# Sign Regulations in Buffalo, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Buffalo, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/buffalo
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MN/Buffalo/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH34SI)

## At a glance

Buffalo, Minnesota regulates 39 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Off-site Temporary Real Estate Directional Sign (Residential)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 3 ft tall and 4 sq ft, with a At least 10 ft from curb/edge of pavement setback (Sec. Sec. 34-40(5)). Most commercial signs in Buffalo require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 25 | 30 ft | 96 sq ft | — |
| B-5 (Central Business District), PUD (Planned Unit Development District) | 1 | — | 4 sq ft | — |
| B-3, B-4, B-5 (Central Business District), PUD (Planned Unit Development District) | 1 | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — |
| A-1, R-R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-MH | 2 | 10 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| R-6, R-7, R-B | 4 | 10 ft | 64 sq ft | — |
| B-2 | 3 | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| B-3, B-4, B-5 (Central Business District), B-6, B-W | 3 | 25 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| BC, I-1, I-2, I-4 | 3 | 10 ft | 100 sq ft | — |
| PUD (Planned Unit Development District) | 1 | — | — | — |
| B-5 (Central Business District) | 1 | — | District maximum (see monument size) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Construction Sign (R-R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-MH) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per abutting street | On site of construction; 1 per abutting street | — | Sec. 34-39(6) |
| Construction Sign (A-1, R-4, R-5, R-6, R-7, R-B, Business and Industrial districts) | — | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per abutting street | On site of construction; 1 per abutting street | — | Sec. 34-39(6) |
| Real Estate Sign - 6 or less dwelling units | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot; corner lot: 2 signs, one per street | On property for sale/rent; 1 per lot, or 2 for corner lot (1 per frontage) | — | Sec. 34-40(1) |
| Real Estate Sign - 7 or more dwelling units | — | 32 sq ft | — | At least 100 ft from any preexisting home and per district setback requirements | 1 per public street providing access | 1 per public street providing access; must be >100 ft from any preexisting home | — | Sec. 34-40(2) |
| Real Estate Sign - Industrial or Commercial Property | — | 64 sq ft | — | Not closer than 50% of required setback in the district | 1 per public street providing access | 1 per public street; not closer than 50% of district required setback | — | Sec. 34-40(3) |
| Off-site Temporary Real Estate Directional Sign (Residential) | 3 ft | 4 sq ft | — | At least 10 ft from curb/edge of pavement | Max 1 per unit at any street intersection | May be on public right-of-way, min 10 ft from curb; must avoid interfering with trails or visibility | — | Sec. 34-40(5) |
| Directional On-premises Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | Max 4 unless otherwise approved | On-premises | — | Sec. 34-41(a) |
| Shopping Center/Retail Development/Industrial Park - Freestanding | 30 ft | Per zoning district max size | — | — | 1 per street frontage | 1 per street frontage | — | Sec. 34-103 |

### R-6, R-7, R-B

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Institutional Identification Sign | 10 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per principal use | 1 per principal use | — | Sec. 34-74(1) |
| Residential Area Identification Sign | 10 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 per area | 1 per area | — | Sec. 34-74(2) |
| Single or Double Occupancy Multiple Family Sign - Freestanding | 10 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 34-74(3)a |
| Single or Double Occupancy Multiple Family Sign - Wall/Canopy/Marquee | — | 64 sq ft (per sign) | — | — | 1 per building (2 if corner lot) | Per building; wall, canopy, or marquee | — | Sec. 34-74(3)b |

### B-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Area Identification Sign | 20 ft | 75 sq ft | — | — | 1 per area | 1 per area (freestanding) | — | Sec. 34-75(1) |
| Single or Double Occupancy Multiple Family Sign - Freestanding | 20 ft | 64 sq ft | — | — | 1 | — | — | Sec. 34-75(2)a |
| Wall/Canopy/Marquee Sign (B-2) | — | — | — | — | Unlimited, subject to area requirements | On building | — | Sec. 34-75(2)b |

## Prohibited signs in Buffalo

- Signs interfering with the safe use of public streets or trails by vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, or others may be removed at the discretion of the city.
- Rummage sale signs shall not be located in any public right-of-way, or on utility poles or equipment.
- Off-site, temporary directional signs shall be freestanding and shall not be attached to any other structure such as traffic control signs, utility poles, or other similar devices.
- No balloons, banners, or other attachments shall be permitted on off-site, temporary directional signage.
- All signs must comply with size, area, height, location, and duration restrictions specified in relevant sections.
- Noncommercial signs not conforming to the chapter shall be removed and destroyed by the city, and a fee shall be assessed.

## Signs exempt from permit in Buffalo

- Public, noncommercial signs including safety, directional, trespassing, traffic, scenic/historical points of interest, and memorial plaques erected by or on behalf of a public official or employee in the performance of official duty.
- Identification signs not exceeding three square feet.
- Informational signs not exceeding 16 square feet.
- Noncommercial signs in commercial, industrial, agricultural, and institutional zones not exceeding eight square feet, or in residential zones not exceeding four square feet, subject to time/duration and removal requirements.
- Noncommercial signs of any size may be posted 46 days before the state primary in a general election year until ten days after the state general election, subject to placement restrictions.
- Holiday signs or displays pertaining to a religious, national, state, or local holiday and no other matter, displayed up to 75 days in any calendar year.
- Non-illuminated construction signs on the site of construction, alteration, or repair, with specified maximum area and time limits.
- Window signs not exceeding 50 percent of the total area of the window.
- Integral and OSHA signs.
- Real estate signs advertising property for sale or rent, subject to area, location, and duration restrictions.
- Rummage sale signs, subject to area, timing, and location restrictions, including off-site signs with property owner permission.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A comprehensive sign plan is required for single principal buildings devoted to four or more businesses or industrial uses. No permit shall be issued for an individual use except upon a determination that it is consistent with the approved comprehensive sign plan.
- In shopping centers, retail developments, or industrial parks over ten acres and containing more than 50,000 gross square feet, the city may approve a comprehensive sign plan by conditional use permit, allowing consideration of additional or larger signs.
- In planned unit development (PUD) districts, signing restrictions are based upon the most restrictive zoning district in which the use is allowed, and commercial projects may be allowed to replace a permitted freestanding sign with one additional wall sign within specified total allowances.

## 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 10 zoning districts in Buffalo — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Buffalo+MN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-buffalo

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