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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit — Wheat Ridge, Colorado · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-08-14 · Source: https://library.municode.com/co/wheat_ridge/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOLA_CH5BUBURE
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Required whenever a change in occupancy would subject an existing structure to a building code provision applicable to the new occupancy, under Wheat Ridge Municipal Code Sec. 5-22(f)(4). The Chief Building Official must approve the change and will issue a new Certificate of Occupancy once the structure meets applicable code requirements for the proposed new occupancy.
Verified 2026-08-14 · Source
When you need this permit
- 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
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Fee schedule
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO)City of Wheat Ridge Permit Valuation & Fees page: 'considered on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the building official'
$350.00 per TCO
Building Permit Fee (if construction/renovation is involved)Applies only if the change of occupancy includes renovations or new construction; no separate flat fee is published for an occupancy-only change with no construction
Valuation-based, per the City's general Building Permit Fee Schedule
Review timeline
Plan review
Not published — contact the department
Inspection process
- 1
Building Division Inspection
Required if construction, alteration, or improvement work is performed as part of the occupancy change
See the full Wheat Ridge inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- If no construction is involved, the occupancy change itself still requires Chief Building Official approval under WRMC Sec. 5-22(f)(4) before the new use is legal — contact Building and Inspection Services at (303) 235-2855, Option 1, before opening in a new occupancy classification.
- A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is available at the building official's sole discretion for $350 per TCO if you need to occupy before final approval is complete.
Frequently asked questions
A full building permit is only required if the change of occupancy involves renovations or new construction. However, Building Division review and approval of the occupancy change itself is still required under WRMC Sec. 5-22(f)(4) even without construction.
In Wheat Ridge, the published Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) is: $350.00 per TCO. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee (if construction/renovation is involved) — Valuation-based, per the City's general Building Permit Fee Schedule. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.
Wheat Ridge does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Wheat Ridge Building Division (Community Development Department) at 303-235-2855 (Option 1: Building Permits & Contractor Licensing; Option 2: Inspections; Option 4: Plan Review); General City phone 303-234-5900 for current turnaround.
You'll need: Certificate of Occupancy / Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Request. Depending on your project, Wheat Ridge may also ask for: Building Permit Application (OpenGov) — if construction/renovation is involved. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
Wheat Ridge requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Building Division Inspection. Schedule each through City of Wheat Ridge Building Division (Community Development Department) (303-235-2855 (Option 1: Building Permits & Contractor Licensing; Option 2: Inspections; Option 4: Plan Review); General City phone 303-234-5900).
Apply through City of Wheat Ridge Building Division (Community Development Department) at 7500 W. 29th Ave., 2nd Floor, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. Phone: 303-235-2855 (Option 1: Building Permits & Contractor Licensing; Option 2: Inspections; Option 4: Plan Review); General City phone 303-234-5900, email: buildingpermits@ci.wheatridge.co.us (Permits); planreview@ci.wheatridge.co.us (Plan Review); buildinginspections@ci.wheatridge.co.us (Inspections); contractorlicensing@ci.wheatridge.co.us (Contractor Licensing). Office hours: Walk-in hours Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; service also available by appointment or phone/email starting at 7:30 a.m. Inspection request windows: AM inspections typically 8 a.m.-noon, PM typically noon-3 p.m., with a 2-hour window given on inspection day.. Official information: https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/278/Building-Division.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado has adopted: As of January 1, 2026: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), excluding Chapter 1 — City of Wheat Ridge Adopted Codes & Amendments page; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), excluding Chapter 1, including local Appendices BB, BE, BF, BO, CA, CB, CC, CE, CF, CH; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining Section 102; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining Section 102; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), excluding Chapters 1 and 14, retaining Section 102; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining specified sections; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), excluding Chapter 1; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining Sections 102 and 111; 2024 International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC), excluding Chapter 1; International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining Section 102; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), excluding Chapter 1, retaining Section 105, adopting Appendices B, C, D, F, H, O; National Electrical Code — latest edition adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board (2023 NEC as of this review); ICC/ANSI A117.1 — Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities; Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code; Colorado Model Low Energy and Carbon Code, excluding Chapter 1, retaining specified sections; Adopted by Ordinance 1883; local amendments consolidated in Chapter 5 of the Wheat Ridge Municipal Code, which reorganizes permit/enforcement/appeals administrative provisions into a single article. Source: City of Wheat Ridge Adopted Codes & Amendments page, https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/280/Adopted-Codes-Amendments; TRANSITION PERIOD: through December 31, 2025, permit applicants may elect to use either the prior 2018 International Codes (adopted by City Council January 13, 2020, effective July 1, 2020) or the new 2024 codes; all new permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2024 I-Codes. Source: Adopted Codes & Amendments page; Forward-looking provision: beginning January 1, 2027, residential fire sprinklers will be required for new townhomes; single-unit detached homes and duplexes remain exempt. Source: Adopted Codes & Amendments page. Local amendments apply — see the Wheat Ridge overview page for the full list.
WRMC Sec. 5-22(f)(4) makes it unlawful to change occupancy in a way that subjects the structure to code provisions applicable to the new occupancy without the code official's approval — a new Certificate of Occupancy must be issued once the structure meets the applicable requirements.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-14.
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 Wheat Ridge building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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