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Sign Permit in Boulder, Colorado

Required before installing or altering most permanent signs on commercial, institutional, or multi-family property in the City of Boulder, per Boulder Revised Code Section 9-9-21. Only a City of Boulder-licensed sign contractor (Class A or Class B) may obtain the permit and install the sign; fees are tiered by review complexity (BRC 4-20-21(b)) rather than a single flat rate, ranging from $92 for a sign needing no plan check to $344 for one needing both plan check and electrical review.

Verified 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Most signs require a permit under BRC 9-9-21; a defined list of small/temporary sign types is exempt (see exemptions below)
  • Only a City of Boulder-licensed Sign Contractor may obtain the permit and install the sign — Class A covers manufacture, installation, and servicing of signs, awnings, and canvas canopies; Class B covers painted signs only (BRC 4-20-21)
  • Building Owner Authorization Form required if the applicant is not the property owner
  • Scaled site plan required showing property lines, streets, easements, building frontage, and all existing/proposed sign locations
  • Scaled building elevation drawings required showing heights, facade dimensions, and sign positioning
  • Projecting/suspended signs require projection and vertical-clearance dimensions plus engineering for attachment to the structure
  • Free-standing signs require a scaled site plan showing setbacks/easements and engineer-stamped foundation details
  • Internally illuminated signs require full specification sheets including lumen rating and color temperature
  • Prohibited outright, not just unpermitted: signs in the public right-of-way (including A-frame sandwich boards), signs over 25 feet in height or on a roof, animated/moving/twinkling/rotating/pulsating signs, strings of lights, and off-premises signs
  • Exempt from a permit: construction-site signs ≤16 sq ft (must be placed by the licensed contractor working the site), up to 3 flags totaling ≤70 sq ft, garage-sale signs, lost-animal notices, noncommercial signs, private traffic signs ≤3 sq ft, real estate signs, utility warning signs ≤16 sq ft, window signs ≤4 sq ft, and vehicle-displayed signs Contractor
  • Applications submitted via the CSS Portal

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign Permit — no plan check, no electrical review2026 Schedule of Fees, Sign Permit Fee (BRC 4-20-21(b))
$92.00
Sign Permit — no plan check, including electrical review2026 Schedule of Fees, Sign Permit Fee (BRC 4-20-21(b))
$178.00
Sign Permit — plan check required, no electrical review2026 Schedule of Fees, Sign Permit Fee (BRC 4-20-21(b))
$252.00
Sign Permit — plan check and electrical review required2026 Schedule of Fees, Sign Permit Fee (BRC 4-20-21(b))
$344.00
Sign Contractor License — Class A (manufacture/install signs, awnings, canvas canopies)2026 Schedule of Fees, Contractor License Fees (BRC 4-20-21(a))
$332.90
Sign Contractor License — Class B (painted signs only)2026 Schedule of Fees, Contractor License Fees (BRC 4-20-21(a))
$174.05

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Boulder?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final

    Verify the installed sign matches the approved plans, structural attachment/anchoring is sound, and electrical connections are complete for an illuminated sign

See the full Boulder inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Only a City of Boulder-licensed Sign Contractor (Class A or Class B) may obtain a sign permit and install the sign — unlike Boulder's homeowner exception for building permits, there is no self-install pathway for a property owner.
  • Fee is tiered by review complexity rather than a flat rate: a simple sign needing neither plan check nor electrical review is $92, while one needing both plan check and electrical review is $344 (BRC 4-20-21(b)) — confirm which tier applies before budgeting.
  • A-frame/sandwich-board signs in the public right-of-way and roof-mounted signs or signs over 25 feet tall are prohibited outright in Boulder, not simply subject to permit review.
  • Window signs ≤4 sq ft and several other small/temporary sign types are exempt from the permit requirement entirely — check the exemption list before assuming a permit is needed.

Frequently asked questions

Boulder requires a sign permit for: Most signs require a permit under BRC 9-9-21; a defined list of small/temporary sign types is exempt (see exemptions below); Only a City of Boulder-licensed Sign Contractor may obtain the permit and install the sign — Class A covers manufacture, installation, and servicing of signs, awnings, and canvas canopies; Class B covers painted signs only (BRC 4-20-21); Building Owner Authorization Form required if the applicant is not the property owner; Scaled site plan required showing property lines, streets, easements, building frontage, and all existing/proposed sign locations; Scaled building elevation drawings required showing heights, facade dimensions, and sign positioning; Projecting/suspended signs require projection and vertical-clearance dimensions plus engineering for attachment to the structure; Free-standing signs require a scaled site plan showing setbacks/easements and engineer-stamped foundation details; Internally illuminated signs require full specification sheets including lumen rating and color temperature; Prohibited outright, not just unpermitted: signs in the public right-of-way (including A-frame sandwich boards), signs over 25 feet in height or on a roof, animated/moving/twinkling/rotating/pulsating signs, strings of lights, and off-premises signs; Exempt from a permit: construction-site signs ≤16 sq ft (must be placed by the licensed contractor working the site), up to 3 flags totaling ≤70 sq ft, garage-sale signs, lost-animal notices, noncommercial signs, private traffic signs ≤3 sq ft, real estate signs, utility warning signs ≤16 sq ft, window signs ≤4 sq ft, and vehicle-displayed signs; Applications submitted via the CSS Portal. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 303-441-1880 before starting work.

Boulder uses four tiered fees rather than one flat sign fee, per BRC 4-20-21(b) and the 2026 Schedule of Fees: $92.00 for a sign requiring neither plan check nor electrical review, $178.00 for one requiring electrical review only, $252.00 for one requiring plan check only, and $344.00 for one requiring both plan check and electrical review.

Boulder does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 303-441-1880 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application (CSS Portal); Site Plan; Building Elevation Drawings. Depending on your project, Boulder may also ask for: Building Owner Authorization Form; Attachment/Foundation Engineering. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Boulder requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Final. Schedule each through City of Boulder Planning & Development Services (303-441-1880).

Apply through City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 1101 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302. Phone: 303-441-1880, email: PDSpermitadmin@bouldercolorado.gov. Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.. Official information: https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/building-permits-and-inspections.

Boulder, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) family — City Council adopted the 2024 International Code Council (ICC) suite of codes with local amendments on March 20, 2025 (Ordinance 8684); effective August 1, 2025; local amendments codified in Title 10 of the Boulder Revised Code; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite adopted March 20, 2025, effective August 1, 2025, with Boulder amendments in BRC Title 10; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code (CoBECC) — Boulder's own locally-amended energy code (not a straight IECC adoption), effective December 1, 2024; published on ICC Digital Codes as COBECC2024P1; mandatory-measures checklist now required to be integrated into commercial/multifamily plan sets; 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), as amended by the City of Boulder — effective August 1, 2023; amendments in BRC Title 10; 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — applies to properties in Boulder's designated wildland urban interface zone per the city's Structure Protection Plan / Wildland Fire program (edition as referenced in Boulder's Zoning and Permitting FAQ, Oct. 2020; confirm current edition at time of application). Local amendments apply — see the Boulder overview page for the full list.

Only a City of Boulder-licensed Sign Contractor may obtain a sign permit and install the sign — Class A covers manufacture, installation, and servicing of signs, awnings, and canvas canopies, while Class B covers painted signs only (BRC 4-20-21). A property owner cannot self-permit a sign installation.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-13.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Boulder building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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