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Sign Codes & Permits

This information is not intended to be all inclusive of codes relating to commercial signs in the city; rather it provides general information for the most common signs used by businesses.

Permanent Sign Requirements

All permanent signs erected in the city are required to first obtain a Sign Permit from the city of Aurora through a licensed sign contractor. This includes signs that are moved or altered from what was approved on the original permit. A permit is not required for text changes if there is no change to the physical design, sign area, or other changes.

Types of Signs Allowed for Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Use
Only wall, projecting blade, monument and window signs are allowed.

Total Number of Signs Allowed
A total of five permanent signs are allowed per business unless a waiver has been granted or specified on a site plan. This includes permanent window signs.

Amount of Sign Area
The total amount of sign area for each business depends on the amount of building frontage for each business. Contact the Permit Center at 303.739.7420 or email permitcounter@auroragov.org for detailed information pertaining to your location.

Permanent Sign Submittal Requirements
Licensed contractors may submit for sign permits by visiting the Permit Center or applying online. All submittals must include a landlord approval or Design Review Committee approval, an invoice (showing the cost of the sign and labor to install), sign plans (showing measurements of all signs to be installed) and structural engineered plans (for all monument signs over 6 feet only).

For those who cannot apply via the online submittal portal, a PDF form of the sign permit application is available.

Temporary Signs Required to Have a Permit

Pennants

Pennants may be displayed one time per calendar year for a maximum of 30 consecutive days with a Temporary Sign Permit. Pennants must be set back 10 feet from all property lines. Temporary Use Permits may be obtained at the City Clerk's Office or through the city's online application process.

Development Signs

Temporary on-site and off-site home builder signs for development are allowed with a permit and payment of a fee.

  • Download the On-site Home Builder Sign permit application - NEW or RENEWAL
  • Download the Off-site Home Builder Sign permit application - NEW or RENEWAL

Temporary Signs Not Required to Have a Permit

Ground/Wall Fabric or Sidewalk Signs

  • Sidewalk: One sidewalk sign (up to three with single-use properties of 150 feet of street frontage) may be placed on the private walk in front of the business it advertises or in lieu of a fabric sign one may be placed four feet behind the public sidewalk; signs must maintain a six-foot clear pathway from the entry for pedestrians to pass; a maximum size of three feet by four feet is permitted for a sidewalk sign.

  • Wall: One wall fabric sign (prohibited in the Colfax Pedestrian District); a maximum of 200 square feet is permitted for a wall sign.

  • Ground: One ground fabric sign (up to three with single-use properties of 150 feet of street frontage); four feet behind the public sidewalk; a maximum of 100 square feet is permitted for a ground fabric sign.

A single wall, ground fabric, sidewalk sign or combination of these signs are allowed for four events per calendar year, each event not to exceed 15 consecutive days per address. Events may be combined for a total of 60 days per calendar year.

Wall/ground fabric and sidewalk signs combined cannot exceed a maximum of 200 square feet nor exceed 60 days per calendar year. Signs are not to be tied to landscape material (trees/shrubs) and must be set back four feet from the public sidewalk or 21 feet from the flow-line (gutter) of the street in the absence of a sidewalk.

Temporary Window Signs
Temporary window signs may not exceed 50 percent coverage per window pane (25 percent in the Colfax Pedestrian District). A maximum of 200 square feet of window signage is permitted. A combination of temporary and permanent window signage cannot exceed more than 50 percent per pane. The name of the business in a window sign is considered a permanent sign and requires a sign permit. Window signs may be displayed for a period of 90 days in the space occupied by the business before replacing or removing the sign(s).

Balloons and Inflatable Devices
Balloons or inflatable devices may only be displayed one time per calendar year for a maximum of 72 consecutive hours.

Prohibited Signs

  • Vehicle Signs (vehicle signs that are not integrated into the body of the vehicle, including mobile billboards)
  • Signs over the right-of-way (unless authorized elsewhere in the code)
  • Signs on utility poles
  • Roof signs (signs placed on or above the roof line or parapet of building)
  • Temporary signs displaying off-premise commercial message
  • Strobe or flashing lights
  • Internally illuminated awnings
  • Hazardous signs (any sign that endangers the safety of vehicular or pedestrian traffic)

Sign code questions?

Planning & Development Services
303.739.7250
planning@auroragov.org

Sign permit questions?

Permit Center
303.739.7420
permitcounter@auroragov.org

Temporary sign questions?

Neighborhood Services
303.739.7280
neighborhood@auroragov.org