Nunn building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Nunn, Colorado.
Last verified 2026-07-23 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 185 Lincoln Ave / P.O. Box 171, Nunn, CO 80648
- Phone
- 970-897-2385
- Office hours
- Town of Nunn does not publish standing office hours on the Building/Planning page or Town Clerk page; general contact is 970-897-2385 / town.clerk@townofnunnco.gov. Nunn has no dedicated Building Department staff — the Town Clerk's Office intakes all building permit applications and coordinates with the Planning Board (for structures over 120 sq ft) and SAFEbuilt (contracted plan review and inspections).
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Nunn — 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), chapters 1-33 and appendix chapter 1, adopted by reference — Nunn Municipal Code (NMC) 15.04.020, as amended (Ord. No. 237 12-18-2003; Ord. No. 263 5-3-2007; Ord. No. 317 6-20-2019)
- 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), chapters 1-43 and appendix chapters H and M, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.120, as amended (Ord. No. 237, 263, 317)
- 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), chapters 1-15, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.030 (Ord. No. 237, 263, 317)
- 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), chapters 1-13, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.050 (Ord. No. 237, 12-18-2003)
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), chapters 1-8, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.090 (Ord. No. 237, 263, 317)
- 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), chapters 1-16, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.130 (Ord. No. 263 5-3-2007; Ord. No. 317 6-20-2019)
- 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), chapters 1-8, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.150 (Ord. No. 317 6-20-2019)
- 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), chapters 1-11, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.160 (Ord. No. 317 6-20-2019)
- 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), chapters 1-5, adopted by reference as the town energy conservation code — NMC 15.04.140 (Ord. No. 317 6-20-2019); IBC section 1301.1.1/101.4.6 and IRC chapter 11 are both explicitly amended to substitute the 2012 IECC as well
- National Electrical Code, 2002 edition, adopted by reference — NMC 15.04.040 (codified text, unamended since original Code 2002 codification). NOTE: this is the currently codified NEC edition in the 2024 Nunn Municipal Code as republished by Ordinance No. 326 (adopted 6-20-2024, adopting/enacting the Municipal Code by reference). However, SAFEbuilt's own current 'Photovoltaic System Submittal Requirements' handout (the Town's contracted plan-review/inspection agency) states 'Applicable current codes are the 2020 NEC, 2018 International Codes' — a direct discrepancy between the codified 2002 NEC text and SAFEbuilt's operational reference. Flagged honestly rather than resolved by assumption; the governing citation is the codified 2002 NEC per NMC 15.04.040 pending confirmation from the Town.
- Chapter 15.16 (Energy Efficiency Construction) of the Nunn Municipal Code additionally references the 1977/1978 Colorado Model Energy Efficiency Construction and Renovation Standards for Nonresidential Buildings and the companion Colorado Recommended Energy Conservation 'Performance' Code for Residential Buildings — these appear to be vestigial/superseded provisions retained from the original 2002 code codification and predate the town's adoption of the 2012 IECC at NMC 15.04.140 (2019); not applied as the governing energy standard in this file.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family or duplex construction in the Town of Nunn. Reviewed under the 2018 IRC as locally amended, including Nunn's Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (30 psf ground snow load, 115 mph wind design speed, 30-inch frost depth) and a Colorado-registered-design-professional foundation/soils requirement. Applications are submitted to the Town Clerk's Office and forwarded to SAFEbuilt (the Town's contracted plan-review/inspection agency) for plan review; projects require Planning Board approval before SAFEbuilt review begins.
Residential Addition / Remodel Permit
Required for additions, basement finishes, kitchen/bath remodels, or any renovation involving electrical, plumbing, or structural modifications, doors/windows, or wall changes in the Town of Nunn. Governed by the 2018 IRC as locally amended; the Town publishes dedicated homeowner guides for Basement Finish and Home Additions scopes.
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical system installation, alteration, or repair in Nunn. The Town does NOT run its own certified electrical licensing/permitting program — it defers to the Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA) for tradesperson licensure, with contemporaneous license verification performed by the Town per C.R.S. 12-115-120(1)/(10) as amended by HB19-1086, applicable to all SAFEbuilt inspections since December 1, 2019.
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing system installation, alteration, or repair in Nunn. Governed by the 2018 International Plumbing Code as locally amended. Like electrical work, Nunn defers plumber licensure entirely to the Colorado State Plumbing Board (DORA) rather than running its own local plumbing contractor licensing program, with contemporaneous license verification required by the Town per HB19-1086.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for furnace, boiler, and gas piping installation or replacement in Nunn. Governed by the 2018 International Mechanical Code and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code as locally amended (e.g., 18-inch minimum plastic fuel gas pipe burial depth, 10 psig test pressure, 15-minute test duration for small-volume/single-family systems).
Re-Roof Permit
Required for re-roofing work in Nunn (shingle repair/replacement exceeding 100 sq ft/one square is the only exempted minor scope). Governed by the 2018 IRC/IBC as locally amended, with a mandatory ice barrier underlayment requirement per IRC R905.1.2 documented in the Town's own Ice & Water Shield Requirements handout.
Rooftop / Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Permit
Required for solar panel installation or replacement in Nunn. SAFEbuilt (the Town's contracted plan-review/inspection agency) publishes a dedicated Photovoltaic System Submittal Requirements packet specifying current applicable codes as the 2020 NEC and 2018 International Codes, plus structural engineering letter requirements for roof-mounted and ground-mounted systems.
Demolition Permit
Required to demolish any building or structure in the Town of Nunn, per the Town's general building-permit requirement (Title 15) and its own project list, which explicitly names 'Demolitions' as requiring a permit.
Deck / Patio Cover / Carport Permit
Required for decks, patio covers, carports, and pergolas in the Town of Nunn, per the Town's own project list. The Town publishes dedicated 2024 IRC homeowner guides for Decks and Patio Covers/Carports.
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
The Town of Nunn does not publish a dedicated EV charger/EVSE permit type. Installation of a Level 2 EV charger is permitted under the Town's standard Electrical Permit, administered on the Town's behalf by its contracted plan-review/inspection provider, SAFEbuilt. As with all electrical work in Nunn, the Town verifies the installing electrician's Colorado DORA state electrical license before accepting the application (per C.R.S. 12-115-120(1)/(10), HB19-1086) — Nunn has no local electrical contractor licensing program of its own. The Town's 2026 Fee Schedule publishes a general two-tier Building Permit Admin Fee ($75 plan-review / $50 One Stop) plus a 2% Use Tax, but names no EV-specific line item, so no EV-specific dollar figure can be verified.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- No data reported
- Year to date (2026 YTD)
- No data reported
- Full year 2025
- 1units
1 buildings · $186,151 valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Colorado building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Nunn is a statutory (not home-rule) town with its OWN independent Title 15 building-code program — it is NOT a Weld County unincorporated-area permit, and Weld County's own permitting program does not cover Nunn town limits. The Town Clerk's Office (not a dedicated Building Department) intakes applications, and ALL plan review and inspections are contracted to SAFEbuilt, a third-party provider — expect two separate points of contact (Town Clerk for application/payment; SAFEbuilt directly at windsor@safebuilt.com or 970-674-1036 for inspections).
- UPDATED 2026-07-23: the Town's Municipal Code itself still states no dollar figures (fees are set by Town Board Resolution per NMC 15.04.010/15.08.060), but the Town DOES now publish a live numeric 'Fee Schedule' (effective January 22, 2026, linked from the Town homepage) setting a flat Building Permit Admin Fee of $75.00 (permits requiring plan review) or $50.00 (One Stop permits — the Town names re-roof and hot water heater as examples), plus a 2% Use Tax on all Building Permits. This Town-set admin fee/use-tax figure is real and citable, but it is charged IN ADDITION TO SAFEbuilt's own separate valuation-based plan-review/inspection fee, which SAFEbuilt still calculates per-application and which remains unpublished as a table — so the Town's admin fee is not the full total cost of a permit. Get a full quote directly from the Town Clerk's Office (970-897-2385 / kendra.minch@townofnunnco.gov) before budgeting a project.
- Structures over 120 sq ft require Planning Board approval BEFORE SAFEbuilt plan review begins — the Planning Board/Work Session meets only once a month (first Thursday, 6:00 p.m.), paperwork is due 6 days ahead, and the applicant must personally attend or risk the request being tabled to the following month. This is a real, unavoidable scheduling constraint distinct from SAFEbuilt's own review turnaround (which is itself unpublished).
- Electrical and plumbing work in Nunn defers ENTIRELY to Colorado State licensing (DORA State Electrical Board / State Plumbing Board) — the Town runs no local trade-contractor licensing program of its own. It does, however, perform contemporaneous online DORA license verification at application and (at the inspector's discretion) at any inspection, per its own published Contemporaneous Review Guidelines implementing HB19-1086/CRS 12-115-120.
- Nunn's codified adopted-code set is 2018 International Codes (IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC/IPMC/ISPSC) plus a 2012 IECC energy code and a 2002-edition National Electrical Code, per the 2024 Municipal Code codification (Ordinance No. 326, adopted 6-20-2024). However, SAFEbuilt's own current Photovoltaic System Submittal Requirements packet states applicable current codes are the 2020 NEC and 2018 International Codes — a real, unresolved discrepancy between the codified NEC edition and the contracted reviewer's stated operational reference. Confirm the governing NEC edition directly with the Town/SAFEbuilt before finalizing an electrical design.
- HB22-1362 (Colorado's statewide energy-code floor: 2021 IECC plus electric-ready/solar-ready/EV-ready provisions, compliance window July 2023-July 2026) does NOT appear to be reflected in Nunn's own codified energy code — NMC 15.04.140 still adopts the 2012 IECC, and no separate resolution or ordinance implementing HB22-1362 could be located as of this 2026-07-06 verification, even though the Municipal Code itself was last republished after the compliance window opened (Ordinance 326, June 2024). This is flagged as an open/unresolved item rather than assumed compliant or noncompliant — verify current status directly with the Town before relying on it for code-research purposes.
- Nunn's Title 15 building-code chapter has NO adopted International Fire Code edition of its own (NMC 15.04.060 is expressly labeled 'Reserved for fire code adoption'); other sections refer generically to an 'Adopted Fire Code' without naming a specific edition or adopting authority — this could not be resolved from Title 15 alone.
- Nunn's Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (IRC Table R301.2(1)) are: 30 psf ground snow load, 115 mph wind design speed (Exposure C, no topographic effects), Seismic Design Category B, Severe weathering, 30-inch frost depth, Slight-to-Moderate termite, 1 degree F winter design temp, mandatory ice barrier underlayment, 1,000 Air Freezing Index, 45 degree F mean annual temp — confirm any structural/HVAC design uses these specific figures rather than a generic Front Range or Denver-metro assumption.
- Furnace, boiler, and water heater REPLACEMENTS (not just new installations) explicitly require a building permit in Nunn per the Town's own published project list — don't assume a like-for-like equipment swap is permit-exempt.
- Foundations for new construction must be designed and stamped by a Colorado-registered design professional based on an engineer's soils report, and a site certification by a Colorado-registered design professional is required for setback verification on new single-family/duplex construction — a more rigorous local requirement than a purely prescriptive IRC foundation table.