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Manitou Springs, CO Home Business: Signage Rules (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Signs allowed
One wall or hanging sign
Maximum size
Two square feet
Lighting
No exterior, interior, or neon lighting
Placement
Must be affixed to the primary structure
Zero-impact exemption
No sign permitted at all

Summary

A permitted home occupation in Manitou Springs may display exactly one wall or hanging sign on the primary structure, capped at two square feet, and it cannot be lit in any way, whether by exterior floodlight, internal illumination, or neon; zero-impact home activities exempt from the permit process cannot display any sign at all.

viii.Home Occupations may have one wall or hanging sign affixed to the primary structure. The sign shall be limited to a maximum of two square feet and shall have no exterior, interior or neon lighting.

Full Breakdown

4(C)(2)(viii) gives permitted Home Occupations a narrow signage allowance: one wall or hanging sign affixed to the primary structure, limited to a maximum of two square feet, with no exterior, interior, or neon lighting permitted on it. 4(B)(2), covering activities like drawing, writing, or phone and computer work that produce no outside impact, is conditioned in part on no signs being displayed at all, so those activities lose the exemption the moment any sign goes up. 4(C)(2)(xi), meaning a home business cannot compensate for the tight sign limit by putting merchandise or equipment on view outside instead.

Because the sign must be affixed to the primary structure, a sign mounted on a detached garage, accessory structure, fence, or freestanding post at the curb falls outside what this standard authorizes.

Violations & Fines

Installing a sign larger than two square feet, lighting a home business sign with any exterior, interior, or neon lighting, or displaying more than one sign violates § 18.04.24.4(C)(2)(viii) and is enforceable under the citywide general penalty, § 1.01.100(A): up to a $2,650 fine, up to ninety days in jail, or both, with each day the noncompliant sign remains up counted as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big can my Manitou Springs home business sign be?
No more than two square feet, per § 18.04.24.4(C)(2)(viii), and only one such sign is allowed per Home Occupation.
Can I light up my home business sign at night?
No. The code bars exterior, interior, or neon lighting on a Home Occupation sign entirely, regardless of brightness or size.
Can I put my home business sign on my detached garage?
The code authorizes the sign to be affixed to the primary structure, so a garage, fence, or freestanding sign falls outside what § 18.04.24.4(C)(2)(viii) permits.
Can a zero-impact home activity that skips the permit still put up a sign?
No, that exemption under § 18.04.24.4(B)(2) requires that no signs be displayed at all; putting up any sign removes the activity from the no-permit category.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Manitou Springs

All Manitou Springs rules

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