Centennial, Colorado Sign Code & Sign Permit Guide
Wall, monument, and freestanding sign limits for Centennial by zoning district — cited to the exact code section, with the sign permit process. Every number is checked against the published code text before it ships.
Nonresidential / Mixed-Use (CG, AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR)
Zones like CG
Centennial Municipal Code §§12-6-401(C)/Table 12-6-401B (Attached Signs) and §12-6-402(C)/Table 12-6-402B (Detached Signs), current as of 2026. Covers Community/Activity/Urban Center, Employment Center Mixed-Use/Light Industrial, Business Park, Industrial, Employment District, and Open Space/Recreation districts. Height/density-suffixed live zone codes (BP35/50/75/100, EC-MU-75/100, EC-LI-75) all resolve here via wildcard match on their base district.
Wall signs scale with façade width; everything else is a flat district cap: Primary wall-sign area is 1 or 0.5 sq ft per linear foot of façade width depending on district — the only true frontage-based formula in this code. Every other sign type (monument, window, canopy, projecting, etc.) has its own flat area/height cap per district. Match your sign type and district to the right card above.
Wall signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| Primary — CG, UC, EC-MU | 1 per façade · aggregate 1 sq ft per linear ft of façade width · ≤85% signable area ratio · no single sign over 200 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Primary — AC, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR | 1 per façade · aggregate 0.5 sq ft per linear ft of façade width · ≤50% signable area ratio · no single sign over 200 sq ft |
| Secondary — CG, AC | 2 per primary building entrance · 50 sq ft · 40% signable area ratio |
| Secondary — UC | 1 per primary building entrance · 50 sq ft · 20% signable area ratio |
| Secondary — EC-MU | 1 per primary building entrance · 50 sq ft · 40% signable area ratio |
| Secondary — EC-LI, BP, I | 1 per primary building entrance · 50 sq ft · 25% signable area ratio |
| Secondary — ED, OSR | 1 per primary building entrance · 35 sq ft · 20% signable area ratio |
A through-lot building set back less than 30 ft from the rear right-of-way gets one additional secondary sign on the rear façade. Two structures for one tenant (one accessory) get only one fascia/wall sign when both face the same right-of-way.
Window & neon signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| Window transparency — CG, UC, EC-MU, I | Min 50% transparency required |
|---|---|
| Window transparency — AC, EC-LI, BP, ED, OSR | Min 80% transparency required |
| Neon sign (all districts) | 1 per window · 6 sq ft · counts as opaque toward the window-transparency minimum · must be off when the business closes |
Awning signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| All nonresidential districts | 1 per awning · 8 sq ft · up to 90% of the valance for copy/graphics on the valance, 50% on other awning areas |
|---|
Arcade / blade signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| CG, AC, UC, EC-MU | 1 per primary building entrance · 8 sq ft · min 8 ft clearance · max 12 ft height |
|---|---|
| EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR | Not allowed |
Only allowed under awnings or structurally attached beneath arcades on front façades; can't impede pedestrian walkways.
Canopy signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| CG, AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-LI, BP, ED | 1 per canopy per primary building entrance · aggregate 1 sq ft per linear ft of canopy width or 48 sq ft, whichever is less · min 9 ft pedestrian / 14 ft vehicular clearance · height ≤ roof/parapet line |
|---|---|
| I, OSR | Not allowed |
Not permitted on a gasoline station fuel canopy or a freestanding canopy.
Projecting signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| CG, AC, UC, EC-MU | 1 per façade · 16 sq ft · projects ≤36 inches from the façade · min 9 ft pedestrian clearance · height ≤ roof/parapet line |
|---|---|
| EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR | Not allowed |
Not permitted above a vehicular right-out-of-way or queuing lane.
Marquee & roof signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| Marquee — AC, UC only | 1 per building · 20 sq ft per face, up to 3 faces · not allowed facing residential uses or on buildings under 12,000 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Marquee — all other districts | Not allowed |
| Roof — AC, UC only | 1 per building · 0.6 sq ft per linear ft of façade width · only on pre-existing buildings meeting 6 strict criteria (thin fascia, small signable area, sloped roof, not illuminated, etc.) |
| Roof — all other districts | Not allowed |
Murals
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401B| All nonresidential districts | Up to 2 façades per building may each have 1 mural, plus 1 more on a retaining/masonry wall · 200 sq ft max size · artist signature/logo ≤5% of mural size, exempt from the size cap |
|---|
Exterior building walls only; no electronic display; may cross non-glass doorways and windows (subject to window-transparency rules) and different building materials.
Monument signs
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402B| Residential-use monument — CG through BP (not I/ED/OSR) | 1 per parcel proposed for residential development · 20 sq ft · 6 ft height · 70% signable area ratio |
|---|---|
| Nonresidential monument — CG, AC | 2 signs per ingress/egress to the district · 48 sq ft · 10 ft height · 70% signable area ratio |
| Nonresidential monument — UC, EC-MU, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR | 1 per street frontage + 1 per ingress/egress · one sign per frontage up to 48 sq ft/10 ft, all others up to 10 sq ft/5 ft · 80% signable area ratio |
Kiosk & directional signs
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402B| Kiosk — CG, AC, UC, EC-MU, BP, ED, OSR | 12 sq ft · 10 ft height · set back 10 ft from vehicular areas, within 2 ft of a sidewalk, spaced 150 ft apart (300 ft in BP/ED/OSR) |
|---|---|
| Kiosk — EC-LI, I | Not allowed |
| Directional signs (all districts) | 1 per ingress/egress · 10 sq ft · 5 ft height · no spacing/setback requirement but must leave 4 ft of sidewalk clear |
Drive-through signs
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402B| CG, AC | Unlimited number · 35 sq ft per sign, 60 sq ft cumulative per queuing lane · 10 ft height |
|---|---|
| EC-MU, BP | Unlimited number · 25 sq ft per sign, 25 sq ft cumulative per queuing lane · 8 ft height |
| UC, EC-LI, I, ED, OSR | Not allowed |
Must be placed along the queuing lane; a shade structure over the sign is permitted; support structures must be enclosed.
See the exact numbers
Height, setback, area, count, and lighting limits for Nonresidential / Mixed-Use (CG, AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR) — cited to the code section, ready to quote from.
Get notified at launch- A qualifying multi-tenant/multi-parcel development may have an approved Sign Design Program (§12-6-601) allowing up to 6% of building facade (attached) or 110% of the base allowance (detached) — not detectable from GIS; confirm with the city before quoting a shopping center or business park site.
- Electronic message centers on monument signs: ≤50% of sign area (≤75% for marquee signs), ≥16mm pixel pitch, static messages held ≥8 seconds, illumination change ≤0.3 foot-candles after dark. Multi-tenant EMCs only allowed in CG, AC, UC, EC-MU.
Residential and Agriculture (AG, RS, RA, RU, NC, NI)
Zones like AG
Centennial Municipal Code §§12-6-401(B)/Table 12-6-401A (Attached Signs) and §12-6-402(B)/Table 12-6-402A (Detached Signs). Covers Agricultural, Residential Suburban/Agricultural/Urban, and New-Community density-tiered districts (NC5 through NC18, NCMF, NCSFA, NI8/NI18) — the density/height suffix doesn't change the sign numbers, only the base district (NC vs. NI) does.
Flat per-district caps, not a frontage formula: Every residential sign type is a flat area/height cap by district — wall signs by base district (AG/RA/RU/RS-NC-NI), monument signs by use (residential vs. nonresidential) and, for nonresidential-use monuments, by the adjacent street's classification. Match your sign type and situation to the right card above.
Wall signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401A| AG | 1 per façade · 35 sq ft · 50% signable area ratio |
|---|---|
| RA | 1 per building · 35 sq ft · 60% signable area ratio |
| RU | 1 per building · 30 sq ft · 60% signable area ratio |
| RS, NC, NI | 1 per building · 25 sq ft · 40% signable area ratio |
Applies to multifamily and nonresidential uses within these districts. Not allowed at all for home occupations (except a required address sign).
Fascia / parapet signs
§12-6-401 · Table 12-6-401A| AG | 1 per façade · 20 sq ft · 75% signable area ratio · not allowed if a wall sign is used |
|---|---|
| RA | 1 per building · 35 sq ft · 60% signable area ratio · not allowed if a wall sign is used |
| RU | 1 per building · 35 sq ft · 60% signable area ratio · not allowed if a wall sign is used |
| RS, NC, NI | Not allowed |
Monument signs (residential use)
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402A| All districts (AG, RS, RA, RU, NC, NI) | 2 signs per subdivision/development access, on commonly-owned open space · 32 sq ft · 5 ft height (or anywhere on a retaining wall) · 60% signable area ratio |
|---|
Monument signs (nonresidential use, tiered by street)
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402A| Local or minor collector street | 1 sign per nonresidential parcel · 12 sq ft · 4 ft height · 60% signable area ratio |
|---|---|
| Major collector street | 1 sign per nonresidential parcel · 32 sq ft · 8 ft height · 60% signable area ratio · must be placed along the major collector |
| Major or minor arterial street | 1 sign per nonresidential parcel · 48 sq ft · 10 ft height · 70% signable area ratio · must be placed along the arterial |
Kiosk signs
§12-6-402 · Table 12-6-402A| All districts | 9 sq ft · 6 ft height · set back ≥10 ft from vehicular areas · spaced 150 ft apart if multiple (unless no line of sight between them) |
|---|
See the exact numbers
Height, setback, area, count, and lighting limits for Residential and Agriculture (AG, RS, RA, RU, NC, NI) — cited to the code section, ready to quote from.
Get notified at launch- A qualifying multi-tenant/multi-parcel development may have an approved Sign Design Program (§12-6-601) — see the nonresidential family's warning for details; less common on purely residential parcels but still possible for large HOA/community developments.
Sign permits in Centennial
City of Centennial Community Development Department — 303-325-8000
Centennial sign code FAQ
What is the sign code for Centennial, Colorado?
Centennial's sign regulations are set by Ch. 12 Art. 6 Signs and Lighting · Municode Library, and vary by zoning district. Sightline tracks 2 verified zone families for Centennial below, each with wall, freestanding, and other sign-type limits cited to the exact section.
Do I need a permit for a sign in Centennial?
In nearly every Colorado municipality, including Centennial, permanent signs — wall signs, channel letters, cabinets, monument signs — require a sign permit. Centennial's permit process is linked below. Always confirm with the authority having jurisdiction before finalizing a design.
Look up an exact address in Centennial
Get the live zoning district and the sign limits that apply to a specific parcel, with a frontage calculator and a permit-ready citation.
Get notified at launch