# Sign Regulations in North Mankato, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** North Mankato, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/north-mankato
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-20

## At a glance

North Mankato, Minnesota regulates 35 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Pylon Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 30 ft.; may be increased if highway is >5 ft above average grade tall and Per district maximum, with a Per zoning district setback (Sec. §154.06(B)(2)). Most commercial signs in North Mankato require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (8 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 9 | 30 ft.; may be increased if highway is >5 ft above average grade | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| R-A Residential Zoning District, R-1 Residential Zoning District, R-1S Residential Zoning District, R-2 Residential Zoning District, R-3 Residential Zoning District, R-4 Residential Zoning District | 4 | — | 50 sq. ft. | — |
| B-1, Neighborhood Business District | 11 | — | 60 sq. ft. | — |
| B-2, Community Business District | 6 | 30 ft. | 125 sq. ft. | — |
| B-3, General Commercial District | 10 | 30 ft. | 260 sq. ft. | — |
| Central Business District | 8 | 30 ft. | 125 sq. ft. | — |
| OR-1, Office/Residential District | 3 | — | 80 sq. ft. | — |
| I-1 Industrial District, M-1 Industrial District, M-2 Industrial District | 9 | 30 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 8 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | Subject to setback regulations. No temporary sign is permitted in public right-of-way. | 1 per business | No sign in the public right-of-way; ground sign subject to setback regulations | — | §154.04(K), §154.06(A)(3), (D) |
| Menu Board | — | 36 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per restaurant | Drive-up restaurant only | — | §154.06(C) |
| Pylon Sign | 30 ft.; may be increased if highway is >5 ft above average grade | Per district maximum | — | Per zoning district | See district | — | — | §154.06(B)(2) |
| Ground Sign | 8 ft in required setback area | Per district maximum | — | Per zoning district | See district | — | — | §154.06(B)(3) |
| Monument Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. | — | Per zoning district | See district | — | — | §154.06(E) |
| Identification Sign | 6 ft in required setback area | 32 sq. ft. | — | Per district | See district | — | — | §154.06(F) |
| Joint Identification Sign | — | — | — | Per district | 1 per complex | On property of complex, along public street frontage, not in right-of-way | — | §154.06(G) |
| Canopy Sign | — | Area is calculated as smallest circumscribed rectangle(s) around message/figure/symbol | — | — | 1 per business per canopy | Building canopy; may extend into right-of-way up to 2 ft from curb or to curb side of sidewalk | — | §154.06(H) |

### B-1, Neighborhood Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ground Sign (Single Occupant) | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per building | — | — | §154.10(B), (C), (D) |
| Ground Sign (Multi-Occupant) | — | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per building | — | — | §154.10(C), (D) |
| Menu Board | — | 36 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per restaurant | Drive-up restaurant only | — | §154.10(A); §154.06(C) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 24 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per business (per permit rules) | — | — | §154.10(A), (B); §154.06(D) |
| Monument Sign | — | 50 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | See site plan | — | — | §154.10(A), (B); §154.06(E) |
| Identification Sign | — | 32 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | See site plan | — | — | §154.10(A), (B); §154.06(F) |
| General Business Sign | — | 40 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | See site plan | — | — | §154.10(A), (B), (C) |
| Canopy Sign | — | Per calculation (see General Regulations) | — | — | 1 per business per canopy | Attached to canopy; see General Regulations for projection/clearance | — | §154.10(A); §154.06(H) |

### B-3, General Commercial District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Building Sign (Single Occupant) | — | 150 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per business | — | — | §154.12(C), (D) |
| Ground Sign (Single Occupant) | — | 150 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per lot (see Option 2 for exception) | — | — | §154.12(C), (D) |
| Pylon Sign (Single Occupant) | 30 ft. | 150 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. | 1 per lot (option for 2 if conditions met) | — | — | §154.12(C), (D), §154.06(B)(2) |
| Ground Sign - Option 2 | — | 150 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 ground sign and 1 pylon sign allowed | One must be adjacent to U.S. Trunk Highway | — | §154.12(D)(1)(c) |
| Ground Sign (Multi-Occupant under 20,000 sq ft) | — | 110 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per lot, except as noted in Option 2 | — | — | §154.12(C)-(D) |
| Pylon Sign (Multi-Occupant under 20,000 sq ft) | 30 ft. | 110 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. | 1 per lot, or 2 if Option 2 applies | — | — | §154.12(D), §154.06(B)(2) |
| Ground Sign (Multi-Occupant over 20,000 sq ft) | — | 260 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 per lot, or 2 if Option 2 applies | — | — | §154.12(C)-(D) |
| Pylon Sign (Multi-Occupant over 20,000 sq ft) | 30 ft. | 260 sq. ft. | — | 5 ft. | 1 per lot, or 2 if Option 2 applies | — | — | §154.12(C)-(D), §154.06(B)(2) |

## Prohibited signs in North Mankato

- No sign shall be erected or maintained so as to prevent or deter ingress or egress from any door, window, or fire escape.
- Signs shall not be attached to stand pipes, fire escapes, or fences.
- No sign shall be erected, installed, constructed, or painted in the city except in compliance with this chapter.
- No sign shall be hazardous or unsafe, block the efficient movement of traffic, or use words which might be construed as traffic controls such as stop, caution, or warning.
- No sign nor guys shall interfere with utility equipment.
- All signs shall be maintained in good condition, and areas around them kept free from debris, tall bushes, and high weeds.
- Exposed backs of all signs and the sign structure must be painted a neutral color and otherwise maintained so as not to have an adverse effect on the adjacent property.
- Except as otherwise provided, no projecting signs shall extend more than 18 inches from the face of a building over a public right-of-way.
- Except as permitted in the Central Business District, no sign shall be placed in the public right-of-way, attached to rocks, trees, utility poles, or fences.
- Signs located over public right-of-way or accesses shall be a minimum of 8 feet above grade level.
- Roof signs are prohibited.
- All off-premises advertising signs including billboards are prohibited.
- Fence signs are prohibited.
- Flashing signs are prohibited.
- Signs which interfere with traffic signs, signals or devices are prohibited.
- Marquee signs are prohibited.
- Painting directly on exterior walls is prohibited, except for public art murals approved by the city.
- Paper, cardboard, or similar signs, notices, or flyers pasted, tacked, or attached to exterior walls, utility poles, or traffic signs are prohibited.
- Permanent or temporary signs overhanging the public right-of-way or boundary of adjacent property are prohibited, except traffic signs erected by the city, county, or state.
- Revolving beacons and sequential flashers are prohibited.
- Revolving signs are prohibited.
- Where a business is located over more than one parcel or lot, it shall not be entitled to additional signs nor a multiplicity of square footage of signage by virtue thereof.
- Lighted signs in residential zoning districts are prohibited, except for churches or schools.
- Signs or advertising painted or attached to vehicles parked on a property not intended to be moved for a period of 48 hours or more are prohibited.
- Dynamic display signs over 125 square feet are prohibited.
- Dynamic display off-premises signs are prohibited.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Mankato

- Construction/development signs: One temporary construction sign per property during construction, one temporary development sign per platted subdivision, subject to size and location restrictions.
- City, county, state, or federal signs.
- Garage sale signs (max 3 days per sale, no more than 3 sales/year, not to exceed 2 sq ft, not allowed in right-of-way, on trees, poles, or signs).
- Home occupation signs, limited to 2 sq ft.
- Identification signs not exceeding 6 sq ft (including rear entrance identification signs).
- Informational/directional signs (up to 5 on-site per site for directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic, meeting size restrictions by zoning district).
- Real estate signs: One temporary sign per property advertising for sale or rent (up to 6 sq ft in residential, 20 sq ft in industrial/commercial), to be removed promptly after sale/rental.
- Political campaign signs (4.5 sq ft in residential, 18 sq ft in commercial/industrial, subject to time and placement restrictions).
- Promotional signs for civic events.
- Trespass or restrictive signs, not exceeding 2 sq ft.
- The above exempt signs must still conform to the accompanying standards in § 154.16.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A site plan is required as part of the sign permit application, describing the location of the property, existing buildings, and location of all proposed signs including setbacks.
- Scaled drawings, dimensions, and square footage calculations are required for permit application.
- For variances, all information required for a sign permit, including a site plan, is required before the variance request is considered.
- There is no explicit mention of a 'Master Sign Plan' or formal 'Sign Plan' requirement in the ordinance text provided, but detailed site plans and scaled drawings are required for each permit.

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

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