Residential Building Permit (New Construction / RNEW) in Commerce City, Colorado

Commerce City requires a residential building permit (new construction / rnew) for: Residential New Construction (RNEW) permit type in eTRAKiT covers custom detached homes, duplexes, mobile homes, and detached houses/townhouses/duplexes permitted off a previously-approved master model; Plans must comply with the 2021 IRC as adopted/amended by the C3BC and the Local Design Criteria: 35 psf ground snow load, 115 mph Vult wind speed, Seismic Design Category B, 36-inch frost line depth, ice barrier underlayment required; Minimum submission documents: building plans, geotechnical report, site-related plan showing construction/grading/landscaping, RESCheck or equivalent energy certification, Manual J/D/S at Master Model or for custom homes, evaluation report for unique products/materials (e.g., pre-made sunrooms, EIFS, adjustable columns, plastic composites), and a fire receipt from South Adams County Fire District or Brighton Fire District; All submissions must be in electronic format via the eTRAKiT portal (ePlans); Contractors must apply using the eTRAKiT account tied to their current Commerce City contractor license number; Roof and floor truss shop drawings are not required at application but must be available to the inspector at the framing inspection. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Commerce City Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) at 303-289-3790 before starting work.

In Commerce City, the published Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $1.00 to $500.00 is: $30.41. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $2,001 to $25,000 — $89.60 for the first $2,000.00 plus $18.11 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof; Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $100,000 to $500,000 — $1,285.10 for the first $100,000.00 plus $7.25 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof; Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $1,000,001.00 and up — $7,257.12 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $4.72 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof; Plan Review Fee — 65% of the Building Permit Fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

The city does not publish a numeric plan-review turnaround time for building permits. Review time depends on submission completeness and current workload; contact the Building Safety Division at 303-289-3790 for current estimates.

You'll need: Building Plans; Geotechnical Report; Site Plan; RESCheck or Equivalent Energy Certification; Manual J, D & S; Fire District Receipt. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Commerce City requires 5 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction / rnew), in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing, MEP Rough-In, Insulation/Energy, Final. Schedule each through Commerce City Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) (303-289-3790).

Apply through Commerce City Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) at South Platte Crossing Building, 7190 Colorado Blvd. Ste 600 (6th Floor), Commerce City, CO 80022. Phone: 303-289-3790, email: cdpermits@c3gov.com. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. Official information: https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections.

Commerce City, Colorado has adopted: City of Commerce City Building Code (C3BC), also known as the 2021 edition of the C3BC — incorporates by reference: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), 2021 International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC), 2021 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2021 International Fire Code, and 2021 International Property Maintenance Code. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-1 and 5-2, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/Building-Code-Provisions-in-the-Municipal-Code; City of Commerce City Construction Code — the 2021 IBC as adopted, including Appendix Chapters C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and N. Source: c3gov.com 2021 International Building Code page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Building-Code; City of Commerce City Residential Code — the 2021 IRC as adopted, including Appendix Chapters AH, AI, AJ, AK, AM, AQ, AR, AS, AT, AU and AW. Source: c3gov.com 2021 International Residential Code page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Residential-Code; City of Commerce City Commercial Energy Conservation Code and City of Commerce City Residential Energy Conservation Code — the 2021 IECC as locally amended (Sections C101.1/R101.1 renamed; C103/R103 construction-document amendments; C104/R104 fees deleted and replaced to reference Article VI, Chapter 5 fee schedule; C109/R109 stop-work order and C110/R110 board-of-appeals sections replaced to reference Commerce City Municipal Code Sec. 5-5007 and Sec. 5-21). For permit applications submitted prior to July 1, 2026, applicants may choose to comply with the 2018 IECC as amended by the city instead. Source: c3gov.com 2021 IECC page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Energy-Conservation-Code; 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference per Municipal Code Sec. 5-2. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-2; Construction for which a permit application is submitted six months after the effective date of the 2021 C3BC must comply with the 2021 C3BC; applicants during that six-month transition window could choose either the 2021 C3BC or the prior edition; IBC-designed permit applicants were permitted one year after the effective date to comply. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-4. Local amendments apply — see the Commerce City overview page for the full list.

The Commerce City Building Safety Division, part of the Community Development Department, issues all building permits within city limits. Commerce City is not served by a county or regional building authority -- it runs its own city department, confirmed via c3gov.com and the Colorado DFPC's prequalified building department list.