# Sign Regulations in Minot, North Dakota

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Minot, North Dakota (ND)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/north-dakota/minot
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/ND/Minot/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH3ADSI)

## At a glance

Minot, North Dakota regulates 15 sign types across 3 zoning districts. Temporary Sign (General)s in the General Regulations For All Zones zoning district are capped at 6 feet (rigid material) tall and 100 square feet (for flexible); 32 square feet (for rigid material) (Sec. Sec. 9-10, Chapter 14, Sec. 1401, 1402). Most commercial signs in Minot require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (3 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Central Business District Zone (C-3 Zone) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Residentially Zoned Districts | 1 | — | — | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 13 | 44 inches | 100 square feet (for flexible); 32 square feet (for rigid material) | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements

### Central Business District Zone (C-3 Zone)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Projecting Sign (Pre-existing, Over Public Right-of-Way) | — | — | — | — | — | May project over public street or alley right-of-way, to the extent that projection does not exceed historical maximums (as of September 1, 1993) on the property. | — | Sec. 9-10, 403.8 |

### Residentially Zoned Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (Residential) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 9-10 (Chapter 14, Temporary Signs, General) |

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Temporary Sign (General) | 6 feet (rigid material) | 100 square feet (for flexible); 32 square feet (for rigid material) | — | — | 1 per premises | On premises, subject to placement restrictions in Sec. 1403. Placement across streets with governing body permission only. | — | Sec. 9-10, Chapter 14, Sec. 1401, 1402 |
| Portable Ground Sign (General) | Varies by placement | — | — | See additional_requirements | 1 per premises | On premises, see setback and placement rules. | — | Sec. 9-10, Sec. 1401 (2), Sec. 1403 |
| Ground Sign | — | — | — | Over 6 feet, must obey legal setback | — | — | — | Sec. 9-10, Sec. 703 |
| Secondary or Directional Sign (Ground Sign) | 44 inches | — | — | — | — | On private property only | — | Sec. 9-10, Sec. 704 |
| Pole Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sec. 9-10, Sec. 403, Sec. 603 |
| Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On the wall of supporting building | — | Sec. 9-10, Sec. 903.1 |
| Subdivision Sign - Temporary | — | 50 square feet | — | — | 1 per principal entrance | At principal entrance to a subdivision | — | Sec. 9-10, Chapter 15, Sec. 1501(b) |
| Subdivision Sign - Permanent | — | 20 square feet | — | — | 1 per principal entrance | At principal entrance to a subdivision | — | Sec. 9-10, Chapter 15, Sec. 1501(c) |

## Prohibited signs in Minot

- It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, electrically or structurally alter, relocate, or maintain any sign or sign structure within the City of Minot or its extraterritorial zoning authority, contrary to or in violation of any provisions of this code.
- No sign shall be installed so that it may interfere with traffic visibility at any driveway intersection with a street.
- No sign shall extend to within 2 feet of the curb line (except as stated in Section 403.8).
- Except as stated in Section 403.8, no sign shall extend over public property or public right-of-way without approval of the Minot City Council.
- No wall sign shall have a projection over public property or public right-of-way nor shall extend above any adjacent parapet or roof of the supporting building (except as stated in Section 403.8).
- No ground sign under 6 feet in height shall project over public property. Ground signs over 6 feet in height shall not project beyond a legal setback.
- No electric sign shall be so maintained or operated so as to project more lumens at a property line of any premises zoned for residential use than would be projected by a standard one-hundred-watt sodium vapor luminaire residential streetlight located twenty-five (25) feet from the lot line.
- No temporary sign shall exceed 100 square feet in area. A temporary sign of rigid material shall not exceed 32 square feet in area, nor extend more than 6 feet above grade.
- No property owner may maintain more than 1 temporary sign upon his premises, and then only for a maximum of 60 days during one calendar year (except as provided in section 3-2 of the Code of Ordinances with regard to residentially zoned districts within the city).
- No person shall maintain more than one portable ground sign upon their premises.
- A temporary subdivision sign shall not exceed 50 square feet in area. Only one such sign may be installed at each principal entrance to a subdivision.
- A permanent subdivision sign shall not exceed 20 square feet in area and only one such sign shall be allowed at each principal entrance.
- No illuminated sign shall be allowed which consists of strobe lights.
- No sign shall be allowed which would interfere with any traffic control device or sign.
- No sign shall be allowed which interferes with the safe movement of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
- Any off-premise advertising sign shall conform to area, dimensional, and spacing requirements of the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

## Signs exempt from permit in Minot

- The following actions do not require a sign permit: changing the advertising copy or message on a painted sign only (except for theater marquees and similar signs specifically designed for replaceable copy; electric signs are not included in this exception).
- Painting, repainting, or cleaning of an advertising structure or changing the advertising copy or message thereon is not considered erection or alteration requiring a sign permit, unless a structural or electrical change is made.
- Signs allowed under section 3-2 of the Code of Ordinances are exempt from permit requirements.
- Minor electrical work not requiring an electrical permit, such as changing light fixtures or fuses, does not require a sign permit.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- There is no direct requirement in this ordinance excerpt for a master sign plan, sign plan, or required variance/board/council meeting prior to standard permit issuance, except that approval of the Minot City Council is required for signs projecting over public property or right-of-way (Section 403.7) and for permission to extend flexible temporary signs made of cloth, cardboard, or other flexible material across a public street (Sec. 1403.c).
- Any sign or sign structure erected, electrically or structurally altered, or relocated requires a permit issued by the building official, except for listed exemptions (Sec. 301, 303).
- Appeals related to sign code decisions are handled by the sign board of appeals as described in Section 103.3.

## Full detail

Complete sign requirements for Minot, including every field PermitPal tracks for each sign type, are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Minot+ND&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-minot

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