Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in Golden, Colorado

Golden requires a residential building permit (new construction) for: Plans must comply with the 2024 IRC/IBC as adopted, including Appendix BE (Radon Control) and Appendix CD (Piping Standards); Must meet Golden's Structural Design Criteria: Ground Snow Load Pg 69/76/83 psf by Risk Category II/III/IV, minimum 30 psf flat roof snow load, Wind Load Vult 150/157/164 mph by Risk Category (Exposure C), and 36-inch minimum frost depth; If the property is within Golden's designated Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area (see the Official Golden Wildfire Map), the project must also comply with the Golden Wildfire Resiliency Code (GWRC, Ordinance 2290 / Municipal Code Chapter 15.80), which sets fire-resistant construction standards for Class I (low fire intensity) or Class II (medium/high fire intensity) hazard areas; enforcement begins June 10, 2026; Valuation = cost of labor and materials; for owner-performed work, valuation is calculated as materials cost times two; All contractors working on the project must hold a current City of Golden Contractor License (Chapter 15.01) in addition to any required state license, and must be identified on the permit before issuance; Applications, contractor licensing, and inspection requests are submitted via the City's Accela-based Online Permitting Portal. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Golden Building Department at (303) 384-8151 before starting work.

In Golden, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation $1.00 to $500.00 is: $25.85. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee — valuation $501.00 to $2,000.00 — $25.85 for the first $500.00 plus $3.36 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,001.00 to $25,000.00 — $76.18 for the first $2,000.00 plus $15.40 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $25,001.00 to $50,000.00 — $430.38 for the first $25,000.00 plus $11.11 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 — $708.13 for the first $50,000.00 plus $7.70 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,001.00 to $500,000.00 — $1,093.13 for the first $100,000.00 plus $6.16 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,001.00 to $1,000,000.00 — $3,557.13 for the first $500,000.00 plus $5.23 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000.00; Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,001.00 and up — $6,169.63 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $4.02 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof; Plan Review Fee — 65% of the Permit Fee; Building Use Tax — 3% of building materials valuation (estimated at 1.5% of total project valuation for calculation purposes). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

The City's own published Review Periods list 20 to 25 working days (3-5 weeks) for new single-family homes and 15 working days for other residential permits requiring plan review. The City explicitly states these are goals, not guarantees.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Online Permitting Portal); Construction Drawings; Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Golden requires 5 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction), in order: Foundation / Footing or Caisson, Foundation and Damp Proofing, Rough Frame, Rough Plumbing / Rough Electrical / Rough Heating, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Golden Building Department ((303) 384-8151).

Apply through City of Golden Building Department at 911 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401 (Building Department); Planning Department at 1445 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401. Phone: (303) 384-8151, email: building@cityofgolden.net. Office hours: Monday-Friday, general City Hall hours (main line (303) 384-8000); Building Department direct line (303) 384-8151. Official information: https://www.cityofgolden.gov/business/building_construction/building_permit.php.

Golden, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), with local Appendix G (Flood Flrp/flood-resistant construction) and Appendix I (Patio Covers) — City of Golden Building Permit Process page; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), with local Appendix BE (Radon Control Methods) and Appendix CD (Piping Standards for Various Applications) — City of Golden Building Permit Process page; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Existing Buildings Code (IEBC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — note: Golden uses the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code; 2024 International Building Code Appendix K — Administrative Provisions for the National Electrical Code; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Golden Wildfire Resiliency Code (GWRC), adopted by City Ordinance No. 2290 and codified as Chapter 15.80 of the Golden Municipal Code — applies to new construction, significant additions, repairs, and remodels on properties within Golden's designated Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas (per the Official Golden Wildfire Map); establishes fire-resistant construction standards for two hazard classifications, Class I (low fire intensity) and Class II (medium and high fire intensity); enforcement begins June 10, 2026; Golden Municipal Code Title 15, Chapter 15.08 (Building Code) governs local amendments and adoption by reference; Chapter 15.01 (Contractor Registration) governs the city's separate contractor registration requirement. Local amendments apply — see the Golden overview page for the full list.

The City of Golden Building Department issues its own building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits for all work within Golden city limits — Golden is a home-rule city with its own department, separate from Jefferson County's unincorporated permitting program.