# Sign Regulations in Breckenridge, Minnesota

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Breckenridge, Minnesota, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Breckenridge, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/breckenridge
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/8910802#8910802)

## At a glance

Breckenridge, Minnesota regulates 16 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Pylon Sign (Single Occupancy)s in the Central Business zoning district are capped at 60 square feet, with a See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] setback (Sec. §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes). Most commercial signs in Breckenridge require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All residential | 2 | — | — | — |
| Central Business | 6 | — | 60 square feet | — |
| Highway Business | 6 | — | 200 square feet | — |
| Industrial | 6 | — | 200 square feet | — |
| C-2 | 1 | — | 65 square feet | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 35 feet | 700 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 6 zones)

### Central Business

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pylon Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 60 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 60 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | — | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes and note |
| Pylon Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 60 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 60 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | — | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 per occupant | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes and note |

### Highway Business

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pylon Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 20 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Pylon Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 20 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 per occupant | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |

### Industrial

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pylon Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 50 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 2 | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Pylon Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Ground Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 200 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 1 (alternative option to Pylon sign) | — | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |
| Building Sign (Multiple Occupancy) | — | 50 square feet | — | See setbacks for zone. [§64-14C] | 2 per occupant | Parallel to building, within six inches of wall. | — | §64-17 Table of Sign Numbers and Sizes |

## Prohibited signs in Breckenridge

- No sign shall be erected, placed, established, painted, created or maintained except in conformance with the standards, procedures, exemptions and other requirements of this article and any other lawful ordinance.
- No sign shall project within two feet of the curbline.
- No sign shall violate the side or rear yard setbacks of the district in which it is placed.
- No sign other than public or governmental signs shall be erected or temporarily placed within any street rights-of-way.
- No sign, by its location, color or intensity, shall create a hazard to the safe, efficient movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- No private sign shall contain words such as 'stop,' 'caution,' 'warning,' etc., unless intended to direct traffic on the premises.
- No sign shall physically obstruct any window or door of a dwelling nor any fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide ingress or egress to any building or structure.
- Signs erected within five feet of an exterior wall with openings within the area of the sign must be constructed of noncombustible material or approved plastics.
- Signs must be securely attached to buildings or supporting structures to prevent swaying caused by wind.
- Signs and sign structures must be properly secured, supported, braced, maintained, and kept in a safe, orderly condition.
- The lot on which a sign is located must be kept free of overgrown grass, weeds, debris, and rubbish.
- No sign shall be located so that traffic visibility is affected.
- On corner lots, no sign shall rise more than three feet in height above sidewalk level in a defined triangular visibility area.
- No illuminated signs are permitted in a residential district and no illuminated signs in other districts shall be directed into a residential area.
- No advertising signs shall be permitted within 75 feet of any residential district boundary line unless completely screened from residential districts.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- Signs on private land without the permission of the owner are prohibited.
- Signs on trees, shrubs, fences, rocks, natural features, or public utility poles are prohibited.
- Signs on any right-of-way of public highways, except as otherwise allowed by law or by the Zoning Administrator, are prohibited.
- Flashing or strobing signs are prohibited.
- Signs which are structurally unsafe, in disrepair, or abandoned are prohibited.
- Signs painted on or attached to any motorized vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way, public property, or on private property for advertising are prohibited.
- Any sign which consists of banners, pennants, large balloons or inflatables, ribbons, streamers, strings of lights, spinners or similar devices is prohibited (except with a temporary permit).
- Street banners thrust over public property are prohibited unless for civic purposes and approved by the City.
- Rotating, swinging, or optical illusion movement signs are prohibited.
- Unauthorized signs on public property (curbs, sidewalk, posts, poles, hydrants, bridges, trees, etc.) are prohibited unless specifically authorized by this article.
- Failure to purchase a permit before placing a sign is prohibited.
- Failure to remove a sign when the permit has expired is prohibited.
- Failure to maintain a sign in good condition is a violation.
- Failure to comply with electrical requirements is a violation.
- Placement of a sign on a public right-of-way is a violation.

## Signs exempt from permit in Breckenridge

- Governmental signs are exempt.
- Informational or directional signs less than four square feet in area with no more than 25% containing the business or institutional name are exempt.
- Real estate signs less than eight square feet in area erected on and advertising a parcel for sale are exempt.
- Campaign signs less than eight square feet in area are exempt.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The Zoning Administrator may require the filing of plans or other pertinent information where necessary to ensure compliance with the sign ordinance.
- Any circumstances not addressed in the ordinance are subject to review (in the form of a required review) by the Planning Commission, which considers the location, size, design, surrounding area, and appropriateness before recommending approval to Council.
- All requests for variances must include all information required for a sign permit, and will be considered by the City Council as part of a variance process.
- All neon on the exterior of the building requires review by the Planning Commission. Window neon between 4 and 8 square feet requires Zoning Administrator approval; over 8 square feet requires Planning Commission approval.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 6 zoning districts in Breckenridge — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Breckenridge+MN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-breckenridge

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