Shed Permit in Denver, Colorado
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
For sheds exceeding size or height limits or in Former Chapter 59 zone districts
Issued byCity and County of Denver Community Planning and Development
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
One-story detached sheds used for storage that do not exceed 200 square feet of projected roof area, an 8-foot top plate height, or 14 feet to any point are exempt from a building permit in Denver. Sheds that exceed these limits require a building permit. Depending on the zone district, even smaller sheds may require a zoning permit. Applications are submitted through the CPD e-permits system.
Typical threshold: 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.
Who is pulling this permit?
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When a permit is usually needed
For sheds exceeding size or height limits or in Former Chapter 59 zone districts
What a shed permit costs in Denver
How Denver compares in Colorado
That is the most permissive shed permit threshold among the Colorado jurisdictions we have verified: Aurora and Jefferson County draw the line at 120.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | It depends | shed floor area at which a building permit is required |
| Denverthis page | 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 |
| Jefferson County | Permit required | Sheds, mini-structures, and shipping containers 120 sq ft or less that sit at least 10 feet from any occupied structure and are no more than 14 feet tall need only a Miscellaneous Permit; anything larger, taller, or closer than 10 feet to an occupied structure needs a full Building Permit instead. Some permit is required at every size. |
Closest shed permit thresholds outside Colorado
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Denver's 200 sq ft.
- Austin, Texas, one-story detached accessory structures used as tool or storage sheds with floor area no greater than 200 sq ft and no more than 15 ft in height and no plumbing and not in a floodplain are exempt
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana, floor area of a detached accessory structure
- Bellevue, Washington, detached storage sheds playhouses or gazebos with a floor area of 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit; structures over 200 square feet require a permit
- Clark County, Nevada, sheds over 200 sq ft require a building permit; storage sheds 200 sq ft or under may be exempt under Building Administrative Code Section 22.02.190
How to apply in Denver
In Denver, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- For Denver, a written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- For Denver, a scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. Source. City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development sets the exact checklist for Denver.
Where to apply 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
Shed Permit in Denver compared with nearby Colorado localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Colorado schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 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... | |
| Aurora | It depends | shed floor area at which a building permit is required | There is no storage-shed line item on the 2026 flat-rate schedule (Form #A175, footer... | |
| Jefferson County | Permit required | Sheds, mini-structures, and shipping containers 120 sq ft or less that sit at least 10 feet from any occupied structure and are no more than 14 feet tall need only a Miscellaneous Permit; anything larger, taller, or closer than 10 feet to an occupied structure needs a full Building Permit instead. Some permit is required at every size. | Sheds 120 sq ft or less and at least 10 feet from an occupied structure need only a $90... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Denver, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection in Denver: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection in Denver: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection in Denver: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- In Denver: for a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Denver permit portal or by phone at 720-865-2720.
Inspection sequence from IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Denver
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: 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. Usually needed: For sheds exceeding size or height limits or in Former Chapter 59 zone districts.
- Budget the fee. No building permit for one-story detached sheds up to 200 sq ft, 8 ft top plate and 14 ft max height; larger sheds take a valuation-based building permit under CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum, per the Residential Sheds page. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Denver, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. Start at the Denver permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development. Phone: 720-865-2720. Address: 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 205, Denver, CO 80202.
- Plan for inspections. In Denver, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
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.
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.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in Denver?
- One-story detached sheds used for storage that do not exceed 200 square feet of projected roof area, an 8-foot top plate height, or 14 feet to any point are exempt from a building permit in Denver. Sheds that exceed these limits require a building permit. Depending on the zone district, even smaller sheds may require a zoning permit. Applications are submitted through the CPD e-permits system. 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. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in Denver?
- No building permit for one-story detached sheds up to 200 sq ft, 8 ft top plate and 14 ft max height; larger sheds take a valuation-based building permit under CPD Table 1 with a $20 minimum, per the Residential Sheds page. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in Denver?
- You can apply through the Denver permit portal or contact the City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in Denver?
- Under Colorado law (C.R.S. 12-115-116(2); C.R.S. 12-115-120(11)(c); C.R.S. 12-155-118(2); C.R.S. 12-155-120(11)(c)): Colorado's state electrical law has a homeowner exception: under C.R.S. 12-115-116(2), you do not need an electrician's license to do electrical work on your own property or residence, as long as all the work, other than maintenance or repair of existing systems, is inspected under the state law. The exception does not apply if the property is intended for sale or resale by someone in the construction or remodeling business, is rental property, or is generally open to the public. A homeowner performing work on the homeowner's home is a qualified applicant who may pull the state electrical permit under C.R.S. 12-115-120(11)(c), and plumbing mirrors this: C.R.S. 12-155-118(2) allows unlicensed plumbing work on your own property or residence with the same carve-outs, and C.R.S. 12-155-120(11)(c) lets a homeowner pull the state plumbing permit. The State Electrical and Plumbing Boards at DORA require that the homeowner personally perform the work, that it be inspected before cover and again at completion, and that it meet the National Electrical Code or the adopted plumbing codes. Colorado has no statewide general contractor license: Title 12 licenses electricians and plumbers at the state level, and general building contractors are licensed, if at all, by the individual city or county. Confirm how Denver applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Denver
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| 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 |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $50 flat permit fee for the solar photovoltaic portion of a project with no plan review... |
Shed Permit in other Colorado localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Denver documents; the office above sets the local rules.
- IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC
- IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC
How this shed permit page for Denver was verified. 2 official sources: denvergov.org, denvergov.org; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page