Building Permit Guide Denver Metro

Free Tool · Permit & Fee Estimator

Do You Need a Permit — and What Will It Cost?

Answer five quick questions — pick as many projects as you're planning — and get your verdicts, permits by trade, itemized fee estimates with the math shown, inspection sequences, document checklists and where to apply. Residential only (1–2 family homes and accessory structures).

Step 1 of 5

Where is the property?

Enter your ZIP code or city. Permits come from your local jurisdiction — and mailing addresses lie, so we double-check the ambiguous ones.

Estimates only — permit fees are set by each jurisdiction and change on their schedule, not ours. Always verify with the building department before relying on a number. Fee model: Standard ICC valuation table — the model most metro fee schedules are built from. Your city’s adopted table may differ; this is a planning estimate. Basis last reviewed 2026-07-14.

The complete Denver-metro permit guide

13 jurisdictions covered · updated July 2026 · growing every month

Every remodeling project in the Denver metro answers to a building department — and every city runs its desk a little differently. The same basement finish can be a one-week permit in one town and a four-week review two exits down the highway. This guide is our field knowledge, written down: which office governs your address, how each one behaves, what drives fees, and the rules that change what you can build. We pull permits in these jurisdictions week in and week out; this page is the map we work from, published.

Use the city finder below to jump to your town, or read the universal sections first — the fundamentals are the same everywhere, and they are where most homeowner money is won or lost.

Find your city or town

Showing all 13 jurisdictions.

When you need a permit (and when you don't)

The metro follows the same broad logic: work that touches structure, egress, energy or a regulated trade needs a permit; pure cosmetics do not. The line runs surprisingly consistently across all thirteen desks we work with:

Side-by-side comparison of cosmetic work that usually needs no permit and structural or trade work that almost always requires one — The project scope, not just its size, usually determines whether a permit is requiredA wide Denver-metro permit comparison covering common cosmetic exceptions and structural, egress, trade, basement, addition and roof work.

Permit or no permit? The metro-wide pattern (always confirm with your city)
Usually NO permit	Almost always YES
Paint, wallpaper, carpet and most flooring	Moving, removing or opening any wall
Cabinet swaps in the same layout	New or relocated plumbing, gas or electrical
Countertops and backsplashes	Basement finishing (rooms, baths, egress)
Like-for-like faucet or fixture swaps	Additions, ADUs, garages and decks over threshold height
Fences under the local height limit	Reroofs, water heaters, furnaces and A/C changeouts
Minor drywall repair	Window size changes and new exterior openings

Two traps worth naming. First, "handyman-size" jobs that touch gas, electrical or structure still need permits — size does not exempt scope. Second, the no-permit column stops applying the moment a project combines: replacing cabinets is exempt, but replacing cabinets while moving the sink is a plumbing permit.

Basement framing with door openings and a soffit — the stage a basement-finish permit inspection reviews — **Permit territory:** a basement finish at framing stage — new rooms, new egress, new trades. This is exactly the work every metro city wants a permit and a framing inspection on.

The permit process, step by step

Whatever the city, your permit walks the same road. Where cities differ is speed and paperwork depth, not sequence:

The universal permit lifecycle in the Denver metro
Step	What happens	Who does it (on our projects)
1. Jurisdiction & zoning check	Confirm which office governs the address and what the zone district allows	BH Builders, before design begins
2. Drawings & documents	Plans, site plan, structural sheets where needed, energy forms	BH Builders + engineer as required
3. Submittal	Electronic filing in the city portal with fees estimated	BH Builders
4. Plan review	The city checks code and zoning; comments come back for response	City reviews, we respond
5. Issuance	Permit fees paid, card posted at the job	BH Builders
6. Inspections	Footing, rough trades, insulation, final — matched to project type	City inspector + our leads on site
7. Closure	Final approved; the record follows your house forever (in a good way)	We hand you the paperwork

Multi-gable home framing on a Denver-metro site — the framing inspection stop in the permit lifecycle — **Step 6 in real life:** framing complete and ready for the inspector — every ridge, valley and shear panel gets checked against the approved plans before anything is covered.

How permit fees actually work

Nearly every metro building department calculates permit fees from your project valuation using a fee table descended from the ICC Building Valuation model: the fee rises with declared construction value, plus a plan-review fee (commonly around half the permit fee) and per-trade or use-tax add-ons that vary by city. That model means three practical truths. First, the fee scales with the value of the work — a $20,000 basement and a $150,000 addition pay very different amounts at the same desk. Second, plan review is usually billed on top of the permit itself, commonly at about half the permit fee. Third, cities layer their own add-ons — use tax on materials is the big one, collected by many metro cities at permit time against a percentage of your project's material value.

Seven-step building-permit lifecycle from jurisdiction confirmation through drawings, submittal, review, issuance, inspections and closure — Seven connected stages from the correct permit desk to a closed project recordA thin process graphic outlining the common Denver-metro permit sequence while allowing each jurisdiction's paperwork and timing to differ.

Because schedules are updated by councils on their own calendars, we do not print exact dollar tables here that could silently go stale — each city card below links the official source, and your BH Builders quote always lists permit costs as a transparent line item at the city's current published rate. As a planning ballpark across the metro: small trade permits commonly land in the low hundreds; basement finishes and mid-size remodels in the several-hundreds to low-thousands including plan review; additions and ADUs in the low-to-mid thousands once use tax joins the party.

Your city's permit playbook

Thirteen jurisdictions, thirteen personalities. Each card below tells you who runs the desk, how the office behaves, where ADUs stand, the local quirks that catch homeowners, and honest timing expectations. Every card links the official building division — bookmark yours.

Deck framing with composite stairs under construction — footing and framing inspections vary by Denver-metro city — **Same deck, thirteen desks:** footing depth, ledger detail and guardrail checks are universal — but review speed and submittal quirks change the moment you cross a city line.

Denver building permits

Who you deal with: Community Planning and Development (CPD) · denvergov.org — Development Services

Denver runs the busiest residential permit desk in Colorado, with online submittal through its e-permits portal. Simple like-for-like work (water heater swaps, some reroofs) can qualify for quick or same-day permits, while remodels with structural, layout or use changes go through plan review.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Denver allows ADUs citywide as of its 2025 zoning update — detached, attached and basement units — with size and height limits that vary by lot and zone district. Detached ADUs still need full zoning review plus building permits.

Older Denver homes (pre-1950s) often trigger extra review items: knob-and-tube wiring remediation, balloon-frame fire blocking and sewer line condition.
Historic districts and landmark properties add a design-review layer before the building permit — build that into the schedule.
Denver enforces separate trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) pulled by licensed trade contractors under the main permit.

Typical timing: Same-day to a few days for simple trade permits; several weeks for single-family remodel plan review; longer for ADUs, additions with zoning review, or historic properties.

Official Denver permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Denver? We pull and manage the permit →

Greenwood Village building permits

Who you deal with: Community Development — Building Division · greenwoodvillage.com — Building Division

Our home city runs a small, responsive building division. Reviews are thorough but personal — you can actually talk to the plans examiner. Large-lot zoning means additions and outbuildings usually have room to work, but drainage and grading review is taken seriously.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Accessory structures and guest quarters are zoning-dependent by district; Greenwood Village is more restrictive than Denver on independent dwelling units — verify the zone district before designing.

Expect attention to site drainage on additions and flatwork — the city protects its drainage ways.
Homeowners associations in several Village neighborhoods add private design approval on top of city permits.

Typical timing: Days for simple permits; roughly two to four weeks for remodel and addition review in normal seasons.

Official Greenwood Village permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Greenwood Village? We pull and manage the permit →

Centennial building permits

Who you deal with: Building Division (services by contract) · centennialco.gov — Building

Centennial contracts its building-department services, which in practice means a modern, digital-first process with predictable checklists. Submittals are electronic and the review comments are usually specific and fixable in one round.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Centennial updated its land development code in recent years; accessory dwelling allowances depend on the zone district — confirm your specific district before designing an ADU.

Basement finishes are a high-volume permit here — the checklist (egress, smoke/CO, furnace clearances) is well published and inspections are consistent.
Some neighborhoods fall under active HOAs whose approval letters are worth securing before city submittal.

Typical timing: Quick turnarounds on basement finishes and decks; two to four weeks for additions in normal load.

Official Centennial permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Centennial? We pull and manage the permit →

Littleton building permits

Who you deal with: Community Development — Building Division · littletongov.org — Building

Littleton mixes charming older housing stock with newer subdivisions, and its permit review reflects that: older-home remodels get real attention on structural and egress items. The city publishes clear handouts for common projects.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Littleton’s updated code opened the door to ADUs in more districts with standards on size and parking — a zoning verification is the right first step.

Downtown-adjacent historic areas can involve extra review.
Older sewer laterals often surface during remodel scoping — worth a camera inspection before you plan a basement bath.

Typical timing: Days for trade permits; two to five weeks for remodel/addition review depending on season.

Official Littleton permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Littleton? We pull and manage the permit →

Highlands Ranch building permits

Who you deal with: Douglas County Building Division (unincorporated county) · douglas.co.us — Building Division

Highlands Ranch is unincorporated — your permits come from Douglas County, not a city hall. The county system is well-oiled and electronic, and its published guides for basements and decks are among the clearest in the metro. The HRCA (community association) adds private architectural approval for exterior work.

ADUs & accessory buildings: County zoning governs; Highlands Ranch’s community declarations are the stricter layer for anything visible or rentable — check both before planning.

Two approvals for exterior projects: Douglas County permit AND HRCA architectural review. Plan both from day one.
Expansive soils in parts of the Ranch make the county attentive to foundation and flatwork details.

Typical timing: County review is typically fast for basements and decks (days to ~two weeks); HRCA review runs on its own clock — start it early.

Official Highlands Ranch permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Highlands Ranch? We pull and manage the permit →

Aurora building permits

Who you deal with: Building Division — Development Services · auroragov.org — Building

Aurora is the metro’s second-largest permit operation with full online submittal. Volume means queues in peak season, but the published checklists are thorough and inspectors are pragmatic. Aurora spans three counties, which matters for some records but not for your permit — the city is the authority.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Aurora has moved ADU-friendly in recent code updates, with district-based standards — verify your zone, especially for detached units.

Roofing permits surge after every hail event — in storm seasons, file early because the queue is real.
Aurora is attentive to contractor licensing paperwork; we keep ours current so your permit never waits on it.

Typical timing: Same-week for simple permits off-season; several weeks for remodels and after hail events.

Official Aurora permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Aurora? We pull and manage the permit →

Englewood building permits

Who you deal with: Community Development — Building Division · englewoodco.gov — Building

Englewood’s compact building division handles a lot of older-home remodels — expect careful review of structural changes in its early-1900s housing stock and practical inspectors who know these houses well.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Englewood updated its code to allow ADUs in more residential districts with standards on size and design — one of the more approachable inner-ring cities for a backyard unit.

Small lots make setbacks the first thing to check on any addition or detached structure.
Sewer line condition in older blocks is worth scoping before basement work.

Typical timing: Days for simple permits; two to four weeks for remodel review.

Official Englewood permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Englewood? We pull and manage the permit →

Lakewood building permits

Who you deal with: Planning & Building Division · lakewood.org — Building

Lakewood runs a steady, well-documented permit process with online submittal and good handouts for decks, basements and egress windows. Mid-century housing stock means remodel reviews often focus on electrical service upgrades and egress compliance.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Lakewood allows ADUs in many residential zones under its updated code, with size and occupancy standards — confirm your district’s specifics.

Electrical service upgrades (60/100-amp panels to 200) ride along with many Lakewood remodels — plan the panel early.
Some west-side properties have geologic/slope review considerations.

Typical timing: Days for trade permits; two to four weeks for remodels and additions.

Official Lakewood permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Lakewood? We pull and manage the permit →

Parker building permits

Who you deal with: Building Division · parkeronline.org — Building

Parker’s building division is suburban-efficient: electronic submittal, clear deck and basement checklists, and inspectors who cover the growing town quickly. Newer housing stock means fewer surprises inside the walls.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Parker’s code addresses accessory buildings and dwellings by district; HOAs in most Parker neighborhoods add their own approval for anything visible.

HOA design review is near-universal in Parker subdivisions — get the letter before or parallel to the town permit.
Deck permits are a local staple; the town’s ledger/footing details match what we build by default.

Typical timing: Fast — often days to two weeks for common residential permits outside peak spring.

Official Parker permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Parker? We pull and manage the permit →

Castle Rock building permits

Who you deal with: Building Division — Development Services · crgov.com — Building

Castle Rock pairs rapid growth with an organized, digital permit shop. Reviews are checklist-driven and predictable; the town publishes its adopted code editions and amendments clearly.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Accessory dwellings are governed by town zoning with district standards; newer master-planned areas layer HOA covenants on top.

Wildland-urban interface (WUI) considerations touch some edge neighborhoods — roofing and deck material rules can be stricter there.
Expansive soils are common; foundation-touching projects get soil-aware review.

Typical timing: Days to ~three weeks depending on project type and season.

Official Castle Rock permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Castle Rock? We pull and manage the permit →

Lone Tree building permits

Who you deal with: Community Development — Building · cityoflonetree.com — Building

Lone Tree is small, upscale and orderly: a compact building division, high design expectations, and HOAs with real teeth. Permit volume is low, so reviews move quickly when submittals are complete.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Limited — Lone Tree’s districts and covenants are restrictive for independent units; verify zoning before investing in ADU design.

Design review (city and HOA) matters as much as the building permit for exterior changes.

Typical timing: Typically fast — days to two weeks for complete residential submittals.

Official Lone Tree permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Lone Tree? We pull and manage the permit →

Cherry Hills Village building permits

Who you deal with: Building Department · cherryhillsvillage.com — Building Permits

The Village is estate-lot territory with its own small building department and a serious approach to site work: grading, drainage and tree preservation get real review. Projects here are larger and so is the paperwork — plan accordingly.

ADUs & accessory buildings: Accessory structures (guest houses, barns) are a Village tradition but tightly zoning-controlled; independent rental units are another matter — verify early.

One-acre-plus zoning means septic/sewer questions and long utility runs appear in scoping.
Expect landscape/tree protection conditions on permits near mature trees.

Typical timing: Reviews are unhurried and thorough — budget three to six weeks for significant projects.

Official Cherry Hills Village permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Read the complete Cherry Hills Village remodeling guide →

Planning a project in Cherry Hills Village? We pull and manage the permit →

Douglas County (unincorporated) building permits

Who you deal with: Douglas County Building Division · douglas.co.us — Building Division

For unincorporated addresses (including Highlands Ranch and rural Parker/Castle Rock surroundings), Douglas County is the building authority. The county runs one of the smoothest electronic permit systems in the region with excellent published guides.

ADUs & accessory buildings: County zoning allows accessory dwellings in several rural and suburban districts with clear standards — often more workable than incorporated neighbors.

Confirm jurisdiction first: many "Parker" and "Castle Rock" mailing addresses are actually unincorporated county.
Rural properties add septic (OWTS) and well considerations to remodel planning.

Typical timing: Generally quick — days to two weeks for common residential permits.

Official Douglas County (unincorporated) permit documents — the exact forms the building division publishes, mirrored here for one-click download (also bundled into the permit tool's document pack):

Planning a project in Douglas County (unincorporated)? We pull and manage the permit →

More communities we serve — and who issues their permits

BH Builders works across 32 Denver-metro communities, and the thirteen playbooks above cover the jurisdictions where we pull permits most often. For the rest of our service area, here is the office that actually issues residential building permits — with the official page, so you're never guessing. Full playbooks for these desks are being added to this guide; in the meantime we handle their permits on every project we build there, and a phone call to (720) 980-3913 gets you a straight answer today.

Permit-issuing offices for the rest of our service area (verified against each official site)
Community	Who issues residential building permits	Official page
Arvada	City of Arvada Building Services	arvadaco.gov ↗
Berkley	Adams County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	adamscountyco.gov — Building Permits ↗
Brighton	City of Brighton Building Division (One-Stop Permit Counter)	brightonco.gov ↗
Broomfield	City and County of Broomfield Building Division	broomfield.org ↗
Castle Pines	City of Castle Pines Building Department (services by SAFEbuilt)	castlepinesco.gov ↗
Commerce City	Commerce City Building Safety Division	c3gov.com ↗
Federal Heights	City of Federal Heights Building Department	fedheights.org ↗
Foxfield	SAFEbuilt Inc., contracted building department for the Town of Foxfield	townoffoxfield.colorado.gov ↗
Golden	City of Golden Building Division	cityofgolden.gov ↗
Ken Caryl	Jefferson County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	jeffco.us ↗
Lafayette	City of Lafayette Building Division	lafayetteco.gov ↗
Louisville	City of Louisville Building Safety Department	louisvilleco.gov ↗
North Washington	Adams County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	adamscountyco.gov ↗
Northglenn	City of Northglenn Building Division	northglenn.org ↗
Sherrelwood	Adams County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	adamscountyco.gov ↗
Thornton	City of Thornton Building Inspection Division	thorntonco.gov ↗
Todd Creek	Adams County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	adamscountyco.gov ↗
Welby	Adams County Building Safety Division (unincorporated)	adamscountyco.gov ↗
Westminster	City of Westminster Building Division	westminsterco.gov ↗
Wheat Ridge	City of Wheat Ridge Building Division	ci.wheatridge.co.us ↗

Two patterns worth knowing: the unincorporated neighborhoods (Berkley, Sherrelwood, Welby, North Washington, Todd Creek, Ken Caryl) get their permits from the county, not the nearest city — mailing addresses lie here just like they do further south. And two of the smallest jurisdictions (Castle Pines, Foxfield) contract their building services to SAFEbuilt, so the office you deal with is a contractor working under the city's or town's rules.

Laws & changes shaping metro permits in 2026

The rulebook is moving — mostly in homeowners' favor. The items below are the currents we are tracking on the permit desks right now; this section grows as the news does (our weekly construction roundup covers changes as they land):

ADUs keep opening up. Denver's citywide allowance set the tone, and the inner-ring cities — Englewood, Lakewood, Littleton among them — have each loosened accessory-dwelling rules through recent code updates. The pattern: more districts allowed, standards on size and design retained. If you were told "no ADU" a few years ago, the answer may have changed.
Colorado's pro-housing legislation continues to push cities toward simpler approvals for accessory units and middle housing near transit — expect further local code amendments as cities align.
Energy codes are tightening. Metro cities continue adopting newer IRC/IECC editions; insulation, air-sealing and electric-readiness requirements rise with each cycle. Metro jurisdictions adopt the International Residential Code (IRC) with local amendments; adopted editions vary by city — most metro cities are on the 2021 or 2024 family of I-Codes with Colorado electrical licensing under the State Electrical Board.
Hail seasons keep roofing desks honest. After major storms, several cities fast-track reroof permits while cracking down on out-of-state storm chasers — one more reason licensed local contractors clear the queue faster.
Electronic everything. Every jurisdiction in this guide now takes electronic submittals; several have retired paper entirely. Clean digital plan sets move measurably faster.

Wall insulation installed between studs before drywall — the insulation inspection required by tightening energy codes — **Where energy codes get enforced:** the insulation inspection. Newer IECC cycles raise R-values and air-sealing standards — this stop is where your city checks them, cavity by cavity.

Homeowner permits vs. contractor permits

Metro cities generally let owner-occupants pull their own permits for work on their own home — with strings attached. You take on the code responsibility personally, some cities require you to pass a homeowner exam or affidavit, insurance questions get murkier, and trade work often still requires licensed electricians and plumbers under your permit. When BH Builders pulls the permit, our license carries the responsibility, our insurance covers the work, inspections are our job to schedule and pass, and the paper trail lands in a binder in your hand at closeout. There are good DIY projects; permit liability is rarely where homeowners want to economize.

The real cost of skipping permits

Unpermitted work is cheap right up until it is expensive. The bill arrives at predictable moments: the sale (buyers' inspectors flag it, lenders balk, deals renegotiate), the insurance claim (carriers can deny coverage on unpermitted systems), the refinance appraisal (unpermitted square footage may count as zero), and the next permit (cities can require opening up or redoing concealed work before approving anything new). Retroactive permits exist in most metro cities, but they mean inspecting finished work — sometimes through fresh holes in fresh drywall. We have been hired more than once to legalize a previous contractor's shortcut; it always costs more than the permit would have.

Sources & discipline: this guide links only official city and county building divisions, states verified facts, and avoids printing fee tables that go stale silently. Spotted a change we should reflect? Call (720) 980-3913 — we update this page as the desks update their rules.

Permits are not red tape, they are receipts. When you sell your house, every stamped inspection is money in your pocket. I have never met a homeowner who regretted pulling a permit — I have met plenty who regretted skipping one.

DT · Owner, BH Builders

Rather never think about permits again?

We pull, manage and pass every permit on every BH Builders project — it is built into the price.

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Building Permits in the Denver Metro — The Complete Guide

Do You Need a Permit — and What Will It Cost?

The complete Denver-metro permit guide

When you need a permit (and when you don't)

The permit process, step by step

How permit fees actually work