Commercial Remodel / Tenant Improvement / Addition Permit in Vail, Colorado

Vail requires a commercial remodel / tenant improvement / addition permit for: Design Review Board (DRB) approval required before building permit submittal ONLY if the project includes exterior changes — the Commercial packet lists Elevations as 'Only if exterior changes' for this scope, unlike New Commercial/Multi-Family construction which always requires them; Per the Commercial/Multi-Family Minimum Project Submittal Requirements matrix (Commercial Remodel/TI/Addition column): Title Page/Code Analysis, Survey/Site Plan, Civil Plan, Structural Calculations, Floor Plan(s), Framing Plan(s), Reflected Ceiling Plan(s), Cross Sections/Details, Schedules, Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing Plan(s), Statement of Special Inspection, and Energy Code Compliance Details are required; Soils Report and Foundation Plan(s) are required only 'if addition' (open-hole report at excavation for soils); Roof Plan(s) required only 'if addition'; Elevations required only if the project includes exterior changes — a pure interior tenant improvement with no addition and no exterior changes does not trigger these four items; EXCEPTION: tenant finishes and remodels that do NOT affect fire-resistive rated construction, structural items, means-of-egress components, plumbing systems, and/or electrical systems are NOT required to have stamped professional drawings (all other commercial/multi-family work requires drawings stamped, signed, and dated by a Colorado-licensed design professional); A Licensed Engineer report is required if any walls are proposed for removal, to determine if they are structural; Asbestos test report by a registered Colorado Asbestos inspector required at submittal for all projects, per State of Colorado asbestos regulations; Statement of Special Inspection required per IBC Chapter 17, performed by a Town of Vail-approved 3rd-party Special Inspector; All contractors must hold a current Town of Vail Contractor Registration in addition to any required Colorado state trade license; Minimum 2 paper plan sets if submitting paper (11x17 minimum, 24x36 recommended); electronic plan sets uploaded to ProjectDox after a completeness review. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Vail Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-479-2139 before starting work.

In Vail, the published Building Permit Fee (same shared valuation-based schedule used for Building/Plumbing/Mechanical on all project types) is: $50.00 minimum for $1-$500 valuation, scaling through $6,120.25 for the first $1,000,000 plus $4.00/$1,000 thereafter for $1,000,001+. Additional published fees: Building Plan Review Fee — 65% of Building Permit Fee; Construction Use Tax — (Valuation minus $10,000) / 2, multiplied by 4%; Recreation Fee — commercial core/mixed-use zone districts — $1.00 per sq ft of NEW floor area in most commercial/mixed-use zone districts (CC1/CC2/CC3, LMU1/LMU2, PA, ABD, CSC, HS, VVT, HDMF); $0.70/sq ft in SB/RD; Transportation Impact Fee — net-new commercial floor area — Applies only if the addition/remodel adds net-new enclosed floor area, under the Facilities/Health Care/Office & Other Services/Restaurant & Retail categories of the Resolution No. 27, Series 2025 schedule; Will Call Inspection Fee — $5.00 per work type; Revisions — $75.00/hour, 2-hour minimum. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Vail does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Vail Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-479-2139 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Construction Permit Application (Building, Plumbing & Mechanical); Minimum Project Submittal Requirements — Commercial and Multi-Family Packet (Commercial Remodel/TI/Addition column); Asbestos Test Report. Depending on your project, Vail may also ask for: Licensed Engineer Report. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Vail requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial remodel / tenant improvement / addition permit, in order: Rough Frame / Structural, Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical, Final Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Vail Community Development Department, Building Division (970-479-2139).

Apply through Town of Vail Community Development Department, Building Division at 75 S. Frontage Road West, Vail, CO 81657. Phone: 970-479-2139, email: info@vail.gov. Office hours: Town of Vail main line 970-479-2100; Building Department direct line 970-479-2139; Chief Building Official emergency line 970-479-2143. Combination Inspector direct lines also published: Mike Horning (970) 479-2253, Jeff Lake (970) 479-2142.. Official information: https://www.vail.gov/government/departments/community-development/building-department.

No. DRB approval is required only if the project includes exterior changes. A purely interior tenant improvement with no exterior work does not trigger the DRB prerequisite, unlike additions or projects with any exterior design element.

Not always. The Town's Commercial and Multi-Family submittal requirements explicitly exempt tenant finishes and remodels that do not affect fire-resistive rated construction, structural items, means-of-egress components, or plumbing/electrical systems from the stamped-drawing requirement. All other commercial work requires plans stamped, signed, and dated by a Colorado Registered Design Professional.