You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-07.
Garden City building permits
Garden City, Colorado — as published 2026-07-07.
Reviewed 2026-07-06 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Additions / Structures Over 120 sq ft)
VerifiedRequired for new residential construction, additions, garages, carports, and any structure exceeding 120 square feet of floor area in Garden City. Reviewed and inspected under contract by ProCode Inc. (SAFEbuilt) against the Town's 2024 IBC/IRC as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition; design criteria values below re-confirmed identical), including the Town's specific climatic and geographic design criteria (30 psf ground snow load, 115 mph wind design speed, 30-inch frost line).
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Permit required for additions, garages, carports, structures exceeding 120 sq ft of floor area, and any new residential construction
- Plans must comply with the 2024 IRC/IBC as locally amended (Ordinance 11-2025, effective ~Jan 2026), including the Town's climatic/geographic design criteria: 30 psf ground snow load, 115 mph wind design speed (Seismic Design Category B), 30-inch minimum frost line, ice barrier underlayment required, Winter Design Temp 1 F
- Foundation design and construction drawings must be stamped by a Colorado-registered design professional and based on an engineer's soils report; a site certification by a Colorado-registered design professional is required for setback verification on new Group R Division 3 occupancies
- Carbon monoxide detectors required within 15 feet of each sleeping area and on every level
- Permit must be obtained BEFORE work commences, or the Building Inspector (ProCode/SAFEbuilt) may charge an additional investigation fee up to the normal permit fee amount
- Permit expires if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or is suspended/abandoned for 180 days
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
- RequiredConstruction Plans / SketchPer the Town's public guidance, smaller projects do not require full plans but may require a sketch; larger new-construction and addition projects require full stamped plans
- RequiredSoils Report and Stamped Foundation DrawingsRequired per local amendment to IRC R401.2/R405.1: engineer's soils report referenced by name/location/report number on drawings stamped by a Colorado-registered design professional
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Residential Addition / Remodel / Demolition Permit
VerifiedRequired for additions, remodels, basement finishes, retaining walls over 4 feet in height, and demolition in Garden City. Reviewed under contract by ProCode Inc. (SAFEbuilt) against the Town's 2024 IRC as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition).
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Permit required for: additions, basement finish, remodel or demolition, retaining walls over 4 feet in height, and structures exceeding 120 sq ft of floor area
- A Licensed engineer's report/stamped drawings required if the scope affects structural elements or foundations, per the Town's locally-amended foundation provisions
- Permit must be obtained before work commences to avoid an additional investigation fee
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
- RequiredSketch or PlansSmaller projects may only require a sketch rather than full stamped plans, per the Town's published guidance; scope determines what the contracted building department requires
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Electrical Permit
VerifiedRequired for electrical work in Garden City. CORRECTED 2026-07-23: Garden City DOES maintain its own locally-codified Electrical Code — the National Electrical Code (NEC), 2017 Edition, adopted by reference at Municipal Code Chapter 18, Article 3, Section 18-3-10 (Ordinance 04-2020, re-codified by Ordinance 04-2023) — with a built-in float provision that auto-updates the Town's effective NEC edition to whatever edition the Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) adopts, one year after the state's own adoption. What the Town does NOT have is its own electrical-CONTRACTOR-licensing board: contractor licensure remains governed by Colorado's State Electrical Board (DORA), and the Town's contracted building department (ProCode/SAFEbuilt) performs the state-mandated contemporaneous review of that licensure at inspection. (The prior version of this entry incorrectly stated Garden City 'has not adopted its own local NEC edition,' based on a misreading of the IPMC Section 604.2 cross-reference to 'Electrical Code adopted by the State of Colorado' — that IPMC phrase does not negate the Town's own Chapter 18 Article 3 NEC adoption.)
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Electrical work listed among projects requiring a Building/Electrical Permit in the Town's published permit-requirement chart
- Electrical contractors must hold current Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) licensure; contemporaneous review of licensure is performed at inspection per C.R.S. 12-23-116, consistent with the statewide-mandated procedure that all Colorado inspecting entities (including Garden City's contracted building department) must follow and publicly post
- Garden City HAS adopted its own local Electrical Code by reference — NEC 2017 Edition, Municipal Code Ch. 18 Art. 3 (Ordinance 04-2020, re-codified by Ordinance 04-2023) — with the effective edition auto-updating to track the Colorado State Electrical Board's own adoptions one year after each state adoption; the Town has NOT, however, established its own separate electrical-contractor licensing board (contractor licensure remains a DORA/State Electrical Board function)
Required documents
- RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Plumbing Permit
VerifiedRequired for plumbing addition or extension work in Garden City. Governed by the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition; depth figures below re-confirmed identical). Plumbing contractors must hold Colorado State Plumbing Board (DORA) licensure, verified contemporaneously at inspection by the Town's contracted building department.
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Plumbing addition or extension listed among projects requiring a permit in the Town's published permit-requirement chart
- Governed by the 2024 IPC as locally amended (Ordinance 11-2025; minimum sewer depth 12 inches per amended P2603.5.1/P305.4.1; roof extension minimum 12 inches per amended P3103.1.1/P903.1 — values unchanged from the prior 2018-edition ordinance)
- Plumbing contractors must hold current Colorado State Plumbing Board (DORA) license and registration; contemporaneous review performed at inspection per C.R.S. 12-155-120(1) and (10), effective January 1, 2020
- Lawn sprinkler back-flow prevention devices explicitly listed as requiring a permit
Required documents
- RequiredPlumbing Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
- OptionalPlumbing Contemporaneous Review Educational BulletinState DORA Plumbing Board bulletin describing the contemporaneous license/registration review procedure that Garden City's contracted building department follows and posts publicly
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
VerifiedRequired for central air conditioners (new and replacement), furnaces, wood-burning stoves/fireplaces/gas logs, and jetted/hot tubs in Garden City. Governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition; depth/pressure figures below re-confirmed identical).
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Central air conditioner (new and replacement) explicitly listed as requiring a permit
- Furnaces, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, and gas logs explicitly listed as requiring a permit
- Jetted or hot tubs explicitly listed as requiring a permit
- Governed by the 2024 IMC/IFGC as locally amended (Ordinance 11-2025; fuel gas piping minimum 18 inches below grade; IFGC test pressure amended to 10 psig — values unchanged from the prior 2018-edition ordinance)
Required documents
- RequiredMechanical/HVAC Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Re-Roof Permit
VerifiedRequired for re-roofing in Garden City, with a narrow permit-exempt carve-out for very small shingle repairs. Governed by the 2024 IBC/IRC as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition and added a NEW substantive requirement: Class 4 impact-resistant asphalt shingles).
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Re-roof explicitly listed as requiring a permit in the Town's published permit-requirement chart
- Local amendment carve-out: shingle repair or replacement work NOT exceeding 100 square feet (one 'square') of covering per building is exempt from permit (IBC Building Exception #14 / IRC Exception #10) — anything larger requires a permit
- Ice barrier underlayment is required per the Town's adopted climatic design criteria
- NEW 2026-07-23 finding, sourced to Ordinance 11-2025 (IRC Section R905.2.4): asphalt shingles must be Class 4 impact resistant, tested in accordance with UL 2218, and installed per manufacturer's instructions. Two narrow exceptions apply: (1) when replacing existing sub-Class-4 shingles and no Class-4 shingles are available in a similar color/style, the building official may approve the highest available impact-resistance class matching the existing color/style (or, if none available, non-impact-resistant materials meeting all other code requirements); (2) for repairs or additions to existing sub-Class-4 asphalt shingle roofs, the owner may use the same or similar (non-Class-4) materials regardless of impact resistance
Required documents
- RequiredRe-Roof Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Demolition Permit
VerifiedRequired for demolition work in Garden City, explicitly listed in the Town's published permit-requirement chart alongside remodel.
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Demolition explicitly listed as requiring a permit in the Town's published permit-requirement chart
- Permit must be obtained before demolition work commences, or an additional investigation fee may apply per the locally-amended code
Required documents
- RequiredDemolition Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
VerifiedRequired for installation of a residential or commercial electric vehicle charging station (EVSE) in Garden City. As with all electrical work in this jurisdiction, the Town has no in-house Building Department — permitting is administered under contract by ProCode Inc. (rebranded SAFEbuilt in 2023-2024). CORRECTED 2026-07-23: Garden City DOES maintain its own locally-codified Electrical Code (NEC 2017 Edition, Municipal Code Ch. 18 Art. 3, per Ordinance 04-2020/04-2023, auto-updating to track the State Electrical Board's own adoptions one year later); what remains true is that electrical-CONTRACTOR licensing itself is a State of Colorado (DORA) function, with no separate Garden City licensing board. No fee schedule for any permit type — including electrical — is published anywhere on the Town's site; this is a confirmed gap across every permit type in this file, not specific to EV chargers (re-chased and re-confirmed unrecoverable as of 2026-07-23 — see top-level notes).
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Electrical work (including an EVSE circuit) listed among projects requiring a Building/Electrical Permit in the Town's published permit-requirement chart
- Electrical contractors must hold current Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) licensure; contemporaneous review of licensure is performed at inspection per C.R.S. 12-23-116
- Garden City HAS adopted its own local Electrical Code by reference — NEC 2017 Edition, Municipal Code Ch. 18 Art. 3 (Ordinance 04-2020, re-codified by Ordinance 04-2023) — with the effective edition auto-updating to track the Colorado State Electrical Board's own adoptions one year after each state adoption; contractor LICENSING (as distinct from code adoption) remains a State of Colorado (DORA) function with no separate Garden City board
Required documents
- RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal. No separate EV-specific application form was found published.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Deck / Patio Cover / Retaining Wall Permit
VerifiedRequired for patio covers and retaining walls over 4 feet in height in Garden City; decks less than 30 inches above grade and not attached to an existing structure are exempt, per the Town's own published permit-exempt list.
Verified 2026-07-06 · Source
Requirements
- Patio covers explicitly listed as requiring a permit
- Retaining walls over 4 feet in height require a permit; retaining walls under 4 feet are exempt
- Decks less than 30 inches above grade AND not attached to an existing structure are exempt from permit, per the Town's published exemption list; decks attached to a structure or 30 inches or more above grade require a permit
Required documents
- RequiredDeck / Patio Cover Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Permit
VerifiedRequired for installation or replacement of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems in Garden City. As with all building permits in the Town, plan review and inspection is performed under contract by SAFEbuilt (formerly ProCode Inc.), which applies its own standardized 'COLORADO Photovoltaic System Submittal Requirements' checklist (updated 11/13/2019) across its Colorado-contracted jurisdictions — its design criteria (115 mph Vult wind, Exposure C, 30 psf roof snow load, Seismic Design Category B) match Garden City's own adopted design criteria exactly (Ordinance 02-2020), confirming this document governs Garden City installations. No Garden City-specific or SAFEbuilt-published flat solar fee exists; the same unpublished valuation-based process documented for the Town's general Building and Electrical permits applies.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- Permit application completely filled out with contact person, phone number, and total valuation of the PV system (material, labor, and profit)
- Two (2) sets of complete drawings; a plan review is required for each property/address
- Reviewed against 2020 NEC, 2018 IRC, and 2018 IBC — the same code editions Garden City has locally adopted (Ordinance 02-2020)
- Design criteria for engineering: 115 mph Vult wind speed, Exposure C, 30 psf roof snow load, Seismic Design Category B — identical to Garden City's own adopted climatic/geographic design criteria
- Roof-mounted systems require structural engineering proving the roof system supports the new load (wind uplift, roof snow load, and dead load of the system)
- Ground-mounted systems require a plot/site plan showing PV array location and distances to property lines and existing structures
- Electrical plans must include a four-line diagram (module count/wattage, conductor sizes, wire lengths, insulation types, conduit sizes, fuses, circuit breaker ratings, inverter ratings, AC & DC disconnect rating, grounding and ground fault protection), PV module nameplate short-circuit current/open-circuit voltage, wire/fuse sizing calculations (including NEC Table 690.31(A)(a) temperature derating, worst-case ambient 56-60°C for roof-mounted systems), voltage-vs-inverter-rating calculations, and NEC 690.43/690.45 grounding calculations
- Manufacturer's cut sheets and listing information for PV equipment, plus a sheet showing all required placards/labels with verbiage and colors
- Zoning requirements are set by the Town and must be separately verified — applicant should contact the Town directly to confirm zoning compliance
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding/Electrical Permit Application (Photovoltaic System)Submitted via the CommunityCore online portal, per SAFEbuilt's standardized Colorado Photovoltaic System Submittal Requirements
- RequiredTwo (2) Sets of Complete DrawingsSite/roof plan, four-line electrical diagram, structural engineering (if roof-mounted), and plot/site plan (if ground-mounted)
- RequiredStructural Engineering Report (roof-mounted systems)Proving the roof system will support the new load (wind uplift, snow load, dead load)
- RequiredManufacturer Cut Sheets and Listing InformationFor all PV modules, inverters, and related equipment
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Water Heater and Boiler Replacement Permit
VerifiedRequired for water heater and boiler replacements in Garden City, explicitly and separately listed in the Town's published permit-requirement chart distinct from general mechanical/HVAC work.
Verified 2026-07-23 · Source
Requirements
- Water heater and boiler replacements explicitly listed as requiring a permit, distinct from the general furnace/central-AC line item
- Governed by the 2024 IMC/IFGC/IPC as locally amended (UPDATED 2026-07-23 — Ordinance 11-2025 superseded the 2018 edition)
- If gas service must be shut off (Atmos Energy) for the replacement, a Building Inspector pressure test is required before gas service is restored
Required documents
- RequiredWater Heater/Boiler Replacement Permit ApplicationSubmitted via the CommunityCore online portal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Sources & verification
Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.
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 Garden City building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.