Outside the city and town limits, building permits come from the Garfield County Community Development Department’s Building Division at 108 8th Street, Suite 401, Glenwood Springs (970-945-8212). You submit an application with 2 sets of plans and pay a plan check fee of 65% of the permit fee up front; the permit fee itself comes from a valuation table. Plumbing, mechanical and gas work is covered by the county building permit, electrical permits come from the State, and septic permits from Garfield County Public Health.
What requires a permit in Garfield County?
The county’s own answer is that basically any new construction or alteration of an existing building or structure needs a permit. Re-roofing a residence needs one, and so does demolishing, changing or altering any existing structure. The exceptions are written into the Garfield County Building Code of 2017 (Resolution 2017-23).
County permits
- Building permit: new homes, manufactured homes, commercial and multifamily buildings, accessory dwelling units, additions and alterations
- Re-roofing permit
- Demolition permit
- Grading permit, when earthwork starts before or without a building permit
- Gas piping, sign, fencing and siding permit applications
- Driveway permit from Road and Bridge
- Onsite wastewater (septic) permit from Public Health
Exempt for homes
- One-story detached tool or storage sheds and playhouses up to 200 sq ft
- Fences up to 7 ft, and post-and-wire agricultural fences
- Retaining walls up to 4 ft from footing bottom to wall top, unless carrying a surcharge
- Decks no more than 30 inches above grade at any point
- Covered porches and patio covers under 10 ft deep or under 200 sq ft, with the walking surface less than 30 inches above grade
- Water tanks on grade up to 5,000 gallons
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and counter tops
- Prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep
On commercial sites the shed limit is 120 sq ft and the fence limit 6 ft. Buildings used solely for agriculture are exempt, but not indoor riding arenas with an occupant load of 10 or more. A recreational cabin of no more than 1,200 sq ft, lived in for no more than 6 months of a calendar year, is also exempt from the building permit, though it still needs septic and electrical permits.
Who issues building permits in Garfield County?
The Building Division sits inside the Community Development Department, next to Planning. John Plano is the Chief Building Official. The division reviews every application against the county Land Use and Development Code as well as the building codes. It does not license general contractors.
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Get a free quote →| Place | Building permits come from | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated county, including Battlement Mesa | Garfield County Building Division (2015 International Codes, 2018 IECC) | 108 8th Street, Suite 401, Glenwood Springs; 970-945-8212 |
| Glenwood Springs | City Building Department, through its online customer portal; the City’s code adopts the 2021 International Codes | 101 W. 8th Street; 970-384-6450 |
| Rifle | City of Rifle Building Department; plans and applications go in through Cloudpermit, and the City lists the 2015 International Codes | Rifle City Hall, Level 1 (Community Development suite); 970-665-6461 |
| Carbondale | Town Building Department; 2021 codes in force since July 1, 2025; inspections booked on 970-510-1210 by 5:00 p.m. the business day before | Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue; 970-963-2733 |
| New Castle | Town Building Department; complete applications are emailed to permitting@newcastlecolorado.org and reviewed under the 2021 International Codes; inspections need 24 hours’ notice | 450 West Main Street; 970-984-2311 |
| Silt | Town Community Development, which posts its building permit list and licensed contractor list and issues a Town demolition permit after the State one | 231 N. 7th Street; 970-876-2353 |
| Parachute | Town Community Development Department together with the firm its page names as Schums Coda; the Town uses the 2018 International Residential Code | 222 Grand Valley Way; 970-285-7630 |
The Census Bureau also lists Carbonate as an incorporated town in the county, with a population of 0; it does not appear among the towns on the county’s website.
County applications and packets
Garfield County still works on paper for most permits: you bring the application and 2 identical sets of plans to Suite 401, and staff check them at the counter for completeness before accepting them. Re-roofing is the exception and can be applied for online. The Permits & Applications page publishes a complete packet for each main project type.
- Single family dwelling (complete packet) and Manufactured home (complete packet), each bundling the building, driveway, grading and septic applications.
- Commercial or multifamily dwelling (complete packet). The county recommends meeting a Building Plans Examiner at the end of design development, before construction documents are submitted.
- Accessory dwelling unit (complete packet). An ADU is limited to 1,200 sq ft of floor area. Any project that puts 2 or more dwelling units in one structure needs drawings wet-sealed by a Colorado licensed architect who addresses the fire-resistance details.
- General building permit, residential or commercial, for small projects, additions and alterations.
- Garage agreement, signed by an owner who wants to build a garage before the house.
- Agricultural employee housing affidavit, filed with a general building permit.
The application has to be signed by the owner or by someone holding the owner’s written authority.
Permit costs and fees in Garfield County
Building permit fees are set by Exhibit B of Resolution 2017-23 and are based on valuation. The county, not the applicant, sets the valuation by multiplying each kind of floor area by a rate on its fee estimate worksheet. The worksheet posted in May 2026 uses $175.92 per sq ft for finished living space, $40 for a detached garage, $32 for an attached garage or unfinished basement, $24 for a crawl space or covered deck and $18 for an uncovered deck.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Total valuation | Building permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $500 | $23.50 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 per additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Over $1,000,000 | $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
The recorded exhibit prints “each additional $1,000” in the $501 to $2,000 row; steps of $100 are what bring that row to the $69.25 where the next one starts. The plan check fee is 65% of the permit fee and is added to it. For 2,000 sq ft of finished living space the worksheet valuation is $351,840, the permit fee is $993.75 plus 252 × $5.60, or $2,404.95, and the plan check fee is $1,563.22: $3,968.17 before any garage, deck, septic or road impact fee.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Re-roofing permit | $100 residential; $400 commercial |
| Demolition permit | $50 on the county’s applications page ($25 in the 2017 exhibit) |
| Sign permit | $1 per sq ft plus $25 |
| Manufactured home set-up | $400 single level; $600 multi-level |
| Grading permit | $100 minor (under 20,000 sq ft and under 5,000 cu yd); $400 major |
| Driveway permit, Road and Bridge | $75 |
| Re-inspection, extra plan review, or an inspection with no listed fee | $50 per hour |
| Inspection outside business hours | $50 per hour, 2-hour minimum |
Road impact fees are charged on new development when the building permit is issued, and depend on the project’s square footage and the benefit district it lies in. Work done without a permit carries a penalty equal to the permit fee, on top of the permit and plan check fees.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and septic permits
Electrical. The county issues no electrical permits. Every electrical permit comes from the State of Colorado, and the State inspector does the inspections (1-877-314-1094 or 1-877-320-9150).
Plumbing, mechanical and gas. The county code says these are all covered under the building permit and that separate permits are not issued. A stand-alone Gas Piping Application is published for gas line work. A Colorado licensed electrician and a Colorado licensed plumber must do the installation and hook-ups unless the homeowner is doing the work.
Septic. Since January 1, 2020, onsite wastewater treatment systems have been permitted by the Environmental Health Division of Garfield County Public Health, under county regulations last updated on May 28, 2026. A permit for a new installation or a major repair costs $600, a minor repair (new tank only) or an alteration $200, and a vault-and-haul system $75; fees are not refundable. Applications go to Public Health at 2014 Blake Avenue, Glenwood Springs (970-625-5200, ext. 8150), or can be handed in at Community Development with the building application. The septic permit has to be issued before the building permit.
Application documents and plan review
Plans must be at least 18 by 24 inches, complete, identical, legible and to scale. If anything on the checklist is missing, the counter will not accept the application.
Single family or duplex
- Application with the Assessor’s parcel number, assigned address, legal description, heating type and sewer type
- Site plan with property lines, building envelope, flood plain, easements, setbacks, wells, septic, waterways and grades
- 4 elevations, floor plans, cross sections and stair, guard and ventilation details
- Energy compliance sheet for the 2018 IECC, Climate Zone 5, with a Manual J report for new buildings
- Structural plans: foundation, framing, snow, wind and seismic design and frost depth
- Soils report where the subdivision plat or the structural plans call for one
- Stove and fireplace make, model and EPA or Colorado Phase II certification
Other items the county asks for
- Proof of legal and adequate access: a private easement, a county Road and Bridge driveway permit (970-625-8601) or a state highway access permit
- Septic permit application, if the site is not on a community sewer
- A letter from the City of Rifle if you expect a Rifle water tap
- Any resolutions or land use permits tied to the property
- Written homeowners’ association approval, where one is required
- The fee estimate worksheet
- Engineer-stamped detail for retaining walls over 4 ft
Rather not deal with the Garfield County building department?
Get a free quote →A licensed surveyor must prepare, stamp and sign the site plan whenever any part of the structure is within 50 ft of a property line or outside an established building envelope. Colorado statutes require most commercial projects, and some residential ones, to be sealed by a Colorado licensed design professional. The county publishes no plan review turnaround; an application with missing information is put on hold until it arrives.
How to apply in Garfield County: 6 steps
Inside Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, New Castle, Silt or Parachute, the city or town issues the permit instead.
Get the $75 driveway permit from Road and Bridge or show your easement, and prepare the Public Health septic application if there is no community sewer.
Choose the single family, manufactured home, commercial or multifamily, or ADU packet and fill in the fee estimate worksheet.
Staff check the submittal at the counter and collect the plan check fee, 65% of the permit fee.
After review for the Land Use Code and the building codes, final fees are calculated; the permit fee and any road impact fee are paid at issue.
Book county inspections on 970-945-1377, ext. 1621, and electrical inspections with the State.
County inspections and closeout
County inspections are requested on the inspection line, 970-945-1377, ext. 1621. Electrical inspections are requested from the State inspector, not the county.
- Keep the permit alive. A permit is void if work has not started within 180 days of issue or stops for 180 days, and it has to pass a required inspection in every 180-day period. A written request made before expiry can extend it by 180 days, at most twice.
- Expired permits. If the lapse is under 1 year and the plans are unchanged, a re-issued permit costs half the original fee; after 1 year you pay a new permit fee and plan review fee.
- Re-inspections are charged at $50 per hour, and no further inspection is made until the fee is paid.
- Certificate of Occupancy. The building cannot be occupied until the CO is issued, and Garfield County does not issue temporary certificates. The final inspection requirements come attached to your approved field set of plans.
- Driveways are inspected by Road and Bridge on completion.
Local Garfield County details that matter
Wildfire code. The Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code applies to every permit submitted after July 1, 2026 for new building in Garfield County. The county has separate pages for its building, roofing and re-roofing, siding and ignition-resistant fencing requirements, and the single-family packet includes a wildfire handout.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Design values change with elevation. Roof snow load is 40 psf up to 7,000 ft, 50 psf from 7,001 to 8,000 ft, 75 psf from 8,001 to 9,000 ft and 100 psf from 9,001 to 10,000 ft. Frost depth is 36 inches up to 8,000 ft and 42 inches above. The design wind speed is 115 mph (ultimate) and the seismic design category B or C.
Energy code. The 2018 International Energy Conservation Code took effect on June 30, 2023: R-49 ceilings, R-20 walls, R-30 floors and windows at U-0.30 on the prescriptive path.
Grading. Earthwork needs its own permit unless a building permit for the same project is already in place. Grading under 50 cubic yards or 6,000 sq ft, whichever is greater, is exempt, as is grading solely for farming or ranching. A grading permit is good for 180 days.
No contractor licensing. Garfield County does not license general contractors. Glenwood Springs and Silt run contractor licensing of their own.
35-acre parcels and wells. Dividing land into tracts of 35 acres or more needs no county review, and well permits come from the Colorado Division of Water Resources (Glenwood Springs office, 970-945-5665).
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 Garfield County resources
- Garfield County building permits and applications
- Garfield County Building Division contacts
- Garfield County codes and requirements
- Garfield County building permit fee estimate worksheet
- Resolution 2017-23: Garfield County Building Code and fee exhibit
- Garfield County building FAQs
- Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code in Garfield County
- Garfield County Public Health: onsite wastewater treatment systems
- Garfield County Road and Bridge permits
- Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations: state electrical permits
- City of Glenwood Springs Building Department
- City of Rifle Building
- Town of Carbondale Building
- Town of New Castle Building
- Town of Silt Community Development
- Town of Parachute Building & Permitting
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Garfield County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Garfield County?
The county Building Division, for unincorporated land. Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, New Castle, Silt and Parachute issue permits inside their own limits.
How much is a building permit in Garfield County?
It depends on the county’s valuation of the floor area. For 2,000 sq ft of finished living space at the worksheet’s $175.92 per sq ft, the permit fee is $2,404.95 and the 65% plan check fee $1,563.22.
Do I need a permit for a shed, deck or fence in Garfield County?
Not for a one-story storage shed up to 200 sq ft at a home, a deck no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, or a fence up to 7 ft.
Can I use my county building permit for electrical work?
No. Electrical permits are issued by the State. Plumbing, mechanical and gas work is covered by the county building permit.
Does Garfield County require a septic filing with the building application?
Yes, where there is no community sewer. The septic permit comes from Garfield County Public Health and has to be issued before the building permit; a new system costs $600.
Does the county check driveway access?
Yes. You must show legal and adequate access when you apply, for example with a $75 Road and Bridge driveway permit.
Does Garfield County license contractors?
No. The county does not license general contractors, though electricians and plumbers must hold State licences.
Can I get a temporary certificate of occupancy?
No. Garfield County does not issue temporary COs.
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More Colorado permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Garfield County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.