Wheat Ridge building permits

Requirements

• Plans must comply with the applicable code edition — 2018 or 2024 I-Codes electable through December 31, 2025; 2024 I-Codes mandatory for all applications submitted on/after January 1, 2026
• Submitted and managed electronically through the City's OpenGov permit portal (wheatridgeco.portal.opengov.com)
• Permit fee calculated from the Building Valuation Data Chart applied to the City's Building Permit Fee Schedule; Plan Review Fee (65% of permit fee) due at application; Use Tax (3.5% of 60% of project valuation) collected with the permit
• All contractors must hold a current City of Wheat Ridge contractor license (or valid reciprocal license from Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, or Park County) in addition to any required Colorado state trade license
• Permit expires 365 days after issuance regardless of activity

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Submitted electronically via the City's OpenGov permitting/licensing/inspections portal
• RequiredConstruction DrawingsFull plan set demonstrating compliance with the applicable IRC/IBC edition and local Chapter 5 amendments
• RequiredSite PlanProperty lines, setbacks, and existing/proposed structures

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Permit required for: new buildings, ADUs, room additions, roofing, decks, porch covers, pools/hot tubs deeper than 24 inches, retaining walls over 4 feet high, storage sheds over 120 sq ft, electrical service changes, HVAC replacements, window alterations, and siding — per the City's Building Permits page
• Permits are NOT normally required for painting or minor repairs
• Submitted electronically via the OpenGov portal
• All contractors must hold a current City of Wheat Ridge contractor license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Submitted via the City's OpenGov portal; select the appropriate residential alteration/addition project type
• RequiredConstruction DrawingsPlans showing the addition/remodel scope and structural connection to the existing structure

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Permit required for electrical service changes and other electrical work per the Building Permits page's permit-trigger list
• State-licensed electricians register (no separate city exam) by submitting their State of Colorado Master Electrician license and State of Colorado Electrical Contractor license to the City
• Governed by the latest NEC edition adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board
• Flat-rate trade fee applies for EV charging (residential) and panel upgrades (≤400A) rather than the general valuation table

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit Application (OpenGov Portal / Electrical Service Change form)Apply via OpenGov; a dedicated Electrical Service Change/Upgrade form is also published on the City's Form Center
• RequiredState of Colorado Master Electrician & Electrical Contractor LicensesRequired for registration with the City in lieu of a separate city electrical exam

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Permit required for plumbing installation, alteration, or repair, including water heater replacement
• Contractors must hold the City's Class 4 Plumbing license ($100) in addition to State of Colorado Master Plumber and Plumbing Contractor licenses — unlike electricians, plumbers do not get a registration-only path
• Governed by the 2024 IPC as locally adopted (excluding Chapters 1 and 14, retaining Section 102)
• Water heater replacement is billed at a flat trade rate rather than the general valuation table

Required documents

• RequiredPlumbing Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Apply via OpenGov under the plumbing permit type
• RequiredCity Class 4 Plumbing LicenseRequired in addition to State of Colorado Master Plumber and Plumbing Contractor licenses

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Permit required for HVAC replacements per the Building Permits page's permit-trigger list, including furnace replacement
• Governed by the 2024 IMC as locally adopted
• Contractors must hold the City's Class 5 Mechanical license ($100) or provide qualifying ICC test results/reciprocal license
• Furnace replacement is billed at a flat trade rate rather than the general valuation table

Required documents

• RequiredMechanical Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Apply via OpenGov under the mechanical/HVAC permit type

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Roofing is listed among the project types requiring a permit on the City's Building Permits page
• Asphalt shingles must be nailed with a minimum of six (6) nails per shingle — City of Wheat Ridge FAQ page
• Ice and water shield must extend two feet inside the exterior wall line at eaves
• Drip edge is required
• Roofing contractors are licensed under Class 7 (Tested Specialty), covering roofing, gas piping, fire suppression, and low-voltage work ($100 license fee)

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Roofing Permit Application (OpenGov Portal / City Form Center)A dedicated Residential Roofing Permit Application form is published on the City's Form Center in addition to the general OpenGov portal path; the form's full internal checklist (beyond the nailing/ice-shield/drip-edge rules published on the FAQ page) was not independently retrievable from the public-facing page content during this review

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Solar PV installation requires a permit application through the City's Form Center / OpenGov portal
• Plan review fees are required at the time of the solar PV installation permit application; building permit and other applicable fees are paid later at permit issuance
• As of January 1, 2026, all new permit applications, including solar, must comply with the 2024 I-Codes

Required documents

• RequiredSolar PV Installation Permit Application (Form Center / OpenGov Portal)Dedicated Solar PV Installation permit application form published on the City's Form Center in addition to the general OpenGov portal path

Fee schedule

Requirements

• EV charger installation requires a permit application through the City's OpenGov portal (or Form Center for legacy trade-specific forms)
• Residential Electric Vehicle Charging permit fee includes plan check as part of the flat rate
• Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging is billed on the standard valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule rather than a flat rate
• As of January 1, 2026, all new permit applications, including EV charger installs, must comply with the 2024 I-Codes and current NEC edition adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board
• A licensed electrical contractor registered with the City (State of Colorado Master Electrician / Electrical Contractor license) must be signed onto the permit

Required documents

• RequiredElectric Vehicle Charging Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Online application through the City's OpenGov permitting portal
• RequiredElectrical Load Calculations / One-Line DiagramTypically required to demonstrate the existing electrical service can support the added EV charging load

Fee schedule

Requirements

• ADUs allowed in all residential, agricultural, planned development, and mixed-use neighborhood zone districts as an accessory use to a single-unit home; NOT permitted on duplex or multi-unit properties
• Maximum size: 1,000 sq ft or 50% of the main house's gross floor area (including attached garage), whichever is more restrictive; units of 500-750 sq ft are always allowed provided they remain smaller than the main house; detached ADU footprint capped at 1,000 sq ft
• Height: detached ADUs capped at 25 feet; attached ADUs must follow the main house's height requirements
• ADUs cannot be subdivided or sold separately from the main house
• No additional off-street parking required for a standard ADU (short-term-rental use of an ADU triggers separate STR parking standards)
• All sides of a new ADU must be within 150 feet of an approved fire access road, or fire sprinklers may be required; attached ADUs require a fire-rated wall separation from the primary dwelling
• Existing (built before August 15, 2022) unpermitted ADUs have until August 15, 2026 to apply for legal status
• Governed by Ordinance 1744, approved July 11, 2022, effective August 15, 2022

Required documents

• OptionalExisting ADU Application (Form Center)Dedicated form for owners seeking to legalize a pre-existing ADU built before the ordinance's effective date
• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Standard City of Wheat Ridge building permit process applies to new ADU construction

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Demolition of a building or structure requires a permit
• Class 1 (Unlimited General Contractor) license holders are authorized to perform demolition of all or any part of a building or structure on a site where they will build new construction, remodel, alter, or repair an existing building
• Fee is flat-rate, scaled by site acreage rather than project valuation

Required documents

• RequiredDemolition Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Apply via the OpenGov portal under the demolition permit type; a detailed public-facing checklist beyond the fee schedule was not independently retrievable from the City's site during this review

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Retaining walls over 4 feet high require a building permit, per the City's Building Permits page
• Fencing contractors fall under the City's Class 8 (Untested Specialty) contractor license category, alongside signage and other trades without ICC exams
• A more detailed fence-height permit threshold beyond the retaining-wall figure above was not found independently published on the City's site during this review

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding/Zoning Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Apply via the OpenGov portal under the applicable exterior/zoning permit type
• RequiredSite PlanShowing fence/wall location relative to property lines

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for new construction, additions, and alterations per the City's Building Permits page 'Do I Need a Permit?' list, which applies to all occupancy types (not split by residential vs. commercial in that list itself)
• Reviewed under the applicable code edition — 2018 or 2024 I-Codes electable through December 31, 2025; 2024 I-Codes (including 2024 IBC, excluding Chapter 1) mandatory for all applications submitted on/after January 1, 2026
• Submitted and managed electronically through the City's OpenGov permit portal (wheatridgeco.portal.opengov.com), same as all other Wheat Ridge building permits
• 'Shell Only' construction (a new building shell without interior tenant build-out) is valued at 80% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure, per the City's 2026 Budget 'Project Specific Valuation' table on the Permit Valuation & Fees page — a minimum valuation floor applied before the general fee calculation, distinct from a fully finished ground-up building valued at the standard 100% BVD figure for its occupancy type
• Permit fee is then calculated from that valuation using the same general valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule used for residential construction (see the residential-building-permit entry's fee tiers in this file); Plan Review Fee (65% of permit fee) due at application; Use Tax (3.5% of 60% of project valuation) collected with the permit
• General contractors typically need the City's Class 1 (Unlimited General Contractor — unlimited building type/size, all structural work) or Class 2 (Limited General Contractor — Type III/IV/V buildings not exceeding 3 stories, excluding Educational/Institutional/Hazardous occupancies) license; Class 3 (Residential General Contractor) is scoped only to single-unit/duplex/townhome residential structures and is not valid for commercial occupancy types. Source: Contractor Licenses & Registration page
• Permit expires 365 days after issuance regardless of activity, same citywide rule as all other permit types
• Certain permits require 'proof of submission' to West Metro Fire District or Arvada Fire District (both require separate online plan-review submittals) as an attachment before the City will complete its own review — commonly applicable to commercial-scope projects. Source: Building Permits page, 'Permit Review' section

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Submitted electronically via the City's OpenGov permitting/licensing/inspections portal — the same portal and general application path used for all Wheat Ridge building permits; no separate paper commercial-specific application or public submittal checklist beyond the OpenGov portal itself was found published on the City's site during this review
• RequiredConstruction DrawingsFull plan set demonstrating compliance with the applicable IBC edition and local Chapter 5 amendments for the proposed occupancy classification
• RequiredSite PlanProperty lines, setbacks, and existing/proposed structures
• OptionalProof of Fire/Water/Sanitation District SubmittalPrinted confirmation (email or portal confirmation page) of a separate online submittal to West Metro Fire District or Arvada Fire District, where the project falls within one of those special districts' review scope

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Falls under 'Interior remodels' and 'Basement and tenant finishes' on the City's Building Permits page 'Do I Need a Permit?' list — the same list applies citywide and is not itself split into a residential vs. commercial sub-list
• Valued at 20% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure, per the City's 2026 Budget 'Project Specific Valuation' table (listed under 'Miscellaneous' as 'Tenant Finish,' separately from the R-3-occupancy 'Interior Remodels' category used for residential basement finishes/kitchen/bath remodels) — a minimum valuation floor distinct from the 80% 'Shell Only' figure used for the underlying base building
• Permit fee is then calculated from that valuation using the same general valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule as all other Wheat Ridge permits; Plan Review Fee (65% of permit fee) due at application; Use Tax (3.5% of 60% of project valuation) collected with the permit
• Submitted and managed electronically through the City's OpenGov permit portal, same as all other Wheat Ridge building permits
• Reviewed under the applicable code edition — 2018 or 2024 I-Codes electable through December 31, 2025; 2024 I-Codes mandatory for all applications submitted on/after January 1, 2026
• General contractors typically need the City's Class 1 or Class 2 general contractor license for non-residential occupancy tenant space; Class 3 (Residential General Contractor) is not valid for commercial occupancy types. Source: Contractor Licenses & Registration page
• Permit expires 365 days after issuance regardless of activity, same citywide rule as all other permit types

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov Portal)Submitted electronically via the City's OpenGov portal; no separate paper tenant-finish-specific application or public submittal checklist beyond the OpenGov portal itself was found published on the City's site during this review
• RequiredTenant Finish Construction DrawingsPlan set showing the interior scope of work, occupancy classification, and code compliance for the tenant space

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Permanent signs such as wall signs or ground-mounted (freestanding) signs require a Building Permit
• If painted signs or window/door signs are proposed separately from a larger sign package submittal, a Zoning Permit (not a Building Permit) is required
• Face/copy changes are exempt from a building permit if no modifications are made to the sign structure, cabinets, supports, or electricity
• All sign contractors are required to license with the City prior to erecting any signage, except for painted and window/door signs
• Permanent sign standards, including size allowances for freestanding and wall signs and location eligibility, are set in City Code Sec. 26-710
• Temporary sign standards, including size and quantity limitations for temporary signage that does not require a permit, are set in City Code Sec. 26-711
• Signage submittal typically requires a building permit application including sign detail (dimensions, electrical/structural information if applicable) and a site plan showing sign location, setbacks, and building/tenant space dimensions

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov) — permanent wall/freestanding signsSubmitted through the City's OpenGov portal; must include sign detail with dimensions and electrical/structural information, plus a site plan showing sign location, setbacks, and building or tenant space dimensions
• OptionalZoning Permit Application — painted signs / window-door signs (standalone)Required instead of a building permit when a painted sign or window/door sign is proposed separately from a larger sign package
• RequiredSign Contractor LicenseRequired for the contractor erecting the sign, except for painted signs and window/door signs

Fee schedule

Requirements

• West Metro Fire Protection District's Life Safety Division performs plan review, permitting, and inspections for new construction and modifications to existing fire alarm and sprinkler systems
• 'City or County permits may be required for work being done with regard to smoke detection or automatic sprinkler systems' in addition to the West Metro Fire permit
• Fire Suppression and Fire Detection Systems plans require at minimum a NICET III stamp or a Professional Engineer stamp from an engineer trained in the design of the particular system being installed
• Plans must be drawn to scale on minimum 18-inch x 24-inch sheets and include data sheets for all equipment
• Documentation must follow IFC Chapter 1, NFPA 72 Chapter 7 (fire alarm systems), and NFPA 13 Chapter 23 (sprinkler systems)
• Standpipe specifications: 1.5-inch couplings with iron pipe thread; 2.5-inch couplings with National Standard thread
• All system components must be fully tested and ready for Acceptance Testing before an inspection is scheduled, and required permits (fire department and City/County) must be available on-site
• Applications are submitted through West Metro Fire's online contractor portal

Required documents

• RequiredFire Alarm/Sprinkler Permit Application (West Metro Fire Contractor Portal)Submitted online through West Metro Fire Protection District's contractor portal
• RequiredStamped System PlansDrawn to scale on minimum 18" x 24" sheets, stamped by a NICET III technician or Colorado-registered PE trained in the specific system type
• RequiredEquipment Data SheetsData sheets for all system components

Fee schedule

Requirements

• WRMC Sec. 5-22(f)(4) ('Change in occupancy'): 'It shall be unlawful to make any change in the occupancy of any structure that will subject the structure to any provision of the code applicable to the new occupancy without approval of the code official. The code official will issue a new certificate of occupancy when such structure meets the intent of the provisions of law governing building construction for the proposed new occupancy and that such change of occupancy does not result in any hazard to the public health, safety or welfare'
• WRMC Sec. 5-22(f)(2) separately provides that the legal occupancy of any building existing on the code's adoption date may continue without change, except as otherwise provided by the Code, the International Fire Code, or the International Property Maintenance Code, or as the building official deems necessary for general safety and welfare
• A building permit is required if the change of occupancy involves renovations or new construction; if no construction is involved, Building Division review/approval of the occupancy change itself is still required under Sec. 5-22(f)(4)
• A new Certificate of Occupancy is issued once the code official approves the change

Required documents

• OptionalBuilding Permit Application (OpenGov) — if construction/renovation is involvedRequired when the change of occupancy includes renovations or new construction
• RequiredCertificate of Occupancy / Temporary Certificate of Occupancy RequestRequested once the Building Division approves the new occupancy classification

Fee schedule