# Sign Regulations in St. Charles, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** St. Charles, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/st-charles
- **Data last verified:** 2025-03-12
- **Source:** [amlegal municipal code](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/stcharlesmn/latest/stcharles_mn/0-0-0-4331)

## At a glance

St. Charles, Minnesota regulates 11 sign types across 13 zoning districts. Identification Signs in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 24 square feet (Sec. § 152.41(K)(2)(d)). Most commercial signs in St. Charles require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (13 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| Agriculture-Conservation (A-1) | 2 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| One and Two-family Residence (R-1) | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| Modular and Mobile Home (R-1M) | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| High Density Residence (R-1-0) | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| Multiple Family Residence (R-2) | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| Mixed Used Residence (R-3) | 5 | — | 24 square feet | — |
| Central Business (C-1) | 2 | 6 feet above building height or 32 feet above average grade | — | — |
| Service-Commercial (C-2) | 2 | 6 feet above building height or 32 feet above average grade | — | — |
| Regional Commercial/Industrial (C-3) | 4 | 75 feet for one sign, 25 feet for second sign | — | — |
| Light Industrial (I-1) | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Industry (I-2) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Unit Development (PUD) | 1 | — | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 13 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | R-1, R-1M, R-2, R-3 Districts | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(a) |
| For Sale/Lease Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1, R-1M, R-2, R-3 Districts | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(b) |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1, R-1M, R-2, R-3 Districts | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(c) |
| Identification Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | One per institution | R-1, R-1M, R-2, R-3 Districts | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(d) |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per thoroughfare approach | R-1, R-1M, R-2, R-3 Districts | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(e) |

### One and Two-family Residence (R-1)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | R-1 District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(a) |
| For Sale/Lease Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1 District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(b) |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1 District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(c) |
| Identification Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | One per institution | R-1 District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(d) |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per thoroughfare approach | R-1 District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(e) |

### Modular and Mobile Home (R-1M)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nameplate Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | — | R-1M District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(a) |
| For Sale/Lease Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1M District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(b) |
| Temporary Construction Sign | — | 4 square feet | — | — | — | R-1M District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(c) |
| Identification Sign | — | 24 square feet | — | — | One per institution | R-1M District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(d) |
| Directional Sign | — | 2 square feet | — | — | One per thoroughfare approach | R-1M District | — | § 152.41(K)(2)(e) |

## Prohibited signs in St. Charles

- Flashing or rotating signs resembling emergency vehicles shall not be permitted.
- Signs resembling an official marker erected by a governmental agency or displaying the words 'stop' or 'danger' shall not be permitted.
- Signs shall not be permitted to obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light, air or access to any building or structure.
- Advertising signs shall be prohibited in I-1 and I-2 Districts.
- No advertising signs shall be permitted within 100 feet of an adjacent residential district.

## Signs exempt from permit in St. Charles

- Essential services shall be permitted in any district as authorized and regulated by law.
- Public street identification signs, traffic signs and directional signs in any parking area where the signs are necessary for the orderly movement of traffic.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Advertising signs, which are those that direct attention to a business not on the premises, shall be prohibited, except for those included in a sign master plan for the C-3 District, as approved by the City Council.
- Specific standards shall be developed and approved for the sign master plan, and signs erected per the sign master plan shall be in addition to the sign limits set for each lot in the C-3 District sign regulations.

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

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