# Sign Regulations in Center, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Center, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/center
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Center, Minnesota regulates 16 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Sandwich Board Signs in the B-1 Downtown Business District, B-2 Highway Business District zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 12 square feet (4' high x 3' wide maximum), and 3 feet wide, with a Min 1 foot from back of curb setback (Sec. § 207.04(G)). Most commercial signs in Center require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-1 Agricultural District, RR Rural Residential District | 4 | 8 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| R-1 Traditional Single-Family Residential District, R-2 Suburban Single-Family Residential District, R-3 Medium Density Residential District, R-4 Multiple-Family Residential District | 5 | 10 feet | 100 square feet per sign face | — |
| B-1 Downtown Business District, B-2 Highway Business District | 6 | 20 feet | 440 square feet | — |
| I-1 Light Industrial District | 4 | 10 feet | 100 square feet per side | — |
| POS Parks and Open Space District | 4 | 10 feet | 100 square feet per sign face | — |
| Planned Unit Development | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 7 | 40 feet | 400 square feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### R-1 Traditional Single-Family Residential District, R-2 Suburban Single-Family Residential District, R-3 Medium Density Residential District, R-4 Multiple-Family Residential District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign (Public/Semi-Public/Institutional Uses) | 10 feet | 100 square feet per sign face | — | 15 feet from property line abutting right-of-way, 5 feet from side or rear property line; see § 207.10 | 1 per lot, or 2 if multiple entrances | Per lot; per entrance from collector or arterial street | — | § 207.09(B)(1)(a) |
| Wall, Canopy, or Marquee Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per facade; max 2 if on corner/through lot; additional per entrance | On one facade fronting public street; for corner/through lots, 1 additional sign on a second facade fronting public street | — | § 207.09(B)(1)(b) |
| For Sale/For Lease Sign | 6 feet for single-family, two-family, townhouse units; 8 feet for multi-family or institutional uses | 12 square feet for single-family, two-family, townhouse units; 32 square feet for multi-family or institutional uses | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | § 207.04(F) |
| Exempt Sign (Maximum 2 signs 2 sq ft or less) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | § 207.04(B) |
| Exempt Residential Sign | — | 9 square feet | — | — | 1 per property | — | — | § 207.04(C) |

### B-1 Downtown Business District, B-2 Highway Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 100 square feet per side | — | 15 feet from property line abutting right-of-way, 5 feet from side or rear property line; see § 207.10 | 1 per lot | On lot | — | § 207.09(C)(1)(a) |
| Wall, Canopy, or Marquee Sign (Single Occupancy) | — | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 per facade; up to 2 facades; additional by B-1/large building rules | On 1 facade fronting a public street; additional on up to 2 facades if corner/through lot; B-1: additional sign may be on a side/rear wall (may or may not front a street). | — | § 207.09(C)(1)(b) |
| Wall, Canopy, or Marquee Sign (Large Single Occupancy ≥ 45,000 sq ft) - Option 1 | — | 440 square feet | — | — | See additional_requirements | One facade fronting public street | — | § 207.09(C)(1)(b)2.a-b |
| For Sale/For Lease Sign | 10 feet | 64 square feet (parcels over 10 acres or in B-1, B-2) | — | — | 1 per street frontage | — | — | § 207.04(F)(2) |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 12 square feet (4' high x 3' wide maximum) | 3 feet | Min 1 foot from back of curb | 1 per principal building or tenant (with exclusive exterior entrance) | On business property, public sidewalk directly abutting property, or within required building setbacks; not on vehicles | — | § 207.04(G) |
| Exempt Sign (Maximum 2 signs 2 sq ft or less) | — | 2 square feet | — | — | 2 | — | — | § 207.04(B) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address Sign | — | — | — | — | 1 per principal building | On each principal building in all districts (except farm buildings) | — | § 207.07(I) |
| Temporary Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Sign | — | 50 square feet per sign face | — | — | 2 per property at same time | — | — | § 207.07(F) |
| Window Sign | — | 25% of window area | — | — | — | In the window | — | § 207.07(O) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | — | Commercial districts | — | § 207.07(U) |
| Billboard | 40 feet | 400 square feet | — | — | — | As a principal use of property; only billboards existing prior to June 7, 2011, allowed. | — | § 207.07(V) |
| Subdivision Entrance Sign (Permanent) | 10 feet for residential uses; 20 feet for commercial/industrial/institutional uses | 100 square feet per sign face | — | — | 1 per entrance | At the entrance from a collector/arterial street for subdivisions of at least 3 lots or buildings | — | § 207.07(W)(1) |
| Subdivision Sign (Temporary) | 8 feet for freestanding signs | 64 square feet face | — | — | 1 per project/subdivision or per frontage | — | — | § 207.07(W)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in Center

- No sign, signal, marking, or device may imitate or resemble any official traffic-control device, railroad sign or signal, or emergency vehicle signs, or attempt to direct the movement of traffic or interfere with any official traffic-control device.
- No sign may be over 600 square feet in area, except within the POS Public and Open Space District.
- Off premises signs are prohibited except as allowed by § 207.07(J) and (V).
- Balloon signs are prohibited.
- Signs containing content classified as 'obscene' as defined by M.S. § 617.241 are prohibited.
- Signs may not be painted, attached, or in any way affixed to trees or similar natural surfaces, or attached to utility poles, bridges, towers, or similar public structures.
- Only signs installed at the direction of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Chisago County, or the city may be located within public rights-of-way.
- No sign or sign structure shall be erected or maintained that prevents free ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape. No sign or sign structure shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.
- No signs, guys, stays, or attachments may be erected, placed, or maintained on trees, nor interfere with any electric light, power, or telephone or their supports.
- Illuminated signs must be shielded to prevent lights from being directed at oncoming traffic with such brilliance that it impairs driver vision and may not interfere with or obscure traffic signs or signals. Lighting may not illuminate any adjacent properties, buildings, or streets.
- No sign shall be attached or be allowed to hang from any building until all necessary wall and roof attachments have been approved by the Zoning Administrator.

## Signs exempt from permit in Center

- Changing the display surface on a painted or printed sign only (limited to poster replacement and/or on-site changes involving sign painting elsewhere than directly on a building) does not require a permit.
- No more than 2 signs not exceeding 2 square feet each in size do not require a permit.
- One sign per property in residential districts not to exceed 9 square feet does not require a permit.
- All noncommercial signs of any size posted in any number from 46 days before the state primary in a state general election year until 10 days following the general election, and 13 weeks prior to any special election until 10 days following the special election, do not require a permit.
- Official signs do not require a permit.
- One sign per street frontage when a building is offered for sale or lease is exempt, subject to size and height restrictions per district and parcel size.
- Sandwich board signs as provided in § 207.04(G) are exempt from permitting if located entirely on private property, with exceptions for public sidewalk/boulevard placement which require a permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A permit is required for all signs unless specifically exempted. Permit application must include a site plan to scale showing the location of lot lines, buildings, structures, parking areas, existing and proposed signs, and any other physical features.
- For multiple occupancy commercial and industrial buildings, a comprehensive sign plan must be submitted and approved before a permit for a new or replacement sign for an individual tenant is issued.
- For subdivisions, detailed site and landscape plans, and detailed construction plans and a materials list, must be included with each sign permit application for permanent entry signs. For temporary signage associated with new subdivisions, a comprehensive signage plan must be approved prior to display.
- Issuance of a sign permit is required for sandwich board signs located upon the sidewalk or boulevard portion of a public right-of-way within the B-1 Downtown Business District.

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

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