# Sign Regulations in Duluth, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Duluth, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/duluth
- **Data last verified:** 2025-10-30
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://duluthmn.gov/media/vwumkobq/50-27-signs.pdf)

## At a glance

Duluth, Minnesota regulates 34 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Flags – Commercials in the Mixed-Use Districts (MU-N, MU-C, MU-I, MU-B, MU-W, MU-P) zoning district are capped at Flagpole limited to maximum height of zoning district tall and 16 sf, with a 5’ from any lot line setback (Sec. Table 50-27-1). Most commercial signs in Duluth require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (6 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 6’ | 64 sf | — |
| Residential Districts (R-C, RR-1, RR-2, R-1, R-2, R-P) | 12 | 25' | 300 sf | — |
| Mixed-Use Districts (MU-N, MU-C, MU-I, MU-B, MU-W, MU-P) | 19 | 25' | 700 sf | — |
| Form-Based Districts (F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6, F-7, F-8, F-9) | 17 | 25' | 300 sf | — |
| Industrial Districts (I-G, I-W) | 16 | 25' | 700 sf | — |
| Public Districts (P-1) | 20 | 25' | 300 sf | — |

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

### Mixed-Use Districts (MU-N, MU-C, MU-I, MU-B, MU-W, MU-P)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign | 4' | 6 sf per side | — | — | 1 per business | On property within 10' of primary entrance or on ROW in front | — | 50-27.7 B |
| Banner - Exhibition | — | 200 sf | — | — | 6 per use | Wall | — | 50-27.7 D |
| Billboard | 25' | 700 sf | — | Comply state/county if adjacent highway | — | Freestanding pole or wall (with exception) | — | 50-27.7 E |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | MU-N:17'; MU-C/MU-I/MU-B/MU-P:25'; MU-W:20' | — | — | Pole 3' lot line, sign to line | 1 per street frontage (+1/200', max 3) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | MU-N/MU-W:6'; others 8' | — | — | 3' lot line | 1 per street frontage (+1/200', max 3) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Flags – Commercial | Flagpole limited to maximum height of zoning district | 16 sf | — | 5’ from any lot line | 1 per lot | Freestanding | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Attention-Getting Device | 6’ | 10 sf | — | 10’ from any lot line | 1 per lot | Freestanding | — | Table 50-27-3 |
| Real Estate Sign | 5’ | 12 sf | — | 10’ from any lot line | 1 per street frontage | Freestanding or wall | — | Table 50-27-3 |

### Form-Based Districts (F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6, F-7, F-8, F-9)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign | 4' | 6 sf per side | — | — | 1 per business | On property or ROW front | — | 50-27.7 B |
| Banner - Exhibition | — | 200 sf | — | — | 6 per use | Wall | — | 50-27.7 D |
| Electronic Message Sign | — | 60% integrated | — | — | 1 per lot | Integrated | — | 50-27.7 G |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 17' (F-1 to F-7), 15' (F-8), 25' (F-9) | — | — | Pole 3', sign to line | 1 per frontage (+1/200', max 3) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 6' (F-1 to F-8); 8' (F-9) | — | — | 3' lot line | 1 per frontage (+1/200', max 3) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Projecting Sign | — | 36 sf (F-1 to F-7); 48 sf (F-8, F-9) | — | — | 1 per frontage | Near entrance/corner | — | 50-27.7 J, Table 50-27-6 |
| Flags – Commercial | District max | 16 sf | — | 5’ lot line | 1 per lot | Freestanding | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Real Estate Sign | 5’ | 12 sf | — | 10’ lot line | 1 per frontage | Freestanding/wall | — | Table 50-27-3 |

### Public Districts (P-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 17' | 42 sf | — | 3' | 1 per (+) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 6' | 42 sf | — | 3' | 1 per (+) | Freestanding | — | 50-27.7 H, Table 50-27-5 |
| Flags – Federal, State or Local | No limit | No Limit | — | 5' | No limit | Freestanding | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Government Information Sign | No Limit | No Limit | — | No | No | Freestanding/wall | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Memorial Plaque | District max | No limit | — | 5' | 1 | Freestanding/wall | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Public Information Sign | No limit | No limit | — | No | No | Freestanding/wall | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Public Information School and Field Identification Sign | No limit | No limit | — | No | No | Nonilluminated wall | — | Table 50-27-1 |
| Community Event Sign | 6' | 10 sf | — | 10' | 1 | Freestanding/wall | — | Table 50-27-3 |

## Prohibited signs in Duluth

- No sign may be erected in a location that violates the Minnesota State Building Code, Minnesota State Fire Code or other regulations
- No sign, other than that placed by agencies of government or a sign whose placement is authorized by this Section or the city, may be erected in the public right-of-way or on public property
- Signs located on public right-of-ways or on/in public or private skywalks must comply with Chapter 44A of the City Charter
- No sign may be erected on private property without prior consent of the property owner
- No sign may be erected in violation of the view obstruction provisions of Section 50-25.2.M (Protection of site distance) with the exception of a freestanding pole sign, if permitted in the district, with a diameter no greater than one foot and where the sign face is mounted a minimum of eight feet above grade. No sign can be erected that obstructs free and clear vision of any street, intersection, parking lot ingress or egress, or driveway
- No sign may be erected in a manner that obstructs access to fire escapes, any ingress or egress, or standpipes
- No sign may be erected on the exterior of a building to cover any windows or doors
- Signs on lots adjacent to state or county highways shall conform to the respective setbacks and other standards of the state and county highway departments
- Freestanding monument signs shall not be located closer than three feet from the lot line
- The supporting pole of a freestanding pole sign shall be setback from the lot line a minimum of three feet, but the sign itself may be up to the lot line. No part of a freestanding pole sign may encroach on a public right-of-way
- Balloon and air-infused/air-inflated signs are prohibited
- Electronic display screens are prohibited
- Flashing or animated signs are prohibited
- Illegally-affixed signs are prohibited
- Moving signs, including signs moved by wind or mechanical or electrical components, are prohibited (clocks and barber poles exempt)
- Portable signs are prohibited
- Roof signs are prohibited
- Snipe signs are prohibited
- Strobe lights, moving or fixed spotlights, and floodlights are prohibited
- Temporary off-premises signs are prohibited
- Traffic hazard signs are prohibited, including those that interfere with, obstruct the view of, or may be confused with authorized traffic signs, signals or devices
- Vehicle signs placed or painted on parked vehicles for primary advertising purpose are prohibited (business vehicle signs and for-sale signs exempt)
- Audio components are prohibited on any sign, with the exception of menuboards
- Any form of pyrotechnics is prohibited
- Flashing neon lighting is prohibited
- Neon lighting cannot be combined with any reflective materials that would cause glare
- Neon lighting to outline doors and windows is prohibited
- LED accent lighting is prohibited in residential districts
- Flashing LED lighting is prohibited
- LED lighting cannot be combined with any reflective materials that would cause glare
- LED lighting to outline doors, windows, any part of a structure, and automobile and filling station gas canopies is prohibited
- Sign illumination must not cast glare or direct light upon roadways and surrounding properties, or distract motor vehicle operators or pedestrians
- The sign face of internally illuminated signs must cover all internal illumination components so that no exposed bulbs are visible
- No sign illumination may exceed one footcandle of illumination at the property line

## Signs exempt from permit in Duluth

- A noncommercial message may be substituted for a commercial message on any sign permitted by this Section
- All architectural signs on a structure announcing the original or historic name of the building, year of construction, or insignias must be maintained and are not calculated as part of any sign area or maximum number of signs permitted
- Painting, repainting, cleaning, and/or other normal maintenance and repair of a sign, not involving structural alterations or changes in the electrical components, is exempt from zoning permit
- Repairs to existing permitted illumination components are exempt from sign permit requirements
- Changing of the message of an existing changeable message sign or electronic message sign is exempt from zoning permit
- Changing the sign face within an existing legal sign structure, provided no alterations are made to the sign structure and the sign area, sign height or any other dimension, is exempt from zoning permit
- Uplighting of official federal, state, county or city flags is permitted for exempt signs
- Lighting of official federal, state, county or city government signs as needed by the government body is permitted for exempt signs
- Signs listed in Table 50-27-1 (Exempt Permanent Sign Regulations), such as agricultural identification signs, bed and breakfast signs, building directory signs, day care facility signs, flags, government information signs, home occupation signs, memorial plaques, nameplates, parking lot directional signs, parking lot information signs, property identification signs, public information signs, school and field identification signs, permanent window signs, and time and temperature signs, are exempt from zoning permit requirements but must comply with regulations
- Signs listed in Table 50-27-3 (Exempt Temporary Sign Regulations), such as attention-getting devices, banners, community event signs, construction signs, non-commercial message signs, real estate signs, and temporary window signs, are exempt from zoning permit requirements but must comply with display periods in Table 50-27-2 and other regulations

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A master sign plan is required for any new commercial multi-tenant building or development that includes non-residential uses, including mixed-use development, for review and approval by the planning commission
- The master sign plan must provide a coordinated design for all building-mounted signs including criteria and specifications for sign locations, general range of sign area, and lighting; all freestanding signs must be shown including size, location and lighting
- Once approved, signs erected within the multi-tenant development must follow the master sign plan; the review process does not allow variations to the requirements of this Section
- A campus sign plan may be approved for university, college, or hospital campuses a minimum of two acres in size; a comprehensive sign plan must describe sign standards including exceptions to this Section
- The planning commission reviews the campus sign plan application with public hearing and may adopt, adopt with modifications, or deny; it may be more permissive than standards and incorporated into MU-I District review
- A master mass transit shelter sign plan is required for any signage, other than route information, to be placed in or on any mass transit shelter located in a public right-of-way
- The master mass transit shelter sign plan must provide coordinated design for all signage at transit shelters including sign locations, size, single or double sided, lighting, and maintenance plan; reviewed by planning commission with public hearing
- Signage on a mass transit shelter must not exceed one-third of the vertical surface and must not impede the sight triangle; applies only to shelters approved by concurrent use permit
- Billboards in MU-B and I-G districts require use of an exception credit (Section 50-38.7); electronic billboards require exception credits or removal of nonconforming billboards equal to three times the square footage
- Freestanding signs over seven feet in height must submit construction plans prepared by a design professional licensed in Minnesota that comply with the Minnesota State Building Code
- Projecting signs erected on properties within the Entertainment District and Historical Canal Park are subject to additional requirements as provided in 50-27.8

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

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