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Residential Addition / Interior Remodel Permit in Vail, Colorado

Required for additions and interior remodels to existing single-family, duplex, and townhome structures in Vail. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as locally adopted; scope and required documents differ meaningfully between an Addition and an Interior Remodel per the Town's own submittal matrix.

Reviewed 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • DRB approval required before building permit submittal if the project includes any exterior changes
  • Additions require: title page/code analysis, energy code compliance, survey/site plan, civil plan, soils report (open-hole report at excavation), foundation plan(s), structural calculations, floor/framing/roof plans, elevations, cross sections/details, schedules, electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans, statement of special inspection
  • Interior Remodels require a narrower document set: title page/code analysis, energy code compliance, floor plan(s), framing plan(s), structural calculations (only if walls are to be removed), electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans, statement of special inspection; survey/site plan, civil plan, soils report, and foundation plans are NOT required unless the scope triggers them
  • A Licensed Engineer report is required if any walls are proposed for removal, to determine if they are structural
  • Asbestos test report required at submittal for all projects, including shower/bath enclosures with new tile
  • All contractors must hold a current Town of Vail Contractor Registration Contractor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (same valuation-based schedule as new construction)Effective per the 2026 fee schedule
$50.00 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the 2026 Schedule of Permit Fees
Building Plan Review Fee2026 Schedule of Permit Fees, Town of Vail — Building Plan Review Fee, page 1
65% of Building Permit Fee
Construction Use Tax2026 Schedule of Permit Fees, Town of Vail — Construction Use Tax, page 2
(Valuation minus $10,000) / 2, multiplied by 4% (no tax if valuation under $10,000)
Recreation FeeNot applicable to interior remodels that add no new floor area
$0.10-$1.00 per sq ft, applies only to NEW square footage added by the addition

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation (additions with new footings only)

    Before concrete pour, per 48-inch minimum frost depth

  2. 2

    Rough Frame

    Framing complete, connection to existing structure verified

  3. 3

    Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical

    Trade rough-ins before concealment

  4. 4

    Final Inspection

    All work complete per approved plans

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

Tips

  • Vail's submittal matrix clearly distinguishes Addition (full document set, similar to new construction) from Interior Remodel (a lighter document set) — check which column applies to your project before assembling your plan set to avoid over- or under-submitting.
  • Recreation Fees apply only to NEW square footage — a like-for-like interior remodel that adds no floor area should not be billed this fee, but any addition that does add floor area will be.

Frequently asked questions

Vail requires a residential addition / interior remodel permit for: DRB approval required before building permit submittal if the project includes any exterior changes; Additions require: title page/code analysis, energy code compliance, survey/site plan, civil plan, soils report (open-hole report at excavation), foundation plan(s), structural calculations, floor/framing/roof plans, elevations, cross sections/details, schedules, electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans, statement of special inspection; Interior Remodels require a narrower document set: title page/code analysis, energy code compliance, floor plan(s), framing plan(s), structural calculations (only if walls are to be removed), electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans, statement of special inspection; survey/site plan, civil plan, soils report, and foundation plans are NOT required unless the scope triggers them; A Licensed Engineer report is required if any walls are proposed for removal, to determine if they are structural; Asbestos test report required at submittal for all projects, including shower/bath enclosures with new tile; All contractors must hold a current Town of Vail Contractor Registration. 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 valuation-based schedule as new construction) is: $50.00 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the 2026 Schedule of Permit Fees. Additional published fees: Building Plan Review Fee — 65% of Building Permit Fee; Construction Use Tax — (Valuation minus $10,000) / 2, multiplied by 4% (no tax if valuation under $10,000); Recreation Fee — $0.10-$1.00 per sq ft, applies only to NEW square footage added by the addition. 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: Building Permit Application (Construction Permit); Minimum Project Submittal Requirements — Residential Packet. 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 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / interior remodel permit, in order: Foundation (additions with new footings only), Rough Frame, 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.

Vail, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — Town of Vail Building Department page (Adopted Building Codes list); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Note on document currency: the Town's downloadable 'Minimum Project Submittal Requirements' packets (Residential and Commercial/Multi-Family, both undated on-page) still footer-reference the prior code cycle ('The current adopted codes in the Town of Vail are 2021 IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, IFC, and 2020 NEC, as amended') — the live Building Department webpage's 2024 IBC/IRC/IFC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IEBC + 2023 NEC list is treated as the current, governing adopted-code list for this record since it is the department's actively maintained code-adoption page, not a static PDF handout.. Local amendments apply — see the Vail overview page for the full list.

No. Per the Town's Minimum Project Submittal Requirements matrix, Survey/Site Plan, Civil Plan, Soils Report, and Foundation Plans are required for Additions but NOT for Interior Remodels, unless the specific project scope otherwise triggers them.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

Fee schedules

Applications & forms

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

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