Demolition Permit in Aspen, Colorado

Aspen requires a demolition permit for: '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 via LOTTERY (Council switched from first-come-first-served to a lottery system at the end of 2023, per Aspen Daily News reporting — confirmed 2026-07-23, since the City's own PDFs don't restate the award mechanism), 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. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Aspen Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-920-5000 before starting work.

In Aspen, the published Demolition Permit Fee is: Computed via the City's Building Permit Fee Estimator (Excel) referencing the current Municipal Code Fee Ordinance (Title 2). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Aspen does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Aspen Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-920-5000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Demolition Permit Application (Salesforce Permit Portal); Demolition Percentage Calculation. Depending on your project, Aspen may also ask for: Construction Waste Diversion Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Aspen requires 1 inspection(s) for a demolition permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Aspen Community Development Department, Building Division (970-920-5000).

Apply through City of Aspen Community Development Department, Building Division at 427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611. Phone: 970-920-5000, email: buildingsupport@aspen.gov. Office hours: City of Aspen main line 970-920-5000. Building Support (permit requirement inquiries, pre-submittal questions): buildingsupport@aspen.gov, Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. Builder of the Day (building code/regulations questions): builderoftheday@aspen.gov, 970-429-2735, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Planner of the Day (zoning, floor area, net leasable, signage, mountain view plane, exterior design): planneroftheday@aspen.gov, 970-429-2764, walk-in hours Monday-Friday 9:00am-12:00pm. Historic Preservation: HP@aspen.gov, 970-429-2758. Construction hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm, Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm, no construction on Sundays.. Official information: https://aspen.gov/179/Building.

Residential demolitions meeting the City's 40%-or-more exterior surface area threshold are capped at 6 allotments per calendar year, plus 2 additional allotments per year reserved for applicants who have owned their Aspen home for at least 35 years. Allotments are awarded by lottery — Council switched from a first-come, first-served process to a lottery at the end of 2023.

Demolition is defined as razing, disassembling, tearing down, or destroying 40% or more of a structure's existing exterior wall (above finished grade) and roof surface area, excluding fenestration, measured against the same area proposed for removal.