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Commercial Tenant Finish (Tenant Improvement) Permit in Lafayette, Colorado

Lafayette treats Commercial Tenant Finish as its own permit category, listed separately from Commercial Addition/New Commercial on the Apply for Building Permits page with its own, materially faster published review estimate (2-4 weeks for first comments versus 4-8 weeks). Covers interior build-out/finish of existing commercial spaces. Unlike New Commercial and Commercial Addition, Tenant Finish is NOT listed as requiring Site Plan/Architectural or Civil CD approval before permit submittal. Reviewed under the 2021 IBC/IEBC as adopted by the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code; fees follow the same valuation-based Exhibit A schedule (no separate TI fee line exists).

Verified 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Plans must comply with the 2021 IBC and 2021 IEBC (plus 2021 IECC, IMC, IPC, IFC and 2023 NEC) as adopted by the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code, effective August 1, 2023
  • No Site Plan/Architectural or Civil CD approval prerequisite is published for Tenant Finish — the City's prerequisite note applies only to 'Commercial Addition, New Commercial, and New Multi-Family' (verify with Planning at 303-661-1270 if the tenant finish changes use, parking, or the building exterior)
  • General contractor must hold a City of Lafayette General Class A Contractor License ($175, all commercial work over 2,000 sq ft) or General Class B ($125, commercial work up to 2,000 sq ft); trade subcontractors need their own City licenses (Electrical — no City fee; Mechanical $125; Plumbing $150) Contractor
  • Complete Building Permit Application submitted electronically by email to buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov — each plan/document as its own separate, descriptively-named PDF; paper copies not accepted; 25MB email cap (larger plan sets via Dropbox/FTP)
  • Trade work within the tenant finish (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is reviewed under the 2023 NEC, 2021 IPC, and 2021 IMC as adopted

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (Exhibit A schedule)No separate flat tenant-finish fee line exists — TI permits are priced on the standard valuation table
$30.00 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers (e.g., $2,001-$25,000: $80.25 + $15.40/$1,000; $25,001-$50,000: $434.45 + $11.11/$1,000; $100,001-$500,000: $1,097.20 + $6.16/$1,000)
Plan Check FeeCity of Lafayette Building Permit Fee Schedule, main fee table Plan Check Fee row and Exhibit A Other Inspections and Fees item 1, effective 1-1-26
65% of the Building Permit Fee
City Use TaxCity of Lafayette Building Permit Fee Schedule, main fee table, City Use Tax row, effective 1-1-26
3.87% of 60% of total value (0.02322 x value)
Boulder County Use TaxCity of Lafayette Building Permit Fee Schedule, main fee table, County Use Tax row, effective 1-1-26
1.335% of 60% of total value (0.00801 x value)
Additional plan review (changes/revisions)City of Lafayette Building Permit Fee Schedule, Exhibit A Other Inspections and Fees item 5, additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to plans, effective 1-1-26
$75.00 per hour (one-hour minimum)
Reinspection FeeCity of Lafayette Building Permit Fee Schedule, Exhibit A Other Inspections and Fees item 3a, reinspection fees, effective 1-1-26
$75.00 per hour

Review timeline

Plan reviewLafayette’s published plan-review target
10–20 business days

How long did your Commercial Tenant Finish (Tenant Improvement) Permit permit actually take in Lafayette?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical

    Trade rough-ins within the tenant space before concealment (2023 NEC, 2021 IPC, 2021 IMC as adopted)

  2. 2

    Framing/Above-Ceiling

    Interior framing and above-ceiling work complete before cover

  3. 3

    Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy

    All work complete per approved plans; final inspection required before the tenant space is occupied

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

Tips

  • Tenant Finish is Lafayette's fastest full-plan-review commercial track: 2-4 weeks to first comments versus 4-8 weeks for Commercial Addition/New Commercial — and it carries no published Site Plan/Civil CD prerequisite, so a straightforward interior build-out can go straight to permit.
  • If your tenant finish involves a change of use, exterior alterations, or added parking demand, contact the Planning Department (303-661-1270, planning@lafayetteco.gov) before submitting — the no-prerequisite fast track applies to the building permit itself, and planning-level triggers are evaluated separately.
  • The City's Building Checklists section currently reads 'Update checklists will be available soon' — no tenant-finish-specific submittal checklist is published, so confirm submittal requirements with the Building Division at 303-661-1451. An earlier version of the Apply page capped commercial tenant finish plans at 24 x 36 inches for electronic review; that plan-size list is no longer visible on the current page, so re-confirm sheet-size limits when you submit.
  • There is no separate TI fee schedule — the permit fee comes off the same Exhibit A valuation table as all other building permits, plus the 65% plan check fee and combined ~3.13%-of-value City+County use taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Lafayette requires a commercial tenant finish (tenant improvement) permit for: Plans must comply with the 2021 IBC and 2021 IEBC (plus 2021 IECC, IMC, IPC, IFC and 2023 NEC) as adopted by the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code, effective August 1, 2023; No Site Plan/Architectural or Civil CD approval prerequisite is published for Tenant Finish — the City's prerequisite note applies only to 'Commercial Addition, New Commercial, and New Multi-Family' (verify with Planning at 303-661-1270 if the tenant finish changes use, parking, or the building exterior); General contractor must hold a City of Lafayette General Class A Contractor License ($175, all commercial work over 2,000 sq ft) or General Class B ($125, commercial work up to 2,000 sq ft); trade subcontractors need their own City licenses (Electrical — no City fee; Mechanical $125; Plumbing $150); Complete Building Permit Application submitted electronically by email to buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov — each plan/document as its own separate, descriptively-named PDF; paper copies not accepted; 25MB email cap (larger plan sets via Dropbox/FTP); Trade work within the tenant finish (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is reviewed under the 2023 NEC, 2021 IPC, and 2021 IMC as adopted. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 303-661-1451 before starting work.

In Lafayette, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (Exhibit A schedule) is: $30.00 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers (e.g., $2,001-$25,000: $80.25 + $15.40/$1,000; $25,001-$50,000: $434.45 + $11.11/$1,000; $100,001-$500,000: $1,097.20 + $6.16/$1,000). Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — 65% of the Building Permit Fee; City Use Tax — 3.87% of 60% of total value (0.02322 x value); Boulder County Use Tax — 1.335% of 60% of total value (0.00801 x value); Additional plan review (changes/revisions) — $75.00 per hour (one-hour minimum); Reinspection Fee — $75.00 per hour. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

The City's published estimate is 2 to 4 weeks for first comments, then 1 to 2 weeks for each subsequent review cycle. The City labels this an estimate, not a guaranteed turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings (tenant finish plan set). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Lafayette requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial tenant finish (tenant improvement) permit, in order: Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical, Framing/Above-Ceiling, Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, Building Division (303-661-1451).

Apply through City of Lafayette Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 1290 S. Public Road, Lafayette, CO 80026. Phone: 303-661-1451, email: buildingpermits@lafayetteco.gov. Office hours: City Hall public access hours Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm; Building staff available via phone/email during regular business hours. Main city line (303) 665-5588; Building Division direct line (303) 661-1451; Planning staff (303) 661-1270.. Official information: https://www.lafayetteco.gov/92/Planning-Building-Department.

Lafayette, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted with an effective date of August 1, 2023, per the 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code. Source: City of Lafayette Building Code & Design Information page, https://www.lafayetteco.gov/361/Building-Code-Design-Information; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted with the same August 1, 2023 effective date; includes a local amendment requiring Class 4 Impact Resistant Shingles (effective March 15, 2021) for reroofing. Source: same page as above; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — includes local commercial low-slope roof reflectance/emittance requirements per IECC Section C402.3, Table C402.3; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — the City's live Solar Permit Application Process document states 'All work shall comply with the 2023 National Electric Code without amendments.' (re-grounded 2026-07-16 on a live primary source after the Solar Photovoltaic Plan Review and Inspections webpage that previously carried this quote was removed from the site). Source (PDF): https://www.lafayetteco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17165/Lafayette-Solar--Permit-Process; 2023 Lafayette Colorado Building Code — the City's consolidated adoption document incorporating the 2021 I-Code package plus local strengthening amendments and the 2023 NEC; effective August 1, 2023. Source (PDF): https://www.lafayetteco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/36791/2023-Lafayette-Colorado-Building-Code-Final; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code — adopted statewide in 2025; applies within State-mapped low- or medium-risk wildfire areas in Lafayette (128 acres total: 44 acres of open space on the southeast edge of the city, 84 acres along the west side near Nyland Way and Brittney Lane). Requires non-combustible building materials for new construction in mapped areas and defines defensible-space/fuel-reduction guidelines within 30 feet of structures. Source: City of Lafayette Building Code & Design Information page, https://www.lafayetteco.gov/361/Building-Code-Design-Information. Local amendments apply — see the Lafayette overview page for the full list.

Yes, as a review track. Lafayette lists 'Commercial Tenant Finish' as its own permit category with a published 2-4 week first-comments estimate, versus 4-8 weeks for Commercial Addition/New Commercial — and Tenant Finish is not subject to the Site Plan/Architectural and Civil CD approval prerequisite that applies to those larger categories. Fees, however, come off the same valuation-based schedule.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

Fee schedules

Department & other records

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

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Property Access

Lafayette's permit history is searchable by address

22,802 permits in our copy of Lafayette's register — searchable by street address, with permit type, status, issued date and valuation where the city publishes them. This is what we hold, not a statement of everything Lafayette has issued.

21,824 of these 22,812 permits — 95.7% — carry an issued date, and those run from 2016 to 2026. The remaining 988 have no date at all.

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Commercial Tenant Finish (Tenant Improvement) Permit in other cities

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