# Sign Regulations in North Saint Paul, Minnesota

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

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

## At a glance

North Saint Paul, Minnesota regulates 20 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Freestanding Sign (includes Monument, Pylon, Post and Arm)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at Post and arm: 5 ft; Monument: 8 ft; Pylon: 25 ft tall and See aggregate max by use and zone in §157.005(C); single face cannot exceed street frontage in feet, with a Minimum 10 ft from property line; 5 ft from any parking area or driveway setback (Sec. §157.006(D)). Most commercial signs in North Saint Paul require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| R-1 | 1 | — | 32 SF (aggregate for single-family or two-family use); 60 SF (aggregate for nonresidential use) | — |
| R-2 | 2 | — | 32 SF (aggregate for single-family, two-family, or multifamily use); 60 SF (aggregate for nonresidential use) | — |
| R-3 | 2 | — | 60 SF (aggregate for multifamily or nonresidential use) | — |
| MU-1, MU-2, MU-3 | 3 | — | 250 SF (MU-1, MU-2), 300 SF (MU-3) | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 17 | Flagpole max 25 ft | See aggregate max by use and zone in §157.005(C); single face cannot exceed street frontage in feet | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### R-2

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonpermanent Sign | — | 32 SF (aggregate for single-family, two-family, or multifamily use); 60 SF (aggregate for nonresidential use) | — | Generally, not in right-of-way; specific types have unique setbacks (see General Regulations) | No more than 4 nonpermanent signs per site at one time | Not permitted in right-of-way; if attached to building, must be flat and not project above roof line | — | §157.005(C), §157.008(B)-(C) |
| Permanent Sign (Multifamily Use) | — | 32 SF (aggregate for multifamily use); 60 SF (aggregate for nonresidential use) | — | — | — | Permitted for multifamily and nonresidential uses only | — | §157.005(C) |

### MU-1, MU-2, MU-3

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonpermanent Sign | — | 32 SF (aggregate for single-family or two-family use); 60 SF (aggregate for multifamily use); 250 SF (MU-1, MU-2 nonresidential), 300 SF (MU-3 nonresidential) | — | Generally, not in right-of-way; specific types have unique setbacks (see General Regulations) | No more than 4 nonpermanent signs per site at one time | Not permitted in right-of-way; if attached to building, must be flat and not project above roof line | — | §157.005(C), §157.008(B)-(C) |
| Permanent Sign (Multifamily Use) | — | 60 SF (aggregate for multifamily use) | — | — | — | Permitted for multifamily uses | — | §157.005(C) |
| Permanent Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 250 SF (MU-1, MU-2), 300 SF (MU-3) | — | — | — | Permitted for nonresidential uses | — | §157.005(C) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | — | Up to 75% of awning area/width | — | — | 1 per side | Attached to building; per side of structure | — | §157.006(A) |
| Canopy Sign | — | Up to 75% of canopy area/width | — | — | 1 per side | Front, above, or suspended below canopy | — | §157.006(B) |
| Electronic Message Center (EMC) | 8 ft for freestanding EMCs | Per aggregate maximum sign area by zone & use | — | — | 1 per street frontage, up to 2 per site | Permitted for nonresidential use in permitted zones | — | §157.006(C) |
| Freestanding Sign (includes Monument, Pylon, Post and Arm) | Post and arm: 5 ft; Monument: 8 ft; Pylon: 25 ft | See aggregate max by use and zone in §157.005(C); single face cannot exceed street frontage in feet | — | Minimum 10 ft from property line; 5 ft from any parking area or driveway | 1 per street frontage | Noted in relation to street frontage; see setback field | — | §157.006(D) |
| Internal Wayfinding | 8 ft | — | — | — | As needed for circulation | Within property, for site circulation | — | §157.006(E) |
| Projecting Sign | — | 30 SF per sign face | — | — | 1 per qualifying façade | Per façade visible from street, alley, or parking lot | — | §157.006(G) |
| A-frame (Sandwich Board) Sign (Nonpermanent) | 4 ft | 10 SF per side | — | — | 1 per business | Sidewalk in front of business, not overnight | — | §157.008(C)(1) |
| Flag Sign (Nonpermanent) | Flagpole max 25 ft | 32 SF (aggregate of all flags) | — | At least 10 ft from curb or street | — | Set back at least 10 ft from curb or street | — | §157.008(C)(5) |

## Prohibited signs in North Saint Paul

- Billboards are prohibited.
- Flashing lights are prohibited.
- Inflatable (air activated) signs are prohibited.
- Off-premises signs are prohibited.
- Rotating signs are prohibited.
- Signs that produce sound or include a noisemaking device or instrument for any purpose other than regulatory are prohibited.
- Signs on or attached to mobile equipment where the sign is a principal use of the equipment on either a nonpermanent or permanent basis are prohibited.
- Signs which are of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device, or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal or which obstruct the view in any direction at a street or road intersection are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view or by interfering with official street signs or signals.
- No sign may be located within a vision triangle as depicted in Chapter 154, Appendix B, Figure 22.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall not interfere with any surface and underground utility or communications lines or equipment.
- No sign shall be mounted on chimneys, rooftop equipment, towers, cooling towers, elevator penthouses, commercial antennas, communication towers, belfries, church spires and cupolas.
- No sign shall be pasted or attached to utility poles, trees, fences, or other signs.
- No sign shall be pasted or attached to city property or equipment without permission from the governing body and shall be subject to all related laws and ordinances.
- No nonpermanent sign may be placed in the right-of-way, except bus bench and shelter signs with a franchise.
- Signs which become structurally unsafe, or endanger a building or premises, or endanger public safety, are prohibited and must be repaired or removed.

## Signs exempt from permit in North Saint Paul

- Building addresses are not regulated by this chapter.
- Historic plaques are not regulated by this chapter.
- Governmental signs for control of traffic and other regulatory or notification purposes as governed under Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and Minnesota MUTCD are not regulated.
- Murals are not regulated by this chapter.
- Notices required to be posted by law, including but not limited to warning signs, dangerous dog, hazardous building, building permit, etc., are not regulated.
- Seasonal decorations, including inflatable seasonal decorations, are not regulated by this chapter.
- Sculptures are not regulated by this chapter.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- All sign permit applications must include a site plan and/or building elevations showing the position, height, and dimensions of the sign(s) in relation to all nearby existing or proposed buildings, structures, and property lines.
- A sign permit is required for all permanent sign structures in all districts.
- A sign permit application must be accompanied by written consent of the property owner of the building or site upon which a sign is to be erected, constructed, or maintained.
- Zoning Administrator may require additional information with the application to ensure compliance.
- Any sign type not identified in the ordinance may be considered by the Planning Commission at a regular meeting, with its recommendation forwarded to the City Council for review and action.
- For a proposed sign that does not comply with the ordinance standards (variance), the procedure for reviewing a variance shall follow that process outlined for zoning variances in § 154.004(E).

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

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