Washington County, MN Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- ROW ban
- No signs (except utility warnings) in highway ROW
- Illuminated sign setback
- 25 feet from highway, 10 feet from ROW
- Large-sign sight line
- Cannot block 500-foot approach view
- Removal notice
- 30 days after Zoning Administrator notice
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor under Section 9.1
Summary
Washington County prohibits nearly all signs, other than public utility warning signs, on county property or within a major highway or county road right-of-way. Illuminated signs must additionally sit at least 25 feet from the roadway surface and 10 feet from the right-of-way line.
(B) All signs, other than public utility warning signs, are prohibited on County property and within the public right-of-way of any major highway or County road. ... (D) Illuminated signs shall be diffused or indirect to prevent rays of light from being directed onto any major highway or County road. Illuminated signs and their support structures shall not be located closer than twenty-five (25) feet from a major highway or county roadway surface or closer than ten (10) feet from a road right-of-way line, notwithstanding more restrictive portions of this Section.
Full Breakdown
10(4)(B) bars any sign other than a public utility warning sign from county property or the public right-of-way of a major highway or county road, closing off the roadside as an advertising location outright. 10(4)(D): their light must be diffused or indirect so rays are not directed onto a major highway or county road, and both the sign and its support structure must sit at least twenty-five feet from the major highway or county roadway surface, and at least ten feet from the road right-of-way line, whichever standard in the section is more restrictive.
10(4)(M) adds a sight-line rule for any sign exceeding one hundred square feet: it cannot be erected if it would obstruct a traveler's view of approaching vehicles for five hundred feet, sit within 1,350 feet of a park or historic site, or block a scenic view of a lake, river, or wooded area. 10(4)(A) separately bans any sign whose position, shape, movement or color interferes with a traffic sign, signal, or traffic control. Together these rules keep large or illuminated advertising off the shoulders of the county's major highways and roads.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a non-utility sign within a major highway or county road right-of-way, or an illuminated sign closer than 25 feet from the roadway or 10 feet from the right-of-way line, violates Section 1.10(4)(B) and (D). Under Section 9.1, that is a misdemeanor, and any sign lacking a required permit must be removed within 30 days of written notice from the Zoning Administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put an advertising sign along a county road shoulder in Washington County?
How far back does an illuminated sign have to be from a major highway?
Are there extra rules for large signs near highways?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota sign regulations overview
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