# Sign Regulations in Lakewood, Colorado

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

- **Jurisdiction:** Lakewood, Colorado (CO)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/colorado/lakewood
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-01

## At a glance

Lakewood, Colorado regulates 18 sign types across 10 zoning districts. Residential Business or Organization Signs in the Residential Zone Districts zoning district are capped at 12 ft. tall and Max. 15% coverage of each wall area up to 100 s.f., with a Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. setback (Sec. Table 17.9.4: Residential Business or Organization Sign Standards). Most commercial signs in Lakewood require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (10 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Residential Zone Districts | 5 | 12 ft. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area up to 100 s.f. | Yes |
| Non-Residential Zone Districts - (M-G, M-C, M-E, M-N, M-R, M-G-U, M-C-U, M-E-S, M-E-U, M-G-S, M-C-T, M-E-T, M-G-T, M-N-T, M-R-T) | 11 | 18 ft. | 75 s.f. per face (M-N, M-R) / 150 s.f. per face (M-G, M-C, M-E) | Yes |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 3 | — | — | — |
| R-1-43, R-1-18, All (R) districts | 1 | 12 ft. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area up to 100 s.f. | Yes |
| R-MF | 2 | 12 ft. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area up to 100 s.f. | Yes |
| M-N, M-R | 3 | 12 ft. | 75 s.f. per face | Yes |
| M-C, M-E, M-G | 4 | 25 ft. in suburban context 12 ft. in urban context 6 ft. in transit context | 150 s.f. per face in suburban context Max. = 120 s.f. per face in urban context Max. = 100 s.f. per face in transit context | Yes |
| C-R, C-L, LI, LI-RD | 3 | 25 ft. | 125 s.f. per face | Yes |
| PD, M, C | 1 | 15 ft. | 8 s.f. | Yes |
| M-C-U, M-E-S, M-E-U, M-G-S, M-G-U, M-C-T, M-E-T, M-G-T, M-N-T, M-R-T | 1 | Below parapet wall and above floor level of highest story. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building total Max. = 100 s.f. | Yes |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 10 zones)

### Residential Zone Districts

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home Business Sign | 8 ft. (Minor) / 10 ft. (Major) | 6 s.f. (Minor) / 25 s.f. (Major) | — | — | 1 per property | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.3: Home Business Sign Standards |
| Residential Business or Organization Sign | 12 ft. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area up to 100 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. | 1 per property | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.4: Residential Business or Organization Sign Standards |
| Neighborhood Sign | 2nd floor | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building/site total: Max. = 100 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. | Not applicable | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.5: Neighborhood Sign Standards |
| Residential Property Transition Sign | 6 ft. | 6 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. | 1 per street frontage | See Supplemental Standards below | No | Table 17.9.6: Residential Property Transition Sign Standards |
| Yard Sign | 4 ft. | 6 s.f. per sign face max. & 24 s.f. total sign area per property | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, and easements. | No maximum provided the total area is not exceeded. | See Supplemental Standards Below | No | Table 17.9.7: Yard Sign Standards |

### Non-Residential Zone Districts - (M-G, M-C, M-E, M-N, M-R, M-G-U, M-C-U, M-E-S, M-E-U, M-G-S, M-C-T, M-E-T, M-G-T, M-N-T, M-R-T)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sign | 4 ft. | 6 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. | 1 per business | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.8: A-Frame Sign Standards |
| Banner Pole Sign | 15 ft. | 8 s.f. | — | — | No maximum provided signs are horizontally spaced at least 25 feet apart (2 per pole) | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.9: Banner Pole Sign Standards |
| Freestanding Sign | 12 ft. (M-N, M-R) / 25 ft. (M-G, M-C, M-E) | 75 s.f. per face (M-N, M-R) / 150 s.f. per face (M-G, M-C, M-E) | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements, unless an alternative location is authorized with a City approved license agreement. | 1 per frontage | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.10: Freestanding Sign Standards |
| Electronic Message Sign | Maximum sign height for that district and use. | Max. 50% of the allowable size per sign face for that zone district and use. | — | — | 1 per property | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.11: Electronic Message Sign Standards |
| Major Tenant Sign | Below parapet wall and above floor level of highest story. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building total Max. = 100 s.f. | — | — | 1 per property | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.12: Major Tenant Sign Standards |
| Banner Sign & Banner Flag | N/A (Banner) / 12 ft (Banner Flag) | 40 s.f. (Banner) / 30 s.f. (Banner Flag) | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, and easements. | 1 per property (Banner) / 1 per tenant, and no more than 1 per 100 linear feet of public street frontage (Banner Flag) | Affixed to a fence or building on-site (Banner) / On-site and not in right-of-way (Banner Flag) | Yes | Table 17.9.16: Banner & Banner Flag Standards |
| Commercial Post Sign | 8 ft. | 16 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements, unless an alternative location is authorized with a City approved license agreement. | 1 per street frontage | Min. 2 ft from back of walk and outside right-of-way. See Supplemental Standards below | No | Table 17.9.17: Commercial Post Sign Standards |
| Yard Sign | 4 ft. | 6 s.f. per sign face max. & 24 s.f. total sign area per property | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, and easements. | No maximum provided the total area is not exceeded. | See Supplemental Standards Below | No | Table 17.9.7: Yard Sign Standards |

### M-C, M-E, M-G

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Neighborhood Sign | 2nd floor | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building/site total: Max. = 200 s.f. | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements. | Not applicable | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.5: Neighborhood Sign Standards |
| Freestanding Sign | 25 ft. in suburban context 12 ft. in urban context 6 ft. in transit context | 150 s.f. per face in suburban context Max. = 120 s.f. per face in urban context Max. = 100 s.f. per face in transit context | — | Signs shall be placed at least 2 ft from sidewalks and outside of the public right-of-way, sight triangles, the clear zone and easements, unless an alternative location is authorized with a City approved license agreement. | 1 per frontage | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.10: Freestanding Sign Standards |
| Wall Sign | No wall sign shall be located above the second story of a building. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building total: Max. = 200 s.f. | — | — | Not applicable | See Supplemental Standards below | Yes | Table 17.9.15: Wall Sign Standards |
| Major Tenant Sign | Below parapet wall and above floor level of highest story. | Max. 15% coverage of each wall area. Overall building total Max. = 100 s.f. | — | — | 1 per property | Signable area | Yes | Table 17.9.12: Major Tenant Sign Standards |

## Prohibited signs in Lakewood

- Pennants, streamers, lighter-than-air objects, and wind signs, except as provided for in Section 17.9.4.4.A of this Article.
- Signs with light bulbs that have intermittent, flashing, rotating, blinking, or strobe illumination.
- Roof signs except when in compliance with the applicable regulations in Section 17.9.4.3.H of this Article.
- Off-Premise signs are prohibited unless approved by an Official Development Plan, Comprehensive Sign Plan or Zone Lot.
- Search lights.
- Signs painted on fences.
- Portable signs, except as provided for in Section 17.9.4.3.A this Article.
- Signs which are located on, or projecting over the public right-of-way, that are not considered a public sign, bus bench sign or transit shelter sign as described in this Article, unless specifically approved by the City.
- Any sign placed by a nongovernmental person or entity and located within the right-of-way.
- Signs painted on, or attached to, a licensed or unlicensed motor vehicle and parked adjacent to a public right-of-way and not driven off-site during any two-day period.
- Electronic Message signs on vehicles.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lakewood

- City Signs
- Decorative Lighting Displays
- De Minimis Area Signs
- Directional Signs
- Flags
- Interior-Site Signs
- Public Signs
- MUTCD Signs
- Scoreboards
- Transit Signs
- Window Signs

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Off-Premise signs are prohibited unless approved by an Official Development Plan, Comprehensive Sign Plan or Zone Lot.
- Multiple properties may form a Zone Lot and apply for an Electronic Message sign provided the dimensional standards are satisfied.

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

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