Larimer County building department

The Larimer County Building Division handles permits, plan review, inspections, and code enforcement for unincorporated Larimer County only. Fort Collins and Loveland run their own programs, including separate contractor licensing, so check whether a parcel is inside city limits before you use the county’s forms. Zoning, setbacks, and the land use code are handled by Larimer County Planning (970-498-7679 or 970-498-7683).

The main office is at 200 W. Oak Street, Suite 3100, in Fort Collins (mailing address: PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190). It is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Estes Park office at 1601 Brodie Ave. (970-577-2100) keeps the same hours but only takes pick-ups and drop-offs.

What needs a permit

The county’s permit-requirements summary lists these as needing a permit:

• New buildings, including homes, cabins, garages, agricultural buildings, pools, and manufactured or modular homes
• Additions, garage conversions, and basement finishes
• Decks more than 30 inches above grade, or any deck that serves a required exit door
• Fences over 7 feet and retaining walls 4 feet or taller
• Re-roofing, roof repairs over 100 sq ft, and replacing more than 25% of exterior siding or other wall covering
• Fireplaces and woodstoves, propane tanks and gas lines, furnaces and A/C (new or replacement), and water heaters
• Most electrical and plumbing work, solar systems, signs, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems

Common exemptions

Work	Exempt when
Accessory structures (sheds, etc.)	Under 200 sq ft
Decks	30 inches or less above grade and not serving a required exit
Roof repair	100 sq ft or less
Windows	Replaced with the same size or smaller
Playhouses and playground equipment	64 sq ft or less, 8 feet tall or less
Pergolas, arbors, trellises	At least 67% of the roof open
Windmills	12 feet tall or less

Painting, cabinets, countertops, tile, carpet, drywall, insulation, concrete flatwork, and repairs with identical materials are also exempt. Setback and floodplain rules still apply to exempt work. The county FAQ also says exempt sheds must still meet setbacks and current building codes.

How to apply

The EnerGov self-service portal (onlineportal.larimer.org) accepts only Miscellaneous, Utility, Solar, and Electrical permit applications. Residential and commercial building permits can’t be filed online. Submit them on paper using the county’s Residential/Utility (also in Spanish) or Commercial application form.

The portal also handles permit and public-record searches, contractor lookups, and inspection scheduling, and you can see that day’s inspection routes there. Solar battery systems under 40 kWh installed outside the home may qualify as a miscellaneous electrical permit. Larger systems need a plan-review determination by email to [email protected].

Fees

The current Building Permit Fee Schedule is dated July 1, 2026 and includes a 2.29% CPI increase. Building permit fees are based on valuation (Table 1-A; Table 1-B for garages, sheds, and agricultural buildings). Plan review costs an additional 50% of the building permit fee for one- and two-family homes and 65% for commercial and larger multifamily projects.

Item	Fee
Valuation $1–$1,200 (Table 1-A)	$63.59
Valuation $2,000.01–$25,000	$97.50 + $19.7847 per additional $1,000
Residential electrical, up to 1,000 sq ft living area	$147
Residential electrical, 1,501–2,000 sq ft	$261
Wildfire site assessment (new home or addition)	$150
Re-inspection / additional plan review	$54/hour
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy	$600 (valid 180 days)
Short-term rental conversion permit	$300–$600

State law caps solar permit fees at $500 for residential and $1,000 for commercial installations. Work started without a permit can draw a penalty of up to the full permit fee. New buildings may also owe road, park, and school impact fees plus county use tax. Card payments carry a convenience charge of 2.99% in the office or 3.29% online.

Adopted codes

Since January 1, 2026, the county has enforced the 2024 IRC, IBC, IECC, IEBC, IFGC, IMC, IPC, IPMC, and ISPSC with local amendments. It has enforced the 2023 NEC, adopted statewide, since August 1, 2023. The county adopted the 2025 Wildfire Resiliency Code with local amendments on September 22, 2025, and it also took effect January 1, 2026.

Inspections

Schedule inspections at 970-498-7697 or through the portal. You’ll need the permit number and IVR/PIN number. Requests confirmed by 11:59 p.m. can be inspected the next working day. Requests made after midnight are inspected no earlier than two business days later. AM/PM requests are taken only for certain inspections, such as footings, foundations, underground plumbing and radon, slabs, and interior mechanical work.

Most areas get building inspections daily and electrical inspections within two days. The exceptions are Area 5 (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday only) and Area 6 (Wednesday and Friday only). The permit card, approved plans, and a posted address must be on site, or you may be charged a re-inspection fee. Wildfire inspections can’t be booked by phone or through the portal. Request them through the Emergency Services citizen request form, and expect a wait of up to 30 days.

For a final inspection, the home needs a working bathroom, kitchen sink, heat, and water heater. It also needs sign-off on the electrical final, blower-door test, and wildfire final, plus health, drainage, and fire approvals where they apply. New homes and commercial buildings then receive a Certificate of Occupancy. Cabins and accessory buildings receive a Letter of Completion instead. Either document is attached to the permit in the portal within 24 hours.

Contractors and homeowners

Building contractors working in unincorporated Larimer County have needed a county license since September 2009. License fees are $150 (Class A), $125 (Class B), $100 (Class C), and $75 each for specialized trade, roofing, and mechanical contractors. Applicants need a passing exam or a prior license, three completed projects or two years of experience, and proof of workers’ comp and liability insurance. State-licensed electrical, plumbing, elevator, and mobile-home installers are exempt from the county fees but must keep their state licenses.

Homeowners working on their own property don’t need a license. They do sign a Homeowners’ Certification, agreeing to use state- or county-licensed subcontractors for any work they don’t do themselves. An owner acting as general contractor on a new house can’t have built another house in Larimer County within the previous 24 months. Septic questions go to the Health and Environment department (970-498-6775), and well questions go to the Colorado Division of Water Resources (970-352-8712).