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Residential Addition / Interior Remodel Permit in Telluride, Colorado

Required for additions and interior/exterior remodels to existing single-family, duplex, and townhouse structures in Telluride. Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as locally amended. HARC Certificate of Appropriateness is required before permit issuance for any exterior changes, since the entire town is within a National Historic Landmark District.

Reviewed 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as amended by Ordinance 1620
  • HARC Certificate of Appropriateness required before permit issuance for any exterior alteration
  • Construction Mitigation Plan required if the project disturbs 500+ sq ft of property, or involves 500+ sq ft of renovation (interior and/or exterior) within a 12-month period, cumulative across projects on the same property
  • Automatic sprinkler systems are NOT required for additions/alterations of less than 750 sq ft of area of work to an existing townhouse, one-, or two-family dwelling that does not already have a sprinkler system (IRC R309.1/R309.2 local amendment)
  • All contractors must hold a current Town of Telluride business license
  • Permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or suspended/abandoned for 180 days after commencement

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (same valuation-based Table 1-A as new construction)Effective 1/1/2023 fee schedule
$51.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the Building Permit Fee Schedule
Plan Check FeeBuilding Permit Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2023, Plan Check Fee line
65% of Building Permit Fee
Town Use TaxBuilding Permit Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2023, Town Use Tax line
Construction cost x 40% x 4.5%
County Use TaxBuilding Permit Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2023, County Use Tax line
Construction cost x 40% x 1%
Green Building Fee (TEMP)Building Permit Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2023, Green Building Fee line
20% of the Building Permit Fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Residential Addition / Interior Remodel Permit permit actually take in Telluride?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation (additions with new footings only)

    Before concrete pour, per 48-inch minimum frost depth

  2. 2

    Rough Frame

    Framing complete, connection to existing structure verified

  3. 3

    Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical

    Trade rough-ins before concealment

  4. 4

    Final Inspection

    All work complete per approved plans

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

Tips

  • An addition or alteration under 750 sq ft of area of work to an existing townhouse or one-/two-family dwelling without an existing sprinkler system is exempt from the automatic-sprinkler requirement under Telluride's local IRC amendment — confirm your project's area-of-work calculation against this threshold before assuming sprinklers are required.
  • Exterior remodels (siding, windows, decks visible from the street) still trigger HARC review even if the interior scope is minor — don't assume a modest project skips historic-preservation review.

Frequently asked questions

Telluride requires a residential addition / interior remodel permit for: Reviewed under the 2024 IRC as amended by Ordinance 1620; HARC Certificate of Appropriateness required before permit issuance for any exterior alteration; Construction Mitigation Plan required if the project disturbs 500+ sq ft of property, or involves 500+ sq ft of renovation (interior and/or exterior) within a 12-month period, cumulative across projects on the same property; Automatic sprinkler systems are NOT required for additions/alterations of less than 750 sq ft of area of work to an existing townhouse, one-, or two-family dwelling that does not already have a sprinkler system (IRC R309.1/R309.2 local amendment); All contractors must hold a current Town of Telluride business license; Permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or suspended/abandoned for 180 days after commencement. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Telluride Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 970-728-5700 before starting work.

In Telluride, the published Building Permit Fee (same valuation-based Table 1-A as new construction) is: $51.50 minimum, scaling per the valuation tiers in the Building Permit Fee Schedule. Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — 65% of Building Permit Fee; Town Use Tax — Construction cost x 40% x 4.5%; County Use Tax — Construction cost x 40% x 1%; Green Building Fee (TEMP) — 20% of the Building Permit Fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Telluride does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Telluride Planning & Building Department, Building Division at 970-728-5700 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (SmartGov); HARC Certificate of Appropriateness. Depending on your project, Telluride may also ask for: Construction Mitigation Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Telluride requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / interior remodel permit, in order: Foundation (additions with new footings only), Rough Frame, Rough Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical, Final Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Telluride Planning & Building Department, Building Division (970-728-5700).

Apply through Town of Telluride Planning & Building Department, Building Division at Rebekah Hall, 113 W. Columbia Ave, Telluride, CO 81435 (mailing: PO Box 397, Telluride, CO 81435). Phone: 970-728-5700, email: planningandbuilding@telluride.gov. Office hours: Main Planning & Building Department line 970-728-5700. Building Official Sam Samuelson: 970-728-2143. SmartGov online-portal assistance / Historic Preservation, Planning and Building Coordinator Tammy Brand: 970-728-2175. Building Inspector Bill Spencer: 970-708-2464.. Official information: https://telluride.gov/230/Building-Department.

Telluride, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by Ordinance 1620 (Series of 2025), effective September 12, 2025, per the Town Council second-reading staff memorandum (September 9, 2025) and the live Building Codes webpage; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — enforced jointly with the Telluride Fire Protection District per Resolution No. 2019-03; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2024 International Code Council Performance Code for Buildings and Facilities; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); 2023 Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code; Prior code cycle (superseded, listed for reference only): 2018-edition IBC/IRC/IEBC/IMC/IFGC/IPC/IPMC adopted by Ordinance 1502, effective February 18, 2020; All codes locally amended via Telluride Municipal Code Chapter 15 (Building Regulations), Articles 1-13; the amendment structure is confirmed by both the archived 2018-cycle amendment ordinance (Ordinance 1502 full text) and the current 2024-cycle Town Council staff memorandum/ordinance text (Ordinance 1620), which corroborate each other — see tipsAndGotchas regarding access to the telluride.municipal.codes site.. Local amendments apply — see the Telluride overview page for the full list.

Yes, if it involves any exterior change. HARC Certificate of Appropriateness approval is required before building permit issuance for any exterior alteration to a structure, regardless of project size, because the entire town lies within a National Historic Landmark District.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

Fee schedules

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

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

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