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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy in Longmont, Colorado

The City of Longmont publishes a dedicated 'Site Plan Waiver / Change of Use' application and webpage: all new development, including additions, site changes, or changes in use, is generally subject to site plan review, but a waiver from that review may be requested when the additional building area does not exceed 25% of the property's existing building area AND the change does not affect on/off-site traffic circulation or parking, does not affect public utilities/services (including fire suppression/flow requirements) or on-site drainage, does not significantly alter the use or cause adverse impacts on surrounding properties without mitigation, and does not create safety problems or hazards. Separately, a change of use for occupancy purposes may also be required by Building Inspection, and final inspection approval on a change of use permits issuance of an Occupancy Certificate.

Verified 2026-08-14 · Source

When you need this permit

  • All new development, additions, site changes, or changes in use are generally subject to site plan review, per Planning and Development Services
  • A Site Plan Waiver may be requested when the additional building area does not exceed 25% of the property's existing building area, AND the change does not affect traffic circulation/parking, public utilities/services (including fire suppression/flow requirements), or on-site drainage, does not significantly alter use or cause unmitigated adverse impacts, and does not create safety hazards
  • A separate change of use for occupancy purposes may also be required by Building Inspection
  • Final inspection approval on a change of use permits issuance of an Occupancy Certificate

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Site Plan Waiver / Change of Use Application FeeReferenced in the City's Development Application and Fees materials; specific dollar amount not independently extracted during this review. Contact Planning and Development Services or Building Inspection (303-651-8332) for a current fee quote.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy permit actually take in Longmont?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection / Occupancy Certificate

    Final inspection approval on a change of use of an existing building permits issuance of an Occupancy Certificate

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

Tips

  • Longmont's Site Plan Waiver criteria are specific and worth checking closely: your change-of-use project must add no more than 25% to the existing building area AND clear four additional no-impact tests (traffic/parking, utilities/fire-flow, drainage, and no unmitigated adverse impact) to qualify for the waiver — missing any one criterion likely means full site plan review instead.

Frequently asked questions

Longmont requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: All new development, additions, site changes, or changes in use are generally subject to site plan review, per Planning and Development Services; A Site Plan Waiver may be requested when the additional building area does not exceed 25% of the property's existing building area, AND the change does not affect traffic circulation/parking, public utilities/services (including fire suppression/flow requirements), or on-site drainage, does not significantly alter use or cause unmitigated adverse impacts, and does not create safety hazards; A separate change of use for occupancy purposes may also be required by Building Inspection; Final inspection approval on a change of use permits issuance of an Occupancy Certificate. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Longmont — Building Services (Building Inspection Division), Development Services Center at (303) 651-8332 before starting work.

Longmont does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Longmont — Building Services (Building Inspection Division), Development Services Center at (303) 651-8332 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Site Plan Waiver / Change in Use Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Longmont requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Final Inspection / Occupancy Certificate. Schedule each through City of Longmont — Building Services (Building Inspection Division), Development Services Center ((303) 651-8332).

Apply through City of Longmont — Building Services (Building Inspection Division), Development Services Center at 385 Kimbark St., Longmont, CO 80501. Phone: (303) 651-8332, email: building.inspection@longmontcolorado.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed Federal holidays, Veterans Day, and the day after Thanksgiving; Building Inspection closed 10–11 a.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursday for staff training). Official information: https://longmontcolorado.gov/building-inspection/permits/.

Longmont, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted effective January 1, 2022; currently in force citywide; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted effective January 1, 2022; currently in force citywide; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted as part of the 2021 International Codes package effective January 1, 2022; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted effective January 1, 2022; International Plumbing Code (IPC) and International Mechanical Code (IMC) / International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted as part of the 2021 International Codes package effective January 1, 2022 (edition confirmed via Longmont's 2021 IBC/IRC Geographic Climatic Data Table; individual plumbing/mechanical/fuel-gas amendment ordinance text not independently re-verified beyond the city's codes-adoption page); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted with Longmont amendments, effective July 24, 2024; PENDING — NOT YET EFFECTIVE: 2024 International Codes plus the Colorado Energy Code Cohort's model amendments were scheduled for Longmont City Council consideration May 12, 2026, with an anticipated effective date of July 1, 2026. As of this extraction (lastVerified 2026-06-30), the City's own Building Code Update page still describes this as a pending/anticipated action, not a confirmed adopted-and-effective ordinance — DO NOT treat the 2024 codes as adopted until the city's codes page or Municode ordinance list confirms passage.. Local amendments apply — see the Longmont overview page for the full list.

Yes — changes in use are generally subject to site plan review, though a Site Plan Waiver may be available for smaller changes (adding ≤25% building area) that don't affect traffic, utilities/fire-flow, drainage, or surrounding properties. A separate change of use for occupancy may also be required by Building Inspection (303-651-8332), with an Occupancy Certificate issued after final inspection.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-14.

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

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