Arapahoe County building department

Arapahoe County’s Building Division issues building permits, reviews plans, and inspects work in the unincorporated parts of Arapahoe County only. The county tells applicants to check their jurisdiction before applying (its Address & Parcel Info lookup shows this); incorporated cities and towns run their own permit offices.

The office is at Lima Plaza, 6924 S. Lima St., Centennial. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Call 720-874-6600 for an appointment before visiting. Email support is [email protected].

What needs a permit

The county’s residential requirements page lists permits for:

• Additions, remodels, and basement finishes
• Decks and patio covers or enclosures
• Re-roofs and siding replacement
• Window and door replacement
• Solar PV and EV chargers
• Generators, fireplaces, boilers, and tankless water heaters
• Hot tubs, pools, and spas
• Demolition

The county amended the 2021 IRC’s exemption list (R105.2):

Item	County rule
Detached sheds, playhouses, shade structures	Exempt only up to 120 sq ft and not used for vehicle storage
Small detached decks	The IRC’s deck exemption (item 10) is deleted, so decks need a building permit
Fences	Fence replacement needs a permit from the Zoning Division. Ask Zoning (720-874-6711) which permit your fence needs
Plumbing, electrical, mechanical	Separate permits are still required for work tied to an exempt item

An exemption from the building permit does not waive Zoning approval.

Accessory buildings over 120 sq ft or 10 feet tall must meet zoning setbacks. They are capped at 15 feet tall and at 10% of lot area or 1,000 sq ft, whichever applies, except for agricultural use.

Permits issued without plan review

These permits are issued as soon as fees are paid:

• Air conditioners, furnaces, and AC/furnace/water-heater combinations
• Standard (tank) water heaters
• Swamp coolers and sprinkler systems
• Electrical service upgrades up to 200 amps

An asphalt-shingle re-roof is an application-only permit through Customer Access. Read the county’s Reroofing Guide first.

How to apply

All applications, uploads, reviewer correspondence, inspection scheduling, and payments go through Accela Customer Access. Rules for submittals:

• Upload all plans and documents as PDFs that follow the county’s “BLD Electronic Submittal Guidelines”.
• Staff are notified within one business day after you upload, so you don’t need to email them.
• The county publishes a checklist and questionnaire for each project type.
  • Additions require foundation and framing plans stamped by a Colorado-registered architect or engineer, plus a soils report.
  • Solar requires a Colorado-licensed engineer’s evaluation of every roof surface.
• Deck plans are reviewed only to the 2021 IRC’s minimum design loads. Added loads such as hot tubs or planters are not reviewed.

Published first-round review times:

• Solar permits: 6–8 weeks
• Projects under $100,000: 6–8 weeks
• Projects over $100,000: 10–12 weeks

Permit expiration:

• A permit is void if work doesn’t start within 180 days of issue, or if 180 days pass without a county inspection.
• Written extensions of up to 180 days each cost half the original permit fee.
• An application that isn’t issued within 180 days of filing expires.

The county also checks that property taxes are current, that zoning, floodplain, and grading/drainage requirements are met, and only then issues the permit.

Fees

The current building permit fee schedule took effect January 1, 2021. Fees are based on total labor-and-material valuation. The building official can raise an underestimated valuation using the county’s Fee and Valuation Schedule or ICC valuation data.

Valuation	Permit	Plan check	Total
$1–$1,800	$94.73	$61.57	$156.30
$9,001–$10,000	$271.87	$176.72	$448.59
$49,001–$50,000	$965.62	$627.65	$1,593.27
$99,001–$100,000	$1,490.62	$968.90	$2,459.52
$100,001–$500,000	$1,490.62 + $11.20 per additional $1,000	+65%	—

Other fee rules:

• Open Space sales/use tax: 0.25% of the materials portion of the valuation, generally taken as 50% of the valuation.
• Payment surcharges: ACH is $1.80 per payment and credit cards are 3.20%. Both rates have applied since September 22, 2025.
• Refunds: All fees are non-refundable.
• Model homes: The “repeat master” discount ended January 1, 2024.

Adopted codes

• 2021 I-Codes: The 2021 International Building and Residential Codes and companion codes were adopted by Resolution 21-394, effective April 1, 2022.
• Electrical: The 2023 NEC was adopted July 9, 2024.
• Accessibility: ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017.
• State requirements: The county also applies the Colorado electric- and solar-ready requirements, HB22-1362 energy code requirements, and HB23-1233 EV-charging rules.

Local design criteria under Table R301.2:

• 30 psf non-reducible roof snow load
• 115 mph ultimate design wind speed
• Seismic Design Category B
• Severe weathering
• 36-inch frost depth
• Ice-barrier underlayment not required

Inspections

Schedule, reschedule, or cancel inspections in Customer Access. Open the permit record, choose Actions → Schedule, and select an available date. You will get an “All Day” slot.

• Timing: The county does not guarantee a time of day. On inspection day, the county’s Inspection Time Check map gives a 2–3 hour arrival window.
• Cancelling: A cancelled inspection is automatically re-added to the permit so you can book it later.
• Access and ladders: Provide access to the work. For re-roofs and attic furnaces, supply duty-rated ladders.
• On site: Keep the permit, or a copy, on site until the project is complete. Having the contractor present is recommended but not required.
• After hours: An after-hours inspection program is available.

Contractor licensing and owner-builders

Contractors working in unincorporated Arapahoe County need a county license, renewed every year through Customer Access.

License	Annual fee
Building Class A (commercial) or B (commercial and residential)	$360
Building Class C (residential only)	$180
Class D (specialty)	$84
Fire alarm	$132

Roofing, solar, mechanical, and retaining wall/fence contractors use the same A/B/C fee structure. Other requirements:

• Classes A–C: ICC Building Contractor certification or an equivalent.
• Class D: Proof of one year of experience in the trade.
• Electricians and plumbers: State master licenses.
• Insurance: All licensed contractors need general liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, naming Arapahoe County.

Homeowners can pull their own permits as owner-occupants of the property by uploading a signed Certificate for Owner-Generated Permits. If you hire a building contractor for any part of the work, that contractor must hold a county license.