Littleton building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Littleton, Colorado.
Last verified 2026-07-05 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- Littleton Center, 2255 W. Berry Avenue, Littleton, CO 80120
- Phone
- 303-795-3751
- Office hours
- Permit Center: Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Fridays closed; in-person walk-in hours limited to Monday 1:00-4:30 p.m. (no walk-ins after 4:15 p.m.) and Thursday 8:00-11:30 a.m.; Building Inspections staff hours 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. FAX 720-741-0210, eFax 720-384-0601.
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at Littleton's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Littleton — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Colorado has no statewide-mandated building code edition. Under the Colorado Constitution's home-rule provisions (art. XX, home rule for municipalities since 1902; home rule for counties since 1970), building codes and zoning are an enumerated home-rule charter power, so cities and counties adopt and amend their own construction codes independently — predominantly the I-Codes, with editions and local amendments varying by jurisdiction. The one statewide floor is for energy: HB22-1362 (2022) created the Energy Code Board (jointly appointed by the Colorado Energy Office and the Department of Local Affairs) and requires that, on or after July 1, 2023 and before July 1, 2026, any municipality or county that adopts or updates a building code must adopt and enforce an energy code achieving performance equivalent to or better than the 2021 IECC together with the board's Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code (which includes electric-ready, EV-ready, and solar-ready provisions); from July 1, 2026 onward the floor shifts to the board's Model Low Energy and Carbon Code or an equivalent. Electrical and plumbing permitting defaults to the Colorado State Electrical Board and State Plumbing Board (within DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations) — the state issues permits and inspects statewide except in counties/jurisdictions that operate their own certified Electrical or Plumbing Inspection Program, in which case the local program has authority instead. Always confirm the currently adopted code edition, local amendments, and inspection authority (state board vs. local program) with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.
- 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Littleton Building Codes and Amendments page
- 2024 International Residential Code (IRC)
- 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
- 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
- 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
- 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC)
- 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Littleton uses the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code
- 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)
- 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC)
- 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC)
- 2024 International Fire Code (IFC)
- ICC A117.1-2017 Standard with Supplement 1 — Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
- NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition ("2026 NEC")
- 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings (International Conference of Building Officials)
- Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code, adopted by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and Colorado Energy Office effective June 1, 2023
- Littleton City Code Title 4, Chapter 1 — local IRC amendments including adopted Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (Table R301.2): Ground Snow Load 40 psf (non-reducible), Ultimate Design Wind Speed 136 mph
- Littleton City Code Title 3, Chapter 16 — Contractor Licensing (license/registration required to obtain permits within city limits, effective July 1, 1985)
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family, Townhouse, Two-Family Dwelling)
Required for new single-family homes, townhouses, and two-family dwellings within Littleton. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC/IBC as locally amended, plus Littleton's adopted structural design criteria (ground snow load, wind speed) under City Code Title 4, Chapter 1. Issued and inspected by the City of Littleton Building and Code Compliance Division.
Residential Addition / Remodel Permit
Required for room additions, basement finishes, and structural modifications to existing residential dwellings in Littleton. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as locally amended, using the City's Residential Remodel submittal track (distinct from the New SFD/Addition/ADU track for ground-up structural work).
Electrical Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or repair of electrical systems in Littleton. Governed by NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition, as locally adopted. Electrical contractors must hold an active Colorado DORA Master's/Journeyman's license AND State Contractor's License, in addition to a City of Littleton Contractor's License.
Plumbing Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems in Littleton. Governed by the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), not the Uniform Plumbing Code. Plumbing contractors must hold an active Colorado DORA Master's/Journeyman's license AND State Contractor's License, in addition to a City of Littleton Contractor's License.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and fuel-gas equipment installation or replacement in Littleton. Governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as locally adopted.
Roofing Permit (Reroof)
Required for roof covering replacement or overlay exceeding one square (100 sq ft) aggregate area in Littleton. Governed by detailed City Roof Covering Installation and Inspection Requirements Policy #24-001 (5th Revision, 5/21/2026), including mandatory full tear-off, wind/snow-rated material requirements, and a defined roof-repair-vs-replacement threshold.
Residential Rooftop Solar (PV) and Energy Storage System (ESS) Permit
Required for installation of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage systems (ESS) in Littleton. Governed by detailed City-published design/submittal requirements referencing UL/NEC standards, distinct from and more detailed than many peer Colorado jurisdictions' solar guidance.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of structures in Littleton. Requires Colorado State Demolition Approval notice, a detailed site plan, a separate grading permit, and coordination with utility disconnection (including Denver Water approval for water service).
Fence Permit
Required for ALL fences in Littleton — a stricter baseline than jurisdictions that exempt low fences. Detailed height/construction rules differ by front yard, side yard, rear yard, and pool-enclosure context; flat $100 fee.
EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit
The City of Littleton has no dedicated EV-charger or EVSE permit type or fee line. Installing a Level 2 (240V) home EV charger -- whether a hardwired unit or a new NEMA 14-50 outlet -- requires a standard City of Littleton Electrical Permit, billed under the City's general valuation-based Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution 2025-105), reviewed against the locally-adopted 2026 edition of NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code).
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- 230units
4 buildings · $41.5M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 1,144units
12 of 12 months reported · #5 in Colorado coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 449units
34 buildings · $90.9M valuation
5 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 1,086units
97 buildings · $228.5M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Colorado building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Littleton is a home-rule city with its OWN in-house Community Development Department (Building and Code Compliance Division / Permit Center) — confirmed NOT contracted to a third-party firm. It issues all permits citywide even though the city's boundaries extend in small part into Douglas and Jefferson Counties beyond its Arapahoe County core; confirm jurisdiction near boundaries via the City's Address Wizard.
- The Permit Center's walk-in hours are unusually limited: Monday 1:00-4:30 p.m. and Thursday 8:00-11:30 a.m. ONLY (closed Fridays) — email/phone is the primary channel outside those windows, with a stated 24-hour response target on the next business day.
- Littleton's roofing rules (Policy #24-001, 5th Revision, 5/21/2026) are unusually strict and detailed: FULL TEAR-OFF is mandatory for asphalt/metal/clay-tile roofs (no overlay option at all), and manufacturer wind/snow-rating documentation must be submitted just to have the permit APPLICATION accepted, not merely reviewed.
- ALL fences require a permit regardless of height — there is no low-fence exemption, which is stricter than many peer Colorado jurisdictions.
- Total permit cost stacks THREE layers beyond the base valuation-based fee: a 65% Plan Review Fee, a City Use Tax Deposit (effectively 1.969% of total valuation), and an Arapahoe County Open Space Tax (0.125% of total valuation) — factor all three into client fee estimates.
- Contractors need a two-license stack: a City of Littleton Contractor's License (ICC-exam-based for general/roofing/HVAC classes) PLUS, for electrical and plumbing trades specifically, an active Colorado DORA Master's/Journeyman's license and State Contractor's License. Neither license alone is sufficient.
- A Littleton-specific Homeowner Affidavit distinguishes single-discipline self-performed work (no GC required) from multi-discipline work (requires either a licensed GC or a homeowner-passed ICC competency test) — verify which bucket your project falls into before assuming owner-builder eligibility.
- The City publicly warns of a permit-fee phishing scam targeting Littleton applicants via public meeting agendas — legitimate fee requests only ever arrive through eTRAKiT or in-person check payment; the City will never ask for gift cards or wire transfers.
- No numeric plan-review or permit-issuance turnaround is published for ANY permit type covered in this file — Colorado's home-rule status means there is no statewide clock, and Littleton's own site publishes only post-issuance inspection-scheduling SLAs (next business day, up to 7 days out), not a pre-issuance plan-review timeline. Confirm current caseload timing directly with the Permit Center (303-795-3751 / permits@littletonco.gov) before committing to a client-facing schedule.
- Solar/ESS submittals in Littleton are unusually rigorous for a mid-size Colorado city, requiring BOTH a stamped structural engineer letter and stamped electrical design sheets — budget engineering costs accordingly rather than assuming a standard installer-only submittal will suffice.
- The current fee schedule stems from Resolution 2025-105 (approved by City Council December 21, 2025) — confirm with the Permit Center that no newer resolution has superseded it before quoting fees.