Yuma building permits

Building department

Address

320 South Main Street, Yuma, CO 80759 (mailing: PO Box 265, Yuma, CO 80759)

Phone

970-848-3878 (City Hall); 970-630-7118 (Building Inspector direct line)

Email

building.inspector@yumacolo.org

Office hours

Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (City Hall, 320 South Main Street)

Website

Official site

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Yuma — 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.

• 2015 International Building Code (IBC) — per the City's own 'Roofing, Siding and Window Requirements' handout ('All projects must conform to Chapter 15 of the 2015 IBC, IRC and ICC as specified'; the siding requirements cite '2015 IBC Chapter 14 section 1403'). This is the most current, actively-maintained City-published statement of the adopted edition.
• 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) — same source as above.
• 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), per Municode Chapter 15.28 (§15.28.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. Show full textShow less

  2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), per Municode Chapter 15.28 (§15.28.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. 5 (codified through Ordinance No. 5-2025, adopted 4-15-2025; online content updated 7-25-2025). The section provides verbatim: 'There is hereby adopted by reference the International Existing Building Code, 2015 edition, as published by the International Code Council, as the Existing Building Code of the City of Yuma, Colorado, regulating and governing the repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition and relocation of existing buildings...' (Ord. 17-2018, 2018).

• 2015 International Fire Code (IFC) — Municode Chapter 15.16 (§15.16.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. 5: 'There is hereby adopted by reference the International Fire Code, 2015 edition, as published by the International Code Council, as the Fire Code of the City of Yuma, Colorado...' (Ord. 17-2018, 2018). Administered by the Fire Department, and not modeled in this entry's permitTypes.
• 2015 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — adopted at Municode Chapter 15.30 (§15.30.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. 5: 'There is hereby adopted by reference the International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 edition...' (Ord. 17-2018, 2018). Administered by Code Enforcement, so it is not modeled as a permit type here.
• Most recent International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted by the State of Colorado, adopted by reference by the City of Yuma — Municode Chapter 15.32 (§15.32.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. Show full textShow less

  Most recent International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted by the State of Colorado, adopted by reference by the City of Yuma — Municode Chapter 15.32 (§15.32.010, 'Adopted'), current through Supplement No. 5: 'There is hereby adopted by reference the most recent International Plumbing Code, adopted by the State of Colorado, as published by the International Code Council, as the Plumbing Code of the City of Yuma, Colorado...' (Ord. 17-2018, 2018). The City ties its plumbing code edition to whatever the State of Colorado has adopted rather than naming a fixed edition year itself; see localAmendments for why plumbing permits and inspections in Yuma are administered by the State Plumbing Board (DORA/DPO), not the City.

• 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with the 2015 IECC/IRC Table R402.1.2/N1102.1.2 U-factor/SHGC table and the 2012 IECC/IRC Table R402.1.1/N1102.1.1 table both cited as applicable (values stated as identical between the two editions) in the City's 'Roofing, Siding and Window Requirements' handout, for window replacement energy compliance specifically.
• 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board — City of Yuma does not run its own local electrical program (see localAmendments); wiring work is governed by whatever NEC edition… Show full textShow less

  2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board — City of Yuma does not run its own local electrical program (see localAmendments); wiring work is governed by whatever NEC edition the State Electrical Board has adopted, verify current edition directly with the State Electrical Board (dpo.colorado.gov/Electrical) at time of permit, since the City does not separately publish or amend an NEC edition of its own.

• No newer code-edition cycle (e.g. 2018, 2021, or 2024 IBC/IRC family) is referenced anywhere on the City's Building Inspection page, Permits and Forms page, Roofing/Siding/Window Requirements handout, or Building Permit… Show full textShow less

  No newer code-edition cycle (e.g. 2018, 2021, or 2024 IBC/IRC family) is referenced anywhere on the City's Building Inspection page, Permits and Forms page, Roofing/Siding/Window Requirements handout, or Building Permit Application form — the City's actively-maintained public materials consistently cite the 2015 ICC family, so 2015 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IFC/IPMC are recorded as the governing adopted editions rather than assuming a later cycle. The Municode Library's own live Supplement History Table (nodeId=SUHITA) confirms the current codification is Supplement No. 5 (online content updated 7-25-2025), which lists every ordinance considered for codification through Ordinance No. 5-2025 (adopted 4-15-2025) as either 'Included' or 'Omitted'; no ordinance postdating 4-15-2025 (including no Dec-2025-era ordinance) appears anywhere in that table. Every Title 15 code-adoption chapter (15.04, 15.10, 15.12, 15.16, 15.24, 15.28, 15.30, 15.32, 15.36, 15.40, 15.41) still cites its original 2015-cycle edition (or, for Chapter 15.24, the 1997 UCADB), and the only post-2018 touch to any of these chapters is the identical, uniform Ord. No. 3-2025 (4-1-2025) penalty-cross-reference amendment applied chapter-by-chapter — not a code-edition update. This is a direct, chapter-by-chapter confirmation rather than an inference from absence: Yuma has adopted no newer I-code cycle than 2015.

Permit types & fees

• Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Alteration, Repair)

  City of Yuma issues a single general-purpose Building Permit Application covering new construction, additions, alterations, and repairs to residential structures, selected via a 'Class of Work' checkbox (New / Addition / Alteration / Repair / Move / Remove / Demolition) on one shared form. Reviewed under the 2015 IBC/IRC as adopted. No separate application exists per project type.

  From$100.00→

• Building Permit (Commercial New Construction, Addition, Alteration, Tenant Improvement)

  Commercial new construction, additions, alterations, tenant improvements, and repairs in the City of Yuma use the same single Building Permit Application used for residential work, selected via the same 'Class of Work' checkboxes, and are reviewed under the same adopted 2015 IBC. Municode Section 15.04.010 adopts the 2015 IBC for 'all property, buildings and structures' city-wide, not residential-limited, and Municode Sections 15.08.010/15.08.030 establish the Building Official as a City office rather than a county or contracted building department. Resolution #46, Series of 2024 (City of Yuma Fee Schedule, effective 11/19/2024) was read directly, page by page, and its Building Permit Fees table carries one valuation-based schedule with no separate commercial line item, no plan review fee, and no construction use tax. A new tenant or new use occupying existing commercial space can separately require a Zoning Compliance Permit under Municode Section 17.04.406, and a use marked conditional rather than by-right in the applicable zoning district's Schedule of Permitted Uses can require a Conditional Use Permit before City Council under Municode Chapter 17.05.

  From$100.00→

• Demolition Permit

  Demolition is one of the explicit 'Class of Work' checkbox options (New / Addition / Alteration / Repair / Move / Remove / Demolition) on the City's single shared Building Permit Application, billed under the same valuation-based fee schedule as other building permit work — confirmed 2026-07-23 by a direct read of Municode §15.04.010 ('Adopted'), which states the adopted 2015 IBC governs '...the condemnation of buildings and structures unfit for human occupancy and use and the demolition of such structures in the City of Yuma; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor...'. No separate City-specific demolition application or fee category is published. Independent of the City process, Colorado state law requires an asbestos inspection and a CDPHE notification (with its own fee and a 10-working-day waiting period) before ANY demolition in the state, regardless of size or whether asbestos is found.

  From$100.00valuation-based→

• Re-Roof Permit

  Required for roofing and re-roofing projects in the City of Yuma. Work must conform to Chapter 15 of the 2015 IBC/IRC/ICC. No contractor license is required. A distinctive feature of Yuma's process is a photo-based remote mid-roof inspection option as an alternative to an onsite visit.

  From$100.00valuation-based→

• Electrical Permit

  Electrical permits and inspections within City of Yuma limits are administered by the Colorado State Electrical Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA/DPO) rather than the City itself. Yuma County does not appear on the State's published list of counties with their own local Electrical Inspection Program, so State jurisdiction applies. Governed by the National Electrical Code (NEC) edition currently adopted by the State Electrical Board.

  See fee schedule→

• Plumbing Permit

  Plumbing permits and inspections within City of Yuma limits are administered by the Colorado State Plumbing Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA/DPO) rather than the City itself. Yuma County does not appear on the State's published list of counties with their own local Plumbing Inspection Program, so State jurisdiction applies. Governed by the most recent International Plumbing Code (IPC) edition adopted by the State of Colorado.

  See fee schedule→

• Rooftop Solar / Photovoltaic Permit

  Required for solar PV (and small wind turbine) installations connecting to the City of Yuma Utilities electric grid. Requires both a building permit and an electrical inspection (performed by the State Electrical Board, since the City has no local electrical program), plus a separate Application for Interconnection and Facilities Interconnection Agreement with City of Yuma Utilities.

  From$250.00→

• EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit

  The City of Yuma has no dedicated EV charger/EVSE permit type or fee line. As with rooftop solar, the electrical portion of an EV charger installation (circuit wiring, panel/service upgrade, equipment) is permitted and inspected by the Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA/DPO), not the City's Building Inspector, since Yuma County does not appear on the State's list of counties with a local Electrical Inspection Program. A separate City of Yuma structural building permit (valuation-based, Resolution #46, Series of 2024) may apply if the installation involves new construction (e.g., a carport or panel enclosure). No City of Yuma Utilities interconnection fee applies to an EV charger the way it does to solar, since a charger draws power rather than exporting it to the grid. Because Yuma County has no local electrical inspection program, the governing mechanism is the State Electrical Board's direct statutory authority under C.R.S. § 12-115-120(2): a state electrical inspector must inspect the work within three WORKING days of the inspection request (§ 12-115-120(2)(b)), and the Board sets its own fee based on actual inspection cost (§ 12-115-121(1)) rather than a published table. The Board's current rules (3 CCR 710-1) likewise publish no static fee schedule.

  See fee schedule→

• Zoning Compliance Permit (Change in Use)

  Discovered on a dedicated 2026-08-02 adversarial re-verification pass (Municode Chapter 17.04 read directly for the first time in the history). Municode §17.04.406 ('Changes in Use') makes a Zoning Compliance Permit a codified prerequisite for any change in use in any zoning district: 'A change in use shall require that the person proposing such change be issued a zoning compliance permit prior to initiating the change and/or receiving a certificate of occupancy.' This is the actual code hook behind the 'Zoning Compliance Permit $30.00' and 'Change In Use $50.00' fee lines in Resolution #46's Land Use Fees table, and is the gate most likely to actually fire for an ordinary tenant-improvement scenario (a new tenant or new use occupying existing commercial space) — distinct from, and in addition to, the general Building Permit Application/2015 IBC process documented in the residential-building-permit entry.

  From$30.00→

• Conditional Use Permit

  Discovered on a dedicated 2026-08-02 adversarial re-verification pass (Municode Chapter 17.05 read directly for the first time in the history — the prior pass had cited only the Title 17 table of contents). Required under Municode §§17.05.501-509 whenever a proposed use is listed as conditional ('C') rather than by-right ('X') for the applicable zoning district in §17.04.402's Schedule of Permitted Uses. Approved (or denied) by City Council after a public hearing, not administered by the Building Inspector. A genuine zoning-based gate a commercial or TI project could hit depending on its proposed use — distinct from, and in addition to, the general Building Permit Application/2015 IBC process documented in the residential-building-permit entry.

  $125.00→

• Historic Preservation Alteration Certificate (Certificate of Appropriateness)

  Discovered on a dedicated 2026-08-02 adversarial re-verification pass: Municode TITLE 16 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION (Chapter 16.01, created by Ord. 1-2018) was never checked by any prior pass in this record — every source list previously jumped straight from Title 15 to Title 17. Title 16 creates a seven-member Historic Preservation Commission that issues Alteration Certificates for locally-designated historic structures, sites, and districts. Critically, §16.01.090.B states: 'The Building Department shall not issue a building permit for work on designated structures or features until an alteration certificate or exemption certificate has been obtained by the property owner' — a genuine, codified building-permit-blocking gate. However, this gate only binds properties that have gone through Yuma's own LOCAL historic-designation process (separate from listing on the National or State Register); the City's own Historic Preservation Committee webpage, read directly 2026-08-02, states 'there has not been a process in place for a local designation' and describes the Commission's current work as still an identification/planning phase, so this record could not confirm how many (if any) properties are currently subject to this gate in practice — the designated-properties list is kept at the Yuma Public Library (970-848-2368), not published online.

  See fee schedule→

• Sign Permit

  The City of Yuma's Resolution #46, Series of 2024 (Fee Schedule, effective 11/19/2024) lists a 'Sign Permit' as its own line item, billed 'Same as building permit fee.' Read that line from the fee schedule's Building Permit Fees page as published rather than from a copy-paste — the table's rows wrap across multiple lines when copied, which can attach a dollar figure to the wrong row. Beyond that one fee line, no dedicated Sign Code chapter, standalone sign application form, or sign-specific design/placement standard could be located: Municode/amlegal Title 17 (Zoning Regulations) was reviewed chapter by chapter (17.01 General Provisions, 17.02 Zoning Districts, 17.03 Rules and Definitions, 17.04 Use Regulations, 17.05 Conditional Uses and Variances, 17.06 Special Regulations, 17.07 Fence Regulations, 17.12 AID Airport Influence District) and none is titled or scoped to signs; the City's Permits and Forms webpage lists no sign-specific application PDF (only the general Building Permit Application, Excavation Permit Application, and Roofing/Siding/Window Requirements handout). Signs in Yuma therefore appear to be processed through the same general Building Permit Application used for every other project type, billed at the general valuation-based fee schedule.

  From$100.00valuation-based→

• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System Permit

  Fire code enforcement in the City of Yuma is administered by the City's own Fire Department (the Yuma Volunteer Fire Department, organized November 26, 1920), under the 2015 International Fire Code as adopted by Municode/amlegal Chapter 15.16 (§15.16.010, 'Adopted') — see codesAdopted. The City of Yuma Fire Department's own webpage (cityofyuma.colorado.gov/fire-department) is purely a historical narrative page about the volunteer department's 1920 founding, with no fire-prevention, plan-review, or permit content of any kind. The City's Resolution #46 Fee Schedule contains no line item for a sprinkler system, fire alarm system, or fire suppression permit — 'Sign Permit' and 'Fence Permit' are the only permit-adjacent lines beyond the general Building Permit Fees table. No sprinkler/alarm-specific application form appears on the City's Permits and Forms page either.

  See fee schedule→

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