# Sign Regulations in Nisswa, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Nisswa, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/nisswa
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MN/Nisswa/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH20LAUSDE_ARTVISI)

## At a glance

Nisswa, Minnesota regulates 18 sign types across 6 zoning districts. Internal Directional Signs in the Central Business District (CB) zoning district are capped at 6 feet tall and 4 square feet (Sec. Table 20-509.2). Most commercial signs in Nisswa 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 | 3 | — | 50 square feet or 50% of total sign area, whichever is less | — |
| Residential District (OSR, SR, LR, UR) | 6 | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — |
| Central Business District (CB) | 10 | 12 feet | 100 square feet (maximum, per street frontage), cumulatively no more than 5% of building face (one side) | — |
| Highway Business District (HB) | 9 | 20 feet | 128 square feet (max), or 1 sq ft per linear foot of road frontage (whichever is less) | — |
| Commercial Waterfront District (CW) | 9 | 20 feet | 128 square feet (max), or 1 sq ft per linear foot of road frontage (whichever is less) | — |
| Public and Recreation District | 1 | — | — | — |

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

### Central Business District (CB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Area Identification Sign | By IUP | By IUP | — | — | — | By IUP | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Internal Directional Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 2 per site | 2 per site | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Internal Identification Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 2 per site | 2 per site | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Wall Sign | Height of building | 100 square feet (maximum, per street frontage), cumulatively no more than 5% of building face (one side) | — | — | 2 per street frontage | 2 per street frontage; allowable wall signage from street fronting wall may be transferred to wall fronting parking/pedestrian entry provided limits are observed. | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Wall Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | Height of building | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Protruding Sign | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Protruding Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.2 |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 feet | 32 square feet | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.2 |

### Highway Business District (HB)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Internal Directional Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 3 per site | 3 per site | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Internal Identification Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 3 per site | 3 per site | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Wall Sign | Height of building | 100 square feet (maximum, per street frontage), cumulatively no more than 5% of building face (one side) | — | — | 2 per street frontage | 2 per street frontage; allowable wall signage from street fronting wall may be transferred to wall fronting parking/pedestrian entry provided limits are observed. | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Wall Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | Height of building | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Roof-mounted Sign | By IUP | By IUP | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Protruding Sign | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Protruding Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.3 |
| Freestanding Sign | 20 feet | 128 square feet (max), or 1 sq ft per linear foot of road frontage (whichever is less) | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.3 |

### Commercial Waterfront District (CW)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business Identification Sign | 10 feet | 32 square feet (non-illuminated) or 16 square feet (illuminated) | — | — | 1 per site | 1 per site | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Business Entrance Sign | 15 feet | 100 square feet | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Internal Identification Sign | 6 feet | 4 square feet | — | — | 3 per site | 3 per site | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Wall Sign | Height of building | 100 square feet (maximum, per street frontage), cumulatively no more than 5% of building face (one side) | — | — | 2 per street frontage | 2 per street frontage; allowable wall signage from street fronting wall may be transferred to wall fronting parking/pedestrian entry provided limits are observed. | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Wall Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | Height of building | 16 square feet | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Roof-mounted Sign | By IUP | By IUP | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Protruding Sign | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.4 |
| Protruding Sign (Along Paul Bunyan Trail) | 6 feet above roofline | 24 square feet, may project up to 5 feet from building face | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Table 20-509.4 |

## Prohibited signs in Nisswa

- Signs not authorized by a local unit of government.
- Signs located within the city right-of-way.
- Flashing or rotating signs resembling emergency vehicles.
- A sign that obstructs any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide air or access to any building or structure.
- Illuminated blinking and flashing signs or devices giving off an intermittent or rotating beam consisting of a collection or concentration of rays of light.
- A sign on private property placed without the permission of the property owner.
- Freestanding signs supported by guy wires, braces or other means of non-base support.
- Signs on parked vehicles or trailers which are parked on a public right-of-way, private property, or public property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way for longer than 72 consecutive hours on the same property (except signs incidental to the primary use of the vehicle or those displayed while in operation on public roadways).
- Obsolete signs.
- A sign that is declared to be illegal, unsafe, deteriorated, or abandoned.
- Large portable signs.
- New off-site advertising signs.
- Temporary signs that interfere with pedestrian traffic or sight lines for vehicular traffic.
- Temporary signs that are specifically illuminated.
- Temporary signs that use fluorescent colors.
- Inflatables, air puppets, large portable signs, pennants, streamers, and any other forms of temporary signage in commercial districts.

## Signs exempt from permit in Nisswa

- All noncommercial signs of any size may be posted in any number beginning 46 days before the state primary in a state general election year until ten days following the state general election, and 13 weeks prior to any special election until ten days following the special election.
- Signs that are the same dimensions, in the same location, and use the same type of materials as a previously, legally existing sign (owner must contact city planner to verify a permit is not required; if the previously permitted sign has been removed for over a year, a new permit is required).
- Signs in the public and recreation district may be placed by the city (only signs placed by the city are exempt).
- Signs placed by the city, county or state to relate the laws or ordinances.
- For sale or rent signs in commercial districts: one additional sign per street frontage, provided size limits are met and the sign is removed within 30 days of sale or rental; no permit required.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All permanent freestanding signs must have a landscaping plan submitted with the application to be approved by the city planner.
- The location of all signs must be documented as part of the sign permit application (with photographs, sketches, or a clear, correct written description).
- The city planner may require planning and zoning commission review of any sign permit; the commission may restrict or revise design standards.
- Dynamic display signs require a conditional use permit (CUP) and planning and zoning commission approval of the sign's architectural design as part of the CUP process.
- Except for exempted and government-installed signs, all other signs require a permit issued by the city planner unless otherwise stated in the ordinance.

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

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