Sign Permit in Sterling, Colorado

Sterling requires a sign permit for: Unless otherwise provided by Chapter X, all signs shall require permits and payment of fees; no permit is required for sign maintenance or for a change of copy on painted, printed, or changeable-copy signs, per Sec. 1003; An application for a sign permit is made on forms provided by the Department of Public Works, including an accurate drawing showing property lines, sidewalks, streets, alleys, easements, and improvements, plus a sketch of the proposed sign and a description of materials, per Sec. 1004; No application shall be approved unless each structure is properly designed in compliance with the currently adopted Uniform Building Code, per Sec. 1004 (Sterling's currently adopted structural code is the 2018 International Building Code per Sec. 5-31); A list of sign types is entirely exempt from Chapter X's provisions ("unregulated signs"), including construction signs up to 32 sq ft, directional/informational signs up to 5 sq ft, nameplates/identification signs up to 3 sq ft, political signs, real estate signs up to 16 sq ft, window signs, and several others, per Sec. 1005.2; Certain sign types are prohibited outright in all districts: abandoned/blighted signs, signs imitating official traffic/government signs, snipe signs on trees/poles/public property, and signs on parked vehicles used primarily for advertising, per Sec. 1005.1; Maximum sign area, setback, height, and number allowed vary by zoning district and sign type (freestanding, flat wall, under-canopy, awning, marquee, portable, banner, projecting wall, rooftop), per Table 10.1 following Sec. 1009; No person may engage in erecting, altering, relocating, constructing, or maintaining a sign requiring a permit without holding a valid contractor's license and all required state/federal licenses, per Sec. 1005.6; All signs must be constructed per the currently adopted Uniform Building Code and be designed to withstand specified wind loads (35 psf up to 35 ft in height, 40 psf above 35 ft), per Sec. 1007; A permit denial under Chapter X may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment in writing within 15 days of the denial, accompanied by a fee, per Sec. 1008.6. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632 before starting work.

The fee is valuation-based, starting at $23.50 for signs valued $1-$500 and scaling up through a tiered table (e.g., $69.25 base plus $14/$1,000 for $2,001-$25,000 valuation), per the City's Charges and Fees Policy effective January 1, 2025.

Sterling does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632 for current turnaround.

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

Sterling requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Sign Inspection. Schedule each through City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division ((970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632).

Apply through City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at 421 N. 4th Street, P.O. Box 4000, Sterling, CO 80751. Phone: (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632, email: harbart@sterlingcolo.com (permits and licenses); pubworks@sterlingcolo.com (general Public Works). Office hours: Not published on the Permits and Licenses page as of this review; inspection requests are scheduled by phone at (970) 522-9700, with a stated same-day/next-day cutoff (see reviewTimelineNote on inspections below).. Official information: https://www.sterlingcolo.com/departments/public_works/permits_and_licenses.php.

Sterling, Colorado has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC), with Appendices A, E, and I — City of Sterling Municipal Code § 5-31, adopted by Ord. No. 5-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); a copy is kept at the City Clerk's office for public inspection; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), with Appendices F and H — Municipal Code § 5-56, adopted by Ord. No. 7-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); IRC Section R313 (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems) is expressly omitted in its entirety; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Municipal Code § 5-43, adopted by Ord. No. 6-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Municipal Code § 5-106, adopted by Ord. No. 8-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Municipal Code § 5-140, adopted by Ord. No. 9-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), with Appendices B and C, adopted in its entirety without amendment per state law — Municipal Code § 5-150, adopted by Ord. No. 10-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1994 Edition (ICBO) — Municipal Code § 5-16, as amended by Ord. Nos. 12-1992, 26-1995, and 2-2009; Any references to plumbing or electrical requirements (except required-fixture references) are explicitly EXCEPTED from both the IBC and IRC as locally adopted — Municipal Code § 5-31(b) and § 5-56(b) — because plumbing and electrical permitting/inspection in Sterling is handled by the State of Colorado, not the City; Manufactured/mobile home installations follow C.R.S. § 24-32-3101 et seq. rather than a City-adopted installation code — Municipal Code § 5-121. Local amendments apply — see the Sterling overview page for the full list.

Yes, for most signs. Zoning Ordinance Sec. 1003 requires a permit and fee payment for signs unless the sign is on the Sec. 1005.2 list of exempt/unregulated sign types (e.g., small real estate, construction, directional, or political signs) or is simply maintenance/copy-change on an existing sign.