Aspen building permits

Requirements

• Reviewed under the 2021 IBC as amended by the City of Aspen; the IRC has NOT been adopted and is not applied to single-family/duplex/townhouse projects
• Ground snow load of 100 psf applies per the City's published Roof/Re-Roof Application Checklist design criteria; a Letter of Structural Integrity from a Structural Engineer is required if roof insulation does not meet this load rating
• Classified as a 'New Major Permit' (Queue Designator priority level 1, the lowest/slowest priority tier) since new construction changes floor area, height, net livable, or net leasable area
• All contractors must hold a current City of Aspen contractor license
• Asbestos test and clearance reports, or a State Asbestos Demolition Approval Notice, required per the Building Permit Application Checklist
• Special Inspection and Testing Agreement, Verification of Structural Integrity, and a Soils Report required for new construction per the Building Permit Application Checklist
• If the project meets or exceeds the City's 40% exterior-surface-area demolition threshold, a demolition allotment must be secured before the building permit can proceed (capped at 6 per calendar year, first-come first-served, plus 2 more for 35-year Aspen homeowners)
• Applications submitted via the City's Salesforce Permit Portal; Building Support reviews for completeness before issuing submittal fees due

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application Checklist for Singlefamily, Duplex, and Townhouse Projects (2021 IBC)Lists required 8.5x11 documents (permit application packet, asbestos reports, energy code compliance, soils report, special inspection agreement, etc.) and required 24x36 plans (cover sheet, survey, site plan, floor plans, structural plans, etc.) by project type: New Construction, Addition, Alteration/Remodel, Alteration (Interior only), Demo (Complete), Repair
• RequiredPermit Application Signature PacketMust be filled out entirely or the submission will not be accepted
• RequiredAsbestos Test and Clearance Reports / State Asbestos Demolition Approval Notice
• RequiredSoils Report

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Reviewed under the 2021 IBC as locally amended
• Classified as a New Minor Permit or New Major Permit depending on whether the addition/remodel changes floor area, height, net livable, or net leasable area (Major) versus other alterations (Minor)
• The Building Permit Application Checklist distinguishes required submittals by column: New Construction, Addition, Alteration/Remodel, and Alteration (Interior only) each have different required document sets
• Asbestos test required if affecting more than 160 sq ft of potentially asbestos-containing materials when altering interior walls, per the EPIC Permit Policy's interior-wall-change requirements (also applicable outside EPIC scope)
• A Licensed Structural Engineer's stamped plans or stamped letter of structural engagement required for any interior wall changes
• If alteration area exceeds 50% of the building footprint, Engineering Development requires a major grading & drainage report, stamped civil plan, current survey, and a soils report

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application Checklist for Singlefamily, Duplex, and Townhouse Projects (2021 IBC)Addition and Alteration/Remodel columns specify the applicable document set
• OptionalStamped Structural Engineer Letter or PlansRequired if any interior walls are proposed for removal or alteration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted by the City of Aspen
• MEP sub-permits are submitted in Salesforce using the master permit number when part of a larger project, and require load forms/fixture calculators/HOA compliance forms per the City's Document & Resource Library
• Classified under the 'MEP (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing)' queue category for standalone trade permits
• Contractors must hold a current City of Aspen contractor license
• For homeowner-performed electrical work: the homeowner may personally perform wiring only if the property is not for sale/rent/lease and not generally open to the public, all work is inspected before and after concealment, and work complies with the NEC

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal)
• OptionalHOA Compliance FormRequired for MEP sub-permits per the Building Document and Resource Library

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the 2021 IPC as adopted by the City of Aspen
• MEP sub-permits submitted in Salesforce using the master permit number, with required load forms/fixture calculators/HOA compliance forms
• Contractors must hold a current City of Aspen contractor license
• Changes to water fixture counts require an ECU (Excel) calculator, sanitation acknowledgement, and sanitation abandon agreement if a sewer disconnection or plumbing demo is involved, per the Building Document and Resource Library

Required documents

• RequiredPlumbing Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal)
• OptionalResidential ECU Calculator (Excel)Required for changes to water fixture counts

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the 2021 IMC and 2021 IFGC as adopted by the City of Aspen
• MEP sub-permits submitted in Salesforce using the master permit number for larger projects
• Contractors must hold a current City of Aspen contractor license
• Adding, moving, or changing fireplaces requires specification/installation sheets and a completed REMP spreadsheet fireplace tab, per the Building Document and Resource Library

Required documents

• RequiredMechanical Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal)
• OptionalREMP Spreadsheet (Fireplace Tab)Required for fireplace additions, relocations, or changes

Fee schedule

Requirements

• All re-roofing projects require a Roofing Permit; roof work changing height, slope, footprint, structural framing, or cavity insulation requires a Building Permit instead
• Patching less than 1 square (10 ft x 10 ft) does not require any permit
• UL or ICC-ES report required for the listed Class A roof assembly specific to the roofing product and installation (per Ordinance 1, 2023)
• Ground snow load of 100 psf: if adding insulation above the roof deck and the building was not constructed to this snow load, a Letter of Structural Integrity from a Structural Engineer is required
• If insulation is present above the roof deck, required minimum values are R-40 above deck (Commercial) or R-49 above deck (Residential), or an alternate design approved by the Building Department for justified infeasibility
• Snowguards/stops required on roofs that shed onto neighboring properties or occupied areas (walkways, stairways, alleys, decks, pedestrian/vehicular exits, or areas above gas/electric utility meters)
• If heat tape is installed (new or existing) exceeding 1,000 watts, REMP fees apply, and a sub-electrical permit is required for any roof with heat tape
• If the address is on the City's Inventory of Historic Sites and Structures or within a Historic District, HPC Approval is required before the roofing permit
• Two photographs of existing conditions required (one showing the overall structure, one close-up of the existing roof)
• An asbestos test is NOT required if all materials to be removed are asphaltic/tar-impregnated/non-friable, removed by hand (no circular saws), and disposed of rather than recycled — all three conditions must be met

Required documents

• RequiredRoof/Re-Roof Application ChecklistUpdated 9/25/23; must be completed entirely including site plan, roof assembly drawing, and asbestos screening questions
• RequiredPermit Application Signatures PacketAll 6 pages, owner/contractor signatures where applicable
• RequiredConstruction Management Plan (CMP)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• DC-side wiring must be installed by a Colorado-licensed electrical contractor, a NABCEP-certified contractor, a COSIA-certified contractor, or the homeowner
• AC-side wiring must be installed by a Colorado-licensed electrical contractor or the homeowner
• A homeowner performing their own wiring must personally do the work on a property not for sale/rent/lease and not generally open to the public, with all work inspected before concealment and again at completion, and full NEC compliance
• At time of application: one-line diagram with wire sizing, circuit voltage, voltage drop, grounding, and fusing; manufacturer specifications and installation documents for module, array, combiner box, inverter, mounting hardware, batteries (if applicable), and disconnect; drawings detailing panel azimuth/zenith alignment, equipment elevations, and site plan; proposed PV system kW capacity rating
• City of Aspen Electric Department Interconnect Agreement form must be filled out, signed, and approved prior to permit issuance
• 'Fully electric new projects qualify for expediting' per the Building Document and Resource Library, which may include solar/battery-paired all-electric projects

Required documents

• RequiredSolar/Electrical Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal)
• RequiredOne-Line DiagramWire sizing, circuit voltage, voltage drop, grounding, fusing
• RequiredCity of Aspen Electric Department Interconnect Agreement

Fee schedule

Requirements

• 'Demolition' is defined as razing, disassembling, tearing down, or destroying 40% or more of a structure, measured by existing (pre-demolition) exterior wall (above finished grade) and roof surface area, excluding fenestration, compared against the same area proposed for removal
• A project meeting or exceeding this 40% threshold can only proceed to a building permit if a demolition allotment is available; allotments are capped at 6 per calendar year and awarded first-come, first-served, with 2 additional allotments per year for applicants who have owned their Aspen home for at least 35 years
• Approved demolition allotments are valid for 3 years, within which the project must submit for both the demolition and the building permit
• Redevelopment following a qualifying demolition must meet residential redevelopment standards: minimum 35% by weight non-hazardous waste diversion from landfill, carbon-usage reporting for the building process/materials and projected future energy use, and design/construction readiness for future 100% electric conversion plus on-site PV/battery storage accommodation
• Projects over 2,000 sq ft affecting square footage and/or triggering demolition additionally require a Construction Waste Diversion Plan
• Contact the Building Department directly for restrictions associated with this permit type before selecting it, per the City's Permit Types & Triggers document
• Only applications deemed 'complete' under the Land Use Code enter the queue for a demolition allotment

Required documents

• RequiredDemolition Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal)
• RequiredDemolition Percentage CalculationAssemblies to be removed divided by total exterior surface area (excluding fenestration); example calculations available in the Building Document and Resource Library under Zoning Requirement Examples
• OptionalConstruction Waste Diversion PlanRequired for projects over 2,000 sq ft affecting square footage and/or triggering demolition

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Allowed fence materials per Sec. 26.575.050: metal, masonry, stone, and wood
• Wildfire Resiliency Code requirement: fences within 8 feet of a structure must be constructed of noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials; hedges within 5 feet of a structure must use ignition-resistant vegetation
• Maximum fence/hedge height per Sec. 26.575.e.5.q, measured from finished grade: up to 42 inches generally, or up to 6 feet in areas entirely recessed behind the vertical plane of the building facade closest to the street (applies on all street-facing facades of a parcel)
• If the property is historically designated, a signed Certificate of No Negative Effect is required (contact Historic Preservation staff)
• Signed Homeowner Association Compliance form required
• Improvement Survey with an original wet stamp/signature showing property lines, all easements/rights-of-way, all existing structures/improvements/fences, and location/trunk diameter/species of all trees is required; if a tree's critical root zone will be impacted, Parks Department approval and a separate permit are required
• Elevation drawings showing design, dimensions, and materials of the proposed fence required
• Reach out to Engineering if a fence is proposed within an easement or right-of-way

Required documents

• RequiredFence Permit Application ChecklistLast Updated 04/2026
• RequiredImprovement Survey (wet-stamped)
• RequiredElevation Drawings
• RequiredHomeowner Association Compliance Form
• OptionalCertificate of No Negative EffectRequired only if the property is historically designated

Fee schedule