Commercial Building Permit (New Construction) in Centennial, Colorado

Centennial requires a commercial building permit (new construction) for: 'Commercial New' classification covers 'any new commercial buildings or developments', per the City's Building Permit Classifications page; Complete signed and sealed (by a Colorado registered design professional) architectural plans, structural plans, and material specifications must be submitted online to Centennial's Self-Service Portal; Online application must include contractor name/phone/address, owner name/address/phone, a designated contact person, project address, and estimated project value (all materials and labor); Site plan (recommended scale 1/8" = 1'-0") showing all new and existing structures, lot dimensions, building footprint with dimensions to property lines, north arrow, easements, all parking including accessible spaces/access aisles/curb ramps, accessible route from the public way, and any retaining walls (which require separate permits); Architectural plans must include occupancy classification(s) for all portions of the building, mixed-use design approach, construction type, dimensioned area/height drawings, means-of-egress details with occupant loads, exit signage/egress lighting, accessibility scoping, special-occupancy details (covered mall, high-rise, mezzanine, atrium, public garage), fire-resistive construction details, and plastic/insulation/safety-glazing details; Structural submittal must include a soils report (soil type, allowable bearing pressure, foundation type), signed and sealed structural calculations, local design load criteria per Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-30 Table R301.2(1), foundation/superstructure details, and provisions for required special inspections; Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plans must each be complete, signed and sealed by a Colorado registered design professional, per the City's Commercial Plans Checklist (detailed line-item requirements published for each discipline); General details of required fire protection systems are a DEFERRED SUBMITTAL to South Metro Fire Rescue — a separate application and permit from South Metro Fire Rescue is required for most commercial projects; Prior to permit issuance, a Building Materials Use Tax deposit must be paid: the City estimates 50% of project valuation as materials and collects City Use Tax of 2.5% plus Arapahoe County Use Tax of 0.25% on that amount; reconciliation is due within 90 days of CO or final inspection; Permits and contractor licenses must be applied for online; contractors performing work must be licensed by the City of Centennial. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Centennial Building Division (Community Development Department) at 303-754-3321 before starting work.

In Centennial, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based sliding scale is: $23.50 minimum ($1-$500 valuation), scaling per the published table: e.g. $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 per additional $1,000 up to $500,000; $3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 per additional $1,000 up to $1,000,000; $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 per additional $1,000 above that. Additional published fees: Building Plan Review Fee — 65% of the Building Permit Fee, paid at time of submission; Building Materials Use Tax deposit — 2.5% City + 0.25% Arapahoe County Use Tax, collected on 50% of project valuation, paid prior to permit issuance; Paper Plan Submittal Surcharge (Commercial Plans Only) — $3.00 per page; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) — $800.00; Other Inspections and Fees — $125.00/hour after-hours (2-hour minimum); $55.00/hour re-inspection or unlisted inspection (half-hour minimum); outside plan-check/inspection consultants at actual cost. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

New Build Commercial permits (new commercial buildings and additions) are reviewed in 15 business days after the plan review fee is paid, per the City of Centennial Building Permit Review Schedule. Re-submittals and revisions for new construction take 10 business days. South Metro Fire Rescue review is a separate, additional track.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Commercial New); Signed and Sealed Plan Set (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing); Soils Report; Structural Design Calculations; South Metro Fire Rescue Application. Depending on your project, Centennial may also ask for: Foundation Compliance Form (PDF, 211KB); Commercial Certificate of Occupancy (CO) & Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) Request Application (PDF, 222KB). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Centennial requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction), in order: Footing/Foundation, Special Inspections (IBC Chapter 17), Rough Trades (framing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing), Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Centennial Building Division (Community Development Department) (303-754-3321).

Apply through City of Centennial Building Division (Community Development Department) at Centennial Civic Center, 13133 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial, CO 80112. Phone: 303-754-3321, email: buildingdivision@centennialco.gov. Office hours: Monday - Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Workstations are available at the Building Division office for online portal use. 24-Hour Citizen Response Center: 303-325-8000.. Official information: https://www.centennialco.gov/Government/Departments/Building.

Centennial, Colorado has adopted: Colorado has no statewide mandatory building code for general construction; code adoption is a home-rule/local decision that varies by city and county. Applicants must confirm the specific edition and local amendments adopted by their own city — do not assume any other Colorado jurisdiction's adopted codes apply to Centennial. Source: City of Centennial Building Division page (jurisdiction-specific adopted-codes list, current as of this review).; Colorado HB22-1362 (Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions, signed June 2, 2022) establishes a statewide ENERGY-CODE FLOOR only (not a full building code): before July 1, 2026, municipalities and counties that update their building codes must adopt and enforce an energy code achieving equivalent-or-better efficiency than the 2021 IECC and the state Energy Code Board's model Electric and Solar Ready Code; on/after July 1, 2026 they must meet the Board's model Low Energy and Carbon Code. Centennial's currently adopted 2021 IECC satisfies this floor as of this review. Source: Colorado General Assembly, HB22-1362, https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1362; Colorado HB24-1152 (effective June 30, 2025) requires 'subject jurisdictions' (which include Centennial as part of the Denver metro area) to allow at least one Accessory Dwelling Unit per single-family-zoned lot where single-family homes are allowed, removing owner-occupancy mandates, ADU-specific parking minimums beyond what the statute permits, and other historical barriers. Centennial's Land Development Code ADU provisions (Section 12-3-603(H)) implement this. Source: Colorado General Assembly, HB24-1152, http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1152; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — listed among Centennial's 'Current Building Codes'; note the Building Division's separate FAQ page states the adopted energy code as '2018 IECC' — the Building Division's main Codes page (which lists 2021 IECC) is treated as the more current, authoritative statement for this record, but applicants should confirm the operative edition with the Building Division directly given this discrepancy between the City's own published pages. Source: City of Centennial Building Division page and Building Division FAQ (both centennialco.gov); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — enforced by South Metro Fire Rescue, not the City Building Division; fire permits/plan review must be applied for separately through South Metro Fire; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division (Colorado, unlike Montana, uses the IPC here, not the UPC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — current adopted edition per City of Centennial Building Division (supersedes the 2020 NEC cited in the City's older 2024 Photovoltaic Installation Guide handout); 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC) — adopted by City of Centennial; part of the statewide Wildland-Urban-Interface code framework administered by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, with local adoption required for WUI-designated jurisdictions by April 1, 2026 and full compliance by July 1, 2026. Source: City of Centennial Building Division 'Current Building Codes' list; 2024 Centennial Property Maintenance Code — locally authored, adopted by City of Centennial (PDF on file with Building Division); 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — referenced in the 2021 IBC as adopted by City of Centennial; Centennial Municipal Code Chapter 18 (Building Regulations) and the City's Land Development Code govern amendments, permitting procedure, and zoning overlays on top of the adopted I-Codes. Source: https://library.municode.com/co/centennial/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=CEMUCO_CH18BURE. Local amendments apply — see the Centennial overview page for the full list.

Yes, for most commercial projects a separate application and permit from South Metro Fire Rescue is required. The only exceptions are commercial one-stop permits, commercial roof/re-roof permits, and commercial window/door permits. Source: City of Centennial Commercial Plans Checklist.