The City of Englewood Building & Codes Division, part of Community Development, permits and inspects construction inside the city limits, and all applications go through the iMS online portal. Under the fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, permit fees start at $26.78 and follow valuation, plan review is 65% of the permit fee, and use tax is 3.8% on half the valuation. Permits filed after May 31, 2026 are reviewed under the 2024 International Codes.
What requires a building permit in Englewood?
The Division’s handout “Do I Need a Construction Permit?” gives examples on both sides. It is not all-inclusive, and an application is not approval to start: the active permit must be posted near the front of the property, visible from the street.
Permit required
- Replacing or adding fencing
- Building additions, attached and detached garages
- Decks over 200 sq ft and higher than 30 inches above grade
- Carports and patio covers
- Window or siding replacement, and egress window installation
- Adding, altering or removing interior or exterior walls; structural repairs
- New or replacement drywall, and bath or shower wall tiling
- Furnace, air conditioning, evaporative cooler and water heater replacement
- Water or drain line alterations; bath or shower drains and valves
- Adding lighting or receptacles, or altering heating, plumbing or electrical systems
- Re-roofing
- Total and interior-only demolition
No building permit
- Flooring, painting and wallpaper
- Direct replacement of cabinets, countertops, toilets and lavatories
- Roofing repairs of less than 100 sq ft
- Residential sheds, greenhouses and tool storage under 200 sq ft, though a Site Permit from the Zoning Division is required (303-762-2349)
- Driveways and sidewalks (call Public Works, 303-762-2500, for work in the right-of-way or a curb cut)
- Prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep
- Swings and playground equipment
- Decks up to 200 sq ft, under 30 inches above grade, not attached to the dwelling and not serving a required exit door
Who issues building permits in Englewood?
The Building & Codes Division is responsible for all structures in Englewood meeting the adopted codes. It has its own building, mechanical and plumbing, electrical and fence inspectors, so trade permits are City permits. Karen Montanez is the Chief Building Official.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 1000 Englewood Parkway, 3rd Floor, Englewood, CO 80110 |
| Phone | 303-762-2357 or 303-762-2356 |
| BuildingDept@englewoodco.gov | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Portal | iMS, at ims.englewoodco.gov |
| Zoning Division (site permits) | 303-762-2349 |
The Division’s authority covers property inside the Englewood city limits; neighboring cities and unincorporated Arapahoe County run their own permitting. Fire plan reviews and fire permits go through the City’s Fire Marshal, and planning and zoning, engineering and utilities may charge their own fees on a project.
Englewood permit filing, licences and homeowner permits
Create an iMS account to submit documents, get review notices, pay online and message staff. The City accepts permits and licences only through the portal, which removed the need for phone payments or office visits.
- Contractor licence or registration: anyone doing construction for compensation in the city needs one, with an affidavit of legal residency or presence. Class A Unlimited General is $225, Class B Limited General $150, Class C (one- and two-family and accessory buildings) $100, Class D single trades such as roofing, concrete or fences $75, Class E specialties such as HVAC, signs or elevators $75, and Class F structure moving or demolition $75. Classes A, B, C and HVAC need ICC certification.
- Trade registrations: R-1 Electrical is free, R-2 Plumbing $75 and R-3 Plumbing and Mechanical $100, each with a State of Colorado master licence and contractor licence. Licences and certificates expire 1 year after issue.
- Homeowner Affidavit: required whenever a homeowner acts as general contractor or does a trade. The property must be in the homeowner’s name and be their primary residence in Arapahoe County records, and a copy of a valid Colorado driver’s licence goes with it. Homeowner permits are not allowed for commercial property, rentals, investment property, flips or new construction. Anyone outside the immediate family who helps must hold a City contractor licence.
- Plan Review Revision Form and Owner Authorization Letter: posted with the submittal requirements for changes to approved plans and for commercial tenant work.
Englewood building permit fees
The Building Permit Fee Schedule took effect January 1, 2026. The permit fee is based on total valuation.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Total valuation | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $500 | $26.78 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $26.78 for the first $500 plus $3.47 for each additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $78.92 for the first $2,000 plus $15.95 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $445.87 for the first $25,000 plus $11.51 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $733.62 for the first $50,000 plus $7.97 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,191.71 for the first $100,000 plus $6.39 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,685.16 for the first $500,000 plus $5.39 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $1,000,001 and up | $6,391.71 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.59 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plan review | 65% of the building permit fee; waived for single-family, owner-occupied dwellings |
| Additional plan review after changes or revisions | $55 per hour |
| Use tax | 3.8% on one-half of the total valuation |
| Arapahoe County Open Space Tax | 0.25% on one-half of the total valuation |
| Re-inspection | $100 per hour |
| Inspection outside normal business hours | $75 per hour, 2 hour minimum |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancy | $300 |
| Moving a structure | $250 into the city; $125 through or out of it |
For example, a $20,000 remodel has a permit fee of $78.92 plus 18 × $15.95, which is $366.02. Plan review at 65% is $237.91 unless the home is a single-family, owner-occupied dwelling, use tax is $380 and the open space tax is $25.
The schedule also sets minimum valuations of $226.60 per square for asphalt roofing and $28.33 per linear foot for wood fencing, so a lower contract price does not reduce the fee. The Inspections page still mentions a $75 reinspection fee; the 2026 schedule’s figure is $100 per hour.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Englewood
Englewood permits and inspects the trades itself. Plumbing, mechanical and gas work follows the 2024 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. For electrical work, Section 8-2D-1 of the Municipal Code adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code and automatically takes in any newer edition adopted by the State Electrical Board; the State moved to the 2026 NEC on August 1, 2026, while the Division’s codes page still lists the 2023 edition. Local building, electrical and fire code amendments are posted on that page. Trade contractors hold the City’s R-1, R-2 or R-3 registration.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →- Rough mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections have to be scheduled at the same time.
- Since July 1, 2024, every HVAC replacement or addition needs Manual J and Manual D calculations produced with ACCA software.
- New homes and additions need electrical plans showing service equipment, panels, receptacles and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, plumbing plans with supply and discharge sizes, and gas load calculations with piping diagrams.
- Commercial electrical plans must be sealed by a Colorado registered electrical engineer, and plumbing and mechanical plans by a mechanical or plumbing engineer.
Application documents and plan review
The City posts a separate submittal list for each project type: residential new construction and additions, remodel, re-roof, radon control and demolition; commercial new construction, remodel and tenant improvement, re-roof and demolition; plus solar PV and swimming pools.
New home or addition
- Code analysis: codes, occupancy, construction type, stories, height, conditioned and unconditioned area
- Site plan and civil documents, with a soils report sealed by a Colorado geotechnical engineer
- Improvement Survey Plat for a new principal structure, an expansion of 25% or more, or a new accessory dwelling unit
- Dimensioned floor, roof and reflected ceiling plans, elevations and a bulk plane diagram
- Structural plans and calculations sealed by a Colorado structural engineer
- Electrical, mechanical (with Manual J and D) and plumbing plans
- Small Lot Development Form and drainage letter
New commercial building
- Code analysis with occupancy, construction type, allowable area, sprinkler systems and plumbing fixture count
- Signed seal of a Colorado registered architect, with no exceptions
- Engineer’s seal on structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing sheets
- Site plan and civil documents with drainage and erosion control measures
- Scaled architectural and structural plans with fire-rated wall details and accessible routes
- Sealed electrical plans with load calculations
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →File rules: drawings are uploaded as unlocked, black and white PDFs at 1/4 inch scale or larger, with each sheet labeled and files named for their content, address or permit number and date. Image files, locked files and sheets stamped Preliminary, Bid Document or Not for Construction are rejected. A resubmittal needs a written response to each correction, revision clouds and complete plan packs for each discipline corrected.
How to apply: 6 steps in Englewood
Contractors link their existing licence or apply for one; homeowners register and prepare the Homeowner Affidavit.
Use the Plan Submittal Requirements sheet for the exact project type.
Combine documents the way the iMS upload screen asks, as unlocked PDFs named for their content.
iMS sends notices during review; answer each correction in writing and cloud the changes.
Pay in iMS, then post the permit near the front of the property where it can be seen from the street.
Each phase needs an approved or partial-approval status before the next one starts.
Englewood inspections
All inspections are requested in iMS. If iMS will not work for you, a fillable request form is linked on the Inspections page and a permit technician schedules from it. Inspectors work 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, with no weekend, after-hours or holiday inspections.
- Requests submitted after 4:00 pm on a weekday are scheduled for the next business day, and requests from after 4:00 pm Friday through the weekend are scheduled for Tuesday. When demand exceeds what inspectors can cover, an inspection can move to the following business day.
- For a 2 hour arrival window, call your inspector between 8 and 9 a.m. on the day: building 303-762-2369, mechanical and plumbing 303-762-2364, electrical 303-762-2363, fences 303-762-2342.
- The permit and approved plans must be on site.
- Indoor inspections are not done without an adult present, and animals must be under control.
- Inspection statuses are shown in the permit record in iMS.
One- and two-family re-roofs need the City’s Mid-roof Compliance Form.
Local Englewood details that matter
Code change on June 1, 2026: permits submitted after May 31, 2026 are reviewed under the 2024 International Building, Residential, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing and Property Maintenance Codes, ICC A117.1-2017 and, on the City’s list, the 2023 National Electrical Code; under Municipal Code Section 8-2D-1 the State’s 2026 NEC has applied since August 1, 2026. The City posts its building, electrical and fire code amendments and its design criteria.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Re-roofing: roof coverings must meet a 105 mph wind speed, no more than 2 layers of roofing are allowed, ice and water shield is required to 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and drip edge is required on all eaves and rakes. Replacing up to 100 sq ft of roofing a year counts as maintenance. When only one side of a duplex or townhouse is re-roofed, a signed acknowledgement letter from the neighboring owner is uploaded with the application.
Sheds and zoning: a shed under 200 sq ft avoids the building permit but still needs a zoning Site Permit, and plans for new homes and additions must show a bulk plane diagram on the front and rear elevations.
Building guides: the City posts guides for basement finishes, detached garages, patio covers and carports, uncovered decks and porches, re-roofs, and egress windows and window wells.
Colorado building code
Colorado has no statewide building code for private buildings: each city and county decides whether a code applies and which edition, while the state sets electrical and plumbing rules, a minimum energy code on any update, and a wildfire code for the mapped wildland-urban interface. Building codes in Colorado
Official Englewood permitting resources
- City of Englewood Building & Codes Division
- Englewood iMS permit portal
- Englewood Building Permit Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026)
- Englewood Plan Submittal Requirements and building guides
- Englewood: Do I Need a Construction Permit?
- Englewood Inspections
- Englewood Contractor License
- Englewood Adopted Codes & Amendments
- Englewood Municipal Code, Title 8, Chapter 2, Article D: Electrical Code
- Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Englewood building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Englewood, Colorado?
The City of Englewood Building & Codes Division, 1000 Englewood Parkway, 3rd Floor. Call 303-762-2357 or email BuildingDept@englewoodco.gov.
How much is a building permit in Englewood?
Fees follow valuation from $26.78. A $20,000 job pays $366.02 for the permit, 65% of that for plan review unless it is a single-family, owner-occupied dwelling, 3.8% use tax on half the valuation and a 0.25% open space tax on the same half.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Englewood?
Yes. Replacing or adding fencing is on the City’s list of work that needs a permit, and fence inspections have their own line, 303-762-2342.
Do I need a permit for a shed in Englewood?
A residential shed under 200 sq ft needs no building permit, but it does need a Site Permit from the Zoning Division, 303-762-2349.
Can a homeowner pull a permit in Englewood?
Yes, with the Homeowner Affidavit, for a primary residence in the owner’s name. Rentals, flips, commercial property and new construction do not qualify.
How do I schedule an inspection in Englewood?
In iMS. Inspectors work 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and you can call your inspector between 8 and 9 a.m. for a 2 hour window.
Which building codes does Englewood use?
For permits submitted after May 31, 2026, the 2024 International Codes with local amendments. The electrical code is the NEC edition adopted by the State, the 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026, because Municipal Code Section 8-2D-1 takes in each newer State edition automatically.
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More Colorado permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Englewood permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.