Sign Permit in Unincorporated Teller County, Colorado

Unincorporated Teller County requires a sign permit for: A permit for a new sign 'may be required in accordance with the Teller County Building Code' per TCLUR Section 5.8.D; no permit is required for a legal pre-existing non-conforming sign, sign maintenance, or a change of sign copy provided the sign conforms to Section 5.8; No permit required for numerous specifically listed on-premise sign types (Section 5.8.D.1), including: address/mailbox signs under 6 sq ft, entry features (unless over 6 ft high, which may require a Building Permit), flags up to 64 sq ft, gravestones, hazard warning signs, historic plaques, information signs on public property, legally non-conforming signs, official government notices/signs, political signs (max 32 sq ft, limited to 60 days before through 10 days after an election), public notices, real estate signs (per Table 5-8 size limits by lot size/zoning), scoreboards under 20 ft/128 sq ft, signs explicitly exempted by the BOCC, signs required by law, traffic signs, temporary signs under 14 consecutive days per 120-day period, and private/public art under 6 ft high; Off-premise signs are prohibited in all zone districts EXCEPT: Business Directional Signs (requires a Teller County Building Permit for On-Site Projects PLUS approval by the Board of County Commissioners with Planning Commission recommendation, per Section 5.8.E.1), Construction Directional and Access Signs (a separate, distinct permit application issued to the General Contractor upon payment of the BOCC fee schedule fee), Real Estate Open House signs (max 3 signs, max 3 sq ft each, Friday 5pm-Sunday 5pm only), and Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS, per a separate handout under C.R.S. §43-1-420(3) and §43-1-416); All signs adjacent to the State highway system (visible from the main-traveled way and within 660 feet of the right-of-way, or beyond 660 feet outside urban areas if erected to be read from the main-traveled way) must ALSO obtain a State Sign Permit in addition to any Teller County permit, per the Colorado Division of Highways' 'Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Outdoor Advertising' and the Outdoor Advertising Act, C.R.S. §43-1-401 et seq.; Evidence of ability to comply with the Teller County Building Code and National Electric Code is a required Sign Plan submittal element (Section 5.8.B.1.d) where a Sign Plan is required as part of another development permit's submittal requirements. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Teller County Building Division (Community Development Department) at 719-687-3048 before starting work.

Unincorporated Teller County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Teller County Building Division (Community Development Department) at 719-687-3048 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Signs — General Sign Information (PDF). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through Teller County Building Division (Community Development Department) at 800 Research Drive, Suite 100-B, Tamarac Business Center, Woodland Park, CO 80863. Phone: 719-687-3048. Office hours: Monday through Friday (except holidays), 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch. Building Inspectors answer Building Code questions by phone or in person 7:30-8:30 a.m. Monday-Friday at 719-687-3048; the Plans Examiner is available by appointment only, scheduled by calling 719-686-5405. Source: https://www.tellercounty.gov/Building-Division. Official information: https://www.tellercounty.gov/Building-Division.

Unincorporated Teller County, Colorado has adopted: AUTHORITY MODEL: The Teller County Building Division is responsible for regulating building activities to ensure residential and commercial structures comply with applicable codes, and 'issues Permits and Inspects all land/property located within unincorporated Teller County.' Woodland Park, Cripple Creek, and Victor all have their own separate Building Departments for issuing permits and performing inspections within their own municipal jurisdictions. This is a direct, affirmative statement of first-party permit issuance to unincorporated-area residents (not a records/coordination-only office), independently confirmed live 2026-07-06. Source: https://www.tellercounty.gov/Building-Division; Colorado has no statewide mandatory building code for most jurisdictions (home-rule/county-adoption authority under C.R.S. Title 30, Article 28); Teller County adopts and amends its own construction codes for the unincorporated area via the Teller County Building Code, administered by a Board of Review created under C.R.S. 30-28-206 and 207.; Teller County Building Code, as adopted by the Board of County Commissioners, effective 07/01/2023 (Resolution 06-22-2023 (21)), with subsequent amendment Resolution 11-09-2023 affecting contractor-license definitions and fees (Article II). This is the county's own current, in-force code compilation (58-page consolidated document), independently downloaded and read in full 2026-07-06. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), https://www.tellercounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/242/Teller-County-Building-Code-PDF; Article III - 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix Chapters AA, AB, AC, AG, AH, AJ, and AN, with numerous county-specific amendments (see localAmendments). Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article III; Article IV - 2021 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendix Chapters G, H, and I, and the 'Building Safety Journal.' Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article IV; Article V - 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as amended by the State of Colorado, including Appendices B, E, and G. Colorado uses the International Plumbing Code (not the Uniform Plumbing Code) for this jurisdiction. Where Article V conflicts with Article III (IRC) or Article IV (IBC), Article V (the Plumbing Code) governs. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article V, Section 102.1; Article VI - 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC), including Appendix Chapter A. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article VI; Article VII - 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), including Appendix Chapter A. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article VII; Article VIII - Mobile/Factory Built/Manufactured Housing Code, with county-specific definitions of Manufactured Home, Factory Built Home (Modular/IRC Code Compliant Unit, per 8 CCR 1302-3), and Mobile Home; a building permit is required for the permanent foundation and all utility connections. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article VIII; Article IX - 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC/NFPA 70), adopted directly by Teller County (not merely deferred to a state board), governing all electrical alterations, repairs, replacements, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings, and appurtenances; where the 2021 IRC/IBC conflict with the NEC, the NEC (Article IX) prevails as the more restrictive code. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article IX; Article X - 2003 International Fire Code, adopted as the Teller County Fire Code for the unincorporated area by Teller County Ordinance #16. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article X; Article XII - 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), including the IECC Appendix for reference only. This is the county's own current adopted edition as of this review (2026-07-06) -- it is the 2018 edition, not the 2021 or 2024 edition. Colorado's HB22-1362 (statewide 'model' energy code adoption requirements for larger/home-rule jurisdictions with updates on a rolling schedule) was checked for applicability: Teller County's own code text does not reference HB22-1362 or a more recent IECC edition anywhere in the 58-page Building Code document, and no separate county page or resolution updating the energy code to a post-2018 edition was found. This is reported honestly as the genuinely current adopted edition rather than assumed to have been superseded. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article XII; Article XIII - Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators (ASME A17.1-2019, A17.3-2011, A18.1-2011, ASME QEI-2013, ANSI/ASSE A10.4-2007); all inspections performed by a State of Colorado-designated ANSI Certified Inspector with results submitted to the Building Department. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article XIII; Article XIV - 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC). Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article XIV; Article XV - Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 edition. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article XV; Article XVII - Penalties: violations of the Teller County Building Code are unlawful and punishable per C.R.S. 30-28-209 and 30-28-210. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article XVII. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Teller County overview page for the full list.

It depends on the sign type. Per TCLUR Section 5.8.D, a permit for a new sign 'may be required in accordance with the Teller County Building Code,' but many common on-premise sign types (address signs, flags, real estate signs meeting size limits, temporary signs, political signs, etc.) are explicitly exempt from a permit under Section 5.8.D.1.

Generally no — off-premise signs are prohibited in all zone districts except for four specifically allowed categories: Business Directional Signs (requires Building Permit plus BOCC approval with Planning Commission recommendation), Construction Directional and Access Signs (separate permit), Real Estate Open House signs, and Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS).