Blue Earth County, MN Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)

Section 24-311(d) of the Blue Earth County Code exempts a list of low-impact sign types from the permit requirement of section 24-311(b), and item (6) covers signs or posters attached or painted on the inside of a display window, specifying that the exemption shall include illuminated signs, but not flashing signs. Because the exemption sits inside the display window rather than facing traffic directly on the building exterior, a window sign is not counted toward the maximum sign area allowed on the lot under the district's on-premises sign standards in section 24-311(h), the way an exterior wall or ground sign would be.

A window sign still falls under the outright prohibition on flashing illumination that applies to every sign in the county under section 24-311(e)(5), and it must be maintained in a safe condition and repainted when its finish fades, chips or discolors under section 24-311(f)(1). No application, fee or planning agency review under section 24-311(c) applies to a window sign, unlike temporary real estate or off-premises signage elsewhere in the chapter. The exemption applies uniformly across every zoning district in unincorporated Blue Earth County, including the GB, HB, LI and HI commercial and industrial districts as well as the A, C, RR and RT districts, since section 24-311(d) is not limited to any particular district.