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Residential Addition / Remodel Permit (Including New Accessory Structures) in Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Required for the alteration, repair, or expansion of an existing residential building, and for new accessory structures exceeding 120 sq ft, within Glenwood Springs city limits. Reviewed under the 2021 IRC as locally amended by Ordinance 2022-06. Purely cosmetic work (paint, flooring, fixture replacement not moving plumbing/walls/electrical) does not require a permit.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • The alteration, repair, movement, or demolition of any building or structure inside city limits requires a building permit, per the City's Building Permits page
  • Work that does NOT require a permit: interior/exterior painting (subject to exterior color limitations), new flooring/carpet/tile installation, minor fixture replacements that do not move existing plumbing/walls/electrical (toilets, sinks, faucets, cabinets, countertops, appliances, lighting fixtures), and general maintenance/minor repairs not altering the structure (e.g. repairing a leaky pipe or clogged drain/toilet)
  • One-story detached accessory structures used as tool/storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses do NOT require a permit if floor area does not exceed 120 sq ft; placement limitations apply and should be confirmed with staff (970-384-6450)
  • Fences not over 6 feet high are exempt from the BUILDING permit requirement, but the ZONING code separately caps front-yard fences at 4 feet and side/rear-yard fences at 6 feet — a fence permit-exempt under the building code can still violate zoning height limits
  • Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height (measured bottom-of-footing to top-of-wall) are exempt from the building permit requirement UNLESS supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I/II/IIIA liquids; walls over 4 feet require a Colorado-licensed engineer or architect's design
  • Accessory structures intended for overnight stay or living must instead be permitted as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), not a standard accessory structure
  • Required documents for new accessory structures: Architectural Plans, Civil Plans, Construction Management Plan & Checklist, Drainage Report or Letter, Site Plan

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (same valuation-based Table 1-A as new construction)Municipal Code §060.020.020, as amended by Ordinance 2022-06
$23.50 minimum, scaling per Table 1-A valuation tiers
Plan Review Fee
65% of the building permit fee
Electronic Conversion Fee
$25 (residential) or $45 (commercial)

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Residential Addition / Remodel Permit (Including New Accessory Structures) permit actually take in Glenwood Springs?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation (if new footings)

    Before concrete pour, for additions/accessory structures with new foundation elements

  2. 2

    Rough Framing

    Framing complete and tied into existing structure before cover

  3. 3

    Rough Plumbing / Mechanical

    Trade rough-ins before concealment; electrical rough-in inspected separately by the State of Colorado

  4. 4

    Final Inspection

    All City-permitted work complete per approved plans

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

Tips

  • A shed or similar accessory structure under 120 sq ft skips the building permit entirely — but placement/setback limitations still apply, so confirm siting with the Building Department before building.
  • Cosmetic work (paint, flooring, like-for-like fixture swaps) is explicitly permit-exempt in Glenwood Springs — don't over-permit routine maintenance.
  • A fence under 6 feet skips the BUILDING permit, but zoning still limits front-yard fences to 4 feet — check both rules, not just the building-code exemption threshold.
  • If you want anyone to stay overnight in a new accessory structure, it must go through the separate ADU permitting process, not a standard accessory-structure building permit.

Frequently asked questions

Only if the shed exceeds 120 square feet. One-story detached accessory structures (tool/storage sheds, playhouses) at or under 120 sq ft do not require a building permit, though placement limitations still apply — confirm siting with the Building Department at 970-384-6450.

In Glenwood Springs, the published Building Permit Fee (same valuation-based Table 1-A as new construction) is: $23.50 minimum, scaling per Table 1-A valuation tiers. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — 65% of the building permit fee; Electronic Conversion Fee — $25 (residential) or $45 (commercial). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Glenwood Springs does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Glenwood Springs Building Department (Community Development Department) at 970-384-6450 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Tyler EnerGov Customer Self-Service Portal); Architectural Plans / Construction Drawings; Site Plan; Construction Management Plan & Checklist; Drainage Report or Letter. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Glenwood Springs requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel permit (including new accessory structures), in order: Foundation (if new footings), Rough Framing, Rough Plumbing / Mechanical, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Glenwood Springs Building Department (Community Development Department) (970-384-6450).

Apply through City of Glenwood Springs Building Department (Community Development Department) at 101 W. 8th Street, Second Floor, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. Phone: 970-384-6450, email: Building@cogs.us. Office hours: Glenwood Springs City Hall Hours: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, Mondays-Thursdays (closed Fridays), per the City's Contact Us footer. Building Department direct line 970-384-6450; Fax 970-945-8582; Inspection Line (24-hour automated request system) 970-384-6432; Building Official Victor Meraz, 970-384-6410.. Official information: https://www.cogs.us/283/Building-Department.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), with local amendments — adopted by Ordinance No. 06, Series of 2022 (effective 90 days after second publication, passed 03/03/2022), repealing and reenacting Title 060 of the Glenwood Springs Municipal Code in its entirety; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), with local amendments; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), with local amendments; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC), with local amendments; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2021 International Fire Code (IFC), with Appendices D (Fire Apparatus Access Roads), H (Hazardous Materials Management Plan/Inventory Statement), and J (Building Information Sign) adopted; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) and 2020 National Electrical Safety Code — administered exclusively by the State of Colorado, not the City (see localAmendments); Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC, based on the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code) — state-mandated statewide program (C.R.S., administered by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control); the City's own Building Department page states enforcement in Glenwood Springs 'Starts Wednesday, July 1st, 2026,' consistent with the statewide April 1, 2026 local-adoption deadline and July 1, 2026 full-compliance deadline for jurisdictions with mapped Wildland-Urban Interface area; IBC Appendices adopted: Appendix C (Group U-Agricultural Buildings), Appendix E (Supplementary Accessibility Requirements), Appendix G (Flood-Resistant Construction), Appendix I (Patio Covers), Appendix J (Grading); IRC Appendices adopted: Appendix AE (Manufactured Housing Used As Dwellings), Appendix AF (Radon Control Methods), Appendix AG (Piping Standards for Various Applications), Appendix AH (Patio Covers), Appendix AJ (Existing Building and Structures), Appendix AM (Home Day Care), Appendix AQ (Tiny Houses), Appendix AT (Solar-Ready Provisions); Full Title 060 (Construction Building Codes and Regulations) text available via library.municode.com/co/glenwood_springs; Ordinance 2022-06 PDF hosted directly by the City. Local amendments apply — see the Glenwood Springs overview page for the full list.

The City's Building Department FAQ addresses this directly (see the 'I need to replace my water heater or furnace' FAQ on cogs.us); mechanical equipment replacement generally requires a mechanical permit under the adopted International Mechanical Code — contact the Building Department at 970-384-6450 to confirm scope-specific requirements before starting work.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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

Other permits in Glenwood Springs

Residential Building Permit (New Construction, 4 or Fewer Units)Electrical Permit (Issued by the State of Colorado, Not the City)Plumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRoofing Permit (Re-Roofing)Solar PV PermitEV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station PermitAccessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) PermitDemolition PermitFence / Retaining Wall Permit

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