Weld County, CO Sign Regulations: Garage Sale Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Right-of-way
- Only the right-of-way owner can place signs; County removes others without notice
- Trees, rocks, off-lot objects
- Signs attached to them are prohibited in all unincorporated zoning districts
- R and E zone lot limit
- One freestanding or banner sign, 5 feet tall, 32 square feet
- Extra small signs
- Up to five signs of six square feet each per lot
- Fire hydrants
- No sign within five feet of a fire hydrant
- Civil penalty
- $25 to $1,000 by County Court order
- Enforcing agency
- Weld County Department of Planning Services
Summary
Weld County Code § 23-4-70 lets only the owner of a right-of-way place a sign in or over it, and the County removes signs in County right-of-way without notice. Signs attached to trees, rocks, or anything not on the same lot are prohibited in every unincorporated zoning district.
No SIGN shall be erected within or extend over RIGHT-OF-WAY except by the owner of the RIGHT-OF-WAY. The COUNTY may remove and dispose of any SIGN within COUNTY RIGHT-OF-WAY without notice. ... The following are prohibited in all zoning districts in unincorporated Weld County: ... SIGNS attached directly or indirectly to trees, rocks, or anything not located on the same LOT as the SIGN.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Division 2 of Article IV regulates every sign by size, number, and placement, and § 23-4-60(B)(7) commits the County to regulating signs in a fair, consistent, and content neutral manner, so a hand-lettered sale sign is a sign like any other. Section 23-4-60(C) adds that no sign shall be erected, placed, established, painted, created, enlarged, or maintained in unincorporated Weld County except in conformance with the code.
Two rules in § 23-4-70 decide most sale-sign problems. Under subsection (C), only the owner of a right-of-way can put a sign in or over it, and the County removes signs in County right-of-way without notice. The code defines right-of-way as land dedicated to public use for street, road, and utility purposes, so the roadside strip along a county road is off limits. Under subsection (H)(4), a sign cannot be attached directly or indirectly to a tree, a rock, or anything not located on the same lot as the sign. A sign stapled to a utility pole, wired to a neighbor's fence, or tied to a road sign post fails that test.
On your own lot, the size limits come from § 23-4-90. In the R and E zones, and in subdivisions or historic townsites zoned A, a lot is limited to either one freestanding sign or one banner sign, no taller than 5 feet and no larger than 32 square feet. Section 23-4-90(E) then allows each lot up to five more signs of up to six square feet each, enough for a few arrows and price signs. In the A zone outside subdivisions, a freestanding sign can reach 15 feet in height and 75 square feet. Signs 10 feet or lower can sit on a lot line if every part of the sign stays inside the lot and the sign respects the sight distance rules of Appendix 8-Q (§ 23-4-120(A)). Signs in a sight distance triangle, and signs within five feet of a fire hydrant, are prohibited by § 23-4-70(H)(2) and (H)(3). Section 23-4-70(E) requires signs other than flags to be stationary at all times, and § 23-4-120(B) sets an offset equal to the sign's height for any sign larger than six square feet.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 23 is a misdemeanor under § 23-10-20, punishable by a fine of up to $100, up to 10 days in County jail, or both. The Department of Planning Services first sends written notice to correct the violation within ten days. The County Court can then order a civil penalty of $25 to $1,000 under § 23-10-40, plus up to $100 for each day the violation continues after the order. A violation cured at least five days before the court date is dismissed without a fine. Signs in County right-of-way are simply removed and disposed of without notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a garage sale sign on the road right-of-way in Weld County?
Can I tape or staple a sale sign to a utility pole or tree?
How big can a sale sign be on my residential lot?
What happens if Weld County cites me for an illegal sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
Compare Weld County to another location·View the Colorado sign regulations overview
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