Rochester Outdoor Advertising Sign Bond

What it is & who requires it

Sign contractors erecting or maintaining signs in Rochester — and the section is worth reading twice, because it tells you when you do not need it. Subsection (b) says the city’s bonding requirement applies to an on-premises advertising sign only where the installer has not posted the state compliance bond, and it then recites the state’s definition of an on-premises sign word for word: a device, structure, fixture or placard using graphics, symbols or written copy erected on the premises of an establishment, including the name of the establishment or identifying the merchandise, services, activities or entertainment available there. A contractor who holds the state sign contractor bond therefore satisfies Rochester for on-premise work and files nothing here. What remains squarely inside the city bond is off-premise outdoor advertising, which the state instrument does not reach. That is the cleanest statement of the state-versus-city sign boundary anywhere in Minnesota, and it is the city that wrote it.

Obligee: City of Rochester (Building Safety Department). Citation: Rochester Code of Ordinances § 5-8-1(a) (Bond required — no person shall engage within the city in the business of outdoor advertising by erecting or maintaining signs, until such person shall have filed with the city a bond in the sum of $1,000.00 with sureties to be approved by the city attorney, conditioned for the faithful observance of this Code and to save and keep harmless the city from all damages, liabilities, losses or judgments that may be recovered against the city by reason of the negligent erection or maintenance of any such sign); § 5-8-1(b) (the bonding requirements of this section shall apply to the installation or maintenance of an on-premises advertising sign unless the person installing or maintaining the sign has posted a compliance bond with the state pursuant to Minn. Stats. § 326B.865, and reciting the state definition of an on-premises advertising sign); Title 5, ch. 5-8 (Sign Contractors); Code 1965, § 116.01; Minn. Stat. § 326B.865 (state sign contractor bond, in lieu of any compliance bond required by a local unit of government).

Bond amount

The required bond amount is $1,000.

How to get it

This bond is individually underwritten, so it is not issued instantly. Request a quote and a licensed producer follows up to walk you through it.

Request a Quote

Term & renewal

Term: Filed with the city before the holder engages in the business of outdoor advertising by erecting or maintaining signs, and conditioned on faithful observance of the Code and on holding the city harmless.

Renewal: Held with the sign contractor license; the bond is the precondition of engaging in the business rather than of a single sign.

Filing

Filed with the city, with sureties approved by the city attorney. The figure renders because the ordinance states a flat sum and offers no cash or deposit alternative. Two things to raise with the client. The codified text prints the amount as one thousand dollars followed by a doubled decimal — a codification typo rather than a different figure — so confirm the sum on the city’s own application before executing. And run the state route first: filing the state sign contractor bond removes this requirement for on-premise work in Rochester and in every other Minnesota city that licenses sign contractors, which is a better answer than a city bond for any contractor working more than one market.

Source

Verified against the obligee source (last checked 2026-09-07).

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Frequently asked questions

Who requires the Rochester Outdoor Advertising Sign Bond?

It’s required by City of Rochester (Building Safety Department) (Rochester Code of Ordinances § 5-8-1(a) (Bond required — no person shall engage within the city in the business of outdoor advertising by erecting or maintaining signs, until such person shall have filed with the city a bond in the sum of $1,000.00 with sureties to be approved by the city attorney, conditioned for the faithful observance of this Code and to save and keep harmless the city from all damages, liabilities, losses or judgments that may be recovered against the city by reason of the negligent erection or maintenance of any such sign); § 5-8-1(b) (the bonding requirements of this section shall apply to the installation or maintenance of an on-premises advertising sign unless the person installing or maintaining the sign has posted a compliance bond with the state pursuant to Minn. Stats. § 326B.865, and reciting the state definition of an on-premises advertising sign); Title 5, ch. 5-8 (Sign Contractors); Code 1965, § 116.01; Minn. Stat. § 326B.865 (state sign contractor bond, in lieu of any compliance bond required by a local unit of government)). Sign contractors erecting or maintaining signs in Rochester — and the section is worth reading twice, because it tells you when you do not need it. Subsection (b) says the city’s bonding requirement applies to an on-premises advertising sign only where the installer has not posted the state compliance bond, and it then recites the state’s definition of an on-premises sign word for word: a device, structure, fixture or placard using graphics, symbols or written copy erected on the premises of an establishment, including the name of the establishment or identifying the merchandise, services, activities or entertainment available there. A contractor who holds the state sign contractor bond therefore satisfies Rochester for on-premise work and files nothing here. What remains squarely inside the city bond is off-premise outdoor advertising, which the state instrument does not reach. That is the cleanest statement of the state-versus-city sign boundary anywhere in Minnesota, and it is the city that wrote it.

How much is the Rochester Outdoor Advertising Sign Bond?

The bond amount is $1,000.

How do I get the Rochester Outdoor Advertising Sign Bond?

This bond is individually underwritten, so it is not issued instantly. Request a quote and a licensed producer follows up to walk you through it.

What is the term?

Filed with the city before the holder engages in the business of outdoor advertising by erecting or maintaining signs, and conditioned on faithful observance of the Code and on holding the city harmless. Renewal: Held with the sign contractor license; the bond is the precondition of engaging in the business rather than of a single sign.

Is this bond insurance for me?

No. It protects the obligee and the public — not you. If a valid claim is paid, you repay the surety.

How is this requirement verified?

We verify it against the obligee’s primary source (last checked 2026-09-07); the source link is on this page.