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Plumbing Permit in Sterling, Colorado

Plumbing permits for work within Sterling city limits are NOT issued by the City of Sterling. Per the City's own Permits and Licenses page, plumbing permits are filed directly through the State of Colorado (DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations) and inspected by state plumbing inspectors. The City makes the state application forms available at the Public Works Department and requires proof of current state plumbing licensure before it will issue its own contractor's license to a plumbing contractor.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Plumbing permits are filed through the State of Colorado, not the City of Sterling, per the Permits and Licenses page: 'Plumbing and electrical permits are filed through the State of Colorado and are inspected by local state plumbing and electrical inspectors.'
  • Consistent with Municipal Code § 5-31(b) and § 5-56(b), which except plumbing/electrical requirements (other than required-fixture references) from the City's adopted IBC/IRC
  • A contractor performing plumbing work in Sterling must still hold a City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's license (plumbing is one of the listed Class IV trades) in addition to the state plumbing license; Municipal Code § 9-62 requires proof of current state licensure before the City will issue that City license Contractor
  • Plumbing permit application forms are available from the Sterling Public Works Department even though the permit itself is a state permit

Required documents

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Fee schedule

State of Colorado plumbing permit feeNot a City-published fee; see dpo.colorado.gov/ElectricalPlumbingPermits for the current state fee schedule
Set by the State of Colorado (DORA), not the City of Sterling
City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's License (annual)Section III, Public Works, Schedule of Charges and Fees Per Sterling City Code, § 9-59, Resolution No. 11-1-24 (eff. 1/1/2025)
$50.00/year

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Plumbing Permit permit actually take in Sterling?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Plumbing

    Conducted by State of Colorado plumbing inspectors before concealment; City Framing inspection requires this to be signed off first

  2. 2

    Final Plumbing

    Conducted by State of Colorado plumbing inspectors; City Final Building Inspection requires this to be signed off first

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

Tips

  • Do not apply to the City of Sterling for a plumbing permit — apply directly to DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations (dpo.colorado.gov/EandP/Permits); the City only stocks the state's paper forms as a courtesy.
  • You still need a City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's License to legally perform plumbing work inside city limits, on top of your state plumbing license — the two are separate systems. Contractor

Frequently asked questions

Sterling requires a plumbing permit for: Plumbing permits are filed through the State of Colorado, not the City of Sterling, per the Permits and Licenses page: 'Plumbing and electrical permits are filed through the State of Colorado and are inspected by local state plumbing and electrical inspectors.'; Consistent with Municipal Code § 5-31(b) and § 5-56(b), which except plumbing/electrical requirements (other than required-fixture references) from the City's adopted IBC/IRC; A contractor performing plumbing work in Sterling must still hold a City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's license (plumbing is one of the listed Class IV trades) in addition to the state plumbing license; Municipal Code § 9-62 requires proof of current state licensure before the City will issue that City license; Plumbing permit application forms are available from the Sterling Public Works Department even though the permit itself is a state permit. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632 before starting work.

In Sterling, the published State of Colorado plumbing permit fee is: Set by the State of Colorado (DORA), not the City of Sterling. Additional published fees: City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's License (annual) — $50.00/year. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Sterling does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632 for current turnaround.

You'll need: State of Colorado Plumbing Permit Application; City of Sterling Class IV Subcontractor's License (plumbing trade). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Sterling requires 2 inspection(s) for a plumbing permit, in order: Rough Plumbing, Final Plumbing. Schedule each through City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division ((970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632).

Apply through City of Sterling Public Works Department, Code Enforcement Division at 421 N. 4th Street, P.O. Box 4000, Sterling, CO 80751. Phone: (970) 522-9700, ext. 1109 (Marianne, permits and licenses); main line (970) 522-9700; fax (970) 521-0632, email: harbart@sterlingcolo.com (permits and licenses); pubworks@sterlingcolo.com (general Public Works). Office hours: Not published on the Permits and Licenses page as of this review; inspection requests are scheduled by phone at (970) 522-9700, with a stated same-day/next-day cutoff (see reviewTimelineNote on inspections below).. Official information: https://www.sterlingcolo.com/departments/public_works/permits_and_licenses.php.

Sterling, Colorado has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC), with Appendices A, E, and I — City of Sterling Municipal Code § 5-31, adopted by Ord. No. 5-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); a copy is kept at the City Clerk's office for public inspection; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), with Appendices F and H — Municipal Code § 5-56, adopted by Ord. No. 7-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); IRC Section R313 (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems) is expressly omitted in its entirety; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Municipal Code § 5-43, adopted by Ord. No. 6-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Municipal Code § 5-106, adopted by Ord. No. 8-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Municipal Code § 5-140, adopted by Ord. No. 9-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), with Appendices B and C, adopted in its entirety without amendment per state law — Municipal Code § 5-150, adopted by Ord. No. 10-2023 (eff. 6/13/23); Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1994 Edition (ICBO) — Municipal Code § 5-16, as amended by Ord. Nos. 12-1992, 26-1995, and 2-2009; Any references to plumbing or electrical requirements (except required-fixture references) are explicitly EXCEPTED from both the IBC and IRC as locally adopted — Municipal Code § 5-31(b) and § 5-56(b) — because plumbing and electrical permitting/inspection in Sterling is handled by the State of Colorado, not the City; Manufactured/mobile home installations follow C.R.S. § 24-32-3101 et seq. rather than a City-adopted installation code — Municipal Code § 5-121. Local amendments apply — see the Sterling overview page for the full list.

No. Plumbing permits for work in Sterling are filed directly with the State of Colorado (DORA) and inspected by state plumbing inspectors, not the City. The City does keep state application forms on hand at the Public Works Department.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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 Sterling building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.