# Sign Regulations in Thief River Falls, Minnesota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Thief River Falls, Minnesota (MN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/minnesota/thief-river-falls
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-09
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/MN/Thief_River_Falls/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=CH152ZOCO_SI)

## At a glance

Thief River Falls, Minnesota regulates 24 sign types across 8 zoning districts. Identification Signs in the Flood Plain District (FP), Agriculture District (AG), Park and Recreation District (PR) zoning district are capped at 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line. Special case: Freestanding identification signs displaying the name of the city: up to 20 ft high and 200 sq ft area in AG, 26 ft and 100 sq ft in PR. tall and 30 sq ft, with a Minimum 10 ft from lot line or HWY ROW line in PR/city name cases. setback (Sec. Sec. 152.095(1)(d), (e)). Most commercial signs in Thief River Falls 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 | 5 | No attached sign shall extend higher than one foot below the roof line. | <33 sq ft | — |
| Flood Plain District (FP), Agriculture District (AG), Park and Recreation District (PR) | 7 | 8 ft except as provided in special cases | 30 sq ft | — |
| Residential District (R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4) | 5 | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line | 30 sq ft (one per principal entrance); special: freestanding identification/city name sign up to 50 sq ft and 6 ft high. | — |
| Neighborhood Business District (C-1) | 7 | 16 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| General Business District (C-2) | 7 | 16-32 ft, depending on context | 100 sq ft or 7.5% of rear wall | — |
| Central Business District (C-3) | 7 | 20 ft | 50 sq ft or 7.5% of rear wall | — |
| Downtown Fringe District (C-4) | 7 | 16 ft | 50 sq ft | — |
| Light Industrial District (I-1), General Industrial District (I-2) | 10 | Pylon: 30 ft; Ground-billboard: 20 ft | 300 sq ft | — |

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

### Flood Plain District (FP), Agriculture District (AG), Park and Recreation District (PR)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural Product Sign | 8 ft except as provided in special cases | 20 sq ft | — | Same as accessory use | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |
| Business Sign | 8 ft except as provided in special cases | 30 sq ft | — | Same as accessory use | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |
| Directional Sign | 8 ft; attached signs only up to 1 ft below roof line | 4 sq ft | — | 2 ft for non-attached | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |
| Home Occupation Sign | 8 ft; attached signs only up to 1 ft below roof line | 3 sq ft | — | Same as accessory use | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |
| Identification Sign | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line. Special case: Freestanding identification signs displaying the name of the city: up to 20 ft high and 200 sq ft area in AG, 26 ft and 100 sq ft in PR. | 30 sq ft | — | Minimum 10 ft from lot line or HWY ROW line in PR/city name cases. | One per principal entrance | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1)(d), (e) |
| Public Service Sign | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line | 30 sq ft | — | Same as accessory use | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |
| Real Estate Sign | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line | 20 sq ft | — | Same as accessory use | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(1) |

### General Business District (C-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Option A | 8 ft; not above roof line | See formula. | — | — | 2 (3 on corner lot) | Attached to building wall. | — | Sec. 152.095(4)(a)(i) |
| Wall/Projecting/Suspended Sign - Option B | 8 ft; not above roof line | See formula. | — | — | 2 (3 on corner lot) | Attached to wall/projected/suspended. | — | Sec. 152.095(4)(a)(ii) |
| Projecting Sign (Rear Entrance) | — | 100 sq ft or 7.5% of rear wall | — | — | 1 additional | Rear building wall. | — | Sec. 152.095(4)(a)(iii)A |
| Projecting Sign (Abutting Parking Lot) | — | 50 sq ft or 7.5% of front wall | — | — | 1 additional | Wall facing qualifying parking lot. | — | Sec. 152.095(4)(a)(iii)B |
| Freestanding Sign (by street type, see variations) | 16-32 ft, depending on context | 50-200 sq ft, depending on street classification, speed, and frontage (see citation). | — | 6 ft from lot line or ROW; 5 ft planted area at base in parking/driveway. | 1 per business/center/institution | Freestanding, specifics by context. | — | Sec. 152.095(4)(b)(c) |
| Directional Sign | — | 24 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(4) |
| Public Service Sign | — | 24 sq ft (banners suspended over arterial streets may be up to 48 sq ft) | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(4), (f)(ii) |

### Light Industrial District (I-1), General Industrial District (I-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising Sign | — | 300 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(7) |
| Wall Sign - Option A | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line | See that section. | — | — | — | Building wall | — | Sec. 152.095(7)(a) |
| Wall/Projecting/Suspended Sign - Option B | 8 ft; attached only up to 1 ft below roof line | See that section. | — | — | — | Building wall | — | Sec. 152.095(7)(a) |
| Freestanding Business/Identification Sign | Pylon type: 25 ft; ground-billboard type: 15 ft | 200 sq ft | — | 25 ft from front lot line | 1 per premises | Freestanding adjacent to all street classifications | — | Sec. 152.095(7)(b) |
| Freestanding Advertising Sign (Arterials/Highways) | Pylon: 30 ft; Ground-billboard: 20 ft | 300 sq ft | — | — | One per premises | Adjacent to arterial streets and highways. | — | Sec. 152.095(7)(f) |
| Directional Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 6 ft from front lot line | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(7) |
| Real Estate Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 6 ft from front lot line | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(7) |
| Temporary Sign | — | 32 sq ft | — | 6 ft from front lot line | — | — | — | Sec. 152.095(7) |

## Prohibited signs in Thief River Falls

- No sign may copy, imitate, or approximate an official highway or traffic control sign or carry the words 'STOP' or 'DANGER' or obscure a sign displayed by public authority for the purpose of giving traffic instruction or direction or other public information.
- No sign may obstruct any window or door opening used as a means of egress, free passage from one part of a roof to any other part thereof, or interfere with an opening required for legal ventilation.
- No sign may be located in a public right-of-way.
- No sign or illumination may cause any direct glare into or upon any building other than the building to which the sign may be accessory (unless allowed in a sidewalk use permit).
- No motion signs, balloons, string lights, strip lighting outlining structures, or signs attached or mounted on abandoned, inoperative, or unlicensed vehicles are allowed.
- No suspended or projecting sign may swing or be moved, rocked, or swayed by wind or other physical means.
- No projecting sign may extend more than 18 inches from the building structure to which it is mounted.
- No parasitic signs are allowed.
- No roof signs are allowed.
- No pennants and streamers are allowed, except as provided in section 152.092(D).

## Signs exempt from permit in Thief River Falls

- Signs on the inside of windows and doors, provided they are not flashing signs.
- Traffic signs or similar regulatory devices, legal devices, or warnings at railroad crossings of a duly constituted governmental body.
- Publicly owned memorial tablets or signs.
- Signs required to be maintained by law or governmental order, rule, or regulation, provided they do not exceed 48 square feet in sign surface area.
- Signs displayed for the direction or convenience of the public, including signs which identify restrooms, location of public telephones, or public pedestrian entrances, provided the total sign surface area does not exceed six square feet per sign and does not contain any advertising or the name of the occupant or use.
- Signs related to active construction projects, provided they do not exceed 48 square feet in sign surface area.
- Rummage or yard sale signs, subject to restrictions on location, owner's consent, maximum time limit (five days in any 30-day period), and maximum size (three square feet).
- Gasoline price signs, provided they are attached to sign structures for other permitted signs or to pump island canopies and the total sign surface area does not exceed the district-specific limit.
- Message board signs, provided they are attached to sign structures for other permitted freestanding signs, meet district-specific size limits, and are used only for specified messages.
- Political campaign signs of any size, posted during specified timeframes and with required name and address of responsible persons.
- Static signs and banners on fences in outdoor recreational facilities, primarily viewed internally and not oriented toward a public road right-of-way.
- Sidewalk signs as allowed by sidewalk use permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is required prior to altering, erecting, placing, or relocating any sign within the city unless the sign is exempt as specified in Section 152.090(4).
- Application for a sign permit must be made to the building official with payment of the required fee and completion of other requirements.
- Excluded signs (Section 152.087), direction and real estate signs, home occupation signs or signs approved as part of a building or conditional use permit, identification and public service signs not more than 24 square feet, and maintaining or changing certain nonconforming signs are exempt from sign permit requirements.

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

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