Every outdoor sign in Boulder 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 Boulder 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 Boulder.
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 Boulder, 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 Boulder, 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.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Max ground sign height
Monument: Not specified; Pylon: 12 ft
Ground sign setback
Monument: 10 ft for signs up to 7 ft; Pylon: 25 ft for signs over 7 ft
Awning Signs
Awning Sign Sf Calc
Entire illuminated area of the awning or awning sign shall be included in the calculation of the area of the sign
Awning Sign Illumination Area Calculation
internally illuminated awning signs on marquee, canopy, or awning: If an awning sign located on marquee, canopy, or awning is internally illuminated through translucent material, entire illuminated area shall be included in sign area calculation
An off-premises commercial sign not appurtenant and clearly incidental to the principal use of the property where located.
Residential Wind Sign Definition
A wind sign in a residential or an agricultural zone, within the limitations set forth in subsection (d) of this section, notwithstanding the prohibition of subparagraph (b)(3)(Q) of this section.
Anchors and supports shall be designed for safe bearing loads on the soil for effective resistance to pull-out amounting to a force of twenty-five percent greater than the required resistance to a depth of not less than three feet
Anchor Support Protection
Anchors and supports shall be guarded and protected when near driveways, parking lots, or similar locations where they could be damaged by moving vehicles
General Info
Jurisdiction Name
Boulder, CO
General Standards
Copy Change Maintenance Exception
conforming signs: No permit is required for copy changes or maintenance on a conforming sign if no structural changes are made
Nonconforming Sign Amortization Periods
nonconforming signs: Signs with original cost exceeding $100.00 that are nonconforming only in height, setback, distance between signs, or window sign limitations must be brought into conformity or removed within 180 days
indirectly or internally illuminated signs; zones agricultural, residential: Indirectly or internally illuminated signs in residential or agricultural zones may not be illuminated between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless illumination required for safety
Unshielded Lighting Conditions
Unshielded lighting emitting 900–1,200 lumens permitted only if activated by motion sensor and aimed/located to prevent glare and light trespass
Permit Process
Permit Time Frame
Five working days
Maintenance Permit Requirements
No permit required for maintenance of the sign if it conforms to all other requirements
variances: The BOZA or board of building appeals may make any variance or alternate material or method approval or modification it grants subject to any reasonable conditions that it deems necessary or desirable to make the device that is permitted by the variance compatible with the purposes of this section
Window Signs
Window Sign Allowable Area
25% of total window area.
Need the full sign-code report?
The full interactive report includes all sign types, illumination rules, permit requirements, and source citations — for free.