Denver building department

Denver Community Planning and Development (CPD) handles building and zoning permits, plan review, and construction inspections for the consolidated City and County of Denver. CPD no longer issues permits at a counter: every project applies and pays online, and in-person help is by appointment.

How to apply

Applications go through Denver’s E-permits portal (Accela Citizen Access). Create an account, then choose the path that matches the work:

• Quick permits are issued without plan review, for trade work only: boiler and A/C replacement, electrical (service upgrades, wiring, EV chargers, solar under 10 kW), mechanical, plumbing, roofing and siding, and some landmark exterior work. CPD notes that most projects, including any structural work, cannot use a quick permit. Residential electrical quick permits are limited to services of 400 amps or less.
• Building log is the plan-review path. Decks, covered patios, sheds that need permits, additions, and new homes are submitted this way, often with a zoning permit and a sewer use and drainage permit (SUDP) in the same log.

For new homes and additions, CPD’s Permitting Checklist for New Homes and Additions (updated September 3, 2026) lists the required sheets. Highlights: new dwellings on vacant land need a boundary survey, land survey plat, or improvement survey plat; additions need an improvement survey plat when the new exterior wall is less than 3 feet from a lot line (improvement location certificates are not accepted); and new dwellings require a current geotechnical soils report.

To track a project, use the permit-status page at denvergov.org/buildingpermitstatus. It lets you view all permits at an address, see review status, and download final approved plans without logging in.

Intake and plan-review phone lines

Group	Phone	Hours (phone line)
CPD main line	(720) 865-2700	Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
E-permits help / building and zoning intake	(720) 865-2720, [email protected]	Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Detached homes and duplexes	(720) 865-2710, [email protected]	Weekdays, with a midday break

Common exemptions and thresholds

Project	No permit needed when…	Permits needed otherwise
Uncovered deck	12 in. or less above ground (not a landmark or in a historic district)	Over 12 in.: zoning permit. 30 in. or more: zoning and building permits
Covered patio, porch, pergola, carport	Never exempt	Zoning and building permit
Shed / playhouse	One story, detached, unconditioned, 200 sq ft or less of projected roof area, 8 ft top plate, 14 ft maximum height	Building permit. Zoning permit unless it meets the minor detached structure standards (all sheds in Former Chapter 59 districts need one)
Fence	Under 4 ft (not a landmark site)	Zoning permit over 4 ft. Building permit for post-hole fences over 8 ft, other fence types over 4 ft
Wall / retaining wall	Under 12 in.	Zoning permit over 12 in. Masonry and retaining walls over 6 ft need engineered plan review and a building permit
Roof repair	10% of the roof area or two squares, whichever is smaller, or less	Roofing quick permit; roof permits are always separate from the main construction permit

Fence height limits are 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in back yards outside industrial districts. A shed may have up to two lights and two receptacles under a valid electrical permit. Projects at designated landmarks or in historic districts need a Landmark Preservation certificate of appropriateness. CPD recommends getting it before you apply for building permits.

Homeowner permits

Owner-occupants of a single-family home (including its garage) can pull their own permits. ADUs, townhomes, condos, and duplexes are not eligible, and neither are trusts, LLCs, or corporations. You must show photo ID matching the Denver Assessor’s records and occupy the home for at least one year after the work is finished. A homeowner may build a new home only once every five years. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work requires passing a homeowner exam (English only) or holding a current state license. General construction and roofing or siding need no exam. A homeowner can act as general contractor but must hire Denver-licensed subcontractors for those trades.

Fees

Building permit fees are based on project valuation (per CPD’s Building and Land Development Fees page):

Valuation	Permit fee
$1–$500	$20
$501–$2,000	$35
$2,001–$25,000	$35 + $8 per additional $1,000
$25,001–$50,000	$220 + $8 per additional $1,000
$50,001–$100,000	$420 + $7 per additional $1,000
$100,001–$500,000	$770 + $5.60 per additional $1,000
$500,001–$1,000,000	$3,010 + $4.75 per additional $1,000
Over $1,000,000	$5,385 + $3.65 per additional $1,000

Plan review adds 50% of the permit fee for projects over $2,000. Same-day plan review is charged at 20% of the permit fee, with a $100 minimum for projects over $2,000. The solar portion of a project is a $50 flat fee. Two-phase permits add 25%, and three or more phases add 50%. Card payments carry a 2.5% non-refundable service fee, while electronic checks have no surcharge.

Codes in effect

The 2025 Denver Building and Fire Codes took effect December 31, 2025. They are based on the 2024 International Codes, except the energy code, which uses the 2021 IECC. Residential work follows the Denver Residential Code (2024 IRC with amendments). The 2025 code changed snow-load criteria, and CPD points designers to the ASCE Hazard Tool for site values. Denver adopted the 2026 National Electrical Code without amendments. Construction and demolition recycling requirements under Denver’s universal recycling ordinance began September 1, 2026; most projects need a waste diversion plan and a refundable performance deposit.

Inspections

Schedule inspections in E-permits once the permit shows “issued,” using the permit number or site address. CPD says inspections are completed within two business days. An automated phone system is also available, but meter-release inspections cannot be booked through it. Sewer use and drainage (wastewater) inspections are requested by email to [email protected] by 3:30 p.m. on the previous business day. Inspection administration is at (720) 865-2505. Inspector office hours are Monday–Friday, 7:30–11 a.m., on the 2nd floor at 201 W. Colfax Ave. In-person CO/TCO processing stops at 10 a.m.

Contractor licensing

Denver licenses contractors itself in two steps. First you get a supervisor certificate (or hold a state electrical or plumbing license), then the business gets a contractor license. Building certificate classes include:

• Class A: any building, with 7 years of commercial experience including high-rises over 75 ft; ICC exam F11
• Class B: buildings below high-rise, with 4 years of experience; ICC exam F12
• Class C: one- and two-family dwellings and attached single-unit dwellings, with 2 years of field experience; ICC exam F13

Specialty Class D certificates cover individual trades.

Certificate applications take 14–20 business days to review, and certificates renew every three years. Life-safety and conveyance systems also require a Denver Fire Department license.