# Sign Regulations in Commerce City, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Commerce City, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/commerce-city
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-07
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CO/Commerce_City/codes/Land_Development_Code?nodeId=ARTVIIISIRE)

## At a glance

Commerce City, Colorado regulates 33 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Freestanding Monument Sign (< 2 Acre Site)s in the CommercialSingle Tenant Building, CommercialSingle Tenant zoning district are capped at 6 ft. tall and 32 sq. ft., with a 10 ft. setback (Sec. Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b.). Most commercial signs in Commerce City require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential, Subdivisions, Multi-family, Mobile Home Park | 6 | Located in signable area of wall; 20 ft. max. for multi-story buildings | 50 sq. ft./sign | — |
| CommercialSingle Tenant Building, CommercialSingle Tenant | 11 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| CommercialMulti Tenant Building, CommercialMulti Tenant | 10 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Industrial, Industrial/Other Use, Industrial/Other | 8 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Non-Residential, Non-Residential Zone | 9 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| Institutional, Institutional Use | 7 | 20 ft. | 200 sq. ft. | — |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | 10 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — |

_2 additional zoning districts are covered in PermitPal (free account)._

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 9 zones)

### CommercialSingle Tenant Building, CommercialSingle Tenant

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 15 ft. or below 2nd story, whichever is less | 50% of area of awning face | — | — | 1 per awning face | 1 per awning face | — | Sec. 21-8405, Table VIII-2. |
| Pedestrian Canopy Sign | 15 ft. or below 2nd story, whichever is less | 50% of area of canopy face | — | — | 1 per primary entry | 1 per primary entry | — | Sec. 21-8410, Table VIII-3 a. |
| Display Sign - Wall Mounted | 7 ft. | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per building | 1 per building, must be within 10 feet of front entrance | — | Sec. 21-8420, Table VIII-5a. |
| Display Sign - Vehicle-Oriented | 7 ft. | 1st drive-thru sign: 30 sq. ft.; 2nd drive-thru sign: 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per drive-thru | 2 per drive-thru (only if a drive-thru is expressly authorized) | — | Sec. 21-8420, Table VIII-5b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (< 2 Acre Site) | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (2—10 Acre Site) | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (> 10 Acre Site) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft./street frontage | — | 25 ft. | 1 per street frontage, max 2 | 1 per street frontage, max 2, identical design | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Wall Sign - Cabinet | Located in signable area of wall; 20 ft. max. for multi-story buildings | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | Interior lots: 2; Corner lots: 3 | Interior lots: 2 max.; Corner lots: 3 max. | — | Sec. 21-8445, Table VIII-10b and general standards. |

### CommercialMulti Tenant Building, CommercialMulti Tenant

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 15 ft. or below 2nd story, whichever is less | 50% of area of awning face | — | — | 1 per awning face/tenant | 1 per awning face/tenant | — | Sec. 21-8405, Table VIII-2. |
| Pedestrian Canopy Sign | 15 ft. or below 2nd story, whichever is less | 50% of area of canopy face | — | — | 1 per primary entry | 1 per primary entry | — | Sec. 21-8410, Table VIII-3a. |
| Display Sign - Wall Mounted | 7 ft. | 3 sq. ft. | — | — | 1 per tenant | 1 per tenant, must be within 10 feet of front entrance | — | Sec. 21-8420, Table VIII-5a. |
| Display Sign - Vehicle-Oriented | 7 ft. | 1st drive-thru sign: 30 sq. ft.; 2nd drive-thru sign: 16 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per drive-thru | 2 per drive-thru (only if drive-thru is expressly authorized) | — | Sec. 21-8420, Table VIII-5b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (< 2 Acre Site) | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (2—10 Acre Site) | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Freestanding Monument Sign (> 10 Acre Site) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft./street frontage | — | 25 ft. | 1 per street frontage, max 2 | 1 per street frontage, max 2, identical design | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6b. |
| Wall Sign - Cabinet | Located in signable area of tenant wall; 20 ft. max. for multi-story buildings | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | Interior lots: 2; Corner lots: 3 | Interior lots: 2 max.; Corner lots: 3 max. | — | Sec. 21-8445, Table VIII-10b and general standards. |

### Non-Residential, Non-Residential Zone

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Directional Sign | 4 ft. | 4 sq. ft. | — | — | 6 per building | Near site entries, internal auto/pedestrian circulation, building entries, seating areas, sidewalk intersections | — | Sec. 21-8415, Table VIII-4. |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use - Non-Residential Zone < 2 Acres) | 6 ft. | 32 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6 c. |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use - Non-Residential Zone 2-10 Acres) | 8 ft. | 60 sq. ft. | — | 10 ft. | 1 | — | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6 c. |
| Freestanding Sign (Institutional Use - Non-Residential Zone >10 Acres) | 20 ft. | 100 sq. ft./street frontage | — | 25 ft. | 1 per street frontage, max 2 | 1 per street frontage, max 2, identical design | — | Sec. 21-8425, Table VIII-6 c. |
| Wall Sign (Institutional Use - Non-Residential Zone) - Cabinet | Located in signable area of wall; 20 ft. max. for multistory buildings | 100 sq. ft. | — | — | Interior lots: 2; Corner lots: 3 | Interior lots: 2 max.; Corner lots: 3 max. | — | Sec. 21-8445, Table VIII-10c. |
| Wall Sign (Institutional Use - Non-Residential Zone) - Individual Letter | Located in signable area of wall; 20 ft. max. for multistory buildings | 200 sq. ft. | — | — | Interior lots: 2; Corner lots: 3 | Interior lots: 2 max.; Corner lots: 3 max. | — | Sec. 21-8445, Table VIII-10c. |
| Kiosk | 10 ft. | 50 sq. ft. | — | — | 2 per building | 2 per building | — | Sec. 21-8430, Table VIII-7. |
| Marquee Sign | Roofline or below 2nd story, whichever is less | 32 sq. ft./side | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | Sec. 21-8435, Table VIII-8. |

## Prohibited signs in Commerce City

- No sign permit shall be issued for any permanent sign on private property without written consent of the property owner or the owner's authorized agent.
- All permanent signs shall meet the City's sight triangle visibility requirements.
- Only freestanding monument signs are permitted. Freestanding pole signs are prohibited.
- Combinations of cabinet and individual letter wall signs shall not be permitted, except that a cabinet-style logo not exceeding 9 square feet may be added to individual letter wall signs.
- Wall signs may not be located on the rear of buildings which abut a residential zone district or property.
- Permanent window signs shall not be displayed in windows above the ground floor level.
- Permanent window signs shall not be animated.
- Permanent, temporary, or a combination of such window signs shall not cover more than 25 percent of any individual window area.
- No awnings with signs shall extend above the roof line of any building, or the first story, whichever is less.
- No sign mounted to an awning shall project beyond, above or below the face of the awning.
- No sign mounted to a pedestrian canopy shall project beyond or below the face of the canopy.
- The sign on top of a pedestrian canopy does not extend more than two (2) feet above the top of the canopy, or extend above the nearest roofline, whichever is less.
- No sign mounted to a vehicular canopy shall project beyond, above or below the face of the canopy.
- Projecting signs over public right-of-way shall also require a right-of-way permit.

## Signs exempt from permit in Commerce City

- These regulations do not authorize the installation of awnings, canopies, kiosks, or marquees with or without signs without obtaining any necessary building permits in compliance with the city's applicable building and zoning codes.
- Temporary window signs are not taken into account when determining the maximum permitted number and area of permanent signs, unless otherwise specified or regulated in this land development code.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No reference is made in this division to any requirement for a master sign plan, sign plan, or variance meeting for permanent signs. Standards and requirements are based on sign type, use, and zone as listed in the respective sections and tables.

## 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 9 zoning districts in Commerce City — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Commerce+City+CO&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-commerce-city

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