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Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit in Aurora, Colorado

Required for interior remodels and tenant improvements in existing commercial buildings in Aurora, ranging from minor non-structural alterations to extensive reconfigurations. Governed by the 2021 IBC with City of Aurora Amendments (Aurora City Code Chapter 22, Article IV, Sec. 22-131, Code adopted). Billed by IBC occupancy group on the same per-square-foot New Building Construction Fee Table used for new commercial construction, or via the Permit Fee Calculator.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Interior remodel/reconfiguration of existing commercial space
  • Ranges from minor non-structural alterations to extensive space reconfigurations
  • Applications and payment available via Aurora4Biz.org or the AnyPayment online system
  • Reviewed against the applicable IBC occupancy group (A, B, E, F, I, M, R-1, S, U) under Aurora's 2021 IBC amendments, adopted at Aurora City Code Chapter 22, Article IV, Sec. 22-131

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Occupancy Group A (Assembly) — Bars/Restaurants/TheatresCity of Aurora 2026 New Building Construction Fee Table (Form #A176, Revised 01/2026) — Aurora bills a commercial tenant improvement using the same per-square-foot, occupancy-group table published for new commercial construction, applied to the TI project's scope/area.
$3.55 per square foot; $5,000 minimum fee
Occupancy Group B (Business) — Banks/OfficesForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
$2.90 per square foot; $5,000 minimum fee
Occupancy Group E (Educational) — SchoolsForm #A176, Revised 01/2026 — confirm the applicable state-set figure with the Building Division (303-739-7420) before applying; the table itself, not this record, leaves this line unpriced.
"State Fees" — Aurora's own table lists both the per-square-foot rate and the minimum fee for this occupancy group as "State Fees" rather than a City dollar figure
Occupancy Group F (Factory) — Factories Producing GoodsForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
$2.50 per square foot; $5,000 minimum fee
Occupancy Group I (Institutional) — Hospitals/Nursing Homes/DaycareForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
$2.50 per square foot; $5,000 minimum fee
Occupancy Group M (Mercantile) — Retail StoresForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
$2.50 per square foot; $2,500 minimum fee
Occupancy Group R-1 — Hotels/Motels
City of Aurora Permit Center, '2026 New Building Construction Fees' (Form A#176, revised 01/2026), Fee Table for Construction of New Buildings. Show full citationCity of Aurora Permit Center, '2026 New Building Construction Fees' (Form A#176, revised 01/2026), Fee Table for Construction of New Buildings. Hotels and motels are an R-1 occupancy on the City's table rather than one of the A/B/E/F/I/M/S/U groups, but the work is commercial and bills off the same table.
$1.20 per square foot; $5,000 minimum fee
Occupancy Group S (Storage) — Storage UsesForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
28 cents per square foot; $3,500 minimum fee
Occupancy Group U (Utility) — Commercial Garages/Misc. StructuresForm #A176, Revised 01/2026
$3.40 per square foot; $2,000 minimum fee
Plan Review Fee
Form #A176's own text states the per-square-foot fee is a one-time fee that 'covers the cost of city services like plan reviews, department referrals and permit issuance' — plan review is bundled… Show full citationForm #A176's own text states the per-square-foot fee is a one-time fee that 'covers the cost of city services like plan reviews, department referrals and permit issuance' — plan review is bundled into the per-square-foot rate above rather than billed as a separate line or percentage. The Building Division's general Building Fees page (auroragov.org/business_services/building_division/building_fees) separately describes permit costs city-wide as consisting of 'permit fees, plan review fees and applicable city and county taxes,' varying with project complexity and valuation — confirm with the Building Division (303-739-7420) whether any project-specific plan review charge applies beyond the per-square-foot fee. The city collects use tax on materials cost separately from either fee.
No separate percentage-based plan review fee is published for this permit type

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Aurora building department
~10–30 business days

How long did your Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit permit actually take in Aurora?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Framing / Structural

    After framing complete before walls covered

  2. 2

    MEP Rough-In

    Mechanical, electrical, plumbing rough-in before walls closed

  3. 3

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    All work complete, life safety systems functional

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

Tips

  • Aurora's occupancy-group per-square-foot fee table (Form #A176) is the same one used for new commercial construction, applied to the tenant-improvement project's scope/area — use the Permit Fee Calculator or the occupancy-group rate directly from Form #A176 to estimate cost.
  • Rates vary a lot by occupancy group — Assembly (bars/restaurants/theatres) is billed at $3.55/sq ft while Storage is 28 cents/sq ft — so confirm the IBC occupancy classification for the tenant space before estimating cost, and note that each occupancy group also carries its own minimum fee (e.g., $2,500 for Mercantile vs. $5,000 for Assembly, Business, Factory, and Institutional).
  • The per-square-foot fee already bundles plan review, department referrals, and permit issuance into one payment per Form #A176 — there is no separate percentage-based plan review charge published for this permit type, though the city separately collects use tax on materials cost.
  • Contact the Building Permit Center (303-739-7420 or permitcounter@auroragov.org) early for tenant improvement projects, since scope can range from minor cosmetic work to full reconfiguration with very different fee/timeline implications.

Frequently asked questions

Aurora requires a commercial tenant improvement permit for: Interior remodel/reconfiguration of existing commercial space; Ranges from minor non-structural alterations to extensive space reconfigurations; Applications and payment available via Aurora4Biz.org or the AnyPayment online system; Reviewed against the applicable IBC occupancy group (A, B, E, F, I, M, R-1, S, U) under Aurora's 2021 IBC amendments, adopted at Aurora City Code Chapter 22, Article IV, Sec. 22-131. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Aurora Development Services Department — Building Division at (303) 739-7420 before starting work.

Not as a separate published percentage. Form #A176 states the per-square-foot fee is a one-time payment that covers city services including plan reviews, department referrals, and permit issuance. The Building Division's general Building Fees page describes permit costs city-wide as consisting of permit fees, plan review fees, and taxes, so confirm with the Building Division (303-739-7420) whether any project-specific plan-review charge applies to a particular scope.

Plan review for a commercial tenant improvement permit in Aurora typically runs 10–30 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Aurora Development Services Department — Building Division at (303) 739-7420.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application (Aurora4Biz.org); Full Construction Drawing Set. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Aurora requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial tenant improvement permit, in order: Framing / Structural, MEP Rough-In, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Aurora Development Services Department — Building Division ((303) 739-7420).

Apply through City of Aurora Development Services Department — Building Division at 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Ste. 2400, Aurora, CO 80012. Phone: (303) 739-7420, email: permitcounter@auroragov.org. Office hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Wed 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Official information: https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/building_division/permits.

Aurora, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — with City of Aurora Amendments (Aurora City Code Ch. 22); 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; Table R301.2(1) climatic/geographic criteria amended locally; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — with City of Aurora Amendments; 2017 ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessibility Standard; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — City of Aurora will transition to the 2026 NEC for electrical permit applications received on/after August 1, 2026. Local amendments apply — see the Aurora overview page for the full list.

A commercial building permit reviewed against the 2021 IBC with City of Aurora Amendments (Aurora City Code Chapter 22, Article IV, Sec. 22-131), applied for via Aurora4Biz.org. Fees are billed per square foot by IBC occupancy group using the same New Building Construction Fee Table (Form #A176) used for new commercial construction — for example $2.90/sq ft for Business, $2.50/sq ft for Mercantile, and $3.55/sq ft for Assembly, each with its own minimum fee.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-26.

Fee schedules

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

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 Aurora building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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