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Sign Permit (Permanent and Temporary) in Erie, Colorado

Required to install, enlarge, move, or change any sign within Erie town limits, per the Town's 2026 sign code update, Ordinance No. 004-2026 (Title 10, Unified Development Code). RESEARCHED 2026-08-13: erieco.gov's own Building Division pages (How to Apply for a Permanent Sign Permit, Temporary Signs, Code Inspection FAQ) were read directly and are consistent, but library.municode.com/co/erie is a JavaScript-only Angular application that returns an empty shell to direct fetch (confirmed directly), so the underlying ordinance text of No. 004-2026 itself could not be directly read — the permit process, size/quantity limits, and exemptions below come from the Town's own plain-English guidance pages, not the primary ordinance. No standalone sign-permit fee line item exists anywhere in the Town's own 2026 Fee Schedule (read directly in full) or on any sign-specific page; the eTRAKiT sign application itself captures a 'Total Project Cost' field for the sign under a 'Contractor Value' step, the same mechanism used for valuation-based Building Permit Fee calculation elsewhere in this file, but no Town source explicitly states that a sign permit is billed under that general table the way Dacono's ordinance does in so many words — carries 'partial' confidence for this reason.

Reviewed 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A sign permit is required to install, enlarge, move, or change any sign in Erie, per the 2026 sign code update (Town of Erie Ordinance No. 004-2026, Title 10 UDC); a separate Temporary Sign Permit covers signs displayed no more than 30 calendar days
  • Exempt from permit: maintenance of an existing lawful sign, and very small signs (under 4 sq. ft.) on private property, per the Town's Code Inspection FAQ page
  • Size allowances vary by zone: residential signage is typically capped around 32 sq. ft. total; commercial signage generally follows roughly 1 sq. ft. of sign area per linear foot of storefront, subject to maximum caps — confirm the exact figure for a specific zone district with the Building Division, since these are the Town's own plain-English guidance figures rather than a verbatim ordinance quote
  • Quantity limits (per the Code Inspection FAQ): residential properties generally up to 2 signs per street frontage; commercial tenants generally 3-4 signs per tenant frontage; temporary signs limited to 2 displayed at a time, each taken down within 30 days, and capped at 120 total temporary-sign days per calendar year
  • Prohibited sign types: flashing, moving, rotating, or animated signs; off-premises advertising signs; signs mounted on trees, utility poles, light poles, or bollards; signs within public rights-of-way (streets, sidewalks, tree lawns); and home-occupation business signage
  • Digital signs are permitted only if copy changes no more than once every 30 minutes and the display avoids glare or traffic hazards; illumination is limited to internal or external cutoff fixtures with no flashing or animated lighting
  • Town of Erie Licensed Contractors are required for all Commercial sign projects, per the Town's own How to Apply for a Permanent Sign Permit guide; Erie does not publish a distinct 'Sign Contractor' license class the way some peer Colorado jurisdictions do (e.g., Berthoud) — a general Class A/B/C or applicable Specialty contractor license is used instead Contractor
  • Application submitted via the eTRAKiT Self-Service Portal: select Permit Type 'Sign' and the applicable Sign Subtype, complete the Sign Design fields and Code Edition, enter the sign's Total Project Cost under the Contractor Value step, provide Business Info including whether the business holds a valid Town of Erie Business License, and complete Location and Relation-to-Permit (Property Owner or Contractor) fields
  • To avoid delays, supporting attachments should include: a site plan showing all existing and proposed sign locations, sign setbacks from property lines (for monument/ground signs), building or tenant frontage measurements, sign elevation drawings, full sign dimensions, sign area calculations in square feet, illumination/electrical specifications if applicable, and property owner authorization if applicable

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign Permit FeeGenuinely unconfirmed — contact the Building Division (building@erieco.gov, 303-926-2780) for the exact fee mechanism before budgeting a specific dollar amount
Not published as a standalone line item on the Town's 2026 Fee Schedule (confirmed by reading the schedule in full); the eTRAKiT sign application's own 'Contractor Value' step captures a Total Project Cost figure, consistent with (but not explicitly confirmed to follow) the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee table used elsewhere in this file

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit (Permanent and Temporary) permit actually take in Erie?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    Sign dimensions, location, setbacks, illumination, and mounting verified against the approved permit

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

Tips

  • Erie's sign application requires entering the sign's 'Total Project Cost' under a 'Contractor Value' step in eTRAKiT — the same valuation-capture pattern used for other cost-based Erie permits — but no Town source explicitly states that signs are billed off the general Building Permit Fee table, and no separate sign fee schedule was found; confirm the actual fee with the Building Division before applying.
  • Erie requires a Town-licensed contractor for any commercial sign project, but does not have its own dedicated 'Sign Contractor' license category — a standard Class A/B/C or Specialty contractor license covers signage work. Contractor
  • The Town's sign rules changed with the 2026 sign code update (Ordinance No. 004-2026) — if referencing older third-party summaries of Erie's sign code, confirm they reflect this current ordinance, not a pre-2026 version.
  • A temporary sign under 4 sq. ft. on private property needs no permit at all, but any sign attached to a business exterior — even temporarily — needs a Temporary Sign Permit if it exceeds that threshold or is otherwise not exempt.

Frequently asked questions

Erie requires a sign permit (permanent and temporary) for: A sign permit is required to install, enlarge, move, or change any sign in Erie, per the 2026 sign code update (Town of Erie Ordinance No. 004-2026, Title 10 UDC); a separate Temporary Sign Permit covers signs displayed no more than 30 calendar days; Exempt from permit: maintenance of an existing lawful sign, and very small signs (under 4 sq. ft.) on private property, per the Town's Code Inspection FAQ page; Size allowances vary by zone: residential signage is typically capped around 32 sq. ft. total; commercial signage generally follows roughly 1 sq. ft. of sign area per linear foot of storefront, subject to maximum caps — confirm the exact figure for a specific zone district with the Building Division, since these are the Town's own plain-English guidance figures rather than a verbatim ordinance quote; Quantity limits (per the Code Inspection FAQ): residential properties generally up to 2 signs per street frontage; commercial tenants generally 3-4 signs per tenant frontage; temporary signs limited to 2 displayed at a time, each taken down within 30 days, and capped at 120 total temporary-sign days per calendar year; Prohibited sign types: flashing, moving, rotating, or animated signs; off-premises advertising signs; signs mounted on trees, utility poles, light poles, or bollards; signs within public rights-of-way (streets, sidewalks, tree lawns); and home-occupation business signage; Digital signs are permitted only if copy changes no more than once every 30 minutes and the display avoids glare or traffic hazards; illumination is limited to internal or external cutoff fixtures with no flashing or animated lighting; Town of Erie Licensed Contractors are required for all Commercial sign projects, per the Town's own How to Apply for a Permanent Sign Permit guide; Erie does not publish a distinct 'Sign Contractor' license class the way some peer Colorado jurisdictions do (e.g., Berthoud) — a general Class A/B/C or applicable Specialty contractor license is used instead; Application submitted via the eTRAKiT Self-Service Portal: select Permit Type 'Sign' and the applicable Sign Subtype, complete the Sign Design fields and Code Edition, enter the sign's Total Project Cost under the Contractor Value step, provide Business Info including whether the business holds a valid Town of Erie Business License, and complete Location and Relation-to-Permit (Property Owner or Contractor) fields; To avoid delays, supporting attachments should include: a site plan showing all existing and proposed sign locations, sign setbacks from property lines (for monument/ground signs), building or tenant frontage measurements, sign elevation drawings, full sign dimensions, sign area calculations in square feet, illumination/electrical specifications if applicable, and property owner authorization if applicable. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Erie Building Division at 303-926-2780 before starting work.

The Town does not publish a standalone sign permit fee. The eTRAKiT sign application captures the sign's Total Project Cost, but no Town source confirms this is billed under the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee table — confirm the exact fee with the Building Division (building@erieco.gov, 303-926-2780) before applying.

Erie does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Erie Building Division at 303-926-2780 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application (eTRAKiT Self-Service Portal); Site Plan and Sign Elevation Drawing. Depending on your project, Erie may also ask for: Property Owner Authorization. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Erie requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit (permanent and temporary), in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Erie Building Division (303-926-2780).

Apply through Town of Erie Building Division at 645 Holbrook St., Erie, CO 80516 (mailing: P.O. Box 750, Erie, CO 80516). Phone: 303-926-2780, email: building@erieco.gov. Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Building Division fax/photo-submission line bldgfax@erieco.gov; HVAC/mechanical contact line 303-926-2700; Planning Division 303-926-2770 / planningdivision@erieco.gov.. Official information: https://www.erieco.gov/110/Building-Division.

Erie, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — currently in force per the Town's Building Codes & Design Criteria page; Title 9 (Building Regulations) of the Municipal Code governs local amendments. Source: https://www.erieco.gov/1772/Building-Codes-Design-Criteria; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with local amendments — adopted by Ordinance No. 12-2026, effective April 24, 2026; 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted by Ordinance No. 12-2026, effective April 24, 2026 (supersedes the 2020 NEC cited in the Town's older Solar Permitting Checklist); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), as adopted by the Fire District (Mountain View Fire Rescue) — effective April 24, 2026; Local design criteria (per the Town's Solar Photovoltaic Permitting and Inspection Checklist, the most specific published source found): Maximum Wind Speed = 142 mph Ultimate; Snow Load = 30 psf. This document's own codes list (2021 IRC/IBC, 2020 NEC) predates the April 2026 IECC/NEC/IFC update, so these two figures should be reconfirmed with the Building Division (building@erieco.gov) if a general (non-solar) project needs them, since no separate general design-criteria table was found published on the Town's site as of this review.. Local amendments apply — see the Erie overview page for the full list.

Yes. Any sign that is installed, enlarged, moved, or changed requires a Sign Permit (or a Temporary Sign Permit for displays of 30 days or less), per the Town's 2026 sign code update, Ordinance No. 004-2026. Small signs under 4 sq. ft. on private property and maintenance of existing lawful signs are exempt.

Other permits in Erie

Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family / Custom Home / Modular Home)Residential Addition / Remodel PermitElectrical PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRoofing Permit (Reroof)Solar Photovoltaic (PV) PermitEV Charger / EVSE Permit (Billed as Electrical Permit / Quick Permit)Demolition PermitFence / Retaining Wall PermitCommercial Building Permit (New Construction / Multifamily)Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish PermitFire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System PermitChange of Use / Change of Ownership Permit

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