Every outdoor sign in Longmont 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 Longmont 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 Longmont.
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 Longmont, 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 Longmont, 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
98,282
Median household income
$89,720
Median home value
$488,100
Time zone
Mountain Time
Demographic figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey) and are provided as jurisdiction context for Longmont; they do not affect sign-code requirements.
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Max ground sign height
8 feet maximum (non-residential/commercial zones)
Ground sign setback
Feather flags: setback from property line minimum distance equal to flag height. General yard sign setback not specified.
Building Signs
Building Sign Illumination
Illumination permitted; illuminated signs must not exceed 100 nits (candela/square meter) between one-half hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise, and 1,000 nits during other times; automatic dimmer controls required; exposed neon and exposed LED prohibited only on signs adjacent to residential zoning districts
Building Sign Formula
Wall sign length shall not exceed 70 percent of building frontage; area formula not specified in code
Definitions
Yard Sign Definition
Non-illuminated ground-level signs on residential property
Window Sign Definition
Signs placed in windows without covering excessive area
Signs within sight distance triangles must not exceed 36 inches in height above grade of lower roadway; sign projections or overhangs across sight distance triangles permitted only when bottom of sign surface is minimum 9 feet above grade of higher roadway
Permits
Permit Requirement
All signs require permits except those specifically exempted
Permit Change Requirement
All sign face changes including repairs and replacements require permit
Banners: max 16 sq ft, 1 per property; Feather flags: max 12 ft height, max 3 per property, 1 per 75 ft frontage, setback equal to flag height; Windsocks: max 15 ft height, max 1 per property; A-frame signs: max 6 sq ft, 4 ft height, 1 per business; all subject to 30-day maximum per calendar quarter