Berthoud building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Berthoud, Colorado.
Last verified 2026-07-06 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 807 Mountain Ave, Berthoud, CO 80513 (PO Box 1229, Berthoud, CO 80513)
- Phone
- 970-532-2643 (option 3); alt. 970-344-5828
- Office hours
- Main line 970-532-2643 option 3 (fax 970-532-0640). Inspections are performed under contract by SAFEbuilt/ProCode — phone 970-305-3161 ext. 1, online scheduling via the Town's CommunityCore portal; inspection requests must be received by 4 p.m. for next-business-day completion.
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at Berthoud's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Berthoud — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Colorado has no statewide-mandated building code edition. Under the Colorado Constitution's home-rule provisions (art. XX, home rule for municipalities since 1902; home rule for counties since 1970), building codes and zoning are an enumerated home-rule charter power, so cities and counties adopt and amend their own construction codes independently — predominantly the I-Codes, with editions and local amendments varying by jurisdiction. The one statewide floor is for energy: HB22-1362 (2022) created the Energy Code Board (jointly appointed by the Colorado Energy Office and the Department of Local Affairs) and requires that, on or after July 1, 2023 and before July 1, 2026, any municipality or county that adopts or updates a building code must adopt and enforce an energy code achieving performance equivalent to or better than the 2021 IECC together with the board's Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code (which includes electric-ready, EV-ready, and solar-ready provisions); from July 1, 2026 onward the floor shifts to the board's Model Low Energy and Carbon Code or an equivalent. Electrical and plumbing permitting defaults to the Colorado State Electrical Board and State Plumbing Board (within DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations) — the state issues permits and inspects statewide except in counties/jurisdictions that operate their own certified Electrical or Plumbing Inspection Program, in which case the local program has authority instead. Always confirm the currently adopted code edition, local amendments, and inspection authority (state board vs. local program) with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.
- 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — Chapters 1-33 and Appendix Chapter I, adopted by reference with local amendments (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11.1)
- 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — Chapters 1-43 and Appendix AB, adopted by reference with local amendments (Chapter 11.2). Fee schedule is explicitly keyed to '2024 IRC Appendix AB' as the valuation-based fee table.
- 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Chapters 1-16 (Chapter 11.3)
- 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Commercial Chapters 1-6, Residential Chapters 1-6, INCLUDING Appendix CK (Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code — Commercial) and Appendix RM (Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code — Residential) (Chapter 11.4)
- 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC / NFPA 70) (Chapter 11.5)
- 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Chapters 1-13 (Chapter 11.10)
- 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Chapters 1-15 (Chapter 11.16)
- 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Chapters 1-8 (Chapter 11.17)
- Colorado State Regulation 86 (Graywater Systems) — Town of Berthoud is the designated local agency for graywater oversight (Chapter 11.18)
- 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Chapters 1-11 (Chapter 11.19)
- 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — Chapters 1-8 (Chapter 11.20)
- HB22-1362 statewide energy code floor: Berthoud's 2024 IECC adoption incorporates Appendix CK and Appendix RM (the Colorado Energy Office's model Electric Ready / Solar Ready / EV Ready code), satisfying HB22-1362's statewide low-energy and electric-and-solar-ready requirement — per the Town's own 2024 I-Code Amendment ordinance text (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11.4).
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new construction of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes in the Town of Berthoud. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC (Chapters 1-43 and Appendix AB) as locally amended, plus the Town's Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (35 psf ground snow load, 115-140 mph ultimate wind speed, 30-inch frost depth). Issued by the Planning & Building Department; inspections performed under contract by SAFEbuilt/ProCode.
See fee scheduleResidential Addition / Remodel / Basement Finish Permit
Required for additions, interior remodels, and basement finishes to existing one- and two-family homes and townhomes in Berthoud. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as locally amended; basement finishes are billed as a distinct flat-fee category on the Town's fee schedule.
From$50valuation-basedElectrical Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or repair of electrical systems in Berthoud. Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted. Electricians must hold an active Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) license, contemporaneously verified by the Town per its posted HB19-1086/SB19-156 procedure — Berthoud does not run a separate local electrical licensing board, and its own Trade Contractor license fee is explicitly waived for electrical contractors 'per State Statutes.'
From$100.00EV Charger / EVSE Installation Permit
Berthoud has no distinct EV charger/EVSE permit category or fee line. A retrofit EV charging circuit is billed under the Electrical Permit's general 'All Other' valuation-based fee table. Separately, new residential construction in Berthoud must satisfy the Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code (Appendix RM), which requires a dedicated EV-ready garage circuit even when a charger is not installed at time of construction.
From$100.00Plumbing Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems in Berthoud, governed by the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as locally amended (or the corresponding chapters of the 2024 IRC for one- and two-family work). Plumbers must hold an active Colorado State Plumbing Board (DORA) license, contemporaneously verified by the Town — the same state-anchored model as electrical, with the Town's own Trade Contractor license fee waived for plumbing contractors.
From$50valuation-basedMechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment installation or replacement in Berthoud. Governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as locally amended.
From$50valuation-basedRe-Roof Permit
Required for all residential re-roofing in Berthoud, billed as a flat over-the-counter fee. Governed by 2024 IRC Chapter 9 as locally amended, requiring Class 4 impact-resistant asphalt shingles (UL 2218), full tear-off to the deck, and ice barrier underlayment to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. Detailed in the Town's own 'Building Guide — 2024 IRC Residential Re-Roof' (published by SAFEbuilt, January 2026).
$150.00Rooftop Solar / Photovoltaic Permit
Required for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installations in Berthoud. Electrical portions governed by the 2023 NEC (Article 625 for EVSE-adjacent work) as adopted; new construction and major renovations must also satisfy Appendix RM/CK Colorado Model Solar Ready Code provisions even where solar is not being installed at time of construction. PV fees are billed as flat amounts distinct from the standard electrical fee tables.
From$500.00Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit
Berthoud's zoning code permits accessory dwelling units in at least its R4 (mixed-use residential) zone district, where an ADU counts as 0.33 units toward overall project density and is listed as requiring approval via a Building Permit following the applicable land-use approval (Table 3.3 of the Berthoud Development Code). There is no dedicated standalone 'ADU permit' fee line on the Town's fee schedule — an approved ADU is built and permitted through the standard residential building-permit process once zoning/land-use approval is secured.
From$50valuation-basedDemolition Permit
Required for demolition of structures in Berthoud, billed as a flat over-the-counter fee. A separate, additional 'Historic Building Alteration/Demolition' Planning Division application fee applies if the structure has historic designation.
From$150.00Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit
Required for tenant finishes and remodels of commercial buildings in Berthoud. Reviewed under the 2024 IBC/IECC as locally amended by the Town's Planning & Building Department; fire-protection-system components (sprinklers, alarms, suppression, fire pumps) are independently plan-reviewed and permitted by the Berthoud Fire Protection District, which publishes an actual 15-business-day turnaround SLA distinct from the Town's own unpublished timeline.
From$50valuation-basedDeck / Patio Cover / Patio Enclosure Permit
Required for decks, patio covers, and patio enclosures in Berthoud per the Town's published 'Building Permits Are Required For' list. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as locally amended; the Town publishes dedicated Building Guides for Uncovered Decks & Porches and Patio Covers.
From$50valuation-basedFurnace / Water Heater Replacement Permit
Like-for-like furnace and hot water heater/boiler replacements are billed as a distinct flat-fee 'Over the Counter One-Stop' permit category in Berthoud, separate from the full valuation-based Building Permit Fee schedule used for new HVAC/plumbing system installs.
From$150.00Sign Permit
Required to erect, move, alter, reconstruct, or repair any permanent or temporary sign in Berthoud, per Development Code Section 7 (Berthoud Municipal Code Sections 30-7-101 to 111) and the Town's own Sign Permit Application and its 'Sign Permit Application Additional Information' sheet. Berthoud has a real, currently-operative sign permitting process with its own dedicated review track, a published 5-10 business day turnaround, and its own Town-issued Sign Contractor license class distinct from the Town's general Trade Contractor category.
From$150.00Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit
The Berthoud Fire Protection District (BFPD) — a special fire protection district genuinely separate from the Town of Berthoud Planning & Building Department, as documented at the jurisdiction level — issues its own permits for installation of any new, or modification to any existing, fire alarm or fire sprinkler system, including kitchen hood systems. Per BFPD's own Plan Review & Permitting page and its Consolidated Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2026: BFPD currently enforces the 2024 International Fire Code within the Town of Berthoud and Boulder/Larimer Counties, but the 2018 IFC within the Weld County portion of its service area — a genuinely real code-edition split that tracks the jurisdiction-level note that Berthoud straddles Larimer and Weld Counties. These BFPD permits are required IN ADDITION to any Town of Berthoud building permit.
From$65.00valuation-basedChange of Use / Change of Occupancy
Berthoud has no standalone 'change of use permit' by that name — none appears on the Town's Building Department or Planning Department pages or in the 2026 Schedule of Rates, Charges and Fees' Application Fees section. A change in use is instead addressed through the Development Code's Table 3.3 land-use framework (Berthoud Municipal Code Section 30-3, current version effective December 10, 2025), which marks each land use as either a principal use (allowed by right) or a conditional use (requiring a Conditional Use Permit / Use by Special Review) within each zone district, plus — on the building-code side — the 2024 International Existing Building Code's Change of Occupancy provisions already adopted by the Town (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11.3). Unusually, the Berthoud Fire Protection District (BFPD) ALSO runs its own separate 'Change of Occupancy' planning/zoning review with a real, published $100.00 flat fee — a genuinely third reviewing authority beyond the Town's zoning and building-code tracks.
From$7,500.00
Berthoud's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Berthoud yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.
Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Berthoud lands. Privacy.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-07)
- 12units
12 buildings · $6.5M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 127units
12 of 12 months reported · #30 in Colorado coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)
- 72units
72 buildings · $37.7M valuation
7 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 143units
143 buildings · $77.1M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Colorado building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Berthoud straddles Larimer and Weld Counties — per the 2020 Census, 10,071 of the town's 10,332 residents are in Larimer County and 261 in Weld County. This record uses countySlug 'larimer-county' as Berthoud's primary/seat county, but confirm the specific parcel's county for property-tax and county-recorder purposes; the Town's own Planning & Building Department (807 Mountain Ave) issues ALL building permits townwide regardless of which county a given parcel sits in — county building departments have no jurisdiction over incorporated Berthoud parcels.
- Colorado is home-rule with no statewide-mandated building code edition, so Berthoud's own 2024 I-Code Amendment ordinance (Berthoud Municipal Code Chapter 11) is the governing source for its adopted codes: 2024 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IECC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/ISPSC/IPMC plus the 2023 NEC, all taken directly from the ordinance text.
- HB22-1362's statewide energy floor is satisfied through Berthoud's adoption of Appendix CK (commercial) and Appendix RM (residential) — the Colorado Energy Office's model Electric Ready / Solar Ready / EV Ready code — as an integral part of its 2024 IECC adoption. This means even non-solar new construction must provide labeled reserved panel space, dedicated branch circuits for future electric equipment, and EV-ready garage wiring.
- Colorado's HB19-1086 (plumbing) and SB19-156 (electrical) require local Inspecting Entities to post a standard contemporaneous-license-review procedure rather than run their own separate trade licensing board. Berthoud's own posted procedure confirms it relies on Colorado State Electrical Board / State Plumbing Board (DORA) licenses, verified at registration and via random job-site checks — consistent with the Colorado-specific rule #3 (state-default model). The Town's own 2026 Trade Contractor licensing ordinance (No. 1376) explicitly states 'Fee is not charged for Electrical or Plumbing Contractors per State Statutes,' confirming the Town does not duplicate state licensure with its own paid local license for those two trades specifically (though a $0-fee Town registration may still be a formality — the ordinance did not specify whether registration itself is waived or only the fee).
- The Town of Berthoud's Planning & Building Department publishes no numeric plan-review turnaround for any standard building-permit category — not on the Building Permits page, in the 2024 IRC Building Guides, or in the 2026 Fee Schedule. The only published SLA is the Berthoud Fire Protection District's 'general fifteen (15) business day turn around time' for its own independent commercial fire-system plan review. The Fire Protection District is a separate governmental entity from the Town Building Department, so do not read that 15-business-day figure as a Town turnaround.
- 'Over the Counter One-Stop Fees' ($150 base + $25 Administration + $25 Technology = $200 total) apply to a specific, enumerated list of straightforward permit types: Air Conditioning, Demolition, Furnace Replacement, Gas Piping, Hot Water Boiler, Hot Water Heater, Roofing/Re-Roofing (Residential), Water Service Line Repair, and Wastewater Service Line Repair — see the fee schedule, page 9 of 16. That table is dense enough that a copy-paste can garble it; read the figures from the page as published. Standard valuation-based Building Permit Fees (new construction, additions, non-residential, basement finish) carry a DIFFERENT $50+$50 administration/technology surcharge instead.
- Larimer County levies an ADDITIONAL 1.05% use tax on top of the Town's own 4% use tax on construction materials and fixed equipment, per the Town's live, current 2026 fee schedule (DocumentCenter/View/7219). An older cached copy of a same-titled document states an outdated 0.8% figure — when two copies disagree, work from the Town's current live document, not an archived or cached one.
- A Town of Berthoud contractor license (Ordinance No. 1376, Series 2026) is required by class — General Contractor A/B, Residential General Contractor C, General Contractor D, Trade Contractor, or Sign Contractor — with tiered general liability insurance requirements ($1,000,000 for General/Residential C classes, $300,000 for General Contractor D/Trade/Sign) and a Certificate of Insurance naming the Town as Certificate Holder. This is IN ADDITION to any Colorado state trade license (electrical/plumbing) required for the specific trade.
- Impact-resistant (Class 4, UL 2218) asphalt shingles are required on Berthoud re-roofs, with a stricter-than-typical trigger: if a repair exceeds 50% of the roof area, the ENTIRE roof must be upgraded to Class 4 shingles, not just the repaired section. Full tear-off to the deck is required and ice barrier must extend at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line.
- Dollar figures in this record were read from the rendered fee-schedule and ordinance pages rather than from copied PDF text, because the raw text stream of those dense tables does not reliably line numbers up with their row labels. If you are checking a figure against the source yourself, read the page as published rather than trusting a copy-paste of the table.