Unincorporated Teller County building permits

Requirements

• Building permit required for new single-family dwelling construction in unincorporated Teller County; issued and inspected directly by the Teller County Building Division
• Plans must comply with the 2021 IRC (Article III) plus the 2018 IECC (Article XII); must account for county design criteria: 57 psf ground snow load / 40 psf flat roof snow load (no ASCE 7 Chapter 7 reduction allowed), 115 mph ultimate wind speed with Exposure C, Seismic Design Category B, 30-inch minimum frost depth, and required ice-barrier underlayment
• Site-specific soils report and engineer/architect-stamped foundation design required for habitable structures per Article III Sections R401-R407
• Homeowner Builder permits limited to one new dwelling per owner in any 24-month period, and no more than two in any 10-year period, with primary-residency conditions on the second permit
• IECC (Energy Conservation) Application and a permanent Thermal Envelope Certificate required at final
• All contractors and sub-contractors working on the project must be licensed with Teller County (Board of Review-issued license) and insured per Article II

Required documents

• RequiredSingle Family Dwelling (SFD) Permit ApplicationPrimary residential building permit application
• RequiredSFD and Addition Requirements (PDF)Submittal checklist/guidelines for new single-family dwellings and additions
• RequiredIECC (Energy Conservation) Application (PDF)Energy-code compliance submittal

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Separate permit applications exist for Residential Addition, Residential Interior Remodel, and Residential Basement Finish -- each is its own listed application category
• Design must meet county Design Criteria (57 psf snow load, 115 mph wind, Seismic Design Category B, 30-inch frost depth) where structurally applicable
• SFD and Addition Requirements (PDF) applies to additions; ICC Basement Finish Building Guide referenced for basement finish projects
• Foundation/structural work tied to an addition may require engineer/architect stamping per Article III Sections R401-R407

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Addition Permit ApplicationApplication for additions to existing dwellings
• RequiredSFD and Addition Requirements (PDF)Submittal checklist for additions
• RequiredResidential Interior Remodel Permit ApplicationApplication for interior remodel work
• RequiredResidential Basement Finish Permit ApplicationApplication for finishing an unfinished basement
• OptionalICC Basement Finish Building GuideReference guide for basement-finish code compliance

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for installation, alteration, repair, or replacement of wiring, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings, and appurtenances
• Governed by the 2023 NEC (Article IX of the Teller County Building Code); where the 2023 NEC conflicts with the 2021 IRC/IBC, the NEC prevails
• Contractor/examinee must hold a current Colorado state electrical license (Master Electrician or equivalent), registered with the Teller County Building Department at no additional annual county fee for the registration itself
• Existing-wiring alterations: if more than 50% of a building's wiring (by floor-area served) or more than 50% of a circuit's outlets are changed, the ENTIRE wiring installation or circuit must be brought up to new-building standards
• Teller County performs its own electrical inspections and posts an Electrical Contemporaneous Review procedure per C.R.S. 12-23-116 to verify licensing/apprentice-ratio compliance

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationApplication for electrical permit
• OptionalElectrical Contemporaneous Review (PDF)State-mandated procedure Teller County posts as an Inspecting Entity performing its own electrical inspections, per C.R.S. 12-23-116(1)(a) and (10)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for fixture installation, water supply/drain-waste piping, and related plumbing work
• Governed by the 2021 IPC as amended by the State of Colorado, per Article V of the Teller County Building Code; uses the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code
• Where Article V (Plumbing Code) conflicts with Article III (IRC) or Article IV (IBC), Article V governs
• Contractor/examinee must hold a current Colorado state plumbing license (Master Plumber or equivalent), registered with the county at no additional annual county fee for the registration itself
• Teller County performs its own plumbing inspections and posts a Plumbing Contemporaneous Review procedure per HB19-1086

Required documents

• RequiredPlumbing Permit Application (PDF)Application for plumbing permit
• OptionalPlumbing Contemporaneous Review (PDF)State-mandated procedure Teller County posts as an Inspecting Entity performing its own plumbing inspections, per HB19-1086

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for HVAC, ventilation, ductwork, and fuel-gas-fired appliance installation/alteration/repair
• Governed by the 2021 IMC and 2021 IFGC as amended by the Teller County Building Code
• Floor furnaces are PROHIBITED (both Article VI Section 910/1408 and Article VII Section 609) -- a genuine county-specific prohibition, not merely a code cross-reference
• Unvented room heaters may not be used for comfort heating in a dwelling unit and are prohibited in occupancy Groups A, E, I, and R
• Gas piping: copper and copper-alloy piping/tubing may not be used on natural gas systems; underground gas piping must be listed polyethylene plastic or corrugated stainless steel (with limited exceptions) and buried a minimum of 18 inches
• Contractor must hold a Teller County Mechanical Contractor A or B license (county-issued, in addition to any required state licensure)

Required documents

• RequiredMechanical Permit Application (PDF)Application for mechanical/HVAC permit

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A Re-Roof Permit Application (PDF) is a distinct, separately listed application category
• Ice barrier required for heated/conditioned structures: installed per manufacturer specification, extending 6 feet beyond the interior wall face of the exterior wall and covering the entire overhang -- a stricter local amendment than the base IRC/IBC ice-barrier requirement
• Roof jacks, attic vents, and similar penetrations must be located no less than 24 inches from the center of a valley to the closest edge of the penetration

Required documents

• RequiredRe-Roof Permit Application (PDF)Application for roof replacement/re-roofing

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Solar Permit Application is a distinct, separately listed application category
• Alternative Energy Installation Contractor AE/DC-side license required for the D/C side of photovoltaic system installation and repair (annual fee $75.00, no testing required, but state licensure may still be required for the A/C side and plumbing-adjacent work such as solar hot water)
• Covers Photovoltaic Solar Electric, Wind/Water Generated Electric, Solar Hot Water, Solar Heat (Active Space Heating), and Geothermal Energy systems; contractors must follow industry standards/codes and design prepared by a State of Colorado-licensed design professional

Required documents

• RequiredSolar Permit ApplicationApplication for solar PV or other alternative-energy system installation

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Demolition Permit Application (PDF) is a distinct, separately listed application category, alongside a State of Colorado Demolition Information (PDF) reference handout
• Only a licensed demolition contractor may perform demolition (annual Class D specialty license fee $50.00, no testing required), except a licensed general contractor may wreck minor buildings/portions as part of alteration or remodeling
• Demolition contractors must show proof of X, C, and U provisions in their liability insurance policy prior to issuance of each permit
• Contractor is responsible for compliance with State asbestos/lead-based-paint removal regulations; all debris must be completely removed from the site

Required documents

• RequiredDemolition Permit Application (PDF)Application for demolition permit
• OptionalState of Colorado Demolition Information (PDF)State reference handout on demolition requirements (asbestos/lead-paint)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Residential Deck Permit Application is a distinct, separately listed application category, with a separate Minor Deck Site Plan Requirements (PDF) pathway for smaller decks
• A water-resistive barrier must be placed between the deck ledger and structure substrate (Article III Section R507.2.4)
• The base IRC deck lateral-load-connection subsection (R507.9.2) is deleted in its entirety by Teller County -- confirm current lateral-load design approach directly with the Building Division rather than assuming the stock IRC prescriptive detail applies
• Decks which support another structure, spa, or hot tub, or which have piers spaced greater than 8 ft on center, must be designed by a licensed Colorado architect or engineer (a required-design trigger under Article III Section R105.3)
• Deck piers not exceeding 10 ft from the residence with =8 ft on-center spacing are exempt from the general engineered-foundation requirement

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Deck Permit ApplicationApplication for new deck construction
• OptionalICC Deck Building Guide (PDF)Reference guide for deck code compliance
• OptionalMinor Deck Site Plan Requirements (PDF)Simplified site-plan pathway for smaller deck projects

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone EV charger/EVSE permit application exists; EV charging station circuits, disconnects, and charging equipment are permitted through the standard Electrical Permit Application
• Governed by the 2023 NEC (Article IX of the Teller County Building Code), which includes NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) requirements for EVSE branch circuits and disconnects
• Contractor must hold a current Colorado state electrical license (Master Electrician or equivalent), registered with Teller County at no additional annual county fee, per the same requirement as the general Electrical Permit
• No county-published confirmation of Colorado HB24-1173 (EV Charging System Permits Act) compliance track (model code adoption, custom objective standards, or status-quo retention) or of the statute's 3-business-day permit-decision notification requirement appears on the Building Division's public pages

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSame application used for general electrical work; no EV-specific application exists

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Commercial Building Permit required for any new commercial building, addition to an existing commercial building, or interior remodel in unincorporated Teller County (application form's 'Type of Construction' checkboxes: New Build / Addition to existing building / Interior Remodel / Other); issued and inspected by the Teller County Building Division. Source: Commercial Building Permit Application (PDF)
• Plans reviewed against the 2021 IBC (Article IV) as amended by the Teller County Building Code, plus the 2018 IECC (Article XII); the seal of a design professional licensed by the State of Colorado is required on each sheet of the commercial plans submittal, and electronic stamps must not lock the file from markups. Source: Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout (COM HAND 11/2023)
• Commercial building structures and all portions must be designed by a licensed Colorado engineer or architect -- explicitly including soils, footings, foundations, structural calculations/loads, energy, mechanical, plumbing, elevators, and electrical; electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans must bear the stamp and signature of the appropriate Colorado-licensed engineer except as provided in NEC Article 27. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article IV Section 1604.1
• One complete plan set required, submitted electronically and NOT password-protected; incomplete submittals will not be accepted for review. Required items (per the Commercial Building - Required Documents checklist): site plan (by a professional surveyor/engineer/architect per Teller County Land Use Regulations Chapter 7, Table 7.1), driveway information, septic/wastewater information, well permit or water-district letter of service, site-specific soils report, foundation plans, elevation views, floor plans, cross-section details, floor framing plans, electrical/mechanical/plumbing plans, elevator plans (if applicable), roof framing plans, truss engineering, and an IECC energy-code compliance form. Source: Commercial Building Permit Application (PDF), page 2
• All subcontractors must be individually listed by name on the application (Foundation, Excavator, Framing, HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Elevator, Roofing, Inside Gas, Outside Gas, Fire Sprinkler/Suppression, Fireplace/Woodstove) and must be licensed and insured per Article II of the Building Code. Source: Commercial Building Permit Application (PDF)
• Change Orders (plan modifications submitted after the permit is issued) require a completed Change Order Request Form and carry a non-refundable $100 processing fee; additional inspections triggered by the change may require a separate inspection fee. Source: Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout (COM HAND 11/2023)
• Contractor must hold the applicable Teller County Building Contractor license for commercial work -- Building Contractor A (General, any type/size/occupancy) or Building Contractor B (General-Limited, excludes Type I/II fire-resistive construction and E/H/I-1/I-2/I-3 occupancies) for new commercial construction; Building Contractor B-1 (Remodel) for remodel/interior-remodel work, with similar occupancy and size exclusions -- in addition to any Colorado DORA trade licenses required for electrical/plumbing/mechanical subcontractors. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article II Sections 105.a, 105.b, 105.c
• The Building Department will not issue a commercial permit on a property in violation of Teller County Land Use (zoning) Regulations, lacking demonstrated legal access, in violation of Sewage Disposal Regulations, or with an existing unresolved building-code violation. Source: Teller County Building Code (PDF), Article IV Section 105.8
• Fire Department AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) review and approval, and potentially other departments/entities (planning and zoning, floodplain, roads and bridges, environmental health, water, and wastewater), may require their own separate review in addition to the Building Division's plan review. Source: Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application (PDF)Primary commercial building permit application, including a required subcontractor listing and a 'Commercial Building - Required Documents' submittal checklist (page 2)
• OptionalCommercial Building Permit Requirements (PDF)Guidance handout summarizing plan-review submittal, corrections/resubmittal, change-order, and professional-seal requirements for commercial projects (COM HAND 11/2023)
• OptionalChange Order Request FormRequired for any plan modification submitted after the commercial permit has been issued

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone Tenant Improvement / TI permit application exists in unincorporated Teller County; interior remodel and tenant-improvement work in commercial space is permitted through the standard Commercial Building Permit Application by selecting 'Interior Remodel' under Type of Construction. Source: Commercial Building Permit Application (PDF)
• The same design/submittal requirements apply as for new commercial construction: a State of Colorado-licensed design professional's seal is required on each plan sheet, and a full 'Building Code Analysis' (occupancy classification, mixed-occupancy separation, area, type of construction) is explicitly required 'for New builds, Additions and Remodels' -- remodels are not a reduced-requirement track. Source: Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout (COM HAND 11/2023)
• A tenant-improvement project that changes occupancy classification would trigger the same Article IV commercial provisions as new construction, including the licensed-engineer/architect design-stamp requirement of Article IV Section 1604.1
• Change Orders on an in-progress tenant-improvement/interior-remodel permit carry the same non-refundable $100 processing fee (plus possible added inspection fee) as any other commercial permit. Source: Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application (PDF)Same application used for all commercial work; select 'Interior Remodel' under Type of Construction -- no TI-specific application exists

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A permit for a new sign 'may be required in accordance with the Teller County Building Code' per TCLUR Section 5.8.D; no permit is required for a legal pre-existing non-conforming sign, sign maintenance, or a change of sign copy provided the sign conforms to Section 5.8
• No permit required for numerous specifically listed on-premise sign types (Section 5.8.D.1), including: address/mailbox signs under 6 sq ft, entry features (unless over 6 ft high, which may require a Building Permit), flags up to 64 sq ft, gravestones, hazard warning signs, historic plaques, information signs on public property, legally non-conforming signs, official government notices/signs, political signs (max 32 sq ft, limited to 60 days before through 10 days after an election), public notices, real estate signs (per Table 5-8 size limits by lot size/zoning), scoreboards under 20 ft/128 sq ft, signs explicitly exempted by the BOCC, signs required by law, traffic signs, temporary signs under 14 consecutive days per 120-day period, and private/public art under 6 ft high
• Off-premise signs are prohibited in all zone districts EXCEPT: Business Directional Signs (requires a Teller County Building Permit for On-Site Projects PLUS approval by the Board of County Commissioners with Planning Commission recommendation, per Section 5.8.E.1), Construction Directional and Access Signs (a separate, distinct permit application issued to the General Contractor upon payment of the BOCC fee schedule fee), Real Estate Open House signs (max 3 signs, max 3 sq ft each, Friday 5pm-Sunday 5pm only), and Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs (TODS, per a separate handout under C.R.S. §43-1-420(3) and §43-1-416)
• All signs adjacent to the State highway system (visible from the main-traveled way and within 660 feet of the right-of-way, or beyond 660 feet outside urban areas if erected to be read from the main-traveled way) must ALSO obtain a State Sign Permit in addition to any Teller County permit, per the Colorado Division of Highways' 'Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Outdoor Advertising' and the Outdoor Advertising Act, C.R.S. §43-1-401 et seq.
• Evidence of ability to comply with the Teller County Building Code and National Electric Code is a required Sign Plan submittal element (Section 5.8.B.1.d) where a Sign Plan is required as part of another development permit's submittal requirements

Required documents

• RequiredSigns — General Sign Information (PDF)Teller County Planning Department handout summarizing TCLUR Chapter 5, Section 5.8 (Signs) requirements, exemptions, and off-premise sign categories

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Governed by the 2003 International Fire Code (Teller County Fire Code), adopted by reference under Article X of the Teller County Building Code per County Ordinance #16, including Appendix Chapters A, B, and C
• The Building Permit Applications page links no standalone 'Fire Alarm Permit' or 'Fire Sprinkler Permit' application category; fire protection systems installed as part of new commercial construction are addressed through the Commercial Building Permit process
• The Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout states 'Fire Department AHJ review and approval may be required' in addition to, and separate from, the Teller County Building Department's own plan review — confirming a fire protection district's fire marshal, not the County Building Division, is the likely AHJ for fire alarm/sprinkler plan review
• The Teller County Building Code's Article X fire-code adoption clause does not itself designate a 'fire code official' or state which entity (County Building Division vs. the covering fire protection district) issues fire alarm/sprinkler permits or performs inspections — confirmed by searching the full 58-page Building Code text directly, no match for 'fire code official,' 'fire marshal,' or 'fire district'
• For RESIDENTIAL construction specifically, Teller County's own IRC amendment (Section R313.1, replacing base IRC R313.1/R313.2) requires an automatic fire sprinkler system for a dwelling if the driveway does NOT meet the access requirements of Chapter 14 of the Teller County Roadway Design and Construction Standards — a direct county-specific sprinkler-system trigger, processed as part of the Single Family Dwelling (SFD) Permit rather than a separate fire permit
• Unincorporated Teller County is covered by seven separate fire protection districts (Cripple Creek, Divide, Florissant, Four Mile, Green Mountain Falls-Chipita Park, Mountain Communities, and Northeast Teller County Fire Districts), per the County's own Emergency Service Agencies directory — confirm which district covers a specific property before assuming which fire marshal's office is the applicable AHJ

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application (PDF)Fire protection systems installed as part of commercial construction are addressed through this application; there is no separate fire alarm/sprinkler-specific application form
• OptionalCommercial Building Permit Requirements (PDF)States that Fire Department AHJ review and approval may be required in addition to Teller County Building Department plan review

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone Change of Use or Change of Occupancy Permit application exists in unincorporated Teller County; a change in occupancy classification is submitted on the standard Commercial Building Permit Application by marking 'Other' under Type of Construction and completing the required Occupancy Classification field
• The Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout requires a full 'Building Code Analysis' (occupancy classification, mixed-occupancy separation, area, type of construction) for 'New builds, Additions and Remodels' alike — a change of occupancy would be evaluated under this same analysis requirement, not a reduced-scope process
• Technical compliance for an occupancy change is governed by the County's adopted 2021 International Existing Building Code (Article XIV of the Teller County Building Code), adopted by reference with no county-specific amendments to its change-of-occupancy provisions found in the Building Code text
• Fire Department AHJ review and approval may separately be required per the Commercial Building Permit Requirements handout, in addition to County Building Department review — relevant to a change of occupancy that affects fire/life-safety classification
• Confirmed by searching the complete 58-page Teller County Building Code text for 'change of use,' 'change of occupancy,' and 'change in occupancy' — zero matches for any of the three phrases

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application (PDF)Same application used for all commercial work; a change of occupancy is declared via the 'Other' Type of Construction checkbox and the Occupancy Classification field — no change-of-use-specific application exists
• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Requirements (PDF)Requires a full Building Code Analysis (occupancy classification, mixed-occupancy separation, area, type of construction) for new builds, additions, and remodels alike

Fee schedule