Sign Permit in Mount Crested Butte, Colorado

Mount Crested Butte requires a sign permit for: Application submitted to the Zoning Administrator on town-supplied forms, per Sec. 16-23; One complete scale drawing required showing size, shape, color, design, materials, site plan (including required landscaping), specific sign location, elevation of sign on building, mounting method, and lighting; No work may commence on a sign structure until the permit is issued, per Sec. 16-22(b); No permit required to maintain a sign in good repair or for a change of copy where the business stays the same and the sign remains conforming, per Sec. 16-22(c); If a sign is installed prior to obtaining a permit or modification, the fee is doubled, per Sec. 16-29; The Zoning Administrator may inspect any sign and its structural/electrical connections during regular business hours to confirm code compliance, per Sec. 16-21(b). If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Mt. Crested Butte Community Development Department (Building Division) at (970) 349-6632, ext. 5 (Community Development Department) before starting work.

A permanent sign/advertising permit is $50.00 flat; portable, sandwich-board, and banner signs are $25.00 flat; a sign variance/modification is $100.00; and a sign code appeal to Town Council is $200.00 — per Resolution No. 18, Series 2025 (effective January 1, 2026).

Mount Crested Butte's published plan-review target for a sign permit is 5–10 business days.

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

Mount Crested Butte requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Sign Structural/Electrical Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Mt. Crested Butte Community Development Department (Building Division) ((970) 349-6632, ext. 5 (Community Development Department)).

Apply through Town of Mt. Crested Butte Community Development Department (Building Division) at 911 Gothic Rd., PO Box 5800, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225. Phone: (970) 349-6632, ext. 5 (Community Development Department), email: mnevinslavtar@mtcb.colorado.gov (Community Development Director). Office hours: Community Development Department Staff (per mtcb.colorado.gov/departments-services/community-development): Maeve Nevins-Lavtar, Community Development Director, ext. 117, mnevinslavtar@mtcb.colorado.gov. Shannon Hessler, Planner II, ext. 119, shessler@mtcb.colorado.gov. Todd Carroll, Community Development Coordinator, ext. 120, tcarroll@mtcb.colorado.gov. Leah Desposato, Community Development Coordinator, ext. 105, ldesposato@mtcb.colorado.gov. Building permit and design-review applications are submitted online via the Town's GovWell portal (app.govwell.com/mtcb).. Official information: https://mtcb.colorado.gov/building.

Mount Crested Butte, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — Town Code Chapter 6, Article II, adopted by Ordinance No. 6, Series 2024, in effect as of January 3, 2025, pursuant to Title 31, Article 16, Part 2, C.R.S.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — Town Code Chapter 6, Article III, with local amendments including Table R301.2 climatic design criteria (Sec. 6-32, a 155 psf ground snow load) and a modified automatic fire sprinkler requirement (Sec. 6-59); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — referenced in the Town's Adopted Codes list on mtcb.colorado.gov/building; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Town Code Chapter 6, Article IV (Sec. 6-73 through 6-75), with a local flat-fee Table 1-AM mechanical permit fee schedule; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted per the Town's Adopted Codes list; the State of Colorado is responsible for reviewing and inspecting plumbing rather than the Town; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — Town Code Chapter 8, Article I, enforced through the Crested Butte Fire Protection District (CBFPD), which performs all fire alarm/suppression/sprinkler inspections rather than the Town Building Division; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code — per the Town's Adopted Codes list; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — per the Town's Adopted Codes list; Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code — Town Code Chapter 6, Article X (Sec. 6-141 et seq.), adopted by Ordinance No. 6, Series 2024, in effect as of January 3, 2025; applies to new one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses (residential buildings are exempted from certain waiver provisions per Section 101.4.1/102.1); 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (WRC) — per the Town's own 'Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code' link and 'WRC Standards Summarized' summary sheet published on mtcb.colorado.gov/building; National Electrical Code and International Plumbing Code — the Town's own Adopted Codes page states: 'The State of Colorado is responsible for reviewing and inspecting electrical and plumbing. Please contact the State of Colorado to determine the following code editions: National Electrical Code, International Plumbing Code' — Mt. Crested Butte does not itself adopt/administer these trade codes; Full Town Code Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations) and Chapter 8 (Fire Prevention and Protection) text and Ordinance No. 6, Series 2024 hosted at mtcb.colorado.gov and mirrored on ecode360.com/MT4975 and qcode.us/codes/mtcrestedbutte. Local amendments apply — see the Mount Crested Butte overview page for the full list.

Yes, for most new, altered, or relocated signs, per Town Code Chapter 16 (Signs and Advertising). Maintaining an existing conforming sign or changing its copy (same business) does not require a new permit.