Solar PV Permit in Durango, Colorado

Durango requires a solar pv permit for: All solar panel installations require a solar permit from the City; Applicants should review the solar permit checklist before submitting an application (referenced on the Do I Need a Permit? page; not independently retrieved in this review — see honestly-unresolved note); May also be required to go through the Commercial Design Review process for certain projects; New flat-fee pricing structure effective 04/01/2026, same schedule as roofing; Photovoltaic (solar) electrical installation work is separately permitted and inspected by the State of Colorado Electrical Board (DORA), per the City's Do I Need a Permit? page, which lists 'photovoltaic installation' explicitly under the state-handled Electrical permit category. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-375-5000 before starting work.

In Durango, the published Solar Permit Fee — Residential is: $125 flat + use tax. Additional published fees: Solar Permit Fee — Commercial — $175 flat + use tax; Use Tax — 1.75% of project valuation. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Durango does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-375-5000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Solar Permit Application (OpenGov portal). Depending on your project, Durango may also ask for: Solar Permit Checklist. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Durango requires 1 inspection(s) for a solar pv permit, in order: Final Inspection (mounting/roof penetrations). Schedule each through City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division (970-375-5000).

Apply through City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division at 949 E 2nd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301. Phone: 970-375-5000, email: Building@DurangoCo.Gov. Office hours: Not published on the Building Division pages as of this review; main City Hall line 970-375-5000. General building-permit questions: Building@DurangoCo.Gov. Fee-schedule calculation questions: 970-375-4850.. Official information: https://www.durangoco.gov/311/Applying-for-a-Building-Permit.

Durango, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Durango Building Codes page, effective for new projects not already in a planning process prior to 01/01/2026; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code (CMERSRC) — state-mandated, per City of Durango Building Codes page and Submittal Requirements page; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (WRC) — state-mandated; City of Durango began enforcement April 1, 2026 per the Building Codes page and Do I Need a Permit? page; Transition provision: projects with full vertical construction drawings designed to the 2018 I-Codes and submitted to the Planning Division prior to January 1, 2026 may remain compliant with that older code cycle; all other new submittals must follow the 2024 I-Codes, 2023 NEC, CMERSRC, and Wildfire Resiliency Code; Code books available for review at Community Development and the City Clerk's Office; full municipal code at library.municode.com/co/durango. Local amendments apply — see the Durango overview page for the full list.

No. The City's own Do I Need a Permit? page lists photovoltaic installation under the Electrical permit category, which the State of Colorado Electrical Board handles exclusively — not the City Building Division.