How to Choose a Sign Company in Colorado Springs
A business sign is part design, part construction project, and part paperwork. Here is how to compare sign companies in Colorado Springs on the things that decide whether your sign goes up on time and stays up.
To choose a sign company in Colorado Springs, compare how each one handles the permit under the city's 2026 sign code, whether it designs, produces, and installs the sign itself, the materials it recommends for Colorado sun and freeze-thaw cycles, how it handles landlord criteria and electrical work, and what support it offers after installation. Most permanent exterior signs need a sign plan approved by the city and a permit from the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD), which also licenses sign contractors in the region. Ask who pulls the permit, who installs, and who services the sign later, and get those answers in writing before you approve an estimate.
- What a full-service sign company handles
- Ask how the company handles the permit
- Ask about licensing and who installs
- Ask about materials for Colorado conditions
- Ask how landlord criteria are handled
- Ask for a proof on your building
- Compare estimates line by line
- Ask what happens after installation
- Warning signs worth noticing
A sign that looks perfect on a proof can still sit in a warehouse for two months waiting on a permit nobody submitted correctly.
Buying a business sign looks like a design decision, but most of what goes wrong is not design. It is permits submitted incomplete, landlord criteria nobody read, electrical work that was not planned, or materials that fade and warp in Colorado sun. The sign company you choose decides how much of that you have to manage yourself.
This guide explains what to ask and what to compare when you choose a sign company in Colorado Springs. It is written by APG's team, and every question here is one you can ask any provider, including us. For what signs typically cost, our guide to storefront signage costs for a new business covers budgets.
What a full-service sign company handles
A permanent business sign moves through five stages. One company can handle all of them, or each can go to a different party:
- Site survey and code review. Measuring the frontage and checking what the city code and landlord allow.
- Design. A sign layout drawn on your actual building, sized for how far away people read it.
- Permitting. Preparing and submitting the sign plan and answering reviewer comments.
- Production. Fabricating letters, panels, or illuminated signs from the approved drawings.
- Installation. Mounting the sign, coordinating electrical work for lit signs, and passing inspection.
When one company handles all five, there is one place to call when something needs to change. When the steps are split, ask in writing who is responsible for each one.
Ask how the company handles the permit
Colorado Springs adopted a new sign code in early 2026, Sign Ordinance No. 26-01, which took effect July 1, 2026. Under the code, a new permanent sign generally needs a sign plan approved by city Planning before the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) issues the permit. The plan includes site information, existing and proposed signs, wall signs drawn on the building elevation, zoning, and written consent from the property owner.
Questions to ask:
- Is the permit included in the estimate, including fees?
- Who prepares the sign plan and elevation drawings?
- How does the company handle reviewer comments?
- Will production start while the permit is in review, or only after?
Our sign permit services page explains how we handle permits, and our guide to sign permits after Ordinance 26-01 explains the rules.
Ask about licensing and who installs
PPRBD licenses sign contractors in the region, with license classes that cover different scopes of sign work, and electrical connections for illuminated signs require a licensed electrical contractor. It is reasonable to ask a sign company which license covers the installation and who makes the electrical connection.
Also ask who actually installs. Some companies install their own signs. Others hire outside installers. Installation is where structural, electrical, and permit responsibility meet, which is why APG primarily installs signage produced as part of our own projects. Because the installation falls under our permit, we generally do not install signs produced by unknown or unverified manufacturers. Exceptions may be considered for established national brands when complete shop drawings and specifications are provided. Each project is reviewed before we accept the installation.
If you are considering buying a sign online and hiring someone else to install it, ask the installer before you order whether they will accept it.
Ask about materials for Colorado conditions
Colorado Springs is hard on signs. UV is stronger at 6,035 feet than at sea level, temperatures swing widely between day and night, and freeze-thaw cycles work on every seam and fastener. Materials that last a decade elsewhere can fade, warp, or crack sooner here.
- Substrates. Aluminum and cast acrylic hold up well outdoors. Some PVC and foam products can soften or bow on dark, sun-facing walls.
- Finishes. Exterior paints and printed faces should be rated for outdoor UV exposure.
- Hardware. Stainless or coated fasteners avoid rust streaks on light-colored walls.
- Lighting. LED modules and power supplies rated for cold starts matter in a Colorado winter.
Our guide to acrylic, aluminum, and PVC sign materials compares substrates for Colorado conditions.
Ask how landlord criteria are handled
In shopping centers, office parks, and multi-tenant buildings, the landlord usually has sign criteria: rules on letter style, color, size, illumination, and mounting that can be stricter than the city code. Commercial centers may also operate under a coordinated sign plan approved by the city.
A good sign company asks for the criteria during the site survey, designs to them, and gets landlord approval before submitting the permit. If the landlord requires a sign type the company does not offer, it should tell you up front. If a landlord requires a sign type we do not offer, we review the requirements and discuss the options with you.
Ask for a proof on your building
A sign should be approved on a photo of your actual building, at scale, not on a white background. That is how you catch a sign that is too small to read from the road, too big for the allowed area, or awkwardly placed between windows and downspouts.
Many sign companies begin design only after the estimate is approved and a deposit is paid. At APG, once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process. Proofs show size, colors, materials, and mounting, and nothing goes to production without approval.
Compare estimates line by line
Sign estimates vary widely because they cover different things. Before comparing totals, confirm what each one includes:
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Sign specs | Sign type, size, materials, finish, illumination |
| Permit | Plan preparation, submittal, fees, and revisions |
| Engineering | Whether engineered drawings are needed and included |
| Electrical | Power to the sign and final connection by a licensed electrician |
| Installation | Labor, lift or equipment, and removal of any old sign |
| Warranty and service | What is covered, for how long, and who repairs it |
Some sign projects require engineered drawings based on the sign type, size, mounting method, and site conditions. We confirm the applicable requirements as part of the project review.
Ask what happens after installation
Signs need occasional service: a power supply that fails, a face that gets cracked, a letter loosened by wind. Before you buy, ask who services the sign and how. APG provides repair and maintenance services for signs we originally produced. If an APG sign is damaged, has an electrical issue, or needs an approved face replacement, send us a photo and the project information so our team can review it.
Also ask whether the company keeps your design files and permit drawings. When you add a location, change a tenant panel, or replace a face, having the original files saves time and money.
Warning signs worth noticing
Most sign companies in Colorado Springs do careful work. A few patterns are worth asking about, whoever the provider is:
- An estimate that leaves out the permit, electrical, or installation
- A sign size chosen before anyone checked the code or landlord criteria
- No proof on a photo of your building
- Unclear answers about licensing or who installs
- No plan for service after installation
For temporary needs while a permanent sign is in review, our window graphics page covers options that usually do not need a permit.
The Short Version
- Most permanent exterior signs in Colorado Springs need a sign plan approved by the city and a permit issued by PPRBD.
- The city's new sign code, Sign Ordinance No. 26-01, took effect July 1, 2026.
- Ask who prepares the permit, who installs, and who makes the electrical connection, and get it in writing.
- Choose materials rated for strong UV and freeze-thaw cycles at 6,035 feet.
- Landlord criteria and coordinated sign plans can be stricter than the city code and usually come first.
- Approve signs on a photo of your actual building, at scale.
- Compare estimates line by line: specs, permit, engineering, electrical, installation, and service.
Where this information comes from
- City of Colorado Springs, sign applications: coloradosprings.gov/signapp.
- City of Colorado Springs, Sign Ordinance update: coloradosprings.gov/SignOrdinanceUpdate.
- Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, contractor license types: pprbd.org.
- International Sign Association, Colorado Springs sign code adoption, 2026: signs.org.
- APG sign project records, Colorado Springs office.
Common questions
Choosing a Sign Company FAQ
What should I ask a sign company before hiring them?
Ask whether the permit is included and who prepares it, who installs and makes the electrical connection, which license covers the work, what materials they recommend for Colorado conditions, whether you will see a proof on your actual building, and who services the sign after installation.
Do sign contractors need a license in Colorado Springs?
The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department licenses sign contractors in the region, with license classes covering different scopes of sign work. Electrical connections for illuminated signs require a licensed electrical contractor.
Who pulls the sign permit, me or the sign company?
Usually the sign company prepares and submits the permit as part of the job. Confirm in writing that the permit and its fees are included in the estimate.
When did the new Colorado Springs sign code take effect?
Colorado Springs adopted Sign Ordinance No. 26-01 in early 2026, and it took effect July 1, 2026.
How long does it take to get a business sign in Colorado Springs?
Vinyl and non-illuminated signs typically take one to two weeks, and illuminated signs take four to eight weeks. Permit review is usually the longest step.
Will a sign company install a sign I bought online?
Many will not, or only case by case, because the installation falls under their permit and creates liability. APG primarily installs signage produced through its own projects, with exceptions considered for established national brands that provide complete shop drawings and specifications.
Why do sign estimates vary so much?
Estimates often cover different materials, illumination, permit work, engineering, electrical, and installation. Compare them line by line before comparing totals.
What sign materials last longest in Colorado Springs?
Aluminum and cast acrylic generally hold up well outdoors in the strong UV at Colorado Springs' altitude. Finishes should be rated for outdoor UV, and hardware should be stainless or coated.
Who makes business signs in Colorado Springs?
Several companies produce business signs in Colorado Springs. APG: Advanced Printing and Graphics designs, permits, produces, and installs storefront and building signs, channel letters, dimensional lettering, lobby signs, ADA signs, and wayfinding signs from its office on Garden of the Gods Road.
Ask us the same questions
Compare us on the details.
Send the property address, a photo of the building front, and what you want the sign to say. Our estimate spells out the sign, the permit, the electrical, and the installation, so you can compare it line by line. Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process.