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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy in Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins has no standalone change-of-use or change-of-occupancy permit or fee line — confirmed directly this session by checking the Building Permits page's full list of permit-type accordions (52 entries, none named Change of Use or Change of Occupancy) and the Fee Schedules page's Zoning Services table (no such line item). A change of use/occupancy instead runs on two parallel tracks already partly documented elsewhere in this file: the zoning side, verifying the new use is allowed under the Table of Primary Uses in Article 4 of the Land Use Code for the property's zone district (optionally confirmed via a $100 Zoning Verification Letter); and the building-code side, where the existing Commercial Remodels permit type explicitly lists 'change of function, use, or occupancy' as an example project and requires the City's dedicated 'Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements' submittal packet, reviewed under the City's adopted 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC).

Verified 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No standalone change-of-use or change-of-occupancy permit, application, or fee exists — confirmed absent from the Building Permits page's full set of permit-type accordions and from the Fee Schedules page's Zoning Services table, both checked directly this session
  • Zoning-side check: the proposed new use must be allowed under the Table of Primary Uses in Article 4 of the Fort Collins Land Use Code for the property's zone district; a $100 Zoning Verification Letter (Development Review Fees, Zoning Services table) can be requested to confirm this before applying for a building permit
  • If the new use is not a permitted or limited-permitted use in the applicable zone district, an Addition of Permitted Use process (a Development Review application, not itself a permit type documented in this file) may be required before a building permit can be issued
  • Building-code side: a change of function, use, or occupancy is processed under the Commercial Remodels permit type (documented elsewhere in this file), using the same tiered valuation-based fee table, and additionally requires the City's 'Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements' submittal packet
  • Reviewed against the City's adopted 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) with Fort Collins Amendments (already listed in this file's codesAdopted), which governs the life-safety and accessibility compliance triggered by a change in occupancy classification
  • Accessibility upgrades may be required depending on the specific occupancy change, per the City's Accessibility Upgrades Information guidance (already referenced under the Commercial Remodels entry)
  • Construction Waste and Recycling Declaration of Responsibility + Report and an Owner Authorization Form (commercial/multifamily) are required as part of the underlying Commercial Remodel submittal
  • Contact Building Services (buildingservices@fortcollins.gov, 970-416-2740) or Zoning (zoning@fortcollins.gov, 970-416-2745) directly to confirm which track(s) apply to a specific proposed use change, since no single consolidated City page walks through this exact scenario end-to-end

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Zoning Verification Letter (optional pre-check)City of Fort Collins Fee Schedules page — Development Review Fees, Zoning Services table, confirmed directly this session
$100.00
Commercial Remodel — valuation-based (the underlying building permit for the physical change-of-use/occupancy work)Same fee table as this file's Commercial Remodels/Tenant Improvement permit type — Fort Collins does not charge a separately itemized change-of-use or change-of-occupancy fee
Up to $2,000: flat $105.00. $2,000-$25,000: $105 + $15.50 per additional $1,000. $25,000-$50,000: $461.50 + $10.50/$1,000. $50,000-$100,000: $724.00 + $6.50/$1,000. $100,000-$500,000: $1,049.00 + $6/$1,000 (via $60 per $10,000). Above $500,000: $3,449.00 + $5.50/$1,000 (via $55 per $10,000).
Addition of Permitted Use (only if the new use is not already a permitted/limited use in the applicable zone district)City of Fort Collins Fee Schedules page, Development Review Fees > Planning Services table; confirm the applicable category with Development Review (970-221-6689) before applying
Not itemized as its own line on the general Fee Schedules page; processed as a Development Review application, with fees depending on the specific review category required (e.g., Minor Amendment $1,500)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Fort Collins building department
~0–0 business days

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy permit actually take in Fort Collins?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Zoning/Use Compliance Check

    Confirms the proposed use is a permitted or limited-permitted use in the applicable zone district under Article 4's Table of Primary Uses, before or alongside building-permit review

  2. 2

    Final Building

    All work complete per the approved Commercial Remodel plans, including any accessibility upgrades or life-safety changes required by the 2024 IEBC for the new occupancy classification

See the full Fort Collins inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Fort Collins has no single, standalone 'change of use permit' — start by checking Article 4's Table of Primary Uses for your property's zone district to confirm the proposed use is allowed by right, or request a $100 Zoning Verification Letter to get that confirmation in writing before applying for a building permit.
  • If your change of use also involves physical construction, tenant finish, or a formal change in occupancy classification, it is filed as a Commercial Remodels building permit (same tiered valuation-based fee table as any other commercial remodel) plus the City's dedicated Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements packet — there is no separate change-of-use fee on top of that.
  • If the proposed use is not already permitted or limited-permitted in your zone district, budget time and fees for an Addition of Permitted Use Development Review application before a building permit can even be issued — this is a genuinely separate process from the building-permit fee table.

Frequently asked questions

Fort Collins requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: No standalone change-of-use or change-of-occupancy permit, application, or fee exists — confirmed absent from the Building Permits page's full set of permit-type accordions and from the Fee Schedules page's Zoning Services table, both checked directly this session; Zoning-side check: the proposed new use must be allowed under the Table of Primary Uses in Article 4 of the Fort Collins Land Use Code for the property's zone district; a $100 Zoning Verification Letter (Development Review Fees, Zoning Services table) can be requested to confirm this before applying for a building permit; If the new use is not a permitted or limited-permitted use in the applicable zone district, an Addition of Permitted Use process (a Development Review application, not itself a permit type documented in this file) may be required before a building permit can be issued; Building-code side: a change of function, use, or occupancy is processed under the Commercial Remodels permit type (documented elsewhere in this file), using the same tiered valuation-based fee table, and additionally requires the City's 'Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements' submittal packet; Reviewed against the City's adopted 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) with Fort Collins Amendments (already listed in this file's codesAdopted), which governs the life-safety and accessibility compliance triggered by a change in occupancy classification; Accessibility upgrades may be required depending on the specific occupancy change, per the City's Accessibility Upgrades Information guidance (already referenced under the Commercial Remodels entry); Construction Waste and Recycling Declaration of Responsibility + Report and an Owner Authorization Form (commercial/multifamily) are required as part of the underlying Commercial Remodel submittal; Contact Building Services (buildingservices@fortcollins.gov, 970-416-2740) or Zoning (zoning@fortcollins.gov, 970-416-2745) directly to confirm which track(s) apply to a specific proposed use change, since no single consolidated City page walks through this exact scenario end-to-end. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 970-416-2740 before starting work.

If the use is already permitted in the zone district and no construction is involved, there is no dedicated fee beyond an optional $100 Zoning Verification Letter. If the change involves construction, tenant finish, or an occupancy-classification change, it is billed under the standard Commercial Remodels valuation-based fee table (starting at a flat $105 for projects up to $2,000) — there is no separate change-of-use surcharge on top of that fee.

Plan review for a change of use / change of occupancy permit in Fort Collins typically runs 0–0 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 970-416-2740.

You'll need: Commercial Remodel Permit Application (PDF, 530KB); Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements (PDF, 512KB); Owner Authorization Form (PDF, 374KB). Depending on your project, Fort Collins may also ask for: Zoning Verification Letter Application; Accessibility Upgrades Information (PDF, 499KB). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Fort Collins requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Zoning/Use Compliance Check, Final Building. Schedule each through City of Fort Collins — Building Services (970-416-2740).

Apply through City of Fort Collins — Building Services at 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524. Phone: 970-416-2740, email: BuildingServices@fortcollins.gov. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Official information: https://www.fortcollins.gov/Business/Building-and-Development/Building-Services.

Fort Collins, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) with 2024 Fort Collins IBC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026 (permits submitted on/after April 1, 2026 use these; 2021 IBC available for reference until Oct. 1, 2026); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) with 2024 Fort Collins IRC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026; 2024 International Energy Code (IECC) with 2024 Fort Collins IECC Amendments — current as of April 1, 2026; Fort Collins amendments add all-electric building provisions, solar-ready zone requirements, heat-pump and demand-response requirements (see localAmendments); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) with 2024 Fort Collins IMC Amendments; 2024 International Fuel and Gas Code (IFGC) with 2024 Fort Collins IFGC Amendments; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with 2024 Fort Collins IPC Amendments (Fort Collins uses the IPC, not the UPC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), effective Aug. 1, 2023 — adopted directly, matching the State of Colorado's adopted electrical code; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) with 2024 Fort Collins IEBC Amendments; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with 2024 Fort Collins IPMC Amendments; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) with 2024 Fort Collins ISPSC Amendments; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (adopted statewide, current as of April 1, 2026); 2017 ICC A117.1 — Accessibility, plus Colorado Accessibility State Law (CRS 9-5); Poudre Fire Authority Fire Code — see PFA's Fire Code webpage for current adopted fire code (separate department, not administered by Building Services). Local amendments apply — see the Fort Collins overview page for the full list.

No standalone change-of-use or change-of-occupancy permit, application, or fee exists. A change in use runs on two tracks: a zoning-side check against Article 4's Table of Primary Uses (optionally confirmed via a $100 Zoning Verification Letter), and, if physical work or an occupancy-classification change is involved, the existing Commercial Remodels building permit plus the City's Change of Occupancy Permit Requirements packet, reviewed under the 2024 IEBC.

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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy in other cities

Akron, ColoradoAlamosa, ColoradoArvada, ColoradoAspen, ColoradoAult, ColoradoAurora, ColoradoAvon, ColoradoBasalt, Colorado

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