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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Remodel, Addition & Tenant Improvement) in Cortez, Colorado

Required for new commercial construction, commercial remodels, commercial additions, and changes of occupancy within Cortez city limits, applied for on the City's single Building Permit Application via its 'New Commercial', 'Commercial Remodel', 'Commercial Addition', and 'Change of Occupancy' project-type checkboxes. All commercial projects must be prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional, and the plan package must include civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and energy efficiency plans, per the City's Building Permits & Applications page. Reviewed under the 2015 IBC (2009 IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC/IECC/IFC, ANSI A117.1-2003 accessibility) and Cortez's local structural design criteria. Issued and inspected by the City of Cortez Division of Planning & Building — the only building department in Montezuma County; electrical work is separately permitted and inspected by the State of Colorado (DORA), not the City. Tenant improvements are NOT a separate permit type in Cortez — they are permitted as a Commercial Remodel (plus the Change of Occupancy checkbox where the use changes) under this same process and fee table.

Verified 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • All commercial projects must be prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional, per the City's Building Permits & Applications page
  • Plan package must include civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and energy efficiency plans; the City publishes separate plan-review requirement guides for Building, Accessibility, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, and Electrical components
  • Reviewed under the 2015 IBC as locally adopted, with 2009-edition IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC/IECC/IFC and ANSI A117.1-2003 accessibility standard — an older code cycle than many peer Colorado jurisdictions
  • Must meet Cortez's Structural Design Criteria: 30 psf non-reducible ground snow load, Wind Design 115/51, 32-inch minimum frost depth, Seismic Design Category B, Severe weathering exposure, required ice barrier underlayment
  • A Declared Construction Value is required for all applications (required field on the Building Permit Application); the permit fee is tabulated from total valuation
  • All applications must be submitted digitally with 2 sets of copies of construction documents
  • Site Plan (drawn to scale) and floor plans required; Landscape Plan, Grading and Drainage Plan, and Off-street Parking Plan may also be required (the application form exempts only single-family residential from the Landscape Plan)
  • Some project types require Planning Department review prior to issuing a Building Permit, per the application form; larger developments can use the City's Advisory Review Team (ART) meeting process
  • Public improvements (sidewalk, curb, gutter, streetscape) may be required as a condition of the permit
  • Electrical work is separately permitted and inspected by the State of Colorado (DORA, 800-886-7675) — the City building permit covers building, structural, mechanical, and plumbing only
  • Colorado state law requires licensed plumbers and electricians on commercial structures — the owner-builder exemption applies only to owner-occupied homes Owner-builderContractor
  • Commercial buildings in Cortez are subject to annual fire inspections by the Building Division after occupancy, per the City's Building Division page

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (valuation-based)City of Cortez Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, Building Permit Fees table — same table for commercial and residential; full tier-by-tier breakdown is documented in this file's residential-building-permit entry and localAmendments
$75.00 for valuation $1-$500, scaling through tiers to $5,976.25 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $4.00 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Plan Review Fee (commercial and multi-family 4+ units)2026 Fee Schedule: 'For commercial projects & multi family units (4 units & over) a Plan Review Fee may be charged at an additional rate of 65% of the Building permit Fee' — phrased as 'may be charged', so confirm applicability on a specific project
65% of the Building Permit Fee
Foundation Only Permit Fee2026 Fee Schedule — allows early foundation start as a separate permit line
$100.00
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy2026 Fee Schedule, Planning and Building section
$300.00
Re-Inspection Fee2026 Fee Schedule
$50.00
Stop Work Order / Work Conducted Without Permit2026 Fee Schedule
$250.00
Use TaxThe 2026 Fee Schedule references the ordinance but does not itemize a percentage rate on the Planning & Building fee page; confirm the current rate with the Building Division before quoting a total project cost
Charged per City Council Ordinance No. 1054, Series 2005 (8/9/2005)
Professional Review Service Fees (third-party consultant review)2026 Fee Schedule — applies when the City engages third-party planning/engineering/legal review, a realistic possibility on larger commercial projects
Actual cost plus five percent (5%) for administration

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Remodel, Addition & Tenant Improvement) permit actually take in Cortez?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation

    Footings/foundation before concrete pour, per 32-inch minimum frost depth; a Foundation Only Permit ($100) is available as a separate line on the fee schedule

  2. 2

    Rough Framing

    Structural framing complete before cover

  3. 3

    Rough Plumbing / Rough Mechanical

    City-inspected trade rough-ins before concealment; electrical rough-in is inspected separately by the State of Colorado (DORA), not the City

  4. 4

    Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy

    All City-permitted work complete per approved plans; scheduled via the 24-hour inspection line (970-564-4071), performed Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is available for $300. After occupancy, commercial buildings are subject to the Building Division's annual fire inspections

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

Tips

  • Tenant improvements are NOT a distinct permit type in Cortez: the Building Permit Application has no TI checkbox — a tenant finish is filed as a 'Commercial Remodel' (adding 'Change of Occupancy' if the use classification changes), on the same valuation-based fee table and 65% commercial plan-review fee as any other commercial project. No separate commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry is warranted for this jurisdiction.
  • Unlike residential work, ALL commercial projects must be prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional — there is no owner-designed path, and licensed plumbers/electricians are mandatory on commercial structures under Colorado state law. Contractor
  • The City building permit does NOT cover electrical: budget a separate DORA state electrical permit and inspection track (800-886-7675) running in parallel with the City's building/mechanical/plumbing inspections.
  • Cortez reviews commercial plans under the 2015 IBC with 2009-edition mechanical/plumbing/energy/fire codes — an older cycle than Front Range jurisdictions; don't submit a package specced only to the 2021/2024 I-Codes without checking the local amendments.
  • For larger or more complex projects, ask about the City's Advisory Review Team (ART) meeting — a pre-application coordination process the Building Division describes as helping developers bring projects to completion quickly.
  • Despite Cortez's Mesa Verde-driven tourism economy, there is NO separate tourism or hospitality-facility construction permitting track: a hotel or restaurant build-out goes through this same commercial building permit. Hospitality-specific obligations in Cortez are operational licenses handled by the City Clerk (e.g., Hotel & Restaurant liquor license $75.00/year plus $325.00 occupation tax, per the 2026 Fee Schedule) and are separate from construction permitting.
  • Commercial mechanical work is priced off job cost using the Building Permit Fees valuation chart, not the itemized residential per-unit mechanical fee schedule, per the 2026 Fee Schedule's note.

Frequently asked questions

Cortez requires a commercial building permit (new construction, remodel, addition & tenant improvement) for: All commercial projects must be prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional, per the City's Building Permits & Applications page; Plan package must include civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and energy efficiency plans; the City publishes separate plan-review requirement guides for Building, Accessibility, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, and Electrical components; Reviewed under the 2015 IBC as locally adopted, with 2009-edition IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC/IECC/IFC and ANSI A117.1-2003 accessibility standard — an older code cycle than many peer Colorado jurisdictions; Must meet Cortez's Structural Design Criteria: 30 psf non-reducible ground snow load, Wind Design 115/51, 32-inch minimum frost depth, Seismic Design Category B, Severe weathering exposure, required ice barrier underlayment; A Declared Construction Value is required for all applications (required field on the Building Permit Application); the permit fee is tabulated from total valuation; All applications must be submitted digitally with 2 sets of copies of construction documents; Site Plan (drawn to scale) and floor plans required; Landscape Plan, Grading and Drainage Plan, and Off-street Parking Plan may also be required (the application form exempts only single-family residential from the Landscape Plan); Some project types require Planning Department review prior to issuing a Building Permit, per the application form; larger developments can use the City's Advisory Review Team (ART) meeting process; Public improvements (sidewalk, curb, gutter, streetscape) may be required as a condition of the permit; Electrical work is separately permitted and inspected by the State of Colorado (DORA, 800-886-7675) — the City building permit covers building, structural, mechanical, and plumbing only; Colorado state law requires licensed plumbers and electricians on commercial structures — the owner-builder exemption applies only to owner-occupied homes; Commercial buildings in Cortez are subject to annual fire inspections by the Building Division after occupancy, per the City's Building Division page. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Cortez Community & Economic Development Department, Division of Planning & Building at 970-565-3402 before starting work.

Up to 65% of the Building Permit Fee, charged in addition to the permit fee, for commercial projects and multi-family buildings of 4 or more units, per the 2026 Fee Schedule. The schedule phrases this as 'may be charged', so confirm on a specific project.

The City does not publish a commercial plan-review turnaround, and Colorado has no statewide review-timeframe mandate. Contact Planning & Building (970-565-3402) directly for current expectations.

You'll need: City of Cortez Building Permit Application; Complete plan package prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional; Site Plan. Depending on your project, Cortez may also ask for: Landscape Plan, Grading and Drainage Plan, Off-street Parking Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cortez requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction, remodel, addition & tenant improvement), in order: Foundation, Rough Framing, Rough Plumbing / Rough Mechanical, Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Cortez Community & Economic Development Department, Division of Planning & Building (970-565-3402).

Apply through City of Cortez Community & Economic Development Department, Division of Planning & Building at 123 Roger Smith Avenue, Cortez, CO 81321. Phone: 970-565-3402, email: clindquist@cortezco.gov. Office hours: Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Permit Tech/Deputy City Clerk (Cheryl Lindquist): 970-564-4016. Fire Inspector/Building Inspector (Sean Canada): 970-564-4009. 24-hour inspection scheduling line: 970-564-4071 (checked daily at 8:00 a.m.; inspections performed 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, excluding holidays). Fax: 970-565-8172.. Official information: https://www.cortezco.gov/186/Building-Permits-Applications.

No. The City's Building Permit Application offers 'New Commercial', 'Commercial Remodel', 'Commercial Addition', and 'Change of Occupancy' project types — tenant finish work is permitted as a Commercial Remodel on the standard valuation-based fee table, with the Change of Occupancy box checked if the use changes. There is no TI-specific application, fee line, or timeline.

The City of Cortez Division of Planning & Building. Cortez is the only jurisdiction in Montezuma County with a building department; the County has none. Colorado has no state-level building-permit agency either — only the electrical portion is state-administered (DORA).

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