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Residential Addition / Remodel Permit in Boulder, Colorado

Required for additions, interior remodels, basement finishes, and structural alterations to existing one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes in the City of Boulder. Uses the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee schedule as new construction.

Verified 2026-06-30 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Room additions, structural modifications, basement finishes involving framing/electrical/plumbing/mechanical work
  • Interior remodels use the 'Residential - Interior Remodel Requirements Checklist'; additions use the 'Residential - New Construction and Additions Requirements Checklist'
  • Structural modifications require plans prepared by a Colorado-licensed structural engineer
  • Energy documentation required where the addition affects conditioned floor area, per the 2024 CoBECC
  • Applications submitted via the Customer Self-Service (CSS) Portal
  • Additions scope = 100% of Building Permit Fee valuation table (per City of Boulder Valuation Table – Scope); Alterations/Repairs = 50%; Basement Finish (residential) = 50%; Unfinished Basement = $31.50 per sq ft

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same table as new construction)2026 Schedule of Fees, Building Permit Fees; City of Boulder Valuation Table – Scope: Addition = 100%, Alteration = 50%, Basement Finish (residential) = 50%, Unfinished Basement = $31.50/sf
Varies by valuation — see Residential Building Permit fee tiers ($25 minimum up to $5,979 + $3.85/$1,000 over $1M)
Plan Check Fee — single-family residential, initial application2026 Schedule of Fees, Plan Check Fee
25% of the Building Permit Fee
Energy Code Fee — Residential2026 Schedule of Fees, Energy Code Fee — applies where CoBECC compliance review is required
$83.90

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Boulder building department
~1–1 business days

How long did your Residential Addition / Remodel Permit permit actually take in Boulder?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation (if new footings)

    Before concrete pour

  2. 2

    Framing

    After framing complete, before insulation or wall cover

  3. 3

    MEP Rough-In

    Electrical, plumbing, mechanical rough-in before walls closed

  4. 4

    Final

    All work complete per approved plans

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

Tips

  • Boulder uses the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee table (2026 Schedule of Fees) for additions/remodels as for new construction; only the 'scope percentage' applied to valuation differs (100% for additions, 50% for alterations/basement finish).
  • An unfinished basement is charged at a flat $31.50 per square foot under the City of Boulder Valuation Table, rather than a percentage of new-construction valuation.

Frequently asked questions

Boulder requires a residential addition / remodel permit for: Room additions, structural modifications, basement finishes involving framing/electrical/plumbing/mechanical work; Interior remodels use the 'Residential - Interior Remodel Requirements Checklist'; additions use the 'Residential - New Construction and Additions Requirements Checklist'; Structural modifications require plans prepared by a Colorado-licensed structural engineer; Energy documentation required where the addition affects conditioned floor area, per the 2024 CoBECC; Applications submitted via the Customer Self-Service (CSS) Portal; Additions scope = 100% of Building Permit Fee valuation table (per City of Boulder Valuation Table – Scope); Alterations/Repairs = 50%; Basement Finish (residential) = 50%; Unfinished Basement = $31.50 per sq ft. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 303-441-1880 before starting work.

In Boulder, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same table as new construction) is: Varies by valuation — see Residential Building Permit fee tiers ($25 minimum up to $5,979 + $3.85/$1,000 over $1M). Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — single-family residential, initial application — 25% of the Building Permit Fee; Energy Code Fee — Residential — $83.90. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a residential addition / remodel permit in Boulder typically runs 1–1 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 303-441-1880.

You'll need: Residential - New Construction and Additions Requirements Checklist; Residential - Interior Remodel Requirements Checklist; Site Plan. Depending on your project, Boulder may also ask for: Structural Drawings. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Boulder requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel permit, in order: Foundation (if new footings), Framing, MEP Rough-In, Final. Schedule each through City of Boulder Planning & Development Services (303-441-1880).

Apply through City of Boulder Planning & Development Services at 1101 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302. Phone: 303-441-1880, email: PDSpermitadmin@bouldercolorado.gov. Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.. Official information: https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/building-permits-and-inspections.

Boulder, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) family — City Council adopted the 2024 International Code Council (ICC) suite of codes with local amendments on March 20, 2025 (Ordinance 8684); effective August 1, 2025; local amendments codified in Title 10 of the Boulder Revised Code; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite adopted March 20, 2025, effective August 1, 2025, with Boulder amendments in BRC Title 10; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — part of the 2024 ICC suite, effective August 1, 2025; 2024 City of Boulder Energy Conservation Code (CoBECC) — Boulder's own locally-amended energy code (not a straight IECC adoption), effective December 1, 2024; published on ICC Digital Codes as COBECC2024P1; mandatory-measures checklist now required to be integrated into commercial/multifamily plan sets; 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), as amended by the City of Boulder — effective August 1, 2023; amendments in BRC Title 10; 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — applies to properties in Boulder's designated wildland urban interface zone per the city's Structure Protection Plan / Wildland Fire program (edition as referenced in Boulder's Zoning and Permitting FAQ, Oct. 2020; confirm current edition at time of application). Local amendments apply — see the Boulder overview page for the full list.

Boulder uses the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule for additions/remodels as new construction. The City of Boulder Valuation Table applies a scope percentage to the base valuation: 100% for additions, 50% for alterations/repairs, 50% for residential basement finish, or a flat $31.50/sq ft for an unfinished basement.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.

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

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