Golden, Colorado Building Permit Guide

Inside Golden city limits, the City of Golden Building Division at 1445 10th Street (303-384-8151) issues building permits, and its permits cover every trade on the job, electrical included. Apply under “Building” in the City’s Online Permitting Portal. Fees come from a valuation table, with a 65% plan review fee where plans are reviewed and a building use tax equal to 1.5% of the valuation. The City works to the 2024 International Codes and aims to finish the first review of a new single-family home in 20 to 25 working days.

What requires a building permit in Golden?

Golden requires a City permit before you construct, enlarge, repair, demolish or change the use of a building, and before you install, alter or repair any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Its Required Building Permits Guide sorts common projects into two lists.

The shed threshold is 200 sq ft. Municipal Code Section 15.08.110, re-enacted by Ordinance 2268 in July 2025, exempts one-story detached residential accessory structures with a floor area of 200 sq ft or less, and the City’s exempt list says the same, so a shed of that size needs no building permit; setbacks still apply. The City’s permit-required list still prints “greater than 120 sq. ft.”; the adopted code is what governs. Any work in the City right-of-way needs a Right of Way permit.

Who handles Golden building permits?

The Building Division reviews plans, issues permits, registers contractors and carries out inspections. Scott Greer is the Chief Building Official. The City’s Building Permits listing gives the office as 1445 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401; phone 303-384-8151; email building@cityofgolden.gov. The 911 10th Street address in the City website’s footer is the City’s general address (303-384-8000), not the Building Division’s.

Golden asks every applicant to check the address first, because a Golden mailing address does not prove the property is in the city. Enter the address in the Jefferson County Address Wizard and read the “Municipal Status” line at the bottom of the result. If the property is in unincorporated Jefferson County, the permit comes from the Jefferson County Building Safety Division instead.

Projects that add square footage or involve exterior work may also need a permit from the City’s Planning Department, and the single-family checklist tells applicants to ask Planning whether a Form A zone site plan is required before they apply for the building permit.

Golden permit applications, the portal and contractor licences

Register for an account in the Online Permitting Portal, then apply for a permit under “Building”. The portal also takes contractor licence applications and inspection requests. One building permit covers all the trades on a project, and the City will not issue it until every licensed contractor working on the job is named on it.

• Contractor licence. Required for any contractor working on a permitted project in the city. In the portal, go to “Licenses” and choose “Apply for a New License”. The fee is $100 per trade; electrical contractors pay no fee. Golden does not ask for a certificate of liability, but plumbers and electricians must upload their State licence details. Renewal notices are emailed 30 days before a licence expires.
• Demolition permit. The Building Official can ask for demolition plans, a schedule, proof that utilities are disconnected, shoring plans, asbestos documentation and a State air clearance report. Water and sewer lines must be capped at the City main and inspected by Public Works before backfilling.
• Height and Setback Verification Forms. Completed by a Colorado licensed land surveyor when the permit carries a survey condition.
• Residential generators and energy storage systems. An electrical permit with a site or floor plan and the manufacturer’s specifications; a commercial emergency generator goes in as a Commercial Miscellaneous permit.
• Certificate of Appropriateness. Filed with Planning for exterior work in a historic district; no fee.

Golden permit fees and building use tax

Golden’s building permit fees are set out in the City’s Comprehensive Fee and Tax Rate Schedule, updated December 17, 2024. The stand-alone Building Permit Fees table linked from the permit page carries the same figures under its original date, May 1, 2011 (City Council Resolution 1097, modified by Resolutions 1648 and 2121). The table covers building, electrical, mechanical, fuel gas, plumbing and miscellaneous permits. Valuation is the cost of labor and materials; for homeowners doing their own work the City counts it as materials times 2.

Where plans are reviewed, a plan review fee of 65% of the permit fee is added and is paid when the application is submitted. Every project that needs a building permit also pays the City’s building use tax: materials are taken to be half the valuation and taxed at 3%, which works out at 1.5% of the valuation. A $400,000 project therefore pays $1,093.13 plus 300 × $6.16, or $2,941.13, a plan review fee of $1,911.73 and $6,000 of use tax.

Trade sub-permits tied to a building permit pay no separate plan review fee when their value is already in the building permit valuation. The use tax paid with the permit is a prepayment: show the permit to suppliers so they do not charge City sales tax, keep invoices for 3 years after the Certificate of Occupancy, and expect a reconciliation at the end that can produce a refund or a further bill.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas in Golden

Golden permits and inspects all four trades itself. The Municipal Code sets one fee schedule for building, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing permits, and the City enforces the 2023 National Electrical Code, the edition Municipal Code Section 15.12.010 fixes by Ordinance 2268 of July 22, 2025, alongside the 2024 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. On a building project the trades ride on the building permit; stand-alone jobs such as a furnace, water heater, gas line or panel change are applied for in the portal.

• Electrical and plumbing contractors give the City their State licence numbers, and inspectors may check State licences on commercial and multi-family sites. Golden runs no trade exam of its own.
• Rough plumbing: drain, waste and vent piping is tested at 5 psi or 10 ft of water head; water piping at street pressure or 50 psi.
• Gas piping: a 10 psi air test before the lines are concealed, then a meter release inspection before the meter is set.
• Water heaters: a final plumbing inspection, with the thermal expansion tank installed and labeled with its set pressure.

Fire sprinkler plans for a new home go to the Building Division if the system follows Section P2904 of the residential code and to the Fire Department if it is an NFPA 13D system.

Application documents and plan review

Incomplete submittals are not accepted. The City’s checklist for new one- and two-family dwellings asks for:

The City calls these goals, not guarantees. Review comments go only to the contact person named on the application, and all responses have to be resubmitted together through the Building Division.

How to apply: 6 steps for Golden

Golden inspections and closeout

Inspections on current permits are requested in the Online Permitting Portal. The portal’s home page lets you request one by record number or address without logging in. Requests submitted before 4 p.m. can take place the next business day, and you can book up to 15 business days ahead. Inspections on older, historical permits are phoned in to 303-384-8198 by 4:00 p.m. on the previous business day.

• The City gives no time windows and makes no confirmation calls. As a guideline, inspectors start in the north and central parts of the city in the morning and reach the south in the afternoon, and electrical inspections happen earlier than the other trades. Add a comment to the request if you need a call ahead.
• Golden runs combination inspections, so all trades should finish their rough work before one is requested.
• Caissons are inspected by a Colorado professional engineer, who submits a stamped report. Footings can be inspected by the City or, by prior arrangement, by an engineer.
• The rough frame inspection comes after the rough plumbing, heating and electrical inspections, followed by insulation and then drywall before taping.
• On a re-roof, the mid-roof inspection is required when 25% to 65% of the new covering is on, with a secured ladder reaching 3 ft above the roofline. If it is missed, two squares of roofing have to be removed for the inspector.

A permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days, and the code treats a permit as abandoned when a year passes without a required inspection. Permits expire 2 years after issue unless extended in writing. A re-inspection costs $50, and a Certificate of Occupancy is not issued until all fees and taxes are paid.

Local Golden details that matter

Wildfire code. The Golden Wildfire Resiliency Code (Ordinance 2290, Municipal Code Chapter 15.80) has been enforced since June 10, 2026. It applies to new construction and to significant additions, repairs and remodels on properties in the mapped Wildland-Urban Interface, with standards for two hazard classes: Class I for low fire intensity and Class II for medium and high.

Structural design criteria. Ground snow load is 69 psf for ordinary buildings (Risk Category II), the design wind speed is 150 mph (ultimate) in Exposure C, and the frost depth is 36 inches. Roofs carry a minimum snow load of 30 psf.

Roofing rules. An ice barrier and drip edges are required on every new roof and re-roof. Only one overlay is allowed, never over T-Lock shingles, and a repair covering more than 25% of the roof means replacing the whole roof down to the deck. Asphalt shingles need at least 6 nails each; staples are not permitted. Wood shakes and shingles must be Class A.

Historic districts. Golden has three locally designated districts: 8th and 9th Street, 12th Street and East Street. Most exterior changes there, or to an individually designated site, need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Board, and fences in a historic district need a permit at any height.

Site rules during construction. Dumpsters, storage pods and sidewalk or lane closures in the street need a Right of Way permit. Disturbing more than half an acre requires a Stormwater Quality Permit. Dust has to be controlled, mud kept off public streets, and excavations more than 5 ft deep covered or fenced.

Construction water. Contractors can request a Fire Hydrant Meter Application from the Building Division or set up a prepaid account for the City’s bulk water station at 1151 Catamount Drive.

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 Golden permitting resources

• City of Golden building permit process
• Golden Online Permitting Portal
• Golden Required Building Permits Guide
• Golden Comprehensive Fee and Tax Rate Schedule, updated December 17, 2024 (PDF)
• Golden building permit fee table
• City of Golden Building Permits listing (office address)
• Golden taxes and fees: building use tax
• Golden contractor licence
• Golden inspection requests
• Golden historic property renovation
• Golden Municipal Code (Title 15, Buildings and Construction)
• Jefferson County Address Wizard
• Jefferson County Building Safety Division (outside city limits)

Golden building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Golden?

The City of Golden Building Division, for addresses inside city limits. Addresses in unincorporated Jefferson County go to the county’s Building Safety Division.

How much is a building permit in Golden?

It depends on valuation. A $400,000 project pays a $2,941.13 permit fee, a 65% plan review fee of $1,911.73 and $6,000 of building use tax (1.5% of valuation).

Does Golden issue electrical permits or does the State?

Golden does. Its building permits include all trades, and electrical-only work such as a generator needs a City electrical permit.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Golden?

Only if it is taller than 7 ft, or in a front yard, on a corner lot or in a Historic District.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Golden?

Not for a one-story detached residential shed of 200 sq ft or less, under Municipal Code Section 15.08.110; setbacks still apply. A larger shed or accessory building needs a permit.

Where is the Golden Building Division?

At 1445 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401, phone 303-384-8151. The City’s general address, 911 10th Street, is a different building.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

Not if it is 200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, detached from the house and not serving the exit door. Other decks need a permit and plan review.

How long does plan review take in Golden?

The City’s targets for a first review are 15 working days for residential permits that need review and 20 to 25 working days for a new single-family home.

How do I schedule an inspection?

In the Online Permitting Portal. Requests made before 4 p.m. can be inspected the next business day, with no time window given.

Do contractors need a Golden licence?

Yes. Each contractor on a permitted project needs a City licence, $100 per trade and free for electrical contractors, and must be named on the permit before it is issued.

Simplify Golden permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Colorado. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Golden permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.