Change of Use / Change of Occupancy in Cañon City, Colorado

Cañon City requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: No standalone City 'Change of Use' or 'Change of Occupancy' permit application exists — checked the Application Forms for Building Permits page (21 packets listed), the Building Department FAQ, and the Building Department page directly; Governed by the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) Chapter 10, Change of Occupancy, as locally adopted effective January 1, 2021 (see this file's codesAdopted); Where tenant-finish or alteration work accompanies the occupancy/use change, apply via the Commercial Alterations Packet (Building Permit Application, Mechanical Permit Application, Required Approvals Routing Sheet top portion only, and plans already approved by the City's third-party commercial reviewer, Shums Coda Associates) — see this file's commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry for the full submittal list; Where the scope is larger (new construction, occupancy-load changes, or work beyond the alterations packet's scope), the full Commercial Building Permit process applies instead — see this file's commercial-building-permit entry; Per the Required Approvals Routing Sheet, used on every commercial application: 'THE PROPERTY MAY NOT BE OCCUPIED UNTIL A FINAL INSPECTION IS DONE AND A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IS ISSUED' — failure to comply can be cited as a misdemeanor under Cañon City Municipal Code Section 15.02.040; A use not permitted-by-right in the applicable zone district requires Special Review Use approval from the City Planning Department (719-269-9011) before a change-of-use building permit can proceed, per Title 17 of the Zoning Regulations — the same Special Review Use process this file documents for Accessory Dwelling Units; Most businesses do NOT need a separate City of Cañon City business license: the City's own Business Licensing page confirms a general City sales tax license has not been required since January 2021 (a valid Colorado state sales tax license must still be maintained); only specific business types require a City license — Commercial Solicitors/Peddlers, Mobile Home Parks, Pawn Brokers, Security Guard Services, Trash Hauler Services, and Tree Management; Fire District routing (per the Required Approvals Routing Sheet) applies to commercial applications, both prior to permit issuance and again prior to final inspection/Certificate of Occupancy. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Cañon City Building Department at 719-276-5253 before starting work.

In Cañon City, the published Building Permit Fee (only if construction accompanies the change) is: 1.0% of valuation, per Resolution No. 20, Series of 2024. Additional published fees: Mechanical Fee (if applicable) — $30.00 flat for valuation not more than $2,000; $30.00 plus $10.00 per each additional $1,000 (or fraction thereof) over $2,000. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Cañon City does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Cañon City Building Department at 719-276-5253 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Required Approvals Routing Sheet. Depending on your project, Cañon City may also ask for: Building Permit Application; Mechanical Permit Application; Special Review Use Application (City Planning Department). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

No. Per the City's own Required Approvals Routing Sheet, the property may not be occupied until a final inspection is completed and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued; noncompliance is a misdemeanor under Cañon City Municipal Code Section 15.02.040.

Apply through City of Cañon City Building Department at 128 Main Street, Cañon City, CO 81212. Phone: 719-276-5253, email: Kathy Ulsh (Certified Building Official) and Susanne Rave (Permit Technician II) — see City of Cañon City Building Department contact page for current email addresses. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (the building opens to the public at 8:00 a.m.; staff are available by phone only from 7-8 a.m.). Inspections may be scheduled 24 hours a day by calling 719.276.5292.. Official information: https://www.canoncity.org/176/Building-Department.

Cañon City, Colorado has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Cañon City Building Department page, confirmed still the currently adopted edition as of this review (effective date of the 2018 Code adoption: January 1, 2021, per the City's own '2018 International Codes' page; adopted December 2020); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — City's own '2018 Energy Code Requirements' handout describes IRC Chapter 11 (N1101-N1106) compliance paths (Prescriptive, Simulated Performance, Energy Rating Index) for Climate Zone 5, effective January 1, 2021; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC); 2018 International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC); 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); Climatic & Geographic Design Criteria for Cañon City, CO under the 2018 IRC and 2018 IBC (PDF, revised June 22, 2026): Ground Snow Load 30 psf; Wind Speed 100 mph (Risk Category II per the Residential Design Criteria table; the Commercial Design Criteria section of the same document separately states basic design wind speeds of VULT=115 mph/VASD=90 mph for Risk Category I, VULT=126 mph/VASD=100 mph for Risk Category II, and VULT=139 mph/VASD=110 mph for Risk Category III or IV — both the Residential and Commercial tables appear on the same official document without an explicit reconciliation note, so both are reported here as published); Seismic Design Category B; Frost line depth 27 inches; Weathering: Severe; Termite: Slight to Moderate; Ice Barrier Underlayment: Not Required; Flood Hazards per FEMA Flood Maps / Cañon City Municipal Code (CCMC) Title 21; Commercial ground snow load 30 psf (ASCE 7-16, increased by importance factor 1.10 for Risk Category III / 1.20 for Risk Category IV); Flood hazard areas established per 'The Flood Insurance Study for Fremont County, Colorado and incorporated areas,' dated July 3, 2012, as amended, with the accompanying FIRM and FBFM maps, adopted by reference (IBC Section 1612.3, per the Climatic & Geographic Design Criteria document). Local amendments apply — see the Cañon City overview page for the full list.

No standalone permit or application exists. A use or occupancy classification change in an existing building is handled through the City's adopted IEBC Chapter 10 (Change of Occupancy) and processed via the standard Commercial Alterations Packet or full Commercial Building Permit, depending on whether construction accompanies the change.