntarily reported to the Commissioner as abandoned, the Building Commissioner may revoke the permit for such sign element without any further notice or action. (c) Failure to comply with subsection (b) of this section may result in revocation of the permit for the abandoned sign or sign structure pursuant to Section 13-20-645. (Added Coun. J. 9-27-00, p. 41633, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 29)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-050 Sale and rental signs.

13-96-050 Sale and rental signs. Ground signs or wall signs used exclusively for the sale or lease of property on which they are erected, having an area not exceeding 24 square feet may be constructed entirely of combustible materials; provided that such ground signs shall be located not less than ten feet from any building or public way. (Prior code § 61-2.3)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-060 Construction requirements.

13-96-060 Construction requirements. Except as provided in Section 13-96-050 for sale and rental signs, all outdoor signs shall comply with the following construction requirements: (a) Sign Structures. Sign structures shall be of noncombustible materials with the following exceptions: (1) The sign structure of ground signs not exceeding 15 feet six inches in height may be of combustible materials. (2) Heavy timber members may be used for bearing and anchoring of roof signs at the roof level. (b) Structural Trim. Structural trim of signs located within the fire limits shall be of noncombustible materials. (c) Sign Facings. Facings shall be of noncombustible materials except that facings of approved combustible materials not exceeding a total of 100 square feet in area shall be permitted on each face of any sign. (d) Letters and Decorations. Letters and decorations of signs shall be made of noncombustible materials, except that: Letters and decorations may be made from or faced with approved combustible materials, provided, that the area occupied or covered by such letters and decorations is limited on the following basis: Area of Display Surface | Maximum Area Occupied or Covered by Combustible Materials Not more than 100 sq. ft. | 100% of display surface area. More than 100 sq. ft. but less than 2,100 sq. ft. | 100 sq. ft. plus 25% of the difference between 100 sq. ft. and the area of the display surface. More than 2,100 sq. ft. | 600 sq. ft. (Prior code § 61-2.4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-070 Height and location limitations.

13-96-070 Height and location limitations. (a) Open Ground Signs. The face of open ground signs as defined in Section 13-96-030(b) shall not exceed 60 feet in height. (b) Ground Signs. (1) Ground signs other than open ground signs shall not exceed 15 feet six inches in height measured from the adjoining street level or from the ground level if such ground level is above the street level. The distance to a public way from such ground signs shall be not less than the height of the sign above such public way. (2) The bottom of the face of every ground sign shall be constructed at least three feet six inches above the ground or sidewalk level, whichever is the highest. The space below the face may be filled with a decorative lattice or similar light construction having not less than 50 percent open area. (c) Roof Signs. (1) The height of a roof sign shall not exceed 60 feet above the roof on which it is erected nor 25 feet above the height limitations of the building as established in Section 13-48-010. (2) The bottom of the face of a roof sign shall have a clear space of not less than five feet between the sign and the roof on which it is erected, unobstructed except for necessary vertical supports and bracing. (3) The face of a roof sign shall be located not less than six feet back from any wall fronting on a public way. (d) Projecting Signs. The height of a projecting sign shall not exceed 70 feet, and the area of one face of a projecting sign shall not exceed 250 square feet. Signs projecting over public property shall be in accordance with requirements of Section 14E-6-600. (Prior code § 61-2.5; Amend Coun. J. 11-9-16, p. 36266, § 20; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 31)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-080 Approved combustible materials.

13-96-080 Approved combustible materials. Approved combustible materials as applied to outdoor signs shall include: (1) Wood or materials not more combustible than wood; (2) Combustible plastics which, when tested in accordance with ASTM Standard Method Test for Flammability of Plastics over 0.050 inch in thickness (D635-44) burn no faster than 2.5 inches per minute in .060 inch thickness. (Prior code § 61-2.6)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 13-96-085 Reserved. Editor's note – Coun. J. 7-24-13, p. 58318, § 1, repealed § 13-96-085, which pertained to the replacement of certain nonconforming signs.

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2659512Fetched: 10/24/2026