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Sign Permit in Lafayette, Colorado

The City of Lafayette requires a Sign Permit application submitted to the Planning & Building Department (buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov), with the Planning Director required to approve, deny, or request further information within five working days of a complete submittal. Fees are tiered by sign type: $30 for a temporary sign, no fee for a sidewalk sign, $90 for temporary outdoor sales/storage/display signage, and for a permanent sign, the same valuation-based 'Exhibit A Building And Sign Permit Fee Schedule' used for building permits (City of Lafayette Building Permit Fees, effective 1-1-26).

Verified 2026-08-14 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Download the Sign Permit application and Sign Permit checklist and submit to buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov
  • The Planning Director must approve, deny, or refer the application back for more information within five working days
  • Temporary commercial signage is limited to sixty (60) days during the first half of each calendar year and sixty (60) days during the second half, with total temporary signage not exceeding thirty (30) square feet in the aggregate
  • Developer signs are limited to 64 square feet total area (32 sq ft per face), no higher than 8 feet, one sign per street frontage or thoroughfare entrance, set back at least 10 feet from any property line adjacent to a street
  • Sidewalk signs are limited to 2 ft. x 3 ft., must present a finished appearance, and require professional lettering (chalkboard signs permitted)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Temporary Sign PermitCity of Lafayette Apply for Sign Permit page
$30.00
Sidewalk Sign PermitCity of Lafayette Apply for Sign Permit page
No fee
Temporary Outdoor Sales/Storage/Display PermitApply for Sign Permit page lists $90; the City's Building Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A, effective 1-1-26) 'Other Miscellaneous Fees' section lists 'Temp. Outdoor Sales, Storage or Display of Merchandise' at $75.00 — the two City-published figures differ slightly; confirm the current amount with the Planning & Building Department.
$75.00 - $90.00
Permanent Sign PermitCity of Lafayette Building Permit Fees (Exhibit A, effective 1-1-26): base fee $30.00 for valuation $1-$500, scaling to $6,176.10 base plus $4.01 per $1,000 over $1,000,001, plus a 65% plan review fee on top of the building/sign permit fee.
Valuation-based, per Exhibit A Building and Sign Permit Fee Schedule

Review timeline

Plan reviewLafayette’s published plan-review target
Up to 5 business days

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

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

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

    Tips

    • Sign fees vary widely by TYPE, not just size — temporary signs are a flat $30, sidewalk signs are free, temporary outdoor sales/storage/display signage is $75-$90 (the City's own two published figures differ slightly), and only PERMANENT signs use the full valuation-based building-fee table.
    • Total temporary commercial signage is capped at 30 sq ft in the aggregate and limited to two 60-day display windows per calendar year — plan seasonal promotions around that cap.

    Frequently asked questions

    Lafayette requires a sign permit for: Download the Sign Permit application and Sign Permit checklist and submit to buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov; The Planning Director must approve, deny, or refer the application back for more information within five working days; Temporary commercial signage is limited to sixty (60) days during the first half of each calendar year and sixty (60) days during the second half, with total temporary signage not exceeding thirty (30) square feet in the aggregate; Developer signs are limited to 64 square feet total area (32 sq ft per face), no higher than 8 feet, one sign per street frontage or thoroughfare entrance, set back at least 10 feet from any property line adjacent to a street; Sidewalk signs are limited to 2 ft. x 3 ft., must present a finished appearance, and require professional lettering (chalkboard signs permitted). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 303-661-1451 before starting work.

    It depends on the sign type: $30 for a temporary sign, no fee for a sidewalk sign, roughly $75-$90 for temporary outdoor sales/storage/display signage, and a valuation-based fee (per the City's Exhibit A Building and Sign Permit Fee Schedule) for a permanent sign. The Planning Director must act on a complete application within five working days.

    Lafayette's published plan-review target for a sign permit is Up to 5 business days.

    You'll need: Sign Permit Application; Sign Permit Checklist. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 1290 S. Public Road, Lafayette, CO 80026. Phone: 303-661-1451, email: buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov. Office hours: City Hall public access hours Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm; Building staff available via phone/email during regular business hours. Main city line (303) 665-5588; Building Division direct line (303) 661-1451; Planning staff (303) 661-1270.. Official information: https://www.lafayetteco.gov/92/Planning-Building-Department.

    Lafayette, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted with an effective date of August 1, 2023, per the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code. Source: City of Lafayette Building Code & Design Information page, https://www.lafayetteco.gov/361/Building-Code-Design-Information; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted with the same August 1, 2023 effective date; includes a local amendment requiring Class 4 Impact Resistant Shingles (effective March 15, 2021) for reroofing. Source: same page as above; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — includes local commercial low-slope roof reflectance/emittance requirements per IECC Section C402.3, Table C402.3; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — the City's live Solar Permit Application Process document states 'All work shall comply with the 2023 National Electric Code without amendments.' (re-grounded 2026-07-16 on a live primary source after the Solar Photovoltaic Plan Review and Inspections webpage that previously carried this quote was removed from the site). Source (PDF): https://www.lafayetteco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17165/Lafayette-Solar--Permit-Process; 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code — the City's consolidated adoption document incorporating the 2021 I-Code package plus local strengthening amendments and the 2023 NEC; effective August 1, 2023. Source (PDF): https://www.lafayetteco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/36791/2023-Lafayette-Colorado-Building-Code-Final; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code — adopted statewide in 2025; applies within State-mapped low- or medium-risk wildfire areas in Lafayette (128 acres total: 44 acres of open space on the southeast edge of the city, 84 acres along the west side near Nyland Way and Brittney Lane). Requires non-combustible building materials for new construction in mapped areas and defines defensible-space/fuel-reduction guidelines within 30 feet of structures. Source: City of Lafayette Building Code & Design Information page, https://www.lafayetteco.gov/361/Building-Code-Design-Information. Local amendments apply — see the Lafayette overview page for the full list.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-14.

    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 Lafayette building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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