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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy in Englewood, Colorado

Englewood does not publish a standalone 'change of use' or 'change of occupancy' application, checklist, or fee separate from the unified Building Permit already documented in this file's building-permit entry. The City's own 'Plan Submittal Requirements: Commercial Remodel, Addition, Tenant Improvement, or Change of Occupancy' checklist explicitly folds a change of occupancy into that same commercial submittal process: 'If the project is a change of occupancy, make note on the plans. A new certificate of occupancy will be issued.' Community Development additionally confirms zoning use permissibility as a required early step (per the City's own 'Opening a Business in Englewood' checklist), and — because every business operating in Englewood must hold a City of Englewood Business License (EMC Chapter 4, Article 4, administered through the GovOS/MUNIRevs online system, $25 application fee, valid two years) — a use change tied to a new or different business operator also requires a new or updated Business License, independent of the Building Permit itself. Where the changed use affects fire/life-safety requirements, the City's own Fire Marshal's Office (documented in this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry, not an outside fire district) separately reviews the project as part of its normal fire-permit process.

Verified 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Per the City's own Commercial Remodel/TI/Change of Occupancy checklist: 'If the project is a change of occupancy, make note on the plans. A new certificate of occupancy will be issued' — reviewed as part of the same Building Permit process and commercial submittal checklist documented in this file's building-permit entry, not as a separate permit type or fee
  • Community Development should be contacted first (303-762-2342, commdev@englewoodco.gov) to confirm the proposed use is permitted in the applicable zone district — a required early step for any new, relocating, or expanding business regardless of whether construction accompanies the use change, per the City's own 'Opening a Business in Englewood' checklist
  • Every business operating within Englewood city limits — including a business 'Engaged in Business' under EMC § 4-4-2 even if not physically located in the city — must hold a City of Englewood Business License; a change of use tied to a new business or operator requires applying for or updating this license through the City's GovOS/MUNIRevs online portal, separate from and in addition to the Building Permit itself, per EMC § 4-4-1-1 and the City's Business Licensing page ($25 application fee, valid two years)
  • Where the changed use includes commercial construction, remodeling, or tenant-improvement work, the project follows this file's building-permit entry's full commercial submittal checklist (Complete Code Analysis documenting use/occupancy classification, plans sealed by the matching Colorado-licensed professional, energy compliance, etc.)
  • An Industrial Wastewater Survey (IWS) must be completed if the new use will discharge wastewater into the sanitary sewer system, per the City's 'Opening a Business in Englewood' checklist and the Industrial Pretreatment Division (303-762-2600)
  • Where the changed occupancy affects fire/life-safety systems, the City's own Fire Marshal's Office separately reviews and permits the fire-protection scope of the project (this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry) — a genuinely distinct review track from the Building Division's own change-of-occupancy plan review, though both are City departments rather than an outside agency
  • A standalone Zoning Verification review ($150 flat fee, per the City's 2026 Application Fees schedule) is available to confirm a specific proposed use is zoning-compliant before committing to a lease or beginning build-out — Englewood's closest published analog to a dedicated pre-application use-verification tool

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (if construction/tenant-improvement work accompanies the change of use)2026 Building Permit Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 — the City's own materials do not explicitly state whether a nominal/minimum permit fee applies to a change of occupancy involving zero construction valuation; confirm directly with the Building Division (303-762-2357).
$26.78 minimum, scaling per the standard valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule table
Plan Review Fee (if construction/tenant-improvement work accompanies the change of use)2026 Building Permit Fee Schedule; waived for single-family, owner-occupied dwellings only, which will rarely apply to a commercial change-of-occupancy project.
65% of building permit fee
City of Englewood Business License — Application FeeEMC § 4-4-1-1; license valid two years, per the City's Business Licensing page.
$25
Zoning VerificationCity of Englewood 2026 Application Fees schedule, effective January 1, 2026 — an optional pre-application tool, not itself a change-of-occupancy fee.
$150

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy permit actually take in Englewood?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Pre-Occupancy Building Inspection

    Confirms the new layout and occupancy classification comply with applicable code before a new Certificate of Occupancy is issued, per the Commercial Remodel/TI/Change of Occupancy checklist.

  2. 2

    Fire Life-Safety Inspection (City of Englewood Fire Marshal's Office)

    Required where the change in occupancy type or use affects fire/life-safety systems; a separate track from the Building Division's own inspection, per this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry.

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

Tips

  • Even a 'no construction' change of occupancy still needs to be noted on submitted plans and triggers issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy — per the City's own commercial checklist, you cannot simply swap tenants or uses without at least a Building Division paper review.
  • A City of Englewood Business License is separate from, and required in addition to, the Building Permit — unlike some peer jurisdictions that use only a sales/use tax license, Englewood requires every operating business to hold a genuine two-year Business License ($25) via the GovOS/MUNIRevs portal.
  • Fire Marshal's Office review for a change of occupancy affecting fire/life-safety systems is a City function (not an outside special district, per this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry) but is still a genuinely separate submittal and review track from the Building Division.
  • The $150 Zoning Verification tool is worth using before signing a lease, since Englewood does not publish a self-serve, use-by-use permitted-use table — direct confirmation from Community Development is the only way to be certain a proposed use is allowed in a given zone district.

Frequently asked questions

Englewood requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: Per the City's own Commercial Remodel/TI/Change of Occupancy checklist: 'If the project is a change of occupancy, make note on the plans. A new certificate of occupancy will be issued' — reviewed as part of the same Building Permit process and commercial submittal checklist documented in this file's building-permit entry, not as a separate permit type or fee; Community Development should be contacted first (303-762-2342, commdev@englewoodco.gov) to confirm the proposed use is permitted in the applicable zone district — a required early step for any new, relocating, or expanding business regardless of whether construction accompanies the use change, per the City's own 'Opening a Business in Englewood' checklist; Every business operating within Englewood city limits — including a business 'Engaged in Business' under EMC § 4-4-2 even if not physically located in the city — must hold a City of Englewood Business License; a change of use tied to a new business or operator requires applying for or updating this license through the City's GovOS/MUNIRevs online portal, separate from and in addition to the Building Permit itself, per EMC § 4-4-1-1 and the City's Business Licensing page ($25 application fee, valid two years); Where the changed use includes commercial construction, remodeling, or tenant-improvement work, the project follows this file's building-permit entry's full commercial submittal checklist (Complete Code Analysis documenting use/occupancy classification, plans sealed by the matching Colorado-licensed professional, energy compliance, etc.); An Industrial Wastewater Survey (IWS) must be completed if the new use will discharge wastewater into the sanitary sewer system, per the City's 'Opening a Business in Englewood' checklist and the Industrial Pretreatment Division (303-762-2600); Where the changed occupancy affects fire/life-safety systems, the City's own Fire Marshal's Office separately reviews and permits the fire-protection scope of the project (this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry) — a genuinely distinct review track from the Building Division's own change-of-occupancy plan review, though both are City departments rather than an outside agency; A standalone Zoning Verification review ($150 flat fee, per the City's 2026 Application Fees schedule) is available to confirm a specific proposed use is zoning-compliant before committing to a lease or beginning build-out — Englewood's closest published analog to a dedicated pre-application use-verification tool. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Englewood Building & Codes Division (Community Development Department) at 303-762-2357 (Building Department main line); 303-762-2356 before starting work.

No distinct fee line was found. A change of occupancy is billed under the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule if construction/tenant-improvement work accompanies it, plus a separate $25 Business License application fee if the use change involves a new or different business operator.

Englewood does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Englewood Building & Codes Division (Community Development Department) at 303-762-2357 (Building Department main line); 303-762-2356 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application and Commercial Remodel/TI/Change of Occupancy Checklist (via IMS); City of Englewood Business License Application (GovOS/MUNIRevs). Depending on your project, Englewood may also ask for: Industrial Wastewater Survey (IWS); Zoning Verification request. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Englewood requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Pre-Occupancy Building Inspection, Fire Life-Safety Inspection (City of Englewood Fire Marshal's Office). Schedule each through City of Englewood Building & Codes Division (Community Development Department) (303-762-2357 (Building Department main line); 303-762-2356).

Apply through City of Englewood Building & Codes Division (Community Development Department) at 1000 Englewood Parkway, 3rd Floor, Englewood, CO 80110. Phone: 303-762-2357 (Building Department main line); 303-762-2356, email: BuildingDept@englewoodco.gov. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (holidays excepted) — per the City's general Contact Us / Business Hours page (englewoodco.gov/our-city/contact-us); no Building & Codes Division-specific hours are separately published, so this is City Hall's general business hours as of verification.. Official information: https://www.englewoodco.gov/government/city-departments/building-division.

Englewood, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); ICC A117.1-2017 Standards for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Per the City's Adopted Codes and Amendments page: 'All permits submitted after May 31, 2026 will be reviewed under the following codes' (the 2024-cycle codes listed above). That effective date has passed as of this file's lastVerified date, so the 2024-cycle codes are the currently governing set — this supersedes the prior 2021-cycle codes (2021 IBC/IRC/IFC + 2023 NEC) that are still referenced in some older subsidiary documents (see tipsAndGotchas).. Local amendments apply — see the Englewood overview page for the full list.

Yes, at minimum a note on the submitted plans through the Building Division's commercial checklist. The City's own Commercial Remodel/TI/Change of Occupancy checklist states that if a project is a change of occupancy, it must be noted on the plans so a new Certificate of Occupancy can be issued — there is no dedicated construction-free administrative track that skips Building Division review entirely.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-13.

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

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