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Commercial Alteration / Tenant Finish Permit in Federal Heights, Colorado

Covers commercial tenant improvements and alterations ('Alteration or Tenant Finish' category on the Building Permit Application, Commercial classification). Reviewed under the 2021 IBC as adopted by Ordinance 23-02. Plan review fees are collected for projects with valuation greater than $25,000 at time of application submission.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Classification of Work marked 'Commercial' with category '4. Alteration or Tenant Finish' (or '2. Addition' / '3. Repair or Replace' as applicable to scope)
  • Governed by the 2021 IBC as adopted and amended by the City via Ordinance 23-02
  • Plans requiring a design professional's stamp must meet the City's Architect/Professional Engineer Seal Specifications
  • Plan review fees for projects valued over $25,000 are collected at time of permit application submission
  • Fire Dept., Storm Water, Engineering, and Zoning sign-off blocks apply on the same multi-agency Building Permit Application form

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (valuation-based, same schedule as residential)
$23.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the City's Building Fees schedule
Plan Review Fee
65% of Permit Fee; collected at application submission for projects valued over $25,000
Building Use Tax
4% of estimated materials cost (~2% of total valuation)

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Alteration / Tenant Finish Permit permit actually take in Federal Heights?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Frame/MEP

    Framing and trade rough-ins before concealment (electrical inspected by State DORA)

  2. 2

    Final Inspection

    All work complete per approved plans; Certificate of Occupancy issued if applicable

See the full Federal Heights inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • The City collects the plan review fee at time of application submission specifically for projects valued over $25,000 — budget for this cash outlay before, not after, plan review begins.
  • The same Building Permit Application and multi-agency sign-off form (Building, Public Works, Fire Dept., Storm Water, Engineering, Zoning) is used for both residential and commercial work — make sure the 'Commercial' box and correct category are checked.

Frequently asked questions

Federal Heights requires a commercial alteration / tenant finish permit for: Classification of Work marked 'Commercial' with category '4. Alteration or Tenant Finish' (or '2. Addition' / '3. Repair or Replace' as applicable to scope); Governed by the 2021 IBC as adopted and amended by the City via Ordinance 23-02; Plans requiring a design professional's stamp must meet the City's Architect/Professional Engineer Seal Specifications; Plan review fees for projects valued over $25,000 are collected at time of permit application submission; Fire Dept., Storm Water, Engineering, and Zoning sign-off blocks apply on the same multi-agency Building Permit Application form. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Federal Heights Building Department at 303-412-3526 before starting work.

For projects with a valuation greater than $25,000, the City collects the plan review fee (65% of the building permit fee) at the time the permit application is submitted, per the City's Building Fees page.

Federal Heights does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Federal Heights Building Department at 303-412-3526 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application — Commercial Alteration/Tenant Finish scope; Construction Plans (Architect/Engineer-sealed). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Federal Heights requires 2 inspection(s) for a commercial alteration / tenant finish permit, in order: Rough Frame/MEP, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Federal Heights Building Department (303-412-3526).

Apply through City of Federal Heights Building Department at 2380 W. 90th Ave., Federal Heights, CO 80260. Phone: 303-412-3526, email: building@fedheights.org. Office hours: 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, excluding holidays (closed Mondays). After-hours non-emergency line: 303-428-8833. Fax: 303-412-3598. Key staff: Director Tim Williams (303-412-3558); Building Official Drew Leckman (303-412-3562); Permit Technician Karen Jackson (303-412-3527, also the inspection-scheduling line at 303-412-3534).. Official information: https://www.fedheights.org/building.

Federal Heights, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), amended — adopted by City Council via Ordinance 23-02 (March 7, 2023), effective April 15, 2023 based on permit application date; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), including appendices A, B and C — DRIFT FIX 2026-07-23: prior entry incorrectly said '2021 IFGC'; the actual text of Ordinance 23-02 §1(6) (verified directly against the ordinance PDF via Municode) and the current Municode codification (Sec. 10-16(6), Supp. 42, online content updated May 28, 2026) both read 'International Fuel Gas Code, 2018 Edition' — Federal Heights retained the 2018 IFGC alongside the 2018 IECC rather than elevating it to 2021 with the rest of the 2021-cycle codes in Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 ICC Performance Code (ICCPC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code — Ordinance 23-02; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), amended — City's Adopted Technical Codes page states explicitly this edition 'will remain adopted as the 2018 edition' rather than upgrading to 2021 alongside the other 2021-cycle codes in Ordinance 23-02; Prior code cycle for reference: 2018 ICC Codes were adopted January 19, 2021 via Ordinance 21-01, effective February 1, 2021 (superseded by Ordinance 23-02 for all codes except IECC); NEC (National Electrical Code) edition not separately confirmed on the City's own pages: electrical permitting and inspection in Federal Heights is administered entirely by the State of Colorado (DORA State Electrical Board), not adopted/enforced locally as a city code — see localAmendments for detail. Local amendments apply — see the Federal Heights overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Federal Heights building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Commercial Alteration / Tenant Finish Permit in other cities

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