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.
From$25.85Residential 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).
From$25.85valuation-basedElectrical 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.
From$25.85valuation-basedPlumbing 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.
From$25.85valuation-basedMechanical / 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.
From$25.85valuation-basedRoofing 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.
From$25.85valuation-basedResidential 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.
From$25.85valuation-basedDemolition 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).
From$25.85valuation-basedFence 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.
$100EV 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).
From$25.85valuation-basedCommercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions)
Required for new commercial buildings and commercial additions in Littleton. Reviewed under the 2024 IBC, IECC, IMC, IPC, IFC and related I-codes as locally amended, plus the 2026 NEC. Issued and inspected by the City of Littleton Building and Code Compliance Division (Permit Center) — the City runs one unified in-house building department for all parcels within city limits, including the small portions of Littleton that extend into Douglas and Jefferson Counties beyond its Arapahoe County core. Fire/life-safety construction documents must be submitted separately and in parallel to South Metro Fire Rescue.
From$25.85valuation-basedCommercial Tenant Improvement (Tenant Finish) Permit
Interior remodels, tenant finishes, and changes of occupancy in existing commercial buildings in Littleton. The City does NOT maintain a separate tenant-improvement permit category — TI work is applied for, reviewed, and fee'd as a standard Commercial Building Permit under the same Commercial Submittal Requirements and the same valuation-based fee schedule (confirmed 2026-08-02: no 'tenant finish' or 'tenant improvement' page exists on littletonco.gov, and eTRAKiT lists only 'Commercial Building Permits'). The Commercial Submittal Requirements do, however, contain several provisions specific to work in existing buildings, captured here.
From$25.85valuation-basedSign Permit
The City of Littleton repealed its standalone Chapter 17 Sign Code, per the City's own online City Code and Charter table of contents (which lists it as '[Repealed] Chapter 17 SIGN CODE'). Sign standards are now set district-by-district within the Unified Land Use Code (ULUC) — for example, Business & Industry (BI) district sign types and standards are codified at ULUC Article 10-5-5, Section 10-5-5.1 — with similar district-specific sign articles for Downtown, Corridors/Mixed-Use, and Neighborhood districts. The City also publishes a standalone Special Temporary Sign Permit Application distinct from the general Building Permit Application.
See fee scheduleFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System Permit
Fire protection for Littleton is provided by South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR), which took over the Littleton Fire Department's duties in 2019. SMFR's Development & Construction Section publishes a detailed 'Systems and Other Fees' schedule (effective January 1, 2026) with itemized Plan Check, Inspection, and Total costs for fire protection system work, e.g.: NFPA 13 sprinkler system modification of ≤50 heads ($344.57 total), 51-300 heads ($414.31), >300 heads ($843.98); Fire Alarm System Modification Base Fee ($461.12, plus $6.12 per additional device); Fire Alarm Control Panel Replacement ($651.92). New fire sprinkler/alarm systems installed as part of new construction or tenant improvements are billed on a separate IBC-occupancy-classification table (base cost plus a per-100-sq-ft increment) rather than the flat modification fees.
From$344.57Change of Use / Change of Occupancy
No standalone City of Littleton 'Change of Use' or 'Change of Occupancy' permit application distinct from the general Building & Development permitting process is confirmed in directly-quoted primary-source text. Separately, South Metro Fire Rescue (which provides fire protection for Littleton) charges its own itemized 'Change of Use' fire-code compliance review fee of $587.99 ($174.24 plan check + $413.75 inspection), per its Systems and Other Fees schedule effective 1/1/2026 — confirming that a change of use in Littleton triggers, at minimum, a real fire-district review process even though the City's own change-of-use process is not separately documented.
From$587.99
Littleton's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Littleton yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.
Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Littleton lands. Privacy.
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 (2026-07)
- 3units
3 buildings · $1.9M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 816units
12 of 12 months reported · #8 in Colorado coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)
- 460units
45 buildings · $96.7M valuation
7 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 1,086units
97 buildings · $228.5M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 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 record — 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.