A permit fee is a line on the schedule, not a mystery. If an office publishes the formula, you should be able to check our number against it before we ever file.DT · Owner, BH Builders
How to read this table
Every metro building department prices a remodel permit on the declared valuation of the work (materials plus labor). Most use a stepped table: a base fee for the band the project falls in, plus a per-thousand charge above the bottom of that band. To make the offices comparable, the table shows the building permit line for a $50,000 declared valuation, the size of a mid-range kitchen or a basement finish. It was computed only where the office's own published schedule states the formula; 7 of the 21 jurisdictions do. The others link straight to the official schedule. Nothing on this page is estimated.
Sort by city Sort by fee, high to low
| Jurisdiction | Building permit fee, $50,000 valuation | How it is calculated (from the official schedule) | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hills Village Cherry Hills Village Building Division | $1,087.50 | Building Permit Fees, residential alterations and additions based on valuation: $21.75 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Littleton City of Littleton Building and Development Division | $708.12 | Resolution 08-2025 Permit Fee Schedule: $430.37 for the first $25,000 plus $11.11 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Lone Tree City of Lone Tree Building Division | $644.25 | Building Fees 2026: $391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Centennial City of Centennial Building Division | $643.75 | Building Permit Fee Schedule: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Douglas County (Highlands Ranch, unincorporated areas) Douglas County Building Division | $643.75 | Building Division Fees: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Parker Town of Parker Building Division | $643.75 | Building Division Fee Schedule: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Lakewood City of Lakewood Building and Construction Permits | $625.15 | Building Permit and Inspection Fee Schedule, January 2021: $395.15 for the first $25,000 plus $9.20 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Arvada City of Arvada Building Services | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Aurora City of Aurora Building Division | See official schedule | Flat-rate list only (water heaters, re-roofs, A/C); valuation table not published in the mirrored PDF | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Brighton City of Brighton Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Broomfield City and County of Broomfield Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city and county website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Castle Rock Town of Castle Rock Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the town permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Commerce City Commerce City Building Safety | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Denver Denver Community Planning and Development | See official schedule | Residential permitting guide (no fee table in the guide) | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Englewood City of Englewood Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Golden City of Golden Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Greenwood Village Greenwood Village Building Permits and Inspections | See official schedule | Greenwood Village Fee Schedule (the $25,001 to $50,000 base figure is not legible in the published copy, so no example is computed) | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Northglenn City of Northglenn Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Thornton City of Thornton Building Inspection Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Westminster City of Westminster Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Wheat Ridge City of Wheat Ridge Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
Fees by city
| Jurisdiction | Building permit fee, $50,000 valuation | How it is calculated (from the official schedule) | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvada City of Arvada Building Services | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Aurora City of Aurora Building Division | See official schedule | Flat-rate list only (water heaters, re-roofs, A/C); valuation table not published in the mirrored PDF | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Brighton City of Brighton Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Broomfield City and County of Broomfield Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city and county website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Castle Rock Town of Castle Rock Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the town permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Centennial City of Centennial Building Division | $643.75 | Building Permit Fee Schedule: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Cherry Hills Village Cherry Hills Village Building Division | $1,087.50 | Building Permit Fees, residential alterations and additions based on valuation: $21.75 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Commerce City Commerce City Building Safety | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Denver Denver Community Planning and Development | See official schedule | Residential permitting guide (no fee table in the guide) | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Douglas County (Highlands Ranch, unincorporated areas) Douglas County Building Division | $643.75 | Building Division Fees: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Englewood City of Englewood Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Golden City of Golden Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Greenwood Village Greenwood Village Building Permits and Inspections | See official schedule | Greenwood Village Fee Schedule (the $25,001 to $50,000 base figure is not legible in the published copy, so no example is computed) | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Lakewood City of Lakewood Building and Construction Permits | $625.15 | Building Permit and Inspection Fee Schedule, January 2021: $395.15 for the first $25,000 plus $9.20 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Littleton City of Littleton Building and Development Division | $708.12 | Resolution 08-2025 Permit Fee Schedule: $430.37 for the first $25,000 plus $11.11 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Lone Tree City of Lone Tree Building Division | $644.25 | Building Fees 2026: $391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Northglenn City of Northglenn Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Parker Town of Parker Building Division | $643.75 | Building Division Fee Schedule: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per $1,000 to $50,000 | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Thornton City of Thornton Building Inspection Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Westminster City of Westminster Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city permit page | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
| Wheat Ridge City of Wheat Ridge Building Division | See official schedule | Published on the city website | Source Checked 2026-10-15 |
Two things stand out. First, the spread: the computed fees run from about $625 to just under $1,100 for the same $50,000 of work, because most suburbs adopt a version of the standard valuation table while Cherry Hills Village prices residential alterations at a flat rate per $1,000. Second, the dates: several published schedules are years old (Lakewood's is dated January 2021), so the number you pay is whatever the office has adopted on the day you file. Treat the table as a comparison, and the linked schedule as the authority.
What the fee does not include
- Plan review. Charged when drawings are reviewed; commonly about 65% of the permit fee in metro offices that follow the standard model.
- Trade permits. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate, usually flat fees set per office.
- Use tax on materials. Collected at permit time on the materials share of the valuation at the city's rate; often the largest single line on a big project.
- County versus city. Many "Littleton", "Parker", "Golden" and "Arvada" addresses are unincorporated county parcels and pay the county's schedule instead. The Denver-metro permit guide covers each office's quirks, and its fee calculator itemizes all of these for 13 jurisdictions.
How to cite this page
This table may be quoted or reproduced with attribution. Suggested citation:
BH Builders. "Denver Metro Building Permit Fees by City." bhbuilders.us, updated 2026-10-15. https://www.bhbuilders.us/denver-metro-permit-fees-by-city
Link: <a href="https://www.bhbuilders.us/denver-metro-permit-fees-by-city">Denver Metro Building Permit Fees by City (BH Builders)</a>
Quoting the table in a story? Boilerplate, license numbers and a media contact are on the press page.
Corrections are welcome. If your office's schedule has changed, email Office@bhbuilders.us with the new document and we will update the row and the date.
Permit fees are the most Googled and least published number in this business. Every office has a schedule; almost none of them put it where a homeowner can find it. This page exists so you can see them side by side and check our math against the source.DT · Owner, BH Builders
Frequently asked questions
Why is the example fee not computed for Denver?
Denver publishes its residential permitting guide but not a valuation fee table in that document, so the row links the department rather than estimating. The permit guide on this site explains Denver's fee model in general terms.
Is the $50,000 example the whole permit cost?
No. It is the building permit line only. Plan review, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and use tax on materials are added by most offices.
How often is this page checked?
Each row carries the date its source was last read. We re-check when an office publishes a new schedule or a reader sends one in.
Want the permit pulled for you?
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