Building permits in Denver, Colorado
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Denver, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Denver
City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development
- 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 205, Denver, CO 80202
- Phone: 720-865-2720
- Email: planreview@denvergov.org
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Denver
Denver runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
Search the Denver permit portal
What needs a permit in Denver
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Denver, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | uncovered decks under 12 in off the ground require no permit; 12 in or more requires a zoning permit; 30 in or more also requires a building permit | Valuation-based building permit fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum for work valued... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Valuation-based fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum for work valued at $500 or less |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fences shorter than 4 ft require no permit; fences 4 ft or taller require at minimum a zoning permit; most fence types over 4 ft also require a building permit | Zoning construction permit fee with a $10 minimum for fences valued at $500 or less |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Valuation-based fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum |
| Patio Permit | It depends | covered patios always require a zoning and building permit; uncovered ground-level patios may not require a permit | Valuation-based building permit fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Valuation-based fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No pool-specific fee line |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Issued as a no-plan-review quick permit |
| Shed Permit | It depends | sheds up to 200 sq ft with 8 ft top plate and 14 ft max height do not require a building permit but may require a zoning permit in some zone districts | No building permit for one-story detached sheds up to 200 sq ft, 8 ft top plate and 14... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $50 flat permit fee for the solar photovoltaic portion of a project with no plan review... |
Planning a project in Denver?
Hire it out
Sponsored
Licensed contractors usually pull the permit as part of the job. Comparing a few local quotes before you commit is the useful next step.
Compare local contractor quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
Planning several things at once? Check your whole project
Denver permit fees compared with nearby Colorado localities
| Colorado locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | Valuation-based building permit fee per CPD Table 1 with a... | Valuation-based fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum | Valuation-based fee per CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum for... |
| Aurora | On the 2026 flat-rate schedule (Form #A175, footer... | On the 2026 flat-rate schedule (Form #A175, footer... | On the 2026 flat-rate schedule (Form #A175, footer... |
| Jefferson County | Billed as a building permit on the county valuation fee... | Mechanical permits not tied to an active building permit... | Electrical permits not tied to an active building permit... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Colorado jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Denver permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Denver?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Denver, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Denver permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Denver?
- Denver publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Denver?
- City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development issues permits in Denver, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 720-865-2720. The Denver official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Denver pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Denver is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Denver
In 2024, Denver authorized permits for 3,994 new residential housing units (872 single-family, 3,122 in multi-family buildings), valued at $788M , down from 5,725 the year before. That works out to about 5.4 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual data · population 735,538.
About Denver
Denver has about 352,593 housing units. The median home is valued at $586,700, against a median household income of $91,681. About 49% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1974. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.