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Sign Permit in Unincorporated Washington County, Colorado

Unincorporated Washington County publishes no dedicated local sign-permit application, sign ordinance, or sign fee schedule online. The current Planning & Zoning department webpage and the Planning and Zoning Forms page list only Building/Foundation/Mobile-Home permits, USBR (Use by Special Review) and its amendment/extinguishment forms, Subdivision Exemption, Temporary Use, Road Access/Road Cut, Petition for Vacation, Address Request, and similar land-use forms — no sign-specific document appears among them. The County's own Zoning Resolution is currently in force (see localAmendments) but is not published online anywhere reachable, so ask the County Land Use Office directly about any on-premise sign standard it may contain. The one sourced sign-permitting mechanism that reaches unincorporated Washington County is the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) statewide Outdoor Advertising Permit program, which regulates OFF-PREMISE advertising devices (billboards) within CDOT's 'control area' adjacent to the state highway system under the Colorado Outdoor Advertising Act (C.R.S. Title 43, Article 1, Part 4) — state highways cross the county's unincorporated area. That state permit application requires Part 3 to be completed and signed by 'the representative of the local jurisdiction' (i.e., Washington County) certifying the site's zoning classification and compliance with local ordinances, giving the County Land Use Office a real, sourced role even though CDOT itself issues the permit.

Verified 2026-08-14 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Washington County publishes no dedicated local sign-permit application or fee schedule anywhere on its website. Both the Planning & Zoning department page and the Planning and Zoning Forms page list every other land-use form the County publishes — Building Permit, Foundation Permit, Mobile/Manufactured Home Permit, USBR and its Amend/Extinguish forms, Subdivision Exemption, Temporary Use, Road Access, Road Cut, Petition for Vacation, Request for Address — with no sign-specific item among them
  • For an OFF-PREMISE advertising sign (a sign advertising an activity/product/service not conducted on the property where the sign sits) located within CDOT's 'control area' adjacent to the state highway system, a CDOT Outdoor Advertising Permit Application (Form #291) must be filed with CDOT's Outdoor Advertising Program
  • Part 3 of CDOT Form #291 must be completed, signed, and dated by a representative of Washington County certifying the sign site's current zoning classification (commercial or industrial classification required, or an 'other' classification shown to encompass commercial/industrial use) and certifying compliance with all applicable County ordinances, variances, plans, rules, and other requirements
  • Permit fee is set by statute per sign face area, per C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(b): $10.00 (100 sq ft or less), $20.00 (101-250 sq ft), $40.00 (251-600 sq ft), $75.00 (601 sq ft or more)
  • Permits are issued for a one-year term (July 1-June 30) and must be renewed annually before June 1 with payment of the renewal fee, per C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(a)-(b); a late fee applies to renewals submitted after the deadline
  • ON-PREMISE business signage (a sign advertising the business/activity located on the same property as the sign) is not addressed in any Washington County document found online; whether the County's own (unpublished) Zoning Resolution separately regulates on-premise signs could not be confirmed or ruled out — contact the Land Use Office directly, (970) 345-2701 ext. 234, before erecting an on-premise sign

Required documents

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Fee schedule

CDOT Outdoor Advertising Permit Fee (by sign face area, off-premise signs adjacent to state highways only)Per C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(b), the statutory fee schedule for the state's Outdoor Advertising permit program under the Colorado Outdoor Advertising Act. This is a STATE fee collected by CDOT, not a Washington County fee — the County has no published sign-permit fee of its own.
$10.00 (≤100 sq ft) / $20.00 (101-250 sq ft) / $40.00 (251-600 sq ft) / $75.00 (≥601 sq ft), assessed annually at renewal
Local (on-premise) Sign Permit Fee
No local sign-permit fee, application, or ordinance was found published for on-premise signage anywhere on Washington County's website. Show full citationNo local sign-permit fee, application, or ordinance was found published for on-premise signage anywhere on Washington County's website. Contact the Land Use Office / Planning & Zoning Department, (970) 345-2701 ext. 234, to confirm whether any on-premise sign standard applies under the County's (not-published-online) Zoning Resolution.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Washington County?

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

Inspection process

    See the full Unincorporated Washington County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

    Tips

    • Washington County has no sign-specific form of its own — if you're putting up a roadside/off-premise advertising sign near a state highway, the permit is issued by CDOT, not the County, though the County's Land Use Office must still certify your site's zoning on Part 3 of the CDOT application.
    • If your sign is on-premise (advertising your own business at its own location) rather than roadside off-premise advertising, no dedicated county sign permit or fee was found online — call the Land Use Office, (970) 345-2701 ext. 234, before you build, since the County's own Zoning Resolution (unpublished online) may still contain applicable standards.

    Frequently asked questions

    Unincorporated Washington County requires a sign permit for: Washington County publishes no dedicated local sign-permit application or fee schedule anywhere on its website. Both the Planning & Zoning department page and the Planning and Zoning Forms page list every other land-use form the County publishes — Building Permit, Foundation Permit, Mobile/Manufactured Home Permit, USBR and its Amend/Extinguish forms, Subdivision Exemption, Temporary Use, Road Access, Road Cut, Petition for Vacation, Request for Address — with no sign-specific item among them; For an OFF-PREMISE advertising sign (a sign advertising an activity/product/service not conducted on the property where the sign sits) located within CDOT's 'control area' adjacent to the state highway system, a CDOT Outdoor Advertising Permit Application (Form #291) must be filed with CDOT's Outdoor Advertising Program; Part 3 of CDOT Form #291 must be completed, signed, and dated by a representative of Washington County certifying the sign site's current zoning classification (commercial or industrial classification required, or an 'other' classification shown to encompass commercial/industrial use) and certifying compliance with all applicable County ordinances, variances, plans, rules, and other requirements; Permit fee is set by statute per sign face area, per C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(b): $10.00 (100 sq ft or less), $20.00 (101-250 sq ft), $40.00 (251-600 sq ft), $75.00 (601 sq ft or more); Permits are issued for a one-year term (July 1-June 30) and must be renewed annually before June 1 with payment of the renewal fee, per C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(a)-(b); a late fee applies to renewals submitted after the deadline; ON-PREMISE business signage (a sign advertising the business/activity located on the same property as the sign) is not addressed in any Washington County document found online; whether the County's own (unpublished) Zoning Resolution separately regulates on-premise signs could not be confirmed or ruled out — contact the Land Use Office directly, (970) 345-2701 ext. 234, before erecting an on-premise sign. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Washington County Land Use Office (Planning & Zoning Department) at (970) 345-2701 ext. 234 (fax (970) 514-7710, per the department's live webpage — resolved as current: a 2020 Wayback capture of the same page shows fax 345-2702 with then-Zoning-Official Denise Chavez named, while the live page today shows no named official ('temporary') and the new fax, indicating the webpage was updated since 2020 and the number changed; the Building Permit Application form (Rev. 06-14, unrevised since 2014) still carries the older 345-2702 and is treated as stale on this one field) before starting work.

    The fee is set by state statute (C.R.S. § 43-1-409(1)(b)) based on sign face area: $10.00 for 100 sq ft or less, $20.00 for 101-250 sq ft, $40.00 for 251-600 sq ft, and $75.00 for 601 sq ft or more, reassessed at each annual renewal.

    Unincorporated Washington County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Washington County Land Use Office (Planning & Zoning Department) at (970) 345-2701 ext. 234 (fax (970) 514-7710, per the department's live webpage — resolved as current: a 2020 Wayback capture of the same page shows fax 345-2702 with then-Zoning-Official Denise Chavez named, while the live page today shows no named official ('temporary') and the new fax, indicating the webpage was updated since 2020 and the number changed; the Building Permit Application form (Rev. 06-14, unrevised since 2014) still carries the older 345-2702 and is treated as stale on this one field) for current turnaround.

    You'll need: CDOT Outdoor Advertising Permit Application (Form #291). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through Washington County Land Use Office (Planning & Zoning Department) at Washington County Courthouse, 150 Ash Avenue, 2nd Floor, Akron, CO 80720. Phone: (970) 345-2701 ext. 234 (fax (970) 514-7710, per the department's live webpage — resolved as current: a 2020 Wayback capture of the same page shows fax 345-2702 with then-Zoning-Official Denise Chavez named, while the live page today shows no named official ('temporary') and the new fax, indicating the webpage was updated since 2020 and the number changed; the Building Permit Application form (Rev. 06-14, unrevised since 2014) still carries the older 345-2702 and is treated as stale on this one field), email: planning@co.washington.co.us (per the Foundation Permit and Mobile/Manufactured Home Permit forms; also matches the address shown for then-Zoning-Official Denise Chavez on a 2020 Wayback capture of the department's own webpage — the current live webpage's visible text does not repeat an email address, but nothing found contradicts this one, so it is carried forward as still-current pending direct confirmation). Office hours: Not published as specific hours for this department; the County's website states only that proposed regulations are available for inspection 'during normal business hours' at 150 Ash Avenue. The Planning Commission's regular meeting is the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the old courtroom at the Courthouse (date subject to change).. Official information: https://washingtoncounty.colorado.gov/departments/administration/planning-and-zoning.

    Unincorporated Washington County, Colorado has adopted: No model building code (IBC/IRC/NEC) found published online — see the FAQ below for what governs instead; Manufactured/mobile homes: Colorado Division of Housing state standards apply, not a county-adopted code; County Zoning Resolution is in force but not published online — full scope on this point unconfirmed; HB22-1362 (2022), Colorado's statewide model energy and low-carbon code law, exempts jurisdictions under 2,500 residents. Unincorporated Washington County is roughly 3,060 people -- county total 4,817 per the 2020 Census, minus Akron's 1,757, Akron being the county's only incorporated municipality -- so the population exemption does not apply on its own. The law's model-code mandate attaches only when a jurisdiction adopts or updates a building code, and no affirmatively adopted county building code, energy or otherwise, is published anywhere findable, so there is no trigger event on record. The County's Zoning Resolution is not published online, so treat this as nothing found rather than a certainty that nothing exists. If the County adopts or updates any code, the Model Low Energy and Carbon Code requirement binds any update after July 1, 2026. Confirm current requirements with the County before designing to an energy code.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Washington County overview page for the full list.

    No dedicated local sign-permit application, ordinance, or fee schedule was found published anywhere on the County's website. The only sourced, applicable sign-permitting mechanism confirmed for the unincorporated county is the Colorado Department of Transportation's statewide Outdoor Advertising Permit, which covers off-premise advertising signs (billboards) near the state highway system and requires the County to certify the site's zoning as part of that state application.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-14.

    Fee schedules

    Applications & forms

    Department & other records

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

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    Other permits in Unincorporated Washington County

    Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel, Accessory Structures)Commercial Building Permit (Use by Special Review)Mobile or Manufactured Home Permit (with Foundation Permit if applicable)Small Solar Energy Conversion System (SECS) Permit — Rooftop/Accessory SolarElectric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station / EVSE PermitFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System PermitChange of Use Permit

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