Every outdoor sign in Arvada is governed by the municipality’s sign ordinance, which sets how large a sign may be, how tall it may stand, how far it must sit from the property line, whether it may be illuminated, and which sign types are permitted in each zoning district. This page summarizes those requirements in plain language and links each value back to the section of the Arvada code it came from.
Sign rules here are layered. The base zoning district — commercial, industrial, or residential — sets the default limits, and overlay districts such as historic or downtown districts can tighten them further. Because the most specific jurisdiction controls, a freestanding monument sign on a commercial parcel and a wall sign in a historic overlay can face very different limits even on the same street in Arvada.
Use the figures below as a fast first check, then run a full address lookup to confirm the exact limits for a specific parcel in Arvada, Colorado. The full report also covers permit requirements, prohibited sign types, and illumination rules — each cited to the source ordinance so your permit application can reference it directly.
Before you order or install a sign in Arvada, confirm three things: the maximum sign area and height allowed in the parcel’s zoning district, the minimum setback from the right-of-way, and whether the sign type you want — freestanding, monument, wall, projecting, or awning — is permitted there at all. Many permit denials come from missing a setback or an overlay-district restriction rather than from the size of the sign itself, so checking the governing section before applying saves a costly resubmittal.
Census snapshot
Population
123,066
Median household income
$106,014
Median home value
$553,000
County
Jefferson
Time zone
Mountain Time
Demographic figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey) and are provided as jurisdiction context for Arvada; they do not affect sign-code requirements.
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Max ground sign height
6 ft (<200 lf frontage); 12 ft (200-600 lf); 24 ft (>600 lf)
Ground sign setback
12 ft from building walls; 4 ft from vehicular use areas, sidewalks, trails, multi-use pathways, and property lines; 20' corner triangulation
Awning Signs
Canopy Sign Allowance
Canopy Signs: Canopy signs are allowed according to the standards in Table 6-1-5-1E, Canopy Signs.
Awning Sign Sf Calc
60% of surface area of canopy plane on which sign located; calculated into elevation total max 60 sf; no limit on branding
changeable copy signs: No changeable copy sign or portion of a sign may have changeable copy that is nailed, pinned, glued, taped, or comparably attached
Max Manual Changeable Copy Percentage
manual changeable copy message centers: No manual changeable copy message center shall occupy more than 30 percent of the sign area of a sign
Digital Electronic Message Centers: Digital electronic message centers ("EMCs") may be incorporated into signs in the MX, C, I sign district (see Section 6-1-2-4, Sign Districts) and operated only as provided in this Subsection.
Illumination Requirement
Illumination: The illumination of signs, where permitted, shall comply with the standards of this Section and applicable provisions of Article 4-8 Exterior Lighting.
No permit is required for routine sign maintenance, painting, replacing a panel in a cabinet sign (except that the installation of a new manual changeable copy message center or electronic message center does require a permit), or replacing light sources with lighting of comparable character and brightness.
Detached Temporary Signs: Detached temporary signs are allowed according to the standards in Table 6-1-6-2, Detached Temporary Signs.
Temporary Sign Covers Display Duration
Temporary Sign Covers: Temporary sign covers are permitted in all sign districts, provided that they are used during a period not to exceed 45 days in which a new permanent sign or sign component that is permitted by this Article is being fabricated and installed in accordance with this Article.
City has an 'Alternative Sign Program' allowing tenants to submit signs outside standard allowance; requires Planning Commission review, pre-application conference may be required
Window Signs: Window signs are allowed according to the standards in Table 6-1-5-1B, Window Signs.
Window Sign Allowable Area
25% of windows >8 sf may be covered; 75% of windows <8 sf may be covered
Zoning
Olde Town Zoning District Requirement
Olde Town Zoning District: All signs within the Olde Town zoning district must comply with the Design Guidelines for Olde Town Arvada, except that the Design Guidelines for Olde Town Arvada shall not be interpreted to limit the message content of the sign.