El Paso County, CO Sign Regulations: Window Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-free coverage threshold
- Under 50% of window
- Must be
- Temporary, not permanent
- Other rules still apply
- General sign standards
Summary
Temporary window signs covering less than 50 percent of the window surface don't need a sign permit in unincorporated El Paso County; larger or permanent window signs fall under the standard on-premise sign permit rules.
Window Signs. Window signs which are of a temporary nature which occupy less than 50 percent of the window surface are exempt from the requirement to obtain a sign permit.
(2) Building Permit.
(a) Building Permit Required. No sign, except for those signs which do not require a building permit, shall be erected, re-erected, relocated, replaced, expanded or altered, unless a building permit has been issued by the Building Department.
(b) PCD Authorization of Building Permit.
(i) Issuance of Building Permit to be Authorized by the PCD. No building permit for a sign shall be issued unless the issuance of the sign building permit is authorized by the PCD.
(ii) Permit Authorization Without State Sign Permit. No site plan to authorize a building permit shall be approved until a State Sign Permit has been obtained, where required, and a copy of the permit is provided to the PCD.
(C) General Sign Standards.
(1) Setback Requirements. Signs shall meet the minimum setback requirements as identified within this Section.
(2) Height Limitations.
(a) Signs Not to Exceed Height Limitations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 3 | Drainage Criteria Manual: Publication | Engineering Criteria Manual: Supplement 3 | Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
El Paso County's on-premise sign rules at LDC §6.2.10(B)(1) list which signs need a sign permit from Planning and Community Development. Subsection (b)(ii) carves out an exemption for window signs: if the sign is temporary and covers less than 50 percent of the window's surface area, no sign permit is required. The exemption only waives the permit, the sign owner still must comply with the code's other general sign standards, such as illumination and placement rules, that apply section-wide.
Violations & Fines
A window sign that is permanent, or covers 50 percent or more of the window surface, needs a sign permit under LDC §6.2.10; displaying it without one is a zoning violation enforceable by PCD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do window signs need a permit in unincorporated El Paso County?
Does the exemption free window signs from all sign rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Paso County
Compare El Paso County to another location·View the Colorado sign regulations overview
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