# Sign Regulations in Golden, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Golden, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/golden
- **Data last verified:** 2025-05-08
- **Source:** [municode municipal code](https://library.municode.com/CO/Golden/codes/Municipal_Code?nodeId=TIT18PLZO_CH18.32SI)

## At a glance

Golden, Colorado regulates 19 sign types across 5 zoning districts. Portable Sign (Sandwich Board Sign)s in the Nonresidential zones zoning district are capped at 4 feet tall, 8 sq ft, and 2 feet wide (Sec. 18.32.050, table row 'Portable signs (sandwich board signs)'). Most commercial signs in Golden require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (5 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 6 | Three feet if mounted (not suspended) | Max 50% of sign area | — |
| R-E, R-1, R-1 A, R-2 | 1 | 4 feet | 6 square feet per sign face; aggregate 24 square feet per lot/parcel | — |
| R-3 | 1 | 4 feet | 24 square feet per 150 feet of street frontage | — |
| Nonresidential zones | 10 | 10 feet (except: max 40 feet/100 sq ft per face if adjacent to I-70 R.O.W. > 200 feet width) | One sq ft per linear foot of business frontage; max 50 sq ft | — |
| Downtown area | 4 | — | 32 sq ft | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 5 zones)

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flush Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Attached to or erected against the wall of a building, face parallel to wall, may not project above roof/parapet or beyond building corner. | — | 18.32.030(a)(1), 18.32.030(h), 18.32.060, 18.32.020(b) |
| Freestanding Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Supported by columns, uprights, poles, or braces extended from the ground. | — | 18.32.030(a)(2), 18.32.060, 18.32.020(b) |
| Projecting Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Projects from and is supported by a wall or building. | — | 18.32.030(a)(3), definitions, 18.32.060, 18.32.020(b) |
| Awning, Canopy, or Covered Walkway Sign | Three feet if mounted (not suspended) | — | — | — | — | Mounted flush with or suspended below the structure of awning, canopy, or covered walkway. No projection from sides or above structure. | — | 18.32.030(a)(4), (g), 18.32.060, 18.32.020(b) |
| Temporary Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18.32.030(a)(5), (e), 18.32.020(b) |
| Electronic Message Board (EMB) Sign | — | Max 50% of sign area | — | — | — | Limited to monument or freestanding signs. Not within 300 feet of any state or federal highway. | — | 18.32.030(i) |

### Nonresidential zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning, Canopy, and Covered Walkway Sign | — | One sq ft per linear foot of business frontage; max 50 sq ft | — | — | One per frontage | On first-story building frontage only; not combined with wall signs; must be placed on awnings, canopy, or covered walkway. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Awning, canopy and covered walkway signs' |
| Digital Electronic Message Board Sign (Nonresidential) | 8 feet | 40 sq ft (if within 10 ft of property line); 80 sq ft max | — | — | One per individual building tenant | — | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Digital electronic message board signs'; 18.32.030(i) |
| Identification Sign | — | 2 sq ft | — | — | Maximum two per use | On the front of each building and alley side of the fence, garage, or principal structure as applicable. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Identification sign' |
| Monument Sign | 8 feet | 32 sq ft per face | — | — | One per entrance | At entrances | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Monument signs' |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 feet (except: max 40 feet/100 sq ft per face if adjacent to I-70 R.O.W. > 200 feet width) | 32 sq ft per face; for multitenant: +32 sq ft per face for tenant identification | — | — | One per lot frontage | One per lot frontage. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Freestanding signs' |
| Portable Sign (Sandwich Board Sign) | 4 feet | 8 sq ft | 2 feet | — | One per individual building tenant | Directly in front of tenant's property; at least 30 ft from intersection (for corner uses); minimum 72-inch sidewalk width must remain. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Portable signs (sandwich board signs)' |
| Projecting Sign | — | 20 sq ft per face | — | — | One per building or store frontage | One per building or store frontage. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Projecting signs' |
| Wall Sign | May not extend above height of wall to which affixed | 10% of wall area per store frontage (multi-tenant); 10% of entire wall area (single-tenant) | — | — | One per building or store frontage | On wall, not above wall height. | — | 18.32.050, table row 'Wall sign' |

### Downtown area

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wall Sign (Downtown) | — | — | — | — | — | Wall mounted only | — | 18.32.075 |
| Identification Sign (Downtown) | — | — | — | — | — | Wall mounted only. | — | 18.32.075(a) |
| Freestanding Sign (Single-family Residential Structure Downtown) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | One | — | — | 18.32.075(b) |
| Awning, Canopy, Covered Walkway Sign (Downtown) | — | Combined maximum 12 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | 18.32.075(e) |

## Prohibited signs in Golden

- Rooftop signs are prohibited in all districts and for all uses.
- Wall signs projecting above roof or parapet wall are prohibited in all districts and for all uses.
- Temporary signs within city right-of-way are prohibited unless specifically permitted.
- Revolving, rotating, or wind driven signs are prohibited in all districts and for all uses.
- Signs with flashing, moving, blinking, chasing or other animated effects are prohibited in all districts and for all uses.
- Sign types or designs not covered elsewhere in these regulations are prohibited.
- It is a violation to erect, install, create or maintain any sign in violation of any part of this ordinance.
- Displays on electronic message board signs shall not flash, rotate, scintillate, blink, or strobe illumination when transitioning between messages. Videos or animations are also prohibited.
- Electronic message board signs are not permitted within 300 feet of any state or federal highway, including I-70, within the city.

## Signs exempt from permit in Golden

- Municipal traffic control and other official government signs are excluded from regulation.
- Works of art which do not identify a business, product, or service are excluded from regulation.
- Signs not legible beyond the boundaries of the lot or parcel upon which they are located, or from any public right-of-way are excluded from regulation.
- Temporary decorations and signs associated with national, local, or religious holiday celebrations and festivities are excluded from regulation.
- Typical door signage such as charge card emblems, telephone numbers, store hours, and other similar signage normally found in most businesses, not to exceed 50 percent of the area of the door, are excluded from regulation.
- Street address numbering is excluded from regulation.
- Signs erected by public utilities indicating danger or intended as aids to service or safety are excluded from regulation.
- Memorial signs or tablets, names of buildings, and dates of construction when cut into any masonry surface or constructed of incombustible materials are excluded from regulation.
- Signs which give direction within private property, provided that no such sign shall be more than four square feet in area, are excluded from regulation.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A ten-percent increase in total sign area is allowed for any property under unified ownership for which the owners have filed with the city a common signage plan for the premises. This plan must meet published city policies and be signed by all owners.
- The common signage plan must provide for consistency among signs on the premises regarding materials, location, proportions, color scheme, lettering or graphic style, and lighting.
- For premises with multiple uses or users, the common signage plan must limit the number of freestanding signs to one per street frontage and provide for shared/common usage.
- The common signage plan is applicable to all signs on the premises, in addition to ordinance restrictions; in any conflict, the ordinance controls.

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

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