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Change of Use / New Business Sales Tax Zoning Review in Rifle, Colorado

Rifle does not issue a standalone zoning 'change of use' permit. The equivalent step is the Sales Tax License Review: any new business that needs a City of Rifle sales tax license must first obtain Planning Department zoning-consistency approval and a Building Official site-safety review through a Sales Tax License Review form, per the City's Commercial Information page ('New Use in a Commercial Building') and the form itself.

Verified 2026-08-14 · Source

When you need this permit

  • If a new business requires a City of Rifle sales tax license, the applicant must fill out the Sales Tax License Review form and bring it to the Building Department BEFORE applying for the sales tax license, per the City's Commercial Information page
  • The Sales Tax License Review form's own instructions state applicants must receive Planning Department approval prior to applying for a City of Rifle Sales Tax License
  • The Planning Department reviews whether the proposed business is consistent with the zone district in which it is proposed
  • The Building Official separately reviews customer safety issues with the site, per the form's own instructions
  • The form requires: proposed location/address, description of business, applicant/business name and contact information, and property owner information
  • A new use of a building may have additional building code requirements for the safety of the business owner and the public, per the City's Commercial Information page — if the new use also involves construction, the project additionally routes through the tenant-improvement-permit or commercial-building-permit entries
  • This review is a precondition to obtaining a City of Rifle sales tax license, not a separate standalone permit with its own name or number

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sales Tax License Review
No fee is stated on the Sales Tax License Review form, and no line item for this review appears on the City's Land Use Fee Sheet (updated 11/10/2014) or the general Fee Schedules page. Show full citationNo fee is stated on the Sales Tax License Review form, and no line item for this review appears on the City's Land Use Fee Sheet (updated 11/10/2014) or the general Fee Schedules page. Contact the Department of Planning & Development at 970-665-6491 for current fee information, if any applies.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / New Business Sales Tax Zoning Review permit actually take in Rifle?

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Inspection process

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

    Tips

    • This is not a separately branded 'change of use permit' in Rifle — it is the City's Sales Tax License Review, required before a new business can obtain its City sales tax license, and functions as Rifle's practical equivalent to a change-of-use process.
    • Budget time for both steps: Planning Department zoning-consistency approval AND a separate Building Official site-safety review, both required before the sales tax license can be issued.
    • If your new use also requires construction or tenant improvement work, you will additionally need the tenant-improvement-permit or commercial-building-permit process — the Sales Tax License Review does not substitute for a building permit.

    Frequently asked questions

    The City's own published language ties this review specifically to businesses that require a City of Rifle sales tax license. If your use change does not involve a sales tax license, ask the Department of Planning & Development (970-665-6491) whether any review is still triggered.

    Rifle does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Rifle Building Department (Community Development Department) at 970-665-6461 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Sales Tax License Review Form (Planning & Development Department). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Rifle Building Department (Community Development Department) at 202 Railroad Avenue, Rifle, CO 81650 (Rifle City Hall, Level 1 - Community Development suite). Phone: 970-665-6461, email: jnihiser@rifleco.org. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm. Permits can be picked up Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Building Official John Nihiser, 970-665-6464; Building Inspector Jenna Lucas, 970-665-6494; Community Development Director Zach Higgins, 970-665-6499. Main City switchboard: 970-665-6400.. Official information: https://www.rifleco.org/72/Building.

    Rifle, Colorado has adopted: 2015 International Codes (I-Codes), as locally amended — per the City's Building Department page ('The City of Rifle is under the 2015 International Codes'); 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Energy Zone 5; 2003 ANSI A117.1 (Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities); Full Charter and Municipal Code, Chapter 18 (Building Regulations), hosted at library.municode.com/co/rifle. Chapter 18 is cited as the governing local code chapter by name; the specific adoption-ordinance number and full local-amendment text are as the City's own Building Department page and permit application forms directly state, not from a verbatim reading of the Municode-hosted chapter text.; Design criteria (Table R301.2(1)-equivalent, per the City's own Building Department page): Roof (snow) live load 40 psf; Ground snow load 47 psf; Basic wind speed 120 mph (Ultimate); Seismic Design Category C; Weathering Severe; Frost line depth 36 inches; Termite Slight/moderate; Decay Slight; Winter design temperature -2°F; Ice shield underlayment Required; Flood Hazard Yes (FIRM effective 10-15-85); Air freezing index 2,500; Mean annual temperature 48°F. Local amendments apply — see the Rifle overview page for the full list.

    Not as a standalone, separately named product. The functional equivalent is the Sales Tax License Review, required before a new business can obtain a City of Rifle sales tax license — it combines a Planning Department zoning-consistency review and a Building Official site-safety review.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-14.

    Fee schedules

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

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