# Sign Regulations in Grand Junction, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Grand Junction, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/grand-junction
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-21
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/45358750#45358750)

## At a glance

Grand Junction, Colorado regulates 23 sign types across 9 zoning districts. Permanent Monument Sign (Multifamily or Common Area Parcel)s in the Residential Zone Districts zoning district are capped at 8 ft tall and 32 sq ft (Sec. § 21.10.080(b)(1), (b)(4)). Most commercial signs in Grand Junction require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (9 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 5 | — | 6 sq ft (5), 32 sq ft (1 under construction/development) | — |
| Residential Zone Districts | 3 | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| MU-1 District | 2 | 8 ft | 25 sq ft per street frontage | — |
| Mixed-Use and Industrial Zone Districts (MU-2, MU-3, P-2, CG, I-OR, I-1, I-2) | 8 | 40 ft | 32 sq ft | — |
| C-2 (general commercial), I-1 (industrial), I-2 (industrial) | 1 | 40 ft above street or adjoining ground level | 300 sq ft (minimum 15 sq ft) | — |
| P-1 District, P-2 District | 1 | — | — | — |
| Planned Development Zone | 1 | — | — | — |
| Overlay Districts (Title 22, 24, 25, 26, or 27) | 1 | — | — | — |
| 24 Road Corridor | 3 | 12 ft | 100 sq ft per sign | — |

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

### General Regulations For All Zones

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Integral or Flush-Mounted Building Sign | — | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot/parcel | Integral to or flush-mounted on building/structure | — | § 21.10.030(a) |
| Temporary Nonpermanent Sign (less than 1 acre) | — | 6 sq ft (5), 32 sq ft (1 under construction/development) | — | — | 6 per parcel | — | — | § 21.10.030(b)(1) |
| Temporary Nonpermanent Sign (1 acre or more) | — | 6 sq ft (max per sign), 32 sq ft (1 per acre) | — | — | 6 per acre | — | — | § 21.10.030(b)(2) |
| Banner/Wind Driven Sign | — | — | — | — | — | Secured to permanent structure/fence/post | — | § 21.10.040 |
| Digital/Electronic Sign | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | § 21.10.060 |

### Residential Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent Sign (Single Family Residential Lot) | — | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot | Anywhere on property | — | § 21.10.080(b) |
| Permanent Monument Sign (Multifamily or Common Area Parcel) | 8 ft | 32 sq ft | — | — | 1 per location qualifying | Common area parcel abutting public right-of-way or at multifamily complex | — | § 21.10.080(b)(1), (b)(4) |
| Permanent Sign (Nonresidential Use) | — | 24 sq ft per street frontage | — | — | 1 per street frontage | Anywhere on property | — | § 21.10.080(b)(2)-(4) |

### Mixed-Use and Industrial Zone Districts (MU-2, MU-3, P-2, CG, I-OR, I-1, I-2)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Facade Sign | — | — | — | — | No explicit number; area-based | On facade facing dedicated public street; sign allowance may be transferred to non-street side (≤ 2 sq ft/linear ft on that side) | — | § 21.10.080(d)(2)-(5) |
| Flush Wall Sign | — | — | — | — | No explicit number; area-based | On facade facing dedicated public street or other allowed side | — | § 21.10.080(d)(2)-(5) |
| Roof Sign | Building + sign cannot exceed zone max height | — | — | — | No explicit number; area-based | On roof | — | § 21.10.080(d)(5)(iv) |
| Projecting Sign | — | — | — | If projecting into right-of-way, must be ≥14 ft above grade and not closer than 24 in to back of curb | — | May not extend beyond back of curb or within 2 ft of edge of roadway if no curb | — | § 21.10.080(d)(6) |
| Freestanding Sign (2 Traffic Lanes) | 25 ft | — | — | Sight triangle on corner lot applies | 1 per street frontage; plus up to 2 additional (≤3 sq ft, ≤30in high) per frontage | May be installed at right-of-way; see projection rules | — | § 21.10.080(d)(7)(ii)(A), (iii)-(vii) |
| Freestanding Sign (4 or more Traffic Lanes) | 40 ft | — | — | Sight triangle on corner lot applies | 1 per street frontage; plus up to 2 additional (≤3 sq ft, ≤30in high) per frontage | May be installed at right-of-way; see projection rules | — | § 21.10.080(d)(7)(ii)(B), (iii)-(vii) |
| Rear Facade Flush-Mounted Sign (Bonus) | — | 16 sq ft | — | — | 1 | Rear façade | — | § 21.10.080(d)(5)(v) |
| Flush Wall or Freestanding Sign (Fine Text) | — | 32 sq ft | — | — | — | — | — | § 21.10.080(d)(8) |

## Prohibited signs in Grand Junction

- No sign shall be displayed in any zone district without a Sign Permit, except where expressly provided otherwise.
- Prohibited signs include those containing obscene statements, words, or pictures describing or depicting sexual activities or sexual anatomical areas.
- Signs that imitate or resemble official traffic signs or signals, or contain the words 'STOP,' 'GO SLOW,' 'CAUTION,' 'DANGER,' 'WARNING,' or similar words are prohibited.
- Signs of a size, location, movement, content, coloring, or manner of illumination which may be confused with, or construed as, a traffic control device or which hide from view any traffic or street sign or signal are prohibited.
- Portable signs, tent signs, or strings of light bulbs not permanently mounted on a rigid background are prohibited, except for one portable sign per business as expressly allowed.
- Signs erected after adoption of the Code that do not comply with its provisions are prohibited.
- Signs that do not comply with the laws, rules, and regulations of the State of Colorado are prohibited.
- Signs that create a hazard for, or impede safe or efficient movement of, motorists or pedestrians are prohibited.
- Signs placed in whole or in part in, on or over any part of a public right-of-way, except those placed by a governmental entity, are prohibited.
- Interactive signs that are readable with normal vision from the public right-of-way are prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed on any curb, sidewalk, post, pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, or other surface located on public property including the posting of handbills except as expressly authorized.
- No single sign shall exceed 300 square feet in area, regardless of allowances by zone district.
- No illumination of a sign is permitted unless criteria in the Code are met.
- No exposed reflective bulb or incandescent lamp exceeding 40 watts shall be used on the exterior of a sign to expose the face of the bulb, light, or lamp to any public street or adjacent property.
- All signs must be kept safe and in good appearance; signs in dangerous or defective condition are prohibited.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited; defined as a sign structure that has no content or is 'blank' and in disrepair on an unoccupied property for 12 consecutive months or more.

## Signs exempt from permit in Grand Junction

- Signs placed by a governmental entity are exempt from the sign code.
- One sign integral to or flush-mounted on a building or structure, no greater than four square feet in area, does not require a permit.
- A non-illuminated, non-digital/electronic, non-permanent sign (e.g. planted in ground or affixed by temporary means, lightweight and thin materials), up to six per parcel (size limits apply), does not require a permit, with specific size and placement restrictions.
- Touching up, repainting, or changing existing letters, text, symbols, graphics, or other content is considered maintenance and repair and does not require a permit.
- Sign face changes are allowed without a permit, including converting from static to digital/electronic display, if no other changes are made to size, height, or structure (digital signs must still comply with other regulations).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- No sign shall be displayed in any zone district without a Sign Permit, except where expressly provided otherwise.
- A banner permit shall be required prior to any use of wind driven signs or banners.
- All signage on site shall be brought into conformance with the Code prior to approval of any new Sign Permit on the property.
- Each sign requiring a permit must bear an identification plate with erection date and responsible party.
- All new electronic display signs must be preset to automatically adjust brightness according to standards and certified upon installation.
- A building permit is required for all freestanding signs, in addition to sign clearance.
- A sketch by a licensed surveyor is required for proposed outdoor advertising signs (billboards), depicting size and location.
- Properties in a planned development zone: only signs permitted in any zone district (§21.10.030) are allowed unless approved as part of the development plan; redistribution of maximum sign allowance for the entire development is allowed, but variance of total area is not.
- Sign packages: sites of multiple abutting parcels functioning as one (e.g., shopping centers) may be approved for a sign package via sign package permit; aggregation and redistribution of total sign allowance for same type of sign is allowed, but not variance of the maximum total sign allowance.

## 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 Grand Junction — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Grand+Junction+CO&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-grand-junction

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