# Sign Regulations in Mankato, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Mankato, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/mankato
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MN/Mankato/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH6STSIGE_S6.08FISIOBPURI-W)

## At a glance

Mankato, Minnesota regulates 15 sign types across 12 zoning districts. Monument Signs in the CBD-C, Central Business District-Core, CBD-F, Central Business District-Fringe zoning district are capped at Min 10 ft, Max 15 ft (or 10% of front lineal frontage of lot) tall and Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft), with a 5 ft from property line setback (Sec. Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.G). Most commercial signs in Mankato require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (12 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| T, Transition District, R-1 Dwelling District, R-2 Dwelling District, R-3 Dwelling District, R-4 Dwelling District, R-T, Residential Transition District | 2 | 8 ft for monument sign | 32 sq ft | — |
| OR, Office-Residential District | 2 | 8 ft for monument sign | 32 sq ft | — |
| Institutional Overlay District | 1 | 8 ft for monument sign | 32 sq ft | — |
| O, Office District | 2 | 8 ft | — | — |
| CBD-C, Central Business District-Core, CBD-F, Central Business District-Fringe | 3 | Min 10 ft, Max 15 ft (or 10% of front lineal frontage of lot) | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — |
| B-1, Community Business District | 2 | Min 10 ft, Max 15 ft | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — |
| B-2, General Business District | 2 | Max 15 ft (or 20 ft if abutting an elevated 4-lane highway) | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — |
| B-3, Highway Business District | 3 | Max 30 ft (or up to 15 ft above elevated 4 lane highway by CUP) | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — |
| PI, Planned Industrial District, M-1, Light Industrial District, M-2, Heavy Industrial District | 2 | Max 15 ft | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — |
| Skyline Logo District | 1 | — | 25% of average wall area (as stated above) | — |
| Downtown Design Review District | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 12 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | Minimum 5 feet from property lines, outside required sight triangle. | One per business per time period | Only permitted in B-1, B-2, B-3, M-1, M-2. Must be located on property to which advertising pertains. Must be at least 5 feet from property lines and outside the sight triangle. | — | Sec. 10.87, Subd. 6.F. |
| Political Sign | — | 8 sq ft (most elections); up to 300 sq ft for certain larger parcels per table | — | Minimum 5 feet from property lines, outside required sight triangle. | Not specified | Located on private property and at least 5 feet from all property lines; not in sight triangle. | — | Sec. 10.87, Subd. 4.A.5. |
| Home Occupation Sign | — | 1 sq ft | — | — | One per dwelling | Attached to wall of dwelling | — | Sec. 10.87, Subd. 4.A.9. |

### CBD-C, Central Business District-Core, CBD-F, Central Business District-Fringe

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | Min 10 ft, Max 15 ft (or 10% of front lineal frontage of lot) | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot; 2 if through lot | Each frontage for through lot may have one | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.G |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | According to exterior entrances | Any wall; facing residential must be non-illuminated | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.G.2 |
| Projecting Sign/Awning/Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projecting from wall or above entrance/canopy | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.G.2.d |

### B-3, Highway Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monument Sign | Max 20 ft | Front lineal frontage of zoning lot (sq ft) | — | 5 ft from property line | 1 per lot, except through lots | On property, min. 5 ft from property line | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.J |
| Ground/Pylon Sign | Max 30 ft (or up to 15 ft above elevated 4 lane highway by CUP) | — | — | 5 ft from property line | Up to 4 for multi-frontage lots | Not more than two per property; on each frontage >500 ft for multi-frontage. | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.J.2-3 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Any wall; facing residential—non-illuminated only | — | Sec. 10.87 Subd. 10.J.3 |

## Prohibited signs in Mankato

- No sign shall be erected, re-erected, or altered unless a permit has been obtained, unless no permit is required pursuant to Subdivision 4.
- Signs that resemble any official marker erected by a government agency by reason of position, shape or color, which would interfere with the proper function of a traffic sign, signal or be misleading to vehicular traffic are prohibited.
- Signs within a public right-of-way or easement, except for signs installed by governmental entities, are prohibited.
- Signs attached to rocks, trees, fences, or utility poles are prohibited. (Exception: Signs on fences denoting safety hazards will be allowed.)
- Signs with rotating beam or flashing illumination are prohibited.
- Signs advertising by letters, words or figures painted upon any sidewalk within the City are prohibited.
- Advertising signs painted on any exterior building surface are prohibited.
- Rotating signs are prohibited.
- Signs painted or attached to vehicles where the vehicle is parked on a property and not intended to be moved for a period of 48 hours or more are prohibited. At all times, vehicles containing advertising and/or signage shall not be parked along the property frontage.
- Roof signs are prohibited, except for approved skyline logos in the Skyline Logo District.
- Temporary signs which advertise a business, product, or service which is not produced or conducted on the zoning lot upon which the sign is located are prohibited.
- Signs which project over the public right-of-way except in the CBD-F and CBC-C districts are prohibited.
- Use of vehicles and/or trailers designed for and/or utilized exclusively for the purpose of mobile advertising upon public streets or other right-of-way is prohibited.
- All signs shall be constructed and maintained in a manner to be safe to the general public.
- On-premise signs shall be removed from a zoning lot by the owner within 30 days after termination of the use for which the sign was used.
- No sign shall be erected as to obstruct access/egress to or from fire escapes, windows, doors or exits and fire lanes.
- No pylon sign or ground sign shall be erected in such a manner that projects or will project over any building.
- No sign shall be erected to obstruct access or egress to or from fire escapes, windows, doors or exits, and fire lanes.
- No sign shall be erected as to interfere with the free use of any street, sidewalk, or other public property.
- No sign or sign support structure may encroach into the required sight triangle as defined by Section 12.71.
- Illuminated signs that do not have a constant light level (i.e., flashing) are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in Mankato

- The following signs need no permit, but shall conform with the standards of this section: Address signs for one-or two-family dwellings identifying the occupant or street address, provided that such signs are less than one square foot in area.
- Pedestrian, vehicular-traffic, and parking directional signs in parking lots, provided such signs are no more than eight square feet in area and six feet in height. For a zoning lot, a maximum of one such sign shall be permitted at each access/egress point of a development.
- Public signs, street signs, warning signs, railroad crossing signs, or signs of public service companies for the purpose of promoting safety.
- Signs denoting the architect, engineer, or contractor working upon a work site and real estate signs pertaining to the sale, development or rental of the property. (Size and timing limitations apply.)
- Any political sign pertinent to Minnesota Statute 211B.045. Such signs shall be located on private property and at least five feet from all property lines and shall not be located in the sight triangle. (Additional restrictions for non-general elections apply.)
- Signs or posters attached or painted on the inside of a display window including illuminated signs, but not flashing signs. (Limitations: not to exceed 50% of window area or 32 square feet; prohibited in residential districts.)
- Emergency signs as required by any governmental agency.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings and date of erection when cut into or attached to any masonry surface or noncombustible material.
- Home occupation signs, non-illuminated, attached to the wall of a dwelling, and not exceeding one square foot in area.
- Signs denoting employment opportunities within said property (not to exceed 32 square feet).
- Bench signs at designated mass transit loading and unloading areas (total area not to exceed 32 square feet).
- Signs denoting the location of an office, delivery or service area within a business, provided such signs are not greater than eight square feet.
- Signs displaying a noncommercial message for a local festival or an activity sponsored by a non-profit group, displayed no more than two weeks per calendar year.
- Temporary garage and estate sale signs (one sign not exceeding eight square feet, subject to location, frequency, and duration limits).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Application for a sign permit must include a sign plan: type of sign materials, scaled site plan showing size, number, and location of signs on site and buildings, lighting plan if illuminated, and structural footing detail if pylon or ground/pylon sign is proposed.
- A sign plan is required to be submitted with each new sign erected in the City, unless no permit is required under the exemptions.
- In the Downtown Design Review District, a sign plan shall be submitted denoting the location, size, number, and color of proposed signs.
- Conditional Use Application is required for Skyline Logo signs, and the application must include detailed sign information and, if applicable, approval from the Heritage Preservation Commission.
- Site plan review (10.90) may include consideration of the location, size, and orientation of signage to ensure safety and minimize pedestrian/vehicular hazards; sign locations may be shown on the required site plan for principal or accessory uses.
- No Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued without approval of a landscape plan, which includes ground signs as a required element to display location and dimensions.

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

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