Address Posting Recommendations

As important as it is to have a unified standard for assigning address numbers, it is also necessary to provide guidelines for the display of your assigned address number. Residents of Piatt County have enhanced 9-1-1 service and each residence and business has been assigned a locatable address with a building number and road name.  Whenever you place a landline call to 9-1-1 your phone number, name, building number and road name will appear on the 9-1-1 call taker's screen as well as display the location on their digital map. The call taker will ask for additional information such as the nature of your emergency call to 9-1-1. Depending upon your response to questions and based on your location the call taker will dispatch the jurisdictional emergency units to your location.

1. All structures with a designated address should display their assigned address numbers.


2. Number on the Structure: Where the structure is within 50 (fifty) feet of the edge of the road right-of-way and can be clearly seen from the road, the assigned number should be displayed on the front of the structure in the vicinity of the front door or entry. Most city and village addresses qualify for this type of display.


3. Number at the Road Line: Where the structure is over 50 (fifty) feet from the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number should be displayed on the structure as above and be displayed on a post, fence, wall, mailbox, or on some structure at the property line adjacent to the roadway or access drive to the numbered structure. Any posted number at the road should be placed high enough to not be obscured by snow during an average winter. Most rural addresses qualify for this type of posting such as in the example pictured.


4. Size and Color of Number: Numbers should be a minimum of three (3) inches high and be of a green color to their background. Numbers made from block letters should be white and reflective materials are recommended.


5. Property owner responsibility: Every person whose duty is to display the assigned number should remove any different number that might be mistaken for, or confused with, the number assigned to the property.


6. Interior location: All residents and other occupants should post their assigned number and road name adjacent to their telephone for emergency reference should a friend or relative, not familiar with the address, have to contact 9-1-1.

You can purchase these signs usually at hardware retail stores or companies that specialize in graphics and signs.