Montrose building permits

Building department

Address

City Hall, 400 E Main Street, P.O. Box 790, Montrose, CO 81402

Phone

970-252-4707

Email

buildingservices@ci.montrose.co.us (permit application submittal). A second address, permits@cityofmontrose.us, is listed for Building Inspector Timothy Mazur in search results but does not appear on a City page — prefer the first, and confirm with the City if you need the inspector directly.

Office hours

Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. (City Hall hours, per Building Services page). Inspection scheduling: 970-240-1445, inspection hours 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m., with 24-hour advance notice required per the City's Residential/Accessory/Commercial Construction packets.

Website

Official site

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Montrose — 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.

• 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Montrose Building Services page, adopted per Section 4-1-1 of the City of Montrose Municipal Code
• 2018 International Residential Code (IRC)
• 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
• 2018 International Uniform/Mechanical Code (IMC) (City page lists this as '2018 International Uniform/Mechanical Code')
• 2018 International Uniform/Plumbing Code (IPC) (City page lists this as '2018 International Uniform/Plumbing Code')
• 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
• 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — note: electrical permitting and inspection itself is performed by the State of Colorado Electrical Board (DORA), not the City, per the City's own Residential/Accessory/Commercial Construction and Solar Permit packets
• Deletions, modifications, and exceptions to the above codes are codified in Section 4-1-3 of the City of Montrose Municipal Code; full building regulations are in Title IV (Chapter 1 - Building Regulations, Chapter 4-9 -… Show full textShow less

  Deletions, modifications, and exceptions to the above codes are codified in Section 4-1-3 of the City of Montrose Municipal Code; full building regulations are in Title IV (Chapter 1 - Building Regulations, Chapter 4-9 - Housing Code, Chapter 11-13 - Mobile Home/Travel Home/Tiny Home Regulations, Chapter 11-9 - Outdoor Lighting, Section 4-1-4 - Plumbers and Gasfitters Licenses, Section 4-1-11 - Supplemental Building/Structure/Fence Requirements), per the City of Montrose Municipal Code as indexed on the Building Services page

• The City references a forthcoming Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code page (linked from the Building Services page), but the Building Services page itself does not state an adoption/enforcement date for Montrose specifically; it is not asserted as adopted here without that confirmation — see tipsAndGotchas

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

  Required for new single-family homes and other new residential construction within Montrose city limits, per the City's Residential Construction in the City of Montrose packet. Reviewed under the 2018 IRC/IBC as locally adopted (Section 4-1-1, City of Montrose Municipal Code). Issued by City of Montrose Building Services; electrical work is inspected separately by the State of Colorado Electrical Board, not the City.

  From$1.00valuation-based→

• Residential Addition / Remodel / Accessory Structure Permit

  Required for additions, remodels, and accessory-use structures (garages, sheds, and similar) on existing residential properties in Montrose, per the City's Accessory Use Structure Construction and Residential Construction packets. Reviewed under the 2018 IRC as locally adopted.

  From$1.00valuation-based→

• Plumbing / Gas Permit

  Required for plumbing and gas-line installation, alteration, or repair in Montrose. Governed by the City's 2018 International Uniform/Plumbing Code (IPC) and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as locally adopted. Typically bundled into the Residential or Commercial Building Permit application (both forms include a 'Project Includes: Plumbing / Gas' checkbox); plumbing contractors must hold a City of Montrose plumbing license in addition to a State of Colorado plumber's license.

  See fee schedule→

• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for heating, cooling, and mechanical-system installation, alteration, or repair in Montrose. Governed by the City's 2018 International Uniform/Mechanical Code (IMC) as locally adopted. Bundled into the Residential or Commercial Building Permit Application rather than issued as a standalone mechanical-only permit form.

  $50.00→

• Roofing Permit (Reroofing)

  Required for reroofing work in Montrose, with a flat $50 permit fee. Small repairs below a specific size threshold do not require a permit, per the City's Reroofing Permit Application.

  $50.00→

• Solar PV Permit

  Required for solar panel system installations in Montrose, with a flat $50 permit fee. Electrical interconnection work is separately permitted through the State of Colorado, not the City.

  $50.00→

• Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Permit

  Montrose has no separate City electrical permit process at all — as documented on the Solar PV Permit entry, electrical work (including any new circuit or panel/service upgrade) is permitted through the State of Colorado, Division of Professions and Occupations (Electrical and Plumbing Permits), not the City of Montrose. A residential EV charger circuit therefore follows that same state electrical-permit path. Separately, for commercial/non-residential EV charging stations, City of Montrose staff stated at an October 20, 2025 City Council work session that the City's existing zoning code — which treats EV charging stations as a standalone use in most commercial districts and an accessory use in all non-residential districts, reviewed through the streamlined Minor Site Development Review process (no public hearing) — already satisfies Colorado HB24-1173's EV-charging-permit mandate for municipalities of Montrose's population (over the 10,000 threshold), so staff recommended against adopting the state's model EV charging code or new ordinance language.

  From$2,000valuation-based→

• Demolition Permit

  Required for structure demolition in Montrose, with a flat $50 permit fee. Applicants must obtain prior approval from utility providers and apply for a state demolition permit before demolition.

  $50.00→

• Fence Permit

  Required prior to installation of any fence in Montrose, with a flat $10 permit fee. Height limits and setback requirements vary by zoning district, per Municipal Code Section 4-4-21.

  $10.00→

• Commercial Building Permit

  Required for new commercial construction, commercial remodels, additions, tenant finishes, and changes of use within Montrose city limits, per the City's New Commercial Construction packet and Commercial Building Permit Application. Reviewed under the 2018 IBC as locally adopted (Section 4-1-1, City of Montrose Municipal Code). Issued by City of Montrose Building Services; a single Commercial Building Permit Application covers all five project types via a 'Type of Project (Check Only One)' checkbox — New Construction, Remodel, Addition, Tenant Finish, or Change of Use — so tenant improvement work is not a separately-issued permit type in this jurisdiction. Electrical work is permitted and inspected by the State of Colorado (DORA), not the City.

  From$1.00valuation-based→

• Sign Permit

  The City of Montrose publishes a dedicated Sign Permits page (Planning Services) requiring permits for most signage, with specific exemptions for small temporary signs. A temporary sign (banner) up to 64 square feet, with only one displayed at a time, does not require a permit. Special Event Signs (balloons, streamers, pennants, flags, human-held/human-powered signs) are valid for events of 96 hours or less, limited to 12 permits per calendar year per organization (which may be issued consecutively), on-premise only, and restricted to non-residential zoning districts. Off-premise signs along state highways require a CDOT permit before City approval.

  See fee schedule→

• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System Permit

  Fire protection for Montrose is provided by the Montrose Fire Protection District (MFPD, prevention@montrosefire.org), a special district separate from City government. All new installations or modifications to an existing fire suppression system in commercial, residential, or dwelling units require a permit, governed by the 2019 edition of NFPA 13 and the 2016 editions of NFPA 13R and 13D; flow data used for hydraulic design must be less than one year old, with a minimum 10% reduction required from Static and Residual pressure prior to design (20% where Static pressure is 120 psi or more). Fire alarm system installations/modifications in commercial buildings also require a permit, governed by the 2016 edition of NFPA 72, with system design requiring a NICET Level III or PE stamp and confirmation that a NICET Level II or above technician will perform all programming and be on-site for final inspection.

  See fee schedule→

• Change of Use / Change of Occupancy

  The City of Montrose publishes no standalone 'Change of Use' or 'Change of Occupancy' permit application distinct from the general Building Services permitting process. Montrose County (the surrounding, administratively distinct jurisdiction) has separately addressed change-of-occupancy permitting requirements in its own resolutions, but this does not govern property within Montrose city limits.

  See fee schedule→

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