Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in Windsor, Colorado

Windsor requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: Town of Windsor guidance (Accessory Dwelling Unit Application Packet, Site Plan Submittal Requirements): 'When there is a change of use for a building, it is treated as a new building and must be upgraded to current code requirements for the proposed use, and a Certificate of Occupancy must be obtained'; WMC Sec. 18-9-10 adopts the 2024 International Existing Building Code, Chapters 1 through 16 inclusive, by reference as the Town's governing code for existing buildings, which the change of use must comply with; Because a change of use is treated as new construction, the proposed use must meet current 2024 I-Code requirements (effective January 1, 2026) rather than the code in force when the building was originally permitted; SAFEbuilt (under contract to the Town) administers plan review and inspection for any construction/upgrade work associated with the change of use; the Town of Windsor remains the permit-issuing authority. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Windsor Community Development / Building Permits (Building Division contracted to SAFEbuilt) at 970-674-2436 (Permit Technician); 970-674-2400 (Town main line, option 4 for Building Permits/Community Development); SAFEbuilt Inspections 970-674-1036 or 1-866-671-1036 before starting work.

Windsor does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Windsor Community Development / Building Permits (Building Division contracted to SAFEbuilt) at 970-674-2436 (Permit Technician); 970-674-2400 (Town main line, option 4 for Building Permits/Community Development); SAFEbuilt Inspections 970-674-1036 or 1-866-671-1036 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Certificate of Occupancy Request. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Windsor requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Building Division Inspection. Schedule each through Town of Windsor Community Development / Building Permits (Building Division contracted to SAFEbuilt) (970-674-2436 (Permit Technician); 970-674-2400 (Town main line, option 4 for Building Permits/Community Development); SAFEbuilt Inspections 970-674-1036 or 1-866-671-1036).

Apply through Town of Windsor Community Development / Building Permits (Building Division contracted to SAFEbuilt) at 200 N. 11th Street, Windsor, CO 80550 (Permit Technician); Planning Department at 301 Walnut Street, Windsor, CO 80550. Phone: 970-674-2436 (Permit Technician); 970-674-2400 (Town main line, option 4 for Building Permits/Community Development); SAFEbuilt Inspections 970-674-1036 or 1-866-671-1036, email: SAFEbuilt inspection requests: inspect@safebuilt.com. Town Permit Technician (Robin Volner, per the Multi-Family Building Permit Fee Estimate form): rvolner@windsorgov.com. Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; online services available Fridays (Town offices are closed to walk-in service on Fridays per the Building Permits page). Official information: https://www.windsorco.gov/137/Building-Permits.

Windsor, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Codes (I-Codes), adopted with an effective date of January 1, 2026 — Town of Windsor Building Permits page (verbatim: 'The 2024 I-Codes have been adopted with the effective date of January 1, 2026') states all new building plans, including master plans and energy code submissions, are reviewed under the 2024 I-Codes as of that date. Source: https://www.windsorco.gov/137/Building-Permits; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), effective for permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2024 — per the Town's own '2023 NEC Adoption Letter — Windsor' PDF referenced from the Building Permits page; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC), adopted by the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Board (WRCB) effective July 1, 2025 (8 CCR 1507-39); the Town of Windsor's own Building Permits page states the CWRC 'will take effect in Windsor on July 1, 2026'; DATA-CURRENCY CONFLICT DISCLOSED: the Town's separately-hosted 'Design Criteria and Adopted Codes' PDF (last modified 2024-07-23, prior to the 2024 I-Codes' Jan 1, 2026 effective date) still lists a superseded code suite — 2018 IRC/IBC, 2018 IECC, 2018 IFC, 2020 NEC, 2018 IPC, 2018 IMC, 2018 IFGC, 2018 IEBC, 2018 ISPSC, all 'with Amendments' — and has evidently not been refreshed to reflect the 2024 I-Codes/2023 NEC transition confirmed directly and verbatim on the live Building Permits page. This file treats the live Building Permits page (2024 I-Codes eff. 1/1/2026, 2023 NEC eff. 1/1/2024) as the current governing code list, per the more-recent, directly-dated source. Source: https://www.windsorco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16086/Adopted-Codes-and-Design-Criteria (PDF metadata ModDate 2024-07-23) vs. https://www.windsorco.gov/137/Building-Permits (live page, fetched 2026-07-06). Local amendments apply — see the Windsor overview page for the full list.

The Town's own guidance states that any change of use is treated as a new building and must be upgraded to current code requirements for the proposed use, with a new Certificate of Occupancy required — implying compliance review is required even where the scope of physical work varies by project.

The Town's adopted 2024 International Existing Building Code (WMC Sec. 18-9-10, Chapters 1-16), plus the current 2024 I-Codes generally (effective January 1, 2026) for any required upgrade work, since a change of use is treated as new construction.