# Sign Regulations in Centennial, Colorado

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Centennial, Colorado, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Centennial, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/centennial
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CO/Centennial/codes/Municipal_Code?nodeId=CEMUCO_CH12LADECO_ART6SILI)

## At a glance

Centennial, Colorado regulates 39 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Monument Sign, Residentials in the AG, RA, RU, RS, NC, NI zoning district are capped at 5 ft or anywhere on retaining wall, if present tall and 32 sf, with a 10 ft from property lines setback (Sec. Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402A). Most commercial signs in Centennial require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AG, RA, RU, RS, NC, NI | 11 | 10 ft | 48 sf | — |
| CG | 20 | 25 ft (large); 18 ft (medium); 12 ft (small) | 200 sf | — |
| AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-N, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR | 20 | Large: 25 ft; Medium: 18 ft; Small: 12 ft. | 200 sf | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 14 inches letter/number height (not counted toward sign area) | 30 sf | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### AG, RA, RU, RS, NC, NI

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign | — | AG/RA: 35 sf; RU: 30 sf; RS: 25 sf | — | — | AG: 1 per façade; RA/RU/RS: 1 per building | On signable area of primary building façade | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401A |
| Monument Sign, Residential | 5 ft or anywhere on retaining wall, if present | 32 sf | — | 10 ft from property lines | 2 per access | — | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402A |
| Monument Sign, Nonresidential (Local or Minor Collector) | 4 ft | 12 sf | — | 10 ft from property lines | 1 per parcel | — | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402A |
| Monument Sign, Nonresidential (Major Collector) | 8 ft | 32 sf | — | 10 ft from property lines | 1 per parcel | Must be placed along Major Collector Street | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402A |
| Monument Sign, Nonresidential (Major or Minor Arterial) | 10 ft | 48 sf | — | 10 ft from property lines | 1 per parcel | Must be placed along Major or Minor Arterial Street | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402A |
| Yard Sign (Temporary) | AG/RA/RU/NC/NI: 5 ft; RS: 4 ft | AG/RA/RU/NC/NI: 6 sf per sign, 36 sf total; RS: 6 sf per sign, 24 sf total | — | 5 ft from property lines (temporary signs) | No maximum, provided total area restrictions are met | Freestanding in yard | — | Sec. 12-6-501, Table 12-6-501A |
| Swing Sign (Temporary) | 6 ft | 5 sf (including up to 2 riders) | — | 5 ft from property lines (temporary signs) | 1 per frontage/lot | Freestanding | — | Sec. 12-6-501, Table 12-6-501A |
| Site Sign (Temporary) | 5 ft | 12 sf | — | 5 ft from property lines (temporary signs) | 1 per frontage | Freestanding | — | Sec. 12-6-501, Table 12-6-501A |

### CG

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Primary | — | 1 sf per linear ft of façade; max 200 sf | — | — | 1 per façade | Primary building façade | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Wall Sign - Secondary | — | 50 sf | — | — | 2 per primary building entrance | 2 per primary building entrance | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Neon Sign | — | 6 sf | — | — | 1 per window | Window | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Arcade Sign / Blade Sign | 12 ft | 8 sf | — | — | 1 per primary building entrance | Under awnings or under arcades on front façades only; not to impede walkways. | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Multi-tenant Electronic Message Center | 25 ft (large); 18 ft (medium); 12 ft (small) | Large: 8' x 12' EMC, 25' high. Medium: 6' x 9' EMC, 18' high. Small: 4' x 6' EMC, 12' high. See Sec. 12-6-305. | — | See above | See above | Located per Table 12-6-305A; Setback 500 ft (large), 250 ft (medium), 100 ft (small) from residential districts; 10 ft from property lines | — | Sec. 12-6-305; Table 12-6-402B |
| Directional Signs, Nonresidential | 5 ft | 10 sf | — | — | 1 per ingress/egress | No setback required; must leave at least 4 ft of sidewalk for pedestrian use and be outside principal pedestrian travel path. | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402B |
| Drive-Through Sign | 10 ft | 35 sf (individual); 60 sf cumulative per queueing lane | — | — | Unlimited per queueing lane | Along queuing lane | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402B |
| Site Sign (Temporary) | 8 ft | 32 sf | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 per frontage | Freestanding, must be set back 5 ft from all property lines | — | Sec. 12-6-501, Table 12-6-501B |

### AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-N, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign - Primary | — | See formula | — | — | 1 per façade | Façade | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Wall Sign - Secondary | — | AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-N: 50 sf; EC-LI/BP: 50 sf; I: 50 sf; ED: 35 sf; OSR: 35 sf | — | — | 2 per primary building entrance | Per primary building entrance | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Arcade/Blade Sign | 12 ft | 8 sf | — | — | 1 per primary building entrance | Under awnings/arcades, front façade only; not to impede walkways. | — | Sec. 12-6-401, Table 12-6-401B |
| Monument Sign, Nonresidential | AC/UC: 10 ft for one sign per frontage, 5 ft for all others | 48 sf (AC/UC: 48 sf for one sign per frontage, all others 10 sf) | — | 10 ft from property lines | — | Street frontages, ingress/egress | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402B |
| Multi-tenant Electronic Message Center | Large: 25 ft; Medium: 18 ft; Small: 12 ft. | Large: 8' x 12' EMC, 25' high. Medium: 6' x 9' EMC, 18' high. Small: 4' x 6' EMC, 12' high. | — | 10 ft from property lines; setbacks from residential: 500 ft (large EMC), 250 ft (medium EMC), 100 ft (small EMC) | See Table 12-6-305A | Located on eligible nonresidential/mixed use developments, per Table 12-6-305A | — | Sec. 12-6-305; Table 12-6-402B |
| Directional Signs, Nonresidential | 5 ft | 10 sf | — | — | 1 per ingress/egress | No spacing/setback required; must leave 4 ft sidewalk, must be outside main path | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402B |
| Drive-Through Sign | AC: 10 ft; EC-MU/BP/I: 8 ft | AC: 35 sf ind./60 sf per queuing lane; UC: Not allowed; EC-MU: 25 sf ind./25 sf per queuing lane; BP/I: 25 sf ind./25 sf per queuing lane | — | — | Unlimited per queuing lane (if allowed) | Along queuing lane | — | Sec. 12-6-402, Table 12-6-402B |
| Site Sign (Temporary) | 8 ft | 32 sf | — | 5 ft from property lines | 1 per frontage | Freestanding; must be set back 5 ft from property lines | — | Sec. 12-6-501, Table 12-6-501B |

## Prohibited signs in Centennial

- Signs with more than two sign faces.
- Signs that are a traffic hazard because they simulate or imitate any traffic sign or signal.
- Animated or moving signs that are visible from public rights-of-way, including any moving, swinging, rotating, flashing, blinking, scintillating, fluctuating, or otherwise animated light (except as allowed for Message Centers).
- Vehicle signs.
- Portable signs, except as specifically permitted for temporary signs.
- Digital Billboards.
- Static Billboards.
- Any sign not otherwise permitted by this Code.
- Use of sound, smoke, or odor emitters as a sign element.
- Use of back lit and/or plastic awnings as a sign element.
- Display of stacked products (e.g., tires, soft drink cases, bagged soil or mulch) as sign elements.
- Unfinished wood support structures for signs, except for stake signs.
- Flags, balloons, inflatable objects, banners, or comparable elements, including Feather Signs, that are designed to move in the wind and are not affixed to permanent flagpoles or flagpoles mounted to buildings (where visible from public rights-of-way).
- Spinning or moving parts (where visible from public rights-of-way).
- Bare light bulbs, except on exempted holiday displays.
- Flashing lights, except on exempted holiday displays.
- Use of motor vehicles as sign elements unless the vehicle is functional, used as a vehicle, properly registered, the signage is incidental, and parking requirements are met.
- Use of semi-trailers, shipping containers, or portable storage units as sign elements unless functionality, registration, and use requirements are met.
- Signs with content/text or graphics of an indecent or immoral nature and harmful to minors.
- Signs advertising unlawful activity.
- Signs containing obscene text/graphics, fighting words, defamation, incitement to imminent lawless action, or true threats.
- Signs that present a clear and present danger due to their potential confusion with traffic control signs or public safety information (e.g., signs improperly using "Stop," "Yield," "Caution," "Danger").
- Signs that obstruct building ingress or egress, including doors, egress windows, and fire escapes.
- Signs that obstruct features necessary for public safety, including standpipes and fire hydrants.
- Signs that obstruct required sight triangles or sight distances for public safety.
- Signs mounted on trees.
- Signs mounted on utility poles or light poles, except city-approved banners and where expressly allowed.
- Signs mounted on utility cabinets (unless posted by the utility provider for public safety or identification purposes).
- Signs located in or over public rights-of-way, except certain signs installed by a government or per intergovernmental agreement.
- Signs installed in locations with insufficient clearance from communication or energized electrical power lines, contrary to Colorado law.
- Signs within easements for overhead utilities, unless permitted by the service provider and otherwise allowed.
- No sign face shall contain more than 20 items of information.

## Signs exempt from permit in Centennial

- Official and legal notice signs issued by any court, public body, person, or officer in performance of a public duty or to give legal notice, including those required for LDC public notice.
- Signs affixed to a building or structure not exceeding one square foot in area (one per visible elevation), or less than three-fourths square foot affixed to machines, equipment, fences, gates, walls, gasoline pumps, public telephones, or utility cabinets.
- Flags not larger than 30 square feet in area and affixed to permanent or building-mounted flagpoles.
- Holiday or decorative signs clearly incidental, customary and commonly associated with a holiday, displayed for up to 60 consecutive or total days per year.
- Signs being carried by people (not when set down or propped on objects).
- Bumper stickers on vehicles.
- Interior signs within a building, unless defined as a Neon Sign or Window Sign.
- Traffic control signs and other public safety related signage installed by the City or required of developers.
- Holiday decorations displayed for no more than two months per year.
- City branding or wayfinding signs.
- Murals installed by the City on City property, or City-installed/funded murals within the public right-of-way.
- Address signs required for buildings (addresses not exceeding 14 inches in height are exempt from sign area calculations).
- City branding/wayfinding signs included within an approved City-wide Branding and Wayfinding Sign Plan (exempt from Division 6-4 standards).
- City-installed murals as defined, exempt from permanent sign standards.
- Pre-existing permitted signs (per permit issued before new Article effective date, subject to nonconforming sign provisions after completion).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A sign permit is generally required for all permitted signs exceeding six square feet in area, unless otherwise exempted. A sign permit is also required when increasing sign area, if allowable within the zone.
- Certain sign types and large projects (e.g., multi-tenant electronic message centers, large unified developments) have additional sign plan requirements, including documentation of eligible tenants/businesses and compliance with detailed standards.
- A 'Sign Design Program' (master sign plan) may be approved to allow alternative standards for unified developments. Application requirements include a master plan for all signage, design criteria, notice to impacted owners/tenants, design theme, and maximum sign allocations. Sign Design Program approval is by the Director upon compliance with ordinance criteria.
- Sign permits submitted under a Sign Design Program must be reviewed and approved by the property owner or representative before City review and permit issuance.
- All new exterior lighting subject to the ordinance requires an outdoor lighting plan, which can be incorporated into a site plan or building permit for substantial modifications.
- For large developments or substantial modifications, or those changing Lighting Zone, photometric and comparison plans are required.
- Sign Design Programs are not allowed for single tenant/single parcel developments.
- Amendment to a Sign Design Program must follow specific approval procedures and criteria.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Centennial — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Centennial+CO&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-centennial

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