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Sign Permit — Grand Junction, Colorado · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-08-13 · Source: https://ecode360.com/45358786
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Sign Permit in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction regulates signage under Grand Junction Municipal Code (GJMC) Chapter 21.10 (Sign Standards), part of Title 21 (Zoning), read in full via the City's eCode360-hosted code. No sign may be displayed in any zone district without a Sign Permit, except where the chapter expressly provides otherwise (signs placed by a governmental entity are exempt). A Sign Permit can only be obtained by a licensed sign contractor. The chapter was substantially rewritten by Ordinance 5190 (effective 12/20/2023) as part of the City's Zoning and Development Code repeal-and-replace.
Verified 2026-08-13 · Source
When you need this permit
- No sign may be displayed in any zone district without a Sign Permit, except where GJMC Chapter 21.10 expressly provides otherwise; signs placed by a governmental entity are exempt (§ 21.10.010)
- Only a licensed sign contractor can obtain a Sign Permit (§ 21.10.070(a)(3))
- Touching up, repainting, or changing existing letters/text/symbols/graphics is considered maintenance and repair and does not require a permit (§ 21.10.070(a)(2))
- Permit-exempt signs under § 21.10.030 include: one sign integral to or flush-mounted on a building, no greater than 4 sq ft; and non-illuminated, non-digital, non-permanent signs, limited to 6 signs per parcel under 1 acre (each ≤6 sq ft, except one may be up to 32 sq ft during active construction/subdivision development) or 6 signs per acre on larger parcels
- A banner permit is required prior to any use of wind-driven signs or banners; these may be displayed up to 30 consecutive days, up to 4 times per 12-month period, and must be secured directly to a permanently affixed structure (§ 21.10.040)
- No single sign may exceed 300 square feet in area regardless of zone-district allowances, and all exterior signs must be engineered to withstand a minimum wind load of 30 pounds per square foot (§ 21.10.070(a))
- Digital/electronic signs are capped at 0.3 footcandles over ambient light levels (measured 30 minutes after sunset/before sunrise per a distance table keyed to sign area) and must have photocell technology to auto-dim from dusk to dawn; interactive signs are prohibited entirely (§ 21.10.060, § 21.10.020(i))
- Prohibited signs include obscene content, imitation traffic-control signs/signals, portable/tent signs or non-mounted string lights (with a narrow shopping-area exception ≤12 sq ft/3 ft wide), signs placed on public right-of-way (except by a governmental entity), and interactive signs readable from the public right-of-way (§ 21.10.020)
- All existing on-site signage must be brought into conformance with the current Code before any new Sign Permit is approved for the property (§ 21.10.050(a))
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Sign Permit FeeContact the Community Development Department (970-244-1430) for the current fee schedule
Not published as a numeric figure within GJMC Chapter 21.10 itself
Review timeline
Plan review
Not published — contact the department
Inspection process
See the full Grand Junction inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Only licensed sign contractors can obtain a Sign Permit in Grand Junction — a property owner or general contractor cannot self-apply for most signage.
- If your property already has nonconforming signage, it must be brought into conformance with the current Code before the City will approve any NEW sign permit for that property — check existing signage compliance first.
- Digital/electronic sign brightness is capped at 0.3 footcandles over ambient light and measured against a distance table keyed to sign area (e.g., 30 ft for signs up to 10 sq ft, 150 ft for 200-300 sq ft signs) — budget for photocell auto-dimming technology and possible City re-inspection/recalibration at the permittee's expense.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, for most signs — no sign may be displayed in any zone district without a Sign Permit, except signs placed by a governmental entity or those specifically exempted under GJMC § 21.10.030. Only a licensed sign contractor can obtain the permit.
In Grand Junction, the published Sign Permit Fee is: Not published as a numeric figure within GJMC Chapter 21.10 itself. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.
Grand Junction does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Mesa County Building Department (Community Development Department) at (970) 244-1631 for current turnaround.
You'll need: Sign Permit Application (via licensed sign contractor). Depending on your project, Grand Junction may also ask for: Banner Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
Apply through Mesa County Building Department (Community Development Department) at 200 S. Spruce Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501 (mailing: PO Box 20,000-5005, Grand Junction, CO 81502-5001). Phone: (970) 244-1631, email: mccomdev@mesacounty.us. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; permit issuance after 4:30 p.m. is on a limited basis and no multiple permits are issued after 4:30 p.m. (Source: Mesa County Building Department Fees page). Official information: https://www.mesacounty.us/departments-and-services/community-development/building.
Grand Junction, Colorado has adopted: AUTHORITY MODEL NOTE: Colorado has no statewide building code (home-rule state); each city or county adopts and amends its own. Colorado does set a statutory statewide energy-code floor via HB22-1362 (requiring jurisdictions that adopt a building code to also adopt the most current or immediately preceding edition of the IECC on a rolling basis) and separate ADU-related state statutes (e.g., HB24-1152, concerning local regulation of accessory dwelling units in certain jurisdictions). Applicants in any Colorado city should always confirm the specific edition and amendments in force locally — never assume a statewide default.; The City of Grand Junction does NOT run its own building-permit program. Per the City's own Engineering & Transportation Permits page: 'The Mesa County Building Department serves unincorporated Mesa County as well as the towns of Debeque, Collbran, Palisade, and the cities of Fruita and Grand Junction.' Building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits within Grand Junction city limits are issued and inspected by the Mesa County Building Department, part of Mesa County's Community Development Department (Building - Planning - OWTS - Code Compliance). Contractor licensing for work within Grand Junction city limits is also administered by Mesa County on the City's behalf. Source: City of Grand Junction Engineering and Transportation Permits page (gjcity.org/355/Permits) and Mesa County Building Department 'Building Department' landing page (mesacounty.us building department, description: 'Our department performs inspections, supplies permits, and current codes for building projects in our County, the towns of De Beque, Collbran, Palisade, and the City of Grand Junction.'); Zoning, land-use planning, ADU incentive programs, and planning clearances remain a City of Grand Junction (Community Development / Planning Division) function even though building-code enforcement is county-run; a Planning Clearance from the City is a prerequisite for many Mesa County building permits on property within city limits (see ADU and solar permit types below).; Mesa County Building Department began enforcement of a new adopted-code cycle effective September 1, 2025 (per Mesa County Ordinance adopting and amending Building Codes, in compliance with HB21-1110). Source: Mesa County Adopted Codes and Regulations page.; 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — Mesa County adopted code, effective enforcement September 1, 2025; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Mesa County adopted code, effective enforcement September 1, 2025; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — Mesa County adopted code, effective enforcement September 1, 2025; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Mesa County adopted code, effective enforcement September 1, 2025; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Mesa County adopted code; per the County's IECC Energy Code Requirements page, enforcement of the 2021 IECC began September 1, 2025 'in compliance with House Bill 22-1362' (Colorado's statewide energy-code floor statute); Colorado Model and Solar Ready Code — state-adopted, referenced on Mesa County's Adopted Codes page as a state-level code Mesa County enforces alongside its own IECC checklist (Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code, CMESRC); Colorado Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code — state-adopted, referenced on Mesa County's Adopted Codes page; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — state-adopted per Mesa County's Adopted Codes page; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — state-adopted per Mesa County's Adopted Codes page; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — state-adopted per Mesa County's Adopted Codes page (no direct link published by the County as of this review; also cited as the applicable electrical code in Mesa County's Photovoltaic Guide alongside 2018 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IFC for that guide's own applicable-codes list, which had not yet been updated to reference 2024 editions as of the guide's July 2023 revision date); Note on internal inconsistency found during verification: Mesa County's standalone Photovoltaic Guide (rev. 7/20/2023) lists '2018 IBC, IRC, IEBC, IFC, and 2023 NEC' as its applicable codes, which predates the County's September 1, 2025 adoption of the 2024 IBC/IRC/IEBC cycle documented on the Adopted Codes and Regulations page. Applicants should confirm current code edition with the Building Department (970-244-1631) at time of solar application, since the PV guide has not been visibly reissued since the 2025 code-cycle update.; Mesa County Building Department Reroof Policy (revised 9/2025) requires reroofs to comply with Chapter 9 of the 2024 IRC or Chapter 15 of the 2024 IBC, confirming the 2024 cycle is the current enforced edition for those chapters as of this review.. Local amendments apply — see the Grand Junction overview page for the full list.
No. A Banner Permit is required prior to any use of wind-driven signs or banners, per GJMC § 21.10.040. Banners may be displayed up to 30 consecutive days, up to 4 times per 12-month period.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-13.
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 Grand Junction building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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