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Sign Permit in Fort Collins, Colorado

Required to install, alter, or replace most permanent signs (wall, ground/monument, awning, projecting/fin, canopy, secondary roof) in Fort Collins, under Land Use Code Section 5.16 (Signs). Administered by the Zoning division of Community Development & Neighborhood Services — a distinct process from Building Services' Fast-Track/Remodel permits, with its own City-issued Sign Contractor license class. Temporary signs (banners, feather flags) use a separate Temporary Sign Permit Application under LUC Section 5.16.3. Despite a direct chase across the City's Fee Schedules page, the Zoning Permits webpage, and both Sign Permit Application PDFs, no published dollar fee figure for the sign permit itself could be located — flagged honestly below rather than estimated.

Reviewed 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Required to install, alter, or replace most permanent signs (wall, ground/monument, awning, projecting/fin, canopy, secondary roof) per Land Use Code Section 5.16; administered by Zoning, not Building Services
  • Temporary signs (banners, feather flags) are governed separately under LUC Section 5.16.3, using a distinct Temporary Sign Permit Application
  • Sign Permit Application (permanent) requires a stated materials-and-labor Valuation figure and detailed drawings showing site location and dimensions; submitted electronically as one collated PDF to zoning@fortcollins.gov
  • Permanent sign installation may only be performed/permitted by a City of Fort Collins-licensed Sign Contractor (contractor license number prefixed "SG-"), the property/business owner, or an applicant with the owner's written consent; permits cannot be issued if the contractor's license is out of date (contractor_licensing@fortcollins.gov) Contractor
  • Wall sign raceways may not exceed 50% of the average height of the attached letters and/or shapes
  • Ground sign (monument, pole, drive-thru lane) applications must include a site plan showing distance to the property line; overall height is measured from the flowline of the adjacent street
  • Temporary banners: capped at 40 sq ft, limited to 40 days per calendar year per business; feather flags limited to 20 days per calendar year; banners and feather flags cannot be displayed concurrently
  • Detached banners limited to 1 per 100 linear feet of property frontage; attached banner standards and maximum sign height vary by the property's applicable sign district (LUC 5.16.3)
  • All temporary signs must sit on the business's own private property, no closer than 2 feet to a public sidewalk
  • The permanent Sign Permit Application also asks applicants to list any signs being removed, to help the City keep its sign survey current

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign Permit Fee (permanent signs)Checked directly this session: the Fee Schedules page's Development Review Fees > Zoning Services table has no sign-permit line item, the Zoning Permits webpage states no fee, and the Sign Permit Application PDF itself only asks the applicant to state a materials-and-labor 'Valuation' figure without listing a rate or formula. Confirm current cost directly with Zoning (970-416-2745 / zoning@fortcollins.gov) before applying.
Not published as a flat or itemized dollar figure anywhere in the City's public materials
Zoning Verification Letter (optional pre-application check)City of Fort Collins Fee Schedules page — Development Review Fees, Zoning Services table; useful for confirming a property's sign district/standards before a formal sign permit submittal, though not itself the sign permit fee
$100.00

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Fort Collins building department
~0–0 business days

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Fort Collins?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Sign Inspection

    Sign dimensions, mounting method, materials, illumination, and location verified against the approved sign permit

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

Tips

  • Fort Collins requires its own dedicated City Sign Contractor license (a distinct "SG-" prefixed license number) separate from any general contractor license — verify a sign installer's SG license status with contractor_licensing@fortcollins.gov before applying, since an expired license blocks permit issuance outright. Contractor
  • Despite chasing the City's Fee Schedules page, the Zoning Permits page, and both the permanent and temporary Sign Permit Application PDFs directly, no dollar fee figure for the sign permit itself is published anywhere in the City's accessible materials — confirm the exact cost directly with Zoning (970-416-2745) before applying.
  • Temporary signage is capped tightly: banners are limited to 40 days/year and 40 sq ft, feather flags to 20 days/year, and the two cannot be displayed at the same time — plan seasonal or sale signage accordingly.
  • A $100 Zoning Verification Letter is a separate, optional tool for confirming a property's permitted sign district/standards before a formal sign permit submittal — it is not itself the sign permit.

Frequently asked questions

Fort Collins requires a sign permit for: Required to install, alter, or replace most permanent signs (wall, ground/monument, awning, projecting/fin, canopy, secondary roof) per Land Use Code Section 5.16; administered by Zoning, not Building Services; Temporary signs (banners, feather flags) are governed separately under LUC Section 5.16.3, using a distinct Temporary Sign Permit Application; Sign Permit Application (permanent) requires a stated materials-and-labor Valuation figure and detailed drawings showing site location and dimensions; submitted electronically as one collated PDF to zoning@fortcollins.gov; Permanent sign installation may only be performed/permitted by a City of Fort Collins-licensed Sign Contractor (contractor license number prefixed "SG-"), the property/business owner, or an applicant with the owner's written consent; permits cannot be issued if the contractor's license is out of date (contractor_licensing@fortcollins.gov); Wall sign raceways may not exceed 50% of the average height of the attached letters and/or shapes; Ground sign (monument, pole, drive-thru lane) applications must include a site plan showing distance to the property line; overall height is measured from the flowline of the adjacent street; Temporary banners: capped at 40 sq ft, limited to 40 days per calendar year per business; feather flags limited to 20 days per calendar year; banners and feather flags cannot be displayed concurrently; Detached banners limited to 1 per 100 linear feet of property frontage; attached banner standards and maximum sign height vary by the property's applicable sign district (LUC 5.16.3); All temporary signs must sit on the business's own private property, no closer than 2 feet to a public sidewalk; The permanent Sign Permit Application also asks applicants to list any signs being removed, to help the City keep its sign survey current. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 970-416-2740 before starting work.

The City does not publish a specific flat or itemized sign permit fee in its Fee Schedules, on the Zoning Permits webpage, or on either Sign Permit Application form — the permanent-sign application only asks applicants to state a materials-and-labor Valuation figure. Contact Zoning directly (970-416-2745 / zoning@fortcollins.gov) to confirm current cost before applying.

Plan review for a sign permit in Fort Collins typically runs 0–0 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 970-416-2740.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application (permanent signs); Detailed Sign and Site Drawings. Depending on your project, Fort Collins may also ask for: Temporary Sign Permit Application; City of Fort Collins Sign Contractor License (SG- license number). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Fort Collins requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Final Sign Inspection. Schedule each through City of Fort Collins — Building Services (970-416-2740).

Apply through City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524. Phone: 970-416-2740, email: BuildingServices@fortcollins.gov. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Official information: https://www.fortcollins.gov/Business/Building-and-Development/Building-Services.

Fort Collins, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) with 2024 Fort Collins IBC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026 (permits submitted on/after April 1, 2026 use these; 2021 IBC available for reference until Oct. 1, 2026); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) with 2024 Fort Collins IRC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026; 2024 International Energy Code (IECC) with 2024 Fort Collins IECC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026; Fort Collins amendments add all-electric building provisions, solar-ready zone requirements, heat-pump and demand-response requirements (see localAmendments); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) with 2024 Fort Collins IMC Amendments; 2024 International Fuel and Gas Code (IFGC) with 2024 Fort Collins IFGC Amendments; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with 2024 Fort Collins IPC Amendments (Fort Collins uses the IPC, not the UPC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), effective Aug. 1, 2023 — adopted directly, matching the State of Colorado's adopted electrical code; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) with 2024 Fort Collins IEBC Amendments; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with 2024 Fort Collins IPMC Amendments; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) with 2024 Fort Collins ISPSC Amendments; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (adopted statewide, current as of April 1, 2026); 2017 ICC A117.1 — Accessibility, plus Colorado Accessibility State Law (CRS 9-5); Poudre Fire Authority Fire Code — see PFA's Fire Code webpage for current adopted fire code (separate department, not administered by Building Services). Local amendments apply — see the Fort Collins overview page for the full list.

Yes, for permanent signs. Installation requires a City of Fort Collins Sign Contractor license (a distinct "SG-"-prefixed license number), separate from a general contractor license; permits cannot be issued to a contractor whose license is out of date. Property/business owners may self-install with appropriate written consent per the Sign Permit Application.

Other permits in Fort Collins

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Sign Permit in other cities

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