Parking & Traffic Signs in Colorado Springs
Reserved, customer, accessible, tow-away, directional, and speed signs for private lots, produced on aluminum with reflective sheeting and laid out to read like the traffic signs drivers already know.
APG: Advanced Printing and Graphics produces parking signs in Colorado Springs for private lots: reserved and customer parking, ADA accessible parking, tow-away notices, directional, stop, and speed signs. Most are printed on .080 inch aluminum with reflective sheeting and mounted on posts or walls. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, accessible spaces are marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility, van spaces add "van accessible," and signs sit at least 60 inches above the ground to the bottom of the sign. Colorado law sets tow sign rules for private lots, including a minimum size, lettering, and mounting height, which we confirm with your towing company.
A parking sign only works if a driver reads it, understands it, and believes it. Looking like a real traffic sign does most of that work.
Private lots in Colorado Springs, from medical offices to apartment complexes to retail centers, need signs that tell drivers where to park, where not to park, and what happens if they ignore the rules. The stakes are real: an accessible space that is not marked correctly can create compliance problems, and a tow sign that does not meet state rules can undermine a tow.
This page covers sign materials and reflective sheeting, how the federal traffic sign manual applies to private lots, the ADA requirements for accessible parking signs, Colorado's tow sign rules, and mounting. For entry and directional signs at the driveway, see our post and panel signs page.
- Provider
- APG: Advanced Printing and Graphics, Colorado Springs, CO
- Sign types
- Reserved, customer, visitor, employee, accessible, van accessible, tow-away, no parking, fire lane, directional, stop, and speed signs
- Material
- Aluminum, commonly .080 inch, with reflective sheeting or printed and laminated faces
- Mounting
- Square or U-channel posts set in concrete or sleeves, building walls, and existing light poles where allowed
- ADA sign
- International Symbol of Accessibility; 'van accessible' on van spaces; 60 inches minimum to the bottom of the sign
- Colorado tow signs
- At least 1 sq ft, 1 inch letters, 'Authorized Parking Only,' tow company name and phone, 3 to 8 feet high
- Typical timeline
- One to two weeks after approval for most parking sign orders
- Service area
- Colorado Springs, Monument, Fountain, Falcon, and El Paso County
Types of parking and lot signs
Most private lots need a mix of regulatory-style signs and branded signs. Planning them together keeps the lot consistent and leaves no gaps in the rules drivers see.
- Reserved and assigned parking. Customer, visitor, employee, tenant, clergy, expectant mother, pickup, and numbered spaces.
- Accessible parking. Signs with the International Symbol of Accessibility, van accessible signs, and supplemental signs.
- Tow-away and enforcement. Entrance and interior signs that give drivers notice of parking rules and towing.
- Traffic control. Stop, yield, do not enter, one way, and speed limit signs for drive aisles.
- Directional. Entrance, exit, deliveries, drive-through, and building arrows.
- No parking and fire lane. Fire lane markings and signs are often required by the fire code official, so confirm the wording with the fire department.
Aluminum, reflective sheeting, and posts
Parking signs are built like road signs because they face the same conditions: sun, snow, plows, and bumpers. Aluminum with reflective sheeting is the standard.
Aluminum gauge
Traffic sign suppliers commonly describe .063 inch aluminum as light duty, .080 inch as standard duty, and .100 and .125 inch as heavier options. We use .080 inch for most parking signs and step up for larger signs or exposed locations.
Reflective sheeting
Reflective sheeting bounces headlight light back to the driver, so the sign reads at night without its own lighting. Sheeting is graded under ASTM D4956. The Federal Highway Administration describes Type I as engineering grade and Type III as high intensity, with prismatic types above that. Engineering grade is common for low-speed private lots; high intensity or prismatic sheeting is worth it for stop signs, entrances, and dark lots.
Posts and hardware
- Square perforated posts allow sign height to be adjusted and posts to be replaced at a ground sleeve after a hit.
- U-channel posts are common and economical for single signs.
- Wall and pole mounting keeps signs out of plow paths where a building or light pole is close to the space.
Posts near parking spaces get hit. Bollards or wall mounting can prevent repeated replacements.
Following traffic sign standards on a private lot
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is the federal standard for traffic signs on public roads. Whether it applies on private property depends on the type of space.
- Private roads open to public travel. The Federal Highway Administration's MUTCD guidance says the manual applies to roads within shopping centers and similar facilities when the public can travel them without restriction.
- Parking areas and drive aisles. The same guidance says the MUTCD does not apply to parking areas and driving aisles within parking areas, whether privately or publicly owned.
Even where the manual does not apply, we recommend following its shapes, colors, and wording. A red octagon means stop to every driver, and standard designs are read faster and taken more seriously than custom ones. Save logos and brand colors for reserved and customer signs, not stop or speed signs.
ADA accessible parking signs
Accessible parking spaces have specific sign requirements under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Section 502.6 sets the sign requirements, and the U.S. Access Board's guide explains them.
- Symbol. Parking space identification signs include the International Symbol of Accessibility.
- Van spaces. Signs identifying van parking spaces contain the designation "van accessible." At least one of every six or fraction of six accessible spaces must be van accessible.
- Height. Signs are 60 inches minimum above the finish floor or ground surface, measured to the bottom of the sign, so they stay visible when a vehicle is parked in the space.
- Pavement markings. The Access Board notes that a symbol painted on the pavement does not substitute for an above-ground sign.
- Exceptions. Sites with four or fewer total parking spaces do not need the sign, and spaces assigned to specific dwelling units in residential facilities do not need identification.
Colorado also has state laws on parking for people with disabilities, and local requirements can add supplemental signs. Confirm the full requirements for your site with your design professional, property manager, or the city before ordering. For accessible signs inside buildings, see our ADA and interior signs page.
Tow-away signs in Colorado
Colorado sets rules for the signs that must be posted before a vehicle is towed from private parking without the owner's consent. The rules are in state law, C.R.S. 40-10.1-405, and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) enforces towing rules.
As the statute reads today, a towing carrier with an agreement to tow from the property must post signs that:
- Are at least one square foot, with lettering at least one inch high that contrasts with the background
- State "Authorized Parking Only" and include the towing carrier's name and telephone number, in English
- Are placed at the entrance, facing the street, visible before and after entering
- Are placed inside the parking area facing the spaces, and on or near each lamppost on non-residential property with more than ten freestanding lampposts
- Are mounted no lower than three feet and no higher than eight feet from the ground
Residential properties have additional rules. The statute places the signage duty on the towing carrier and the law has changed in recent sessions, so confirm current wording, quantities, and placement with your towing company and the Colorado PUC before ordering. We produce the signs to the content they provide.
Placement, plows, and permits
Where a parking sign goes matters as much as what it says. A sign hidden by a parked truck, buried by a snow pile, or knocked over by a plow every winter does not do its job.
- At the head of the space. Accessible and reserved signs go at the front of the space, centered and high enough to see over a parked vehicle.
- Out of plow paths. In Colorado Springs, plowed snow goes to the edges and islands of the lot. Wall mounting or setting posts behind curbs keeps signs out of the way.
- Clear of sight lines. Signs at exits and drive aisles stay out of the sight visibility triangle at the driveway.
- Permits. On-site directional signs are listed in the city sign code as requiring a permit, limited to 6 square feet and 4 feet tall, two per entrance. Ask us to check the sign types for your lot.
Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process for custom and branded parking signs.
How a parking sign project runs
- Lot walk or site planSend a site plan or photos of the lot, the number of each sign type, and any wording from your towing company or property manager.
- Estimate and depositYou receive a written estimate by sign type, size, sheeting, and mounting. Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process.
- Layout and approvalSigns are laid out using standard traffic sign shapes and colors, with branded elements where they fit.
- ProductionAluminum blanks are cut, faced with reflective sheeting or printed and laminated, and drilled for mounting.
- Installation and walkthroughPosts are set and signs are mounted at the right heights. We handle the installation, including equipment coordination when needed, through the final walkthrough.
Are custom parking signs right for your lot?
Most private lots benefit from a planned set of parking signs. A few situations need a different approach.
A good fit when
- Customers cannot find open spaces because employees or neighbors take them
- You are adding or re-striping accessible spaces
- Your towing company needs signs posted before enforcing
- Drive aisles need stop, speed, or one way signs
Look elsewhere when
- The signs are for a public street, which the city or state traffic department controls
- You need only pavement markings and no vertical signs
- Fire lane wording has not yet been confirmed with the fire department
The Short Version
- APG produces reserved, customer, accessible, tow-away, directional, stop, and speed signs for private lots in Colorado Springs.
- Most parking signs use .080 inch aluminum with reflective sheeting graded under ASTM D4956.
- FHWA guidance says the MUTCD does not apply to parking areas and drive aisles, but following its shapes and colors helps drivers read signs fast.
- ADA accessible parking signs show the International Symbol of Accessibility, add 'van accessible' on van spaces, and sit at least 60 inches to the bottom of the sign.
- Colorado tow signs must be at least 1 sq ft with 1 inch letters, posted at entrances and inside the lot, between 3 and 8 feet high.
- Confirm tow sign details with your towing company and the Colorado PUC before ordering.
Where this information comes from
- U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards, Chapter 5: Parking Spaces: access-board.gov.
- U.S. Department of Justice, 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Section 502.6: ada.gov.
- Federal Highway Administration, MUTCD general FAQ on private roads and parking areas: mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov.
- Colorado Revised Statutes 40-10.1-405, nonconsensual tows and signage: colorado.public.law.
- Federal Highway Administration, sign materials and ASTM D4956 sheeting types: highways.dot.gov.
Common questions
Parking Signs FAQ
Who makes parking signs in Colorado Springs?
APG: Advanced Printing and Graphics produces parking signs in Colorado Springs for private lots, including reserved, customer, accessible, tow-away, directional, stop, and speed signs on reflective aluminum.
How high does an ADA parking sign need to be?
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, accessible parking signs are mounted at least 60 inches above the ground surface, measured to the bottom of the sign, so they remain visible when a vehicle is parked in the space.
What does a van accessible sign need?
A sign identifying a van accessible space includes the International Symbol of Accessibility and the designation 'van accessible.' At least one of every six or fraction of six accessible spaces must be van accessible.
Does a painted symbol replace an accessible parking sign?
No. The U.S. Access Board notes that a symbol painted on the pavement does not substitute for an above-ground sign that remains visible.
Do private parking lots have to follow the MUTCD?
The Federal Highway Administration says the MUTCD does not apply to parking areas and drive aisles within them, though it does apply to private roads open to public travel. Following MUTCD shapes and colors in a private lot is still a good practice.
What do tow-away signs need to say in Colorado?
Under C.R.S. 40-10.1-405, signs must state 'Authorized Parking Only' and show the towing carrier's name and phone number, be at least one square foot with one inch letters, and be mounted three to eight feet high at entrances and inside the lot. Confirm current details with your towing company and the Colorado PUC.
What thickness aluminum is used for parking signs?
Most parking signs use .080 inch aluminum, which traffic sign suppliers describe as standard duty. Heavier .100 or .125 inch aluminum suits larger signs and exposed locations.
Do parking signs need to be reflective?
Reflective sheeting is strongly recommended for any parking sign read at night, because it bounces headlight light back to the driver. Engineering grade sheeting suits most private lots, and high intensity sheeting suits stop signs and entrances.
Do parking signs need a permit in Colorado Springs?
Some do. On-site directional signs are listed in the Colorado Springs sign code as needing a permit, limited to 6 square feet and 4 feet tall, two per entrance. APG checks the sign types for each lot during the project review.
Send a site plan or lot photos
Keep the right spaces open for the right people.
Send a site plan or photos of the lot, the signs you need, and any wording from your towing company or property manager. Our team will send a written estimate by sign type. Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process.