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Sign Permit in Trinidad, Colorado

Required for erecting, mounting, or displaying most signs within Trinidad city limits, per the City's Sign Permit Information checklist and the Development Review Fees schedule, which routes the sign permit fee to the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule used for general construction. The underlying zoning-code sign regulations are codified at Municipal Code Chapter 14 (Land Use Code), Division 13 (Signs), cross-referenced by the iWorQ portal as 'Section 14-83 of the Trinidad Community Design Standards' — the live PDF link to the full Land Use Code text on trinidad.co.gov (government/chapter_14_-_land_use_code.php) returned HTTP 404 on every filename variant attempted during this review (not archived on Wayback either), so the underlying sign-area/setback/zone-district standards in Division 13 itself could not be independently re-verified verbatim; the permit-process facts below come from the City's own live Sign Permit checklist and fee schedule instead.

Verified 2026-08-14 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Two (2) sets of required documentation must be submitted: a plot plan showing property lines, existing structures, the proposed sign, and the location/size of all existing signs; plans and specifications drawn to scale in sufficient detail to confirm Code compliance; an engineer's 'wet' stamp is required on sign foundations
  • Checklist of required submittals per the Building Division's Sign Permit Information sheet: color graphic of the building with proposed and existing sign placement; color graphic of the proposed sign; a detailed drawing showing dimensions (length, width, depth, projection from building), location (on building or lot), and engineering (mounting method, wind load, illumination method and wattage); a written description covering materials, dimensions, placement location, mounting method, and illumination method/wattage
  • If a projecting sign, a statement is required that the sign will be designed and constructed in accordance with sign-specific structural requirements referenced on the checklist
  • Submitted as a Sign Permit under the City's General Permit Application category on the iWorQ online portal, which the portal itself cross-references to 'Section 14-83 of the Trinidad Community Design Standards' (Municipal Code Chapter 14, Land Use Code)
  • A 2% fee is added to the Permit Fee if paying by credit card
  • Separate City Planning Division 'Sign Variance' and 'Exception or Variance to sign regulations' processes exist for signs that do not meet the base standards (see fees below)

Required documents

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This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Sign Permit FeeCity of Trinidad Development Review Fees (Planning Division PDF, verbatim table entry: 'Sign Permit — Please see Building Fee Schedule'), confirming the sign permit fee follows the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule documented elsewhere in this file (e.g., $24.00 minimum, scaling by valuation) rather than a flat sign-specific dollar figure. Verified visually by rendering the two-column fee-schedule PDF to an image, per this corpus's multi-column-PDF misalignment check.
Please see Building Fee Schedule
Sign VarianceListed as its own line item on the Development Review Fees schedule under 'Permits' but no dollar figure is shown next to it (table cell blank in the rendered image) — contact the Planning Division (Kris Hall, 719-846-9843 ext. 120, kris.hall@trinidad.co.gov) for the current fee
Not published — contact the department
Exception or Variance to Sign RegulationsFalls under the 'Limited Impact' development-review tier ($400.00 flat fee), per the Development Review Fees schedule
$400.00

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    Completed sign installation verified against approved plans, including foundation (engineer's wet stamp required) and electrical/illumination components if applicable

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

Tips

  • The sign permit fee is NOT a flat dollar amount — the City's own Development Review Fees schedule states plainly 'Please see Building Fee Schedule,' meaning it scales with the same valuation-based tiers used for general building permits.
  • Projecting signs require a specific structural-compliance statement in the application — confirm the current referenced structural standard with the Building Division (719-846-9843 ext. 136 or 128) before submitting, since the checklist's own citation for that standard predates the City's 2024/2025 I-Code recodification.
  • If your sign doesn't meet base zoning standards, budget for a separate Planning Division process: 'Exception or Variance to sign regulations' is a $400.00 Limited Impact review, while a standalone 'Sign Variance' has no published flat fee — call the Planning Division to confirm cost and process before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Trinidad requires a sign permit for: Two (2) sets of required documentation must be submitted: a plot plan showing property lines, existing structures, the proposed sign, and the location/size of all existing signs; plans and specifications drawn to scale in sufficient detail to confirm Code compliance; an engineer's 'wet' stamp is required on sign foundations; Checklist of required submittals per the Building Division's Sign Permit Information sheet: color graphic of the building with proposed and existing sign placement; color graphic of the proposed sign; a detailed drawing showing dimensions (length, width, depth, projection from building), location (on building or lot), and engineering (mounting method, wind load, illumination method and wattage); a written description covering materials, dimensions, placement location, mounting method, and illumination method/wattage; If a projecting sign, a statement is required that the sign will be designed and constructed in accordance with sign-specific structural requirements referenced on the checklist; Submitted as a Sign Permit under the City's General Permit Application category on the iWorQ online portal, which the portal itself cross-references to 'Section 14-83 of the Trinidad Community Design Standards' (Municipal Code Chapter 14, Land Use Code); A 2% fee is added to the Permit Fee if paying by credit card; Separate City Planning Division 'Sign Variance' and 'Exception or Variance to sign regulations' processes exist for signs that do not meet the base standards (see fees below). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Trinidad Development Services Department, Building Division at (719) 846-9843 ext. 136 or ext. 128 before starting work.

The City's Development Review Fees schedule does not list a flat sign-permit fee; it states 'Please see Building Fee Schedule,' meaning the fee is calculated from the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule used for general construction permits.

Trinidad does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Trinidad Development Services Department, Building Division at (719) 846-9843 ext. 136 or ext. 128 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Sign Permit Information / Checklist (PDF); General Permit Application (iWorQ online portal); Plot Plan (two sets). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Trinidad requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Trinidad Development Services Department, Building Division ((719) 846-9843 ext. 136 or ext. 128).

Apply through City of Trinidad Development Services Department, Building Division at 135 N. Animas Street (PO Box 880), Trinidad, CO 81082. Phone: (719) 846-9843 ext. 136 or ext. 128, email: Not published on the Building Inspections, Contractor Licenses & Permits page as of this review; contact via main office line. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (City of Trinidad normal business hours); Development Services Administrator Tara Booth; fax (719) 846-4140. Official information: https://www.trinidad.co.gov/services/community_development/building_inspections___permits.php.

Trinidad, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendix C (Group U Agricultural Buildings) and Appendix J (Grading) — Trinidad Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-1 (Ord. 4052, Article 1, repealed and reenacted eff. 6-26-26); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix Chapters BE (Radon) and NF (Alternative Building Thermal Envelope Insulation R-Value Options) — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-2; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), including Appendix A (Chimney Connector Pass-Throughs) — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-4; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-5; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), amended to require compliance with the Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code (CMERSRC) for both residential (R401.2) and commercial (C401.2) buildings, EXCEPT Chapter 3 Electric Ready Provisions, which are deferred to a City-utility implementation plan beginning July 1, 2027 — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-6; 2025 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-7 (the ordinance text names the 2025 edition in its adoption sentence but refers to '2024 Edition' in the following administrative sentences; both readings point to the same currently-adopted IEBC cited in the live ordinance, flagged here as a genuine internal inconsistency in the ordinance's own text rather than resolved by assumption); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), including Appendix Chapter A (Boarding Standard) — Municipal Code Chapter 5, Section 5-8; Section 5-3 (where the International Plumbing Code would sit, per Chapter 15 Section 15-1's own cross-reference 'See Chapter 5, Section 5-3') and Section 5-9 (where a National Electrical Code adoption would typically sit) are both listed as 'Reserved' in the current live Chapter 5 ordinance text as of this review — no standalone IPC or NEC adoption section could be located in the current municipal code; this is a genuine gap, not an oversight in this extraction (see localAmendments); Table R301.2 local design criteria (IRC amendment): Ground Snow Load not less than 30 psf; Wind Design Speed not less than 115 mph; Seismic Design Category B; Frost line depth 32 inches; Ice Barrier Underlayment Required: YES; Weathering: Severe; Termite: Slight to moderate; Flood Hazard FIRM 080107 0001 B, adopted 4/3/84. Local amendments apply — see the Trinidad overview page for the full list.

Per the Building Division's Sign Permit Information checklist: two sets of a plot plan, a color graphic of the building with the proposed/existing sign placement, a color graphic of the proposed sign, a detailed dimensioned/engineering drawing, and a written description of materials, dimensions, placement, mounting, and illumination. An engineer's wet stamp is required on sign foundations.

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