Sign Permit in Brighton, Colorado

Brighton requires a sign permit for: A sign permit is required to erect, move, alter, or reconstruct any permanent or temporary sign, except signs exempt under LUDC Section 9.02.C (e.g., government signs, small public-purpose/safety signs under 4 sf, vehicle signs meeting size/use limits, scoreboards, handheld signs under 20 sf, certain flags/pennants, window signs not exceeding 25% of window area, incidental signs under 2 sf, and directional signs under 2 sf); No sign permit shall be issued for a permanent sign on private property without written consent of the property owner or the owner's authorized agent (LUDC 9.02.B.1); Professional sign installation requires a City of Brighton contractor's license — at minimum a Class D (Jobbing Contractor) license, which explicitly authorizes construction of signs among other nonhabitable structures (Municipal Code Article 15-16-50(4)); a broader Class A/B/C general contractor license also covers sign work; Electrical work for illuminated signs must comply with the City's adopted Electrical Code and is subject to City inspection (LUDC 9.05.B); all professional sign installations require a contractor's license from the City prior to installation; A separate City of Brighton building permit may additionally be required for signs incorporating structural elements or attached to a building (LUDC 9.02.B.3); Signs must conform to district-based standards: Table 9-1 (Residential Districts) or Tables 9-2 and 9-3 (Non-residential Districts, including setback-based freestanding pole/monument height and size limits) governing maximum number, area, and height by sign type; A sign permit becomes void if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or is suspended for a continuous 180-day period after work commences; the Director may grant written extensions of up to 180 days each for justifiable cause; Temporary signs not otherwise exempt require a separate temporary sign permit: displayed no more than 60 days in any 90-day period, and no more than 180 days total per calendar year; a maximum of 2 temporary sign permits may be issued per nonresidential use at any given time, each permit covering up to 2 signs (4 temporary signs maximum posted at once); Coordinated or unified developments with multiple signs may file a single Comprehensive Sign Plan (LUDC 9.08) covering all signs on the site, in lieu of individual permits per sign; Individual sign permit applications are submitted online via the City's OpenGov/ViewpointCloud portal (brightonco.viewpointcloud.com); Comprehensive Sign Plans are submitted via the City's GeoCivix portal (brightonco.geocivix.com/secure/); A denial of a sign permit by the Director may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment per the procedures in LUDC Article 2. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 303-655-2017 before starting work.

Brighton does not publish a distinct fee specifically for an individual sign permit — it is billed under the same unified, valuation-based Building Permit Fee schedule used for all other trades in the City ($23.50 minimum, scaling with valuation). A Comprehensive Sign Plan covering multiple signs in a coordinated development has its own published flat fee of $250.00.

Brighton does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 303-655-2017 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application; Site Plan and Elevations; Written Property Owner Consent. Depending on your project, Brighton may also ask for: Comprehensive Sign Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Brighton requires 2 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Pre-Installation Site Inspection, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division (303-655-2017).

Apply through City of Brighton Community Development Department, Permitting Division at 500 S 4th Avenue, Brighton, CO 80601. Phone: 303-655-2017, email: 1stop@brightonco.gov. Office hours: City of Brighton main line 303-655-2000; Building Permit Counter direct line 303-655-2017; Homeowner Inspection Line 303-655-2151; Community Development general line 303-655-2072. City Hall closes at noon on Fridays, and all Community Development functions (planning and zoning, permitting and inspections) end at noon on Fridays as well.. Official information: https://www.brightonco.gov/222/Permitting.

A sign permit is required to erect, move, alter, or reconstruct almost any permanent or temporary sign. A specific list of permit-exempt signs — government signs, small public-purpose signs under 4 sf, certain vehicle and window signs, scoreboards, handheld signs under 20 sf, and others — is set out in LUDC Section 9.02.C.

At minimum a City of Brighton Class D (Jobbing Contractor) license, per Municipal Code Article 15-16-50(4), which explicitly authorizes sign construction. Illuminated signs additionally require the electrical work to comply with the City's adopted Electrical Code and pass City inspection.