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Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit in Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Required for interior build-out of tenant space within an existing commercial building or shell in Wheat Ridge (e.g., a new retail, office, or restaurant fit-out). Valued at 20% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure per the City's 2026 Budget fee schedule — a distinct, lower valuation modifier than the 80% figure used for a new 'Shell Only' building.

Reviewed 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 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 Contractor
  • Permit expires 365 days after issuance regardless of activity, same citywide rule as all other permit types

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Tenant Finish — valuation basisCity of Wheat Ridge Permit Valuation & Fees page, 2026 Budget 'Project Specific Valuation' table — a minimum valuation floor fed into the general Building Permit Fee Schedule below, not a standalone flat fee
20% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure
Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (general Fee Schedule, same tiers as all other permit types)2026 Budget fee table, Permit Valuation & Fees page
$26.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the Permit Fee Schedule
Plan Review Fee
65% of the Permit Fee
Use Tax
3.5% of 60% of total project valuation

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit permit actually take in Wheat Ridge?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Framing/Demising Walls

    Interior framing and demising wall/fire separation before cover, where applicable

  2. 2

    Rough Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical

    Trade rough-ins before concealment

  3. 3

    Final Inspection

    All work complete per approved plans and applicable code

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

Tips

  • Tenant Finish is valued separately from — and lower than — a new 'Shell Only' building permit (20% vs. 80% of the occupancy's BVD figure); if you're delivering a shell-then-build-out project, budget for two distinct permit fee events rather than assuming one covers both.
  • Because the City does not publish a tenant-finish-specific review timeline, ask the Building Division directly (303-235-2855, Option 1 or Option 4 for Plan Review) for a current estimate rather than assuming either the residential or commercial general figure applies to your project.
  • Confirm your general contractor holds a Class 1 or Class 2 Wheat Ridge license — Class 3 (Residential General Contractor) is not valid for tenant space in a non-residential occupancy.

Frequently asked questions

Wheat Ridge requires a tenant improvement / tenant finish permit for: 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. If your project isn't listed, confirm with 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 before starting work.

In Wheat Ridge, the published Tenant Finish — valuation basis is: 20% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (general Fee Schedule, same tiers as all other permit types) — $26.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the Permit Fee Schedule; Plan Review Fee — 65% of the Permit Fee; Use Tax — 3.5% of 60% of total project valuation. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Not separately published. The City's Building Permits page only breaks review time into 'Residential' (up to four weeks) and 'Commercial' (four to six weeks) sub-ranges without a tenant-finish-specific figure; confirm current timing directly with the Building Division.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (OpenGov Portal); Tenant Finish Construction Drawings. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Wheat Ridge requires 3 inspection(s) for a tenant improvement / tenant finish permit, in order: Framing/Demising Walls, Rough Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical, Final 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.

At 20% of the appropriate occupancy's ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) figure, per the City's Permit Valuation & Fees page's 'Project Specific Valuation' table — distinct from the 80% figure used for a new 'Shell Only' building permit.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

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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