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

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.