Cripple Creek building permits

Building department

Address

337 E. Bennett Ave, Cripple Creek, CO 80813 (mailing: P.O. Box 430, Cripple Creek, CO 80813)

Phone

719-689-3588 ext. 1

Office hours

Building Inspector normal duty hours are 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM on Mondays and Fridays only (with an alternate day sometimes added around a holiday week, decided case-by-case). The inspector is typically present in the office at 337 E. Bennett Ave from 7:30-9:00 AM on Monday/Friday mornings for questions in person or by phone (719-689-3588 ext. 1); after 9 AM the inspector is generally in the field performing inspections and returns to the office afterward for consultations. As of May 28, 2026, Martin L. Colgan serves as the City's Combination Inspector (Residential and Commercial Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Gas Piping). SAFEbuilt is stated on the City's Building Department page to be the City's new full-service company for plan review, permits, and inspections; the City notes it is currently implementing new permitting software and directs applicants to call the Building Department to ask about the current submission process.

Website

Official site

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Cripple Creek — 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 Cripple Creek Municipal Code Ch. 18, Art. 2 Sec. 18-2-10 and Art. 3 (adopted by Ord. No. 2019-03, as amended by Ord. No. 2022-06 and Ord. No. 2023-13)
• 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendices H, J, and Q — Ch. 18, Art. 4
• International Plumbing Code (IPC), most current edition as adopted by the State of Colorado — Ch. 18, Art. 5
• 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Ch. 18, Art. 6
• 2015 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Ch. 18, Art. 7
• 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Ch. 18, Art. 8
• 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), including all appendices A-N — Ch. 18, Art. 9
• 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Ch. 18, Art. 10
• National Electrical Code (NEC), most current edition as adopted by the State of Colorado — Ch. 18, Art. 11
• 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Ch. 18, Art. 12
• 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — Ch. 18, Art. 13
• ASME A17.1 (2010)/A17.2 (2010)/A17.6 (2010)/A17.3 (2010) and A18.1 (2011) Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, as adopted by Teller County (SCEE) — Ch. 18, Art. 14; all inspections performed by Teller County's designated ASME Certified Inspector, results submitted to the City Building Department
• Manufactured Home Code (locally drafted, not an ICC model code) — Ch. 18, Art. 19, enacted by Ord. No. 2021-11
• Note on code currency: Cripple Creek Municipal Code Chapter 18 adopts the 2018-cycle IBC/IRC/IMC/IECC/IFC/IEBC/ISPSC/IPMC by reference (via Ord. Show full textShow less

  Note on code currency: Cripple Creek Municipal Code Chapter 18 adopts the 2018-cycle IBC/IRC/IMC/IECC/IFC/IEBC/ISPSC/IPMC by reference (via Ord. No. 2019-03, adopted Aug. 7, 2019), one cycle behind the 2021/2024 editions used by some neighboring Colorado jurisdictions (e.g. Vail's 2024 cycle). The IPC and NEC sections instead float to 'the most current edition as adopted by the State of Colorado,' so those two trades track the state's adoption cycle rather than a fixed local edition. This is the governing, most-recently-verified text of Municode's Cripple Creek library as of the last verification (chapter carries amendment history through Ord. No. 2023-13, effective 1-3-24).

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

  Required for new construction of single-family homes and similar residential structures in the City of Cripple Creek. Reviewed under the 2018 IRC/IBC (as locally adopted and amended) by the Building Department, now operating with SAFEbuilt as the City's plan review/permit/inspection contractor. Any exterior work within a designated Historic District additionally requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before or alongside permit review.

  See fee schedule→

• Residential Addition / Remodel Permit

  Required for additions and remodels to existing residential structures in Cripple Creek, reviewed under the locally adopted 2018 IRC/IBC. Any exterior alteration or addition of 10% or more of a structure's exterior surface within a designated Historic District is defined as 'New Construction' under the Historic Preservation Ordinance and requires a Certificate of Appropriateness.

  See fee schedule→

• Electrical Permit

  Required for installation, alteration, or repair of electrical systems in Cripple Creek. Governed by the most current NEC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado. Electrical licensing is anchored to the State of Colorado Electrical Board (DORA) — the City verifies but does not independently license electricians; City Building Inspectors are authorized and required by state law to perform random job-site license reviews.

  See fee schedule→

• Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit

  The City of Cripple Creek does not publish a standalone EV charger/EVSE permit application, fee line, or webpage -- neither the Building Department page, the Contemporaneous Review of Electrical and Plumbing Licenses page, the Permits/Inspections/Contractors Licensing Information page, nor Municipal Code Ch. 18 Art. 11 (National Electrical Code) names electric vehicle charging stations, EV chargers, or EVSE. Installing an EV charger is electrical work and is processed as a standard Electrical Permit under the most current NEC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado (Ch. 18, Art. 11), the same permit type and mechanism documented in the electrical-permit entry, including reliance on Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) licensure for the installing electrician rather than a City-run electrical licensing program. The City self-administers this permit locally through its third-party plan-review/permitting vendor SAFEbuilt via the CommunityCore portal, and the electrical permit fee is set by City Council resolution rather than published in Municipal Code, on the City's own pages, or on SAFEbuilt's public site -- no numeric fee table is publicly available (see sources[] for the pages and portals covered). This is NOT a case of routing to a state-administered permit (unlike jurisdictions where the State Electrical Board itself issues the permit); Colorado's CRS 12-23-117(3) statutory ceiling (local electrical inspection fees may not exceed 115% of the State Electrical Board's own fee table) legally bounds whatever resolution figure Cripple Creek uses, but does not itself supply Cripple Creek's actual fee.

  See fee schedule→

• Plumbing Permit

  Required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems in Cripple Creek. Governed by the most current IPC edition as adopted by the State of Colorado, with a local freezing-protection amendment. Plumbing licensing is anchored to the State of Colorado Plumbing Board (DORA), verified but not independently issued by the City.

  See fee schedule→

• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment installation or replacement in Cripple Creek. Governed by the 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2015 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as locally adopted.

  See fee schedule→

• Reroof Permit

  Required for reroofing work in Cripple Creek. Any roof material/covering change other than like-for-like materials requires a roof evaluation from a licensed Colorado engineer; roofs within a designated Historic District are additionally subject to the Historic Preservation Commission's roofing material/color design guidelines.

  See fee schedule→

• Rooftop Solar / Photovoltaic Permit

  Required for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installations in Cripple Creek. Within the B and BB (historic business) zone districts, the Development Code imposes specific placement rules to protect the visual character of the Historic District; outside those districts, standard electrical/building permit review applies under the locally adopted NEC and IBC.

  See fee schedule→

• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit

  Required for construction of an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Cripple Creek. ADUs are an explicitly permitted accessory use under the City's 2025 Development Code (Section 1.5.12, amended by Ordinance 2025-06), consistent with Colorado's statewide ADU-legalization push (HB24-1152).

  See fee schedule→

• Demolition Permit

  Required for demolition of any structure in Cripple Creek. Demolition of a structure, site, or object within a designated Historic District requires the Historic Preservation Commission's recommendation and issuance of a valid Certificate of Appropriateness before demolition may proceed; unauthorized demolition within a Historic District carries specific penalties under the Historic Preservation Ordinance and the City's Revised Demolition Ordinance.

  See fee schedule→

• Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit

  Required for interior build-out or alteration of commercial space in Cripple Creek. Reviewed under the 2018 IBC as locally adopted; commercial properties within the Bennett Avenue Historic District (much of the City's B and BB zone districts) are additionally subject to Historic Preservation Commission review for any exterior-visible changes.

  From$84.00valuation-based→

• Deck / Covered Patio Permit

  Required for construction of a deck, covered patio, or similar attached/detached structure in Cripple Creek. Reviewed under the 2018 IRC/IBC as locally adopted; subject to the same foundation survey, snow-load, and (within a Historic District) Certificate of Appropriateness requirements as other exterior construction.

  See fee schedule→

• Sign Permit

  Required to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, relocate, or convert most signs within Cripple Creek city limits, per the City's 2025 Development Code, Article 2 (Signage Standards) and Article 4.4 (Signs, administration and procedure). Cripple Creek is a National Historic Landmark/District with an active casino-gaming economy, and its sign code is unusually detailed as a result: sign type, size, height, and internal-illumination allowances are set independently for each of 6 zoning districts (B, BB, C-1, C-2 commercial; R-1, R-2, R-3/4 residential) through a dedicated allowance table. 'Gaming Use' properties in the B and BB districts are specifically NOT allowed internal illumination on Projecting, Freestanding, or Wall signs, while ordinary BB-district businesses are allowed limited internal illumination - check which category your property falls into before designing a lit sign. Signs are administered by the Code Administrator (Community Development), not the Historic Preservation Commission directly, though signs in the B and BB Zone Districts additionally require a historic-compatibility review that the Code Administrator can approve directly or refer to the Historic Preservation Commission.

  See fee schedule→

• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System Permit

  Cripple Creek has its OWN City-run Fire Department, per the City's Fire & Emergency Services page, co-located with the Building Department at the same address (337 E. Bennett Ave, PO Box 430, Cripple Creek, CO 80813; Fire Chief Joe O'Conor, 719-689-0240, department line 719-689-2502). That differs from Craig/Moffat County, where fire suppression is folded into the Building Department's general 'Public Safety' inspection category and the independent Craig Rural Fire Protection District runs no prevention or plan-review function, and from Crested Butte, where the independent CBFPD runs its own separately-invoiced plan review and fee schedule and gates the Town's building permit issuance. Cripple Creek publishes no dedicated Fire Marshal position, fire-prevention division, or standalone fire-sprinkler/alarm permit application or plan-review process — the Fire Department's main page and its 'Forms & Reports' subpage list only quarterly activity reports, the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, the CCFD Strategic Plan, and business and short-term-rental self-inspection checklists, with no permit forms. Fire-suppression and alarm system work is therefore governed by the locally-adopted International Fire Code (per the codesAdopted list: 2018 IFC, Ch. 18 Art. 9, Ord. No. 2019-03) and processed through the standard Building Permit and combination-inspector process (Martin L. Colgan) rather than through a distinct fire-prevention office.

  See fee schedule→

• Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit

  Cripple Creek has no standalone 'Change of Use' permit application distinct from its zoning and building-permit processes. Per the 2025 Development Code's Table 4-1 (Article 4, Administration/Authority/Procedures), 'Any change of use in land or building to a Conditional Use' requires a Conditional Use Request, reviewed by the Planning Commission with a recommendation to City Council, culminating in a public hearing (Sec. 4.6.2) -- this is the City's general mechanism for a use change that is not already permitted-by-right in the applicable zoning district. Separately, Development Code Sec. 4.9 (Nonconformities) provides a lighter, Planning-Commission-only track for changing a NONCONFORMING use to another use, if the change reduces the property's non-conformance. On the building-code side, the City has adopted the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC, Ch. 18 Art. 10; see the adopted-codes list), which governs life-safety code compliance for a change of occupancy classification; no local amendment specific to the IEBC's change-of-occupancy provisions is published. If the change of use also involves construction, the applicable standard Building Permit track additionally applies.

  See fee schedule→

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