Residential Addition / Remodel / Basement Finish Permit in Cañon City, Colorado

Cañon City requires a residential addition / remodel / basement finish permit for: Permit required for: converting a garage into living space, building a detached garage, finishing a basement, remodeling a house, and replacing/going over old drywall with new drywall, per the City's own FAQ; Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work alone do NOT require a permit; Residential Alterations Packet requires: Building Permit Application, asbestos report (if applicable), floor layout of all renovation per room (framing, insulation, drywall details), and stamped engineering documentation if removing any walls; Residential Basement Packet requires: Building Permit Application, Mechanical Permit Application (only if needed), and floor layout of all rooms including dimensions/square footage per room; A pre-application meeting is NOT required for single-family, duplex, or tri-plex building permits (unlike other land-use applications). 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 (same 1.0%-of-valuation formula as new construction) is: 1.0% of valuation, minimum per BVD or actual contract cost. 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 over $2,000. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Cañon City's published plan-review target for a residential addition / remodel / basement finish permit is 0–14 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Online Services Portal); Floor Layout / Framing Details. Depending on your project, Cañon City may also ask for: Asbestos Report; Stamped Engineering Documentation; Mechanical Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cañon City requires 3 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel / basement finish permit, in order: Rough Framing, Insulation Inspection, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Cañon City Building Department (719-276-5253).

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. The City's own FAQ excludes painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work from the permit requirement. A permit is required for remodeling a house more broadly, converting a garage to living space, finishing a basement, or replacing/going over old drywall with new drywall.