The City of Federal Heights Building Department, at City Hall, 2380 W. 90th Ave., issues building, plumbing and mechanical permits for property inside the city, and the State of Colorado administers all electrical permits and inspections. A permit has 3 fee parts: a valuation-based permit fee starting at $23.50, a plan review fee of 65% of it where plans are reviewed, and use tax of 4% on materials. Inspections are requested by 3:30 p.m. the day before.
What requires a building permit in Federal Heights?
The Building Department’s Building Permit Requirements handout (revised September 13, 2023) is stricter than many cities on small outdoor work: every fence and every storage shed needs a permit.
Permit required
- All fences and all storage sheds
- Decks of any size (the municipal code no longer exempts small low decks)
- Patio covers, awnings, carports, patio enclosures and screened porches
- Room additions, garages and accessory buildings
- Roofing, siding and stucco
- Retaining walls over 36 inches from the bottom of the footing (engineering required)
- Lawn sprinklers, pools, hot tubs and spas
- Air conditioners, evaporative coolers, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and whole house fans
- Gas lines, gas logs and fireplaces
- Solar panels
- Basement finishes, remodeling and structural modifications
- Plumbing modifications
- Replacing, adding or resizing windows and doors
- Electrical modifications, on a State permit
No permit
- General landscaping
- Private concrete sidewalks, and concrete porches without roofs
- Minor roofing repair of 1 square or less
- Minor fence picket repair
- Painting, flooring and wallpaper
- Replacing plumbing fixtures, cabinets and countertops
- Adding insulation and changing light fixtures
The 2023 handout still shows decks under 200 sq ft and not more than 30 inches above ground as exempt. Section 10-19 of the Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 25-01 on January 21, 2025, deleted that exemption from the City’s version of the residential code, and the adopted code is what governs.
Starting work before the permit is issued brings an investigation fee equal to 100% of the permit fee, charged on top of the permit fees.
Who issues building permits in Federal Heights?
The Building Department handles building applications, plan review and inspections for the city, and its own inspectors check plumbing work once the plumbing contractor and a State licensed master plumber are confirmed on the permit application. Drew Leckman is the Building Official.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall, 2380 W. 90th Ave., Federal Heights, CO 80260 |
| Phone | 303-412-3527 |
| building@fedheights.org | |
| Inspection requests | 303-412-3534 or by email, by 3:30 p.m. the day before |
| City Hall hours | Tuesday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, excluding holidays |
| Electrical permits | Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) |
Federal Heights is in Adams County but runs its own building program, so an address inside the city limits is permitted at City Hall rather than by the county. The application is also routed to zoning, engineering, storm water, public works and the Fire Department for sign-off where the project calls for it.
Federal Heights applications and registration
One Building Permit Application, published in English and Spanish, covers 12 classes of work: new building, addition, repair or replace, alteration or tenant finish, patio cover or carport, demolition, plumbing (such as water heaters), mechanical (such as a furnace or A/C unit), re-roof, solar, fence and other. It asks for the valuation of the work and the material cost separately, because use tax is figured on materials. The permit takes effect once fees are paid and an authorized signature is obtained.
- Contractor registration: $100 a year for each registered licence type: general, building trades, mobile home set-up, plumbing or mechanical. Electrical registrations are free. Include the insurance certificate, a current master licence for plumbing, and master and State licences for electrical. Employees who may pull permits under the registration are named on the form.
- Subcontractor form: the general, plumbing, electrical and mechanical contractors on a job are listed on the Subcontractor License Form, and the fee page charges $14 per subcontractor.
- Manufactured homes: the City takes part in the State’s Manufactured Housing Installation Program and has its own Mobile Home Set Application and mobile home park plot plan.
- Demolition: the State health department’s asbestos demolition notification form is posted with the City applications. Wrecking fees are capped at $55 under 2,500 sq ft and $110 above.
Federal Heights building permit fees
The City’s Building Fees page splits a typical permit into a building permit fee, a plan review fee and use tax. The permit fee comes from the total valuation, labor and materials together.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Valuation | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $500 | $23.50 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 for each additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $1,000,001 and up | $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.65 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
- Plan review: 65% of the building permit fee. It is waived for water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning units, roofing and similar work that needs no plan review, and it is collected with the application when the valuation is over $25,000.
- Use tax: 4% of the materials cost, and materials cannot be counted at less than 50% of the valuation. It is paid when the permit is issued. Religious and charitable projects and City projects are not taxable.
- Other charges: $14 per subcontractor; $55 per hour for re-inspections, additional plan review and inspections outside business hours (2 hour minimum for after-hours).
For example, a $20,000 basement finish has a permit fee of $69.25 plus 18 × $14, or $321.25, a plan review fee of $208.81 and use tax of $400 on $10,000 of materials: $930.06 before subcontractor fees. A $1,500 water heater replacement pays a $54 permit fee with no plan review fee, plus use tax.
Show the building permit to the supplier when buying materials and municipal sales tax is not charged again on them, wherever in Colorado the seller is; State sales tax still applies.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Federal Heights
Electrical: the State of Colorado, through DORA, administers all electrical permits and inspections in Federal Heights. The City does not issue them, though electrical contractors still register with the City at no fee.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Plumbing and mechanical: these are City permits, applied for on the Building Permit Application, and the fee page requires separate permits for building, mechanical and plumbing work. City plumbing inspectors inspect only when the plumbing contractor and a full-time State licensed master plumber are listed on the application, and on site they may ask for licences and apprentice registrations. Section 10-16 of the Municipal Code adopts the International Plumbing Code as the City’s plumbing code, and the City’s monthly permit reports list its own water heater and sewer repair permits, the August 2026 report included, so a plumber does not buy a State permit for a Federal Heights address. The State’s list of local plumbing inspection areas still reads “Adams (Except Federal Heights)”.
Codes: the 2021 International Plumbing and Mechanical Codes apply with City amendments, most recently Ordinance 25-01 (January 21, 2025) and Ordinance 25-08 (July 1, 2025). For fuel gas, the City’s codes page lists the 2021 edition, while Section 10-16 of the Municipal Code as codified names the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code.
Application documents and plan review
Turn in the City’s building guide for your project with the application; the Building Department says a completed guide speeds review. Guides exist, in English and Spanish, for basement finishes, detached garages, patio enclosures, fences, patio covers and carports, pole barns, residential additions, roofing, storage sheds, and uncovered decks and porches, with separate versions for manufactured homes.
- Building Permit Application with owner, contractor, licence class and number, description of work, valuation and material cost
- Plot plan: the City posts templates for R-1 and R-5 corner and interior lots and for R-4 mobile home park lots
- Subcontractor License Form naming the trades
- For re-roofs, the shingle manufacturer’s details showing a 115 mph minimum rating and the roof area
- Stamped drawings where a design professional is needed, following the City’s Architect and Professional Engineer Seal Specifications
- Engineering for a retaining wall over 36 inches
Commercial roofing permits get a plan review with a maximum turnaround of 5 working days, and a commercial elastomeric roof needs the manufacturer’s agent’s letter of inspection before the final passes.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6 steps in Federal Heights
Compare the job with the Building Permit Requirements lists; fences and sheds are always on the permit side.
File the Contractor Registration Application with insurance and licence copies, $100 per licence type.
Use the City’s building guide and the plot plan template for the lot’s zone district.
Return the Building Permit Application to the Building Department at City Hall, Tuesday to Friday.
The permit is valid once the fees are paid and it carries an authorized signature.
Electrical work is permitted and inspected by the State; City inspections are requested by 3:30 p.m. the day before.
Federal Heights inspections
Email building@fedheights.org or call 303-412-3534 by 3:30 p.m. on the day before you want the inspection, and leave your name, contact information, permit number and the type of inspection. The permit application repeats the rule: required inspections are requested 1 working day ahead, and all finals must be made before occupancy.
- Re-roofs: a mid-roof inspection with all the old roof removed and 25% to 75% of the new covering on, then a final. The contractor provides a ladder extending at least 3 ft above the roof edge and secured to OSHA standards.
- Back yard access: give verbal permission to enter when you make the request, and keep animals out of the yard.
- Re-inspections: $55 per hour.
The Building Department page links a search of permits and inspections by address, and it posts monthly building permit reports.
Local Federal Heights details that matter
Codes since April 15, 2023: City Council adopted the 2021 International Codes by Ordinance 23-02 on March 7, 2023, and kept the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code. The edition that applies depends on the permit application date. Council has amended the technical code since then, by Ordinance 25-01 in January 2025 and Ordinance 25-08 in July 2025.
Roofing standards: replacing more than 1 square means every slope with damaged shingles is replaced in full. From September 15 through April 15, asphalt shingles are fastened with 6 nails. Ice and water shield is not required unless the manufacturer specifies it, drip edge is required at eaves and rakes, and slopes under 4 in 12 need double underlayment. The City also keeps a list of approved asphalt shingles.
Fences: the maximum fence height in Federal Heights is 6 ft. Fences 5 ft or taller need posts no more than 8 ft apart, and solid wooden fences of that height need 3 horizontal 2 x 4 rails.
Multi-unit buildings: a building with one address and lettered or numbered units gets a single roofing permit on a single application; a duplex with two separate addresses needs an application for each.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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 Federal Heights permitting resources
- City of Federal Heights Building Department
- Federal Heights permit forms
- Federal Heights Building Guides and Plot Plans
- Federal Heights Building Permit Requirements handout
- Federal Heights Building Permit Application (English)
- Federal Heights Building Permit Fees
- Federal Heights Building Use Tax
- Federal Heights Adopted Technical Codes
- Federal Heights Roofing Standards
- Federal Heights Municipal Code, Chapter 10, Article II: Technical Codes
- Federal Heights monthly building permit report, August 2026 (PDF)
- Colorado DORA electrical and plumbing permits (State electrical permits)
- Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Federal Heights building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Federal Heights?
The City of Federal Heights Building Department at City Hall, 2380 W. 90th Ave. Call 303-412-3527 or email building@fedheights.org.
Who issues electrical permits in Federal Heights?
The State of Colorado. DORA administers all electrical permits and inspections for the city.
How much is a building permit in Federal Heights?
The permit fee follows valuation from $23.50, plan review adds 65% where plans are reviewed, and use tax is 4% of materials. A $20,000 basement finish comes to $930.06 before subcontractor fees.
Do I need a permit for a fence or shed in Federal Heights?
Yes. The City requires a permit for all fences and all storage sheds. Fences are limited to 6 ft.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Federal Heights?
Yes, under the adopted code. Ordinance 25-01 (January 21, 2025) deleted the exemption for decks under 200 sq ft and not more than 30 inches above ground from Section 10-19 of the Municipal Code. The City’s 2023 handout still prints that exemption.
How do I schedule an inspection in Federal Heights?
Email building@fedheights.org or call 303-412-3534 by 3:30 p.m. the day before, with your permit number and inspection type.
Do contractors need to register in Federal Heights?
Yes, at $100 a year per licence type; electrical registrations carry no fee.
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More Colorado permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Federal Heights permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.