Broomfield, CO Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Coverage limit
- 30% of any single window's area, permanent signs
- Exempt content
- Hours, open/closed status, payment methods excluded
- Permit
- No permit required under section 17-44-090(I)
- Sign area impact
- Compliant window signs don't count against sign allowance
- Governing section
- Broomfield Municipal Code § 17-44-110(I)
Summary
Broomfield caps permanently affixed window signs at 30% of a single window's area under section 17-44-110(I) of the Sign Code, and compliant window signs do not count against a property's overall permanent sign allowance. Signs showing only hours or payment methods are excluded from that area calculation entirely.
(NN)Window sign means any sign which is applied or attached to either the interior or exterior of a window or door and intended to be viewed from outside the building or structure. ... (I)Window signs. ... The standards below apply to all window signs:(1)Window signs include any sign that is mounted internal to the business within three feet of a window and oriented to the window in a manner that is visible from the outside of the building or wraps or film that reduce the transparency of the window. For purposes of this definition, a curtain wall or window wall is not considered a window.(2)Area. A maximum of 30% of the total window area of any single window may be used for window signs that are etched, painted, or otherwise permanently affixed to the window.(3)Incidental window signs displaying pertinent information such as the hours of operation, open or closed status, and various payment methods accepted, shall be excluded from area calculations for window signs.
Full Breakdown
Section 17-44-050(NN) defines a window sign as any sign applied or attached to the interior or exterior of a window or door and meant to be viewed from outside the building, including vinyl wraps or films that reduce the window's transparency. Section 17-44-110(I) then sets the operative standard: subsection (I)(1) extends the definition to signage mounted inside the business within three feet of a window and oriented toward it, while carving out curtain walls or window walls from being treated as windows at all. Subsection (I)(2) limits window signs that are etched, painted, or otherwise permanently affixed to no more than 30% of the total area of any single window.
Subsection (I)(3) exempts incidental window signage, hours of operation, open or closed status, and accepted payment methods, from that 30% area calculation entirely, so a business can post those without eating into its coverage limit. Because window signs are listed among the signs exempt from permit requirements in section 17-44-090(I), and compliant window signs do not factor into the allowable sign area for the property under the district tables in section 17-44-130, a retailer can cover up to 30% of every storefront window without a permit and without reducing how much wall, monument, or freestanding signage the building is otherwise allowed.
The rule applies uniformly across residential, medium and high density residential, and commercial, industrial, and mixed-use zone districts, wherever the district tables in section 17-44-130 list a window sign row.
Violations & Fines
Covering more than 30% of a single window's area with an etched, painted, or permanently affixed sign, or claiming the hours-and-payment exemption for signage that goes beyond that basic information, violates section 17-44-110(I) and can bring code compliance action, since window signs are otherwise exempt from the permit process entirely under section 17-44-090(I).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my storefront window can I cover with signs?
Do hours-of-operation stickers count toward that 30% limit?
Do I need a permit for window signs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broomfield
Compare Broomfield to another location·View the Colorado sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.