# Sign Regulations in Cut Bank, Montana

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Cut Bank, Montana (MT)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/montana/cut-bank
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-19

## At a glance

Cut Bank, Montana regulates 11 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Pole Signs in the Business District zoning district are capped at 35 ft above mean average of lot tall and 300 sq ft maximum total per street frontage (Sec. 10-5-16, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23). Most commercial signs in Cut Bank require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Business District | 9 | 35 ft above mean average of lot | 672 sq ft maximum per plot | — |
| Commercial or industrial areas | 1 | — | 32 sq ft | — |
| Residential areas | 1 | — | 9 sq ft | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 1 | May not extend more than 12 inches above highest point of parapet or roof | — | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Business District

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pole Sign | 35 ft above mean average of lot | 300 sq ft maximum total per street frontage | — | — | Not more than two on any street frontage. | All supports must be on private property; may not project over public property; only signs computed with frontage of a street may face that street. | — | 10-5-16, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Wall Sign | May not extend more than 12 inches above highest point of parapet or roof | — | — | — | — | Attached to the wall of a building or structure with exposed face parallel to wall. | — | 10-5-19, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Ground Sign | — | 672 sq ft maximum per plot | — | Must comply with building line setbacks for the tract. | — | Shall not project over public property or beyond required building line setback for building in zoning classification. | — | 10-5-17, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Roof Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to roof framing, walls, or columns; entire display above roof level. | — | 10-5-18, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projects from wall of building. | — | 10-5-20, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Marquee Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On, attached to, or constructed in a marquee. | — | 10-5-22, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Temporary Sign | — | 100 sq ft (general), 32 sq ft (rigid material) | — | — | — | — | — | 10-5-24, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |
| Mobile or Portable Sign | — | 50 sq ft per side | — | — | — | On privately owned property. Not within a 40' radius of intersection property lines on a corner lot. | — | 10-5-25, 10-5-5, 10-5-7, 10-5-23 |

### Commercial or industrial areas

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Rigid Material) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 10-5-24(A), 10-5-23 |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | May not extend more than 12 inches above highest point of parapet or roof | — | — | — | — | Attached to the wall of a building or structure with exposed face parallel to wall. | — | 10-5-19, 10-5-23 |

## Prohibited signs in Cut Bank

- No sign shall be erected or placed in such a manner as to confuse or obstruct the view or interpretation of any official traffic sign, signal or device.
- No sign shall exceed in area the requirements of this chapter as herein provided.
- No sign or structure shall be constructed, enlarged, altered, moved or converted in a manner contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
- No sign, outdoor advertising, or lighting device constituting a nuisance to nearby land uses because of illumination shall be erected and maintained.
- No sign or notice shall be erected on any property without permission of the owner, occupant, lessee, or responsible governing body.
- No unofficial sign, signal or device which purports to be or resembles an official traffic sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view an official traffic sign or signal, shall be placed or maintained where it is in view of any street.
- No excessively bright signs or signs using blinking, strobe, or other pulsating lights are permitted.
- All obstructions, articles or things (including signs) on, over or above streets, sidewalks or alleys which may become dangerous or unsafe may be ordered removed.
- No person shall place or maintain or display upon, or in view of, any street any unofficial sign, signal or device which purports to be, or is, an imitation of, or which resembles an official traffic sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view an official traffic sign or signal.
- No person shall deposit, store, keep or place upon or over the sidewalks, streets or alleys any signs without first obtaining a permit from the city council.
- All signs must be structurally safe, securely anchored or otherwise fastened, suspended, or supported so that they will not endanger public health, safety, or welfare.
- It is unlawful for any person to wilfully deface, injure, move, obstruct, or interfere with any official traffic sign, signal or barricade.

## Signs exempt from permit in Cut Bank

- Painting, repainting or cleaning of an advertising structure, or the changing of the advertising copy or message, unless a major structural change is made, does not require a sign permit.
- Flags or emblems of political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations do not require a sign permit.
- Signs of duly constituted governmental bodies, including traffic or similar regulator devices, legal notice, or warnings at railroad crossings, do not require a sign permit.
- Temporary signs not exceeding nine (9) square feet of surface area OR not more than two (2) signs totaling not over eighteen (18) square feet on any lot, for campaigns, drives or events of political, civic, philanthropic, educational or religious organizations, do not require a sign permit.
- Memorial plaques, cornerstones, historical tablets and similar items do not require a sign permit.
- Signs posted in conjunction with doorbells or mailboxes, not exceeding 144 square inches in surface area, do not require a sign permit.
- Signs required to be maintained or posted by law or governmental order, rule or regulation (unless specifically prohibited, limited, or restricted) do not require a sign permit.
- Small nonilluminated or projecting signs, not exceeding four (4) square feet in surface area, not otherwise prohibited, do not require a sign permit.
- Construction signs giving names of contractors or architect-engineers located on the construction site do not require a sign permit.
- Signs entirely constructed, erected and/or placed within the interior of the building served do not require a sign permit.
- Signs placed on premises for the purpose of advertising the premises for sale or rent, provided the sign does not exceed nine (9) square feet and is temporary, do not require a sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- The building inspector may require the filing of plans or other pertinent information with a sign permit application when, in their opinion, such information is necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter.
- No explicit requirement for a master sign plan is specified in the provided text.
- Variance requests may be heard by the board of adjustment following a denial or decision by the building inspector, per the appeals process.

## 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 4 zoning districts in Cut Bank — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Cut+Bank+MT&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-cut-bank

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