Residential Addition / Remodel Permit in Arvada, Colorado

Not if you are the owner and occupant of the residence and you perform all the work yourself. If you hire any contractor for any part of the project, or if the home is not your primary residence, the City of Arvada requires a licensed contractor (Class I-B, II-B, or III-B) to be listed on the permit.

In Arvada, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same Table 18-1 as new construction) is: Varies by valuation — see Residential Building Permit fee tiers above ($34 minimum up to $5,669.25 + $3.45/$1,000 over $1M). Additional published fees: Use Tax — Assessed on the building valuation using a 58% materials / 42% labor split; Basement Finish — Added Cost (Type VB) — $31.50 per sq ft (added valuation basis, Type VB construction); Additional plan review (changes, additions, revisions, or deferred submittal — minimum 1 hour) — $80.00 per hour. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Arvada's published plan-review target for a residential addition / remodel permit is 2–12 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (eTRAKiT — Residential Exterior or Residential Interior); Plan Set; Plot Plan. Depending on your project, Arvada may also ask for: Subcontractor Forms. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Arvada requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel permit, in order: Footing (if new footings), Rough Frame / Structural Sheathing, MEP Rough-In, Final (Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical as applicable). Schedule each through City of Arvada — Building Safety Division (720-898-7620).

Apply through City of Arvada — Building Safety Division at 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada, CO 80002. Phone: 720-898-7620, email: buildingpermits@arvada.org. Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; permits are applied for and paid online via eTRAKiT at arvadapermits.org — permits are no longer processed over the counter. Official information: https://www.arvadaco.gov/332/Building-Permits.

Arvada, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — CONFIRMED LIVE 2026-07-17: the City's 'Adopted building codes and design criteria' page (arvadaco.gov/165) now lists the 2024 IBC under 'Current adopted building codes (adopted March 24, 2026)', with the 2018 IBC moved to 'Previous adopted building codes (in effect October 2020-March 2026)'; the City's '2026 Building Code updates' page (arvadaco.gov/1388) confirms in past tense that 'The changes went into effect on July 1, 2026.' Permits submitted before July 1, 2026 could still use the 2018 IBC. CAVEAT: as of 2026-07-17 some Arvada operational permit-type pages had NOT been updated to reflect this switch — see per-permitType notes for mechanical/plumbing and re-roofing, which still cite 2018-cycle codes as current; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — same confirmed-live status as the IBC line above (arvadaco.gov/165, arvadaco.gov/1388, both verified 2026-07-17); includes the reorganized Chapter 3 and new ADU/tiny-house/3D-printed-home appendices per arvadaco.gov/1461 (Significant Changes list); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17; HOWEVER the live Residential Mechanical & Plumbing operational page (arvadaco.gov/434, verified 2026-07-17) still states 'Requirements follow the 2018 IRC and 2018 IECC, adopted by the City of Arvada... we have an upcoming code adoption' — a direct, unresolved contradiction between two of Arvada's own live pages; confirm current status directly with Building Safety Division for mechanical/plumbing submittals; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — same contradiction as the IMC line above: arvadaco.gov/165 lists 2024 IPC as current, but the live arvadaco.gov/434 operational page (verified 2026-07-17) still frames the 2024 IPC as an 'upcoming' change and cites 2018 IPC as governing; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17, replacing the 2009 IPMC (deleting 45 prior municipal amendments per arvadaco.gov/1461); Colorado Model Low Energy Carbon Code, based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17, replacing the 2018 IECC; includes EV-ready/electric-ready/solar-ready mandates per arvadaco.gov/1388 and arvadaco.gov/1446; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) / NFPA 70 — CONFIRMED still the governing electrical code as of 2026-07-17 per the City's own explicit statement on arvadaco.gov/1446 ('For Builders: Detailed changes coming in 2026'): 'Please note that the 2023 National Electrical Code will remain the electrical code for the City of Arvada, however the City does expect to begin implementing the 2026 NEC later on in 2026, when the State of Colorado begins implementation.' NOTE: arvadaco.gov/165's 'Current adopted building codes' list also includes an entry for '2026 National Electrical Code' — this appears to be an inconsistency/premature listing on that summary page, since the more specific, explicit 1446 page confirms 2023 NEC remains in effect pending State of Colorado action; treating 2023 NEC as the operative code per the more explicit source; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165 as of 2026-07-17; Arvada Wildfire Resiliency Code (based on the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code) — CONFIRMED LIVE 2026-07-17: listed under 'Current adopted building codes' on arvadaco.gov/165, and arvadaco.gov/1388 states in past tense 'The City has adopted the Arvada Wildfire Resiliency Code, our first wildfire codes.' First Arvada-specific wildfire code; requires structural hardening and defensible space for new buildings, additions, accessory structures over 120 sq ft, and re-roofing/re-siding projects that replace more than 25% of the roof covering or exterior siding, within identified wildfire risk zones (map based on Jefferson County's wildfire map per arvadaco.gov/1461). CAVEAT: the live Re-Roofing operational page (arvadaco.gov/417, verified 2026-07-17) does not reference this code and still states 'Ice Barrier (Ice and Water Shield) not required' — directly contradicting arvadaco.gov/165's design-criteria section, which states 'Ice and Water Shield is required in Arvada... this is a change per our new adopted building codes.' This specific point is an unresolved live contradiction on Arvada's own website as of 2026-07-17. Local amendments apply — see the Arvada overview page for the full list.