Las Animas County, Colorado Building Permit Guide

The Las Animas County Building Department, in Room 104 of the county courthouse in Trinidad, issues building permits for land outside the incorporated towns, and for Cokedale under that Town’s ordinance, and checks each plan against zoning. There is no online permit system: you submit the county application form with a project value, staff work out the fee from the county’s valuation table ($1,694 for a $200,000 house, with plan review time billed at $50 per hour on top), and you pay through the county payment portal. A septic permit from the health department has to come first, and electrical and plumbing permits are issued and inspected by the State of Colorado.

What work needs authorization in Las Animas County?

The County requires a permit to erect, construct, reconstruct, alter or remodel any building, structure or improvement. Its building guide gives these examples and a single size exemption.

The permit application adds that separate permits are needed for demolition, roofing, heating, fireplaces, gas piping, fences, retaining walls, decks, outbuildings and garages rather than being folded into a house permit. A fence, wall or planting over 3 feet may not block drivers’ sight lines at an intersection.

Who has permitting authority in Las Animas County?

The County Building Inspector reviews and approves building plans, confirms that the site meets zoning (setbacks, minimum lot size and minimum dwelling size) and carries out the inspections. That authority covers the unincorporated county and, under the Town of Cokedale’s own ordinances, building in Cokedale. Trinidad and Aguilar run their own permits, and Branson, Kim and Starkville publish nothing about building permits:

County permits, applications and intake

Everything starts with the county building permit application, posted on the Building Department page with the fee table and the forms below. Include a copy of the property deed for the legal description.

• Contractor’s licence. The County licenses contractors itself and will not issue a building permit without a current licence and insurance. A new licence is $150 with proof of liability and workers’ compensation insurance; licences expire on December 31 and renew for $100.
• Owner Doing the Work form. An owner pulling the permit certifies that he or she will do all of the work, and that any company hired for part of it holds a county contractor’s licence.
• Application for Issuance of Address. Filed with the Planning & Land Use office; the building may not be occupied until an address is posted.
• Demolition permit. Handled on its own county page because the State of Colorado requires demolition notification.
• Driveway Access Permit. A new access onto a county-maintained road goes through the Road and Bridge Department.

If the building will house a business, tell the Building Department before the permit is issued, because the land use code requires a formal application for that use.

Current fees and payment considerations

The County’s Building Permit Fees sheet sets the fee by total valuation. It is undated, so ask the office to confirm the figure for your project before paying.

For example, a house valued at $200,000 has a base permit fee of $1,694. The sheet warns that plan review time is added to the base fee depending on how complete the drawings are.

To pay online, put the project value on the application or phone it in first so staff can set the fee, then enter that amount in the Price field of the county’s payment portal for permits and licences.

The fee sheet gives a building permit a life of 1 year. It becomes void if no work has started within 180 days, and once construction has started it can be extended twice, for 6 months each, by a letter to the Building Inspector. The application form itself states a permit life of 18 months, so check which term is written on your permit.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and wastewater approvals

Electrical and plumbing: the County does not issue or inspect these. Its Building Department page states that plumbing and electrical permits are issued and inspected by the State of Colorado, and the application is sent to the state. The state inspectors’ rough-in approvals have to be signed off before the County’s framing inspection, and the state electrical inspector’s final approval is needed for the Certificate of Occupancy.

Septic: onsite wastewater (OWTS) permits come from the Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department. The septic permit must be completed before the County issues a building permit, and the Certificate of Occupancy carries 2 signatures: the Health Department’s and the Building Inspector’s.

Wells: a permit to drill a water well comes from the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

Manufactured homes: every manufactured home in the county gets a Certificate of Occupancy, and a state Division of Manufactured Housing sticker is placed on the home at the final inspection.

Plans and supporting application documents

Plans must follow the 2018 International Residential or Building Code and come with a cost estimate. Structural parts of the design, such as foundations and trusses, have to be reviewed or designed and wet stamped by a Colorado registered professional engineer; whether the framing plan needs a stamp is decided case by case.

Commercial sites also show the 100-year drainage plan, a floodplain assessment and the parking layout with accessible spaces. The County suggests a soils analysis before placing a foundation.

How to apply: 6 steps for Las Animas County

Inspections, trade approvals and closeout

Call the Building Department 24 hours ahead to schedule. The contractor is responsible for requesting every inspection and for telling the office when the job is finished; an owner doing the work makes the calls instead. The County lists its inspections in this order:

• Zoning check of the construction plan.
• Septic approval by the Health Department.
• Footing, after rebar is in place and before concrete is poured.
• Foundation, with forms and rebar in place. Rebar is #4 minimum, grade 60, with verticals at 24 inches on center.
• Radon piping.
• Framing, after the state rough-in plumbing and electrical inspections are signed off.
• Insulation, before drywall starts.
• Drywall, fully fastened but before taping.
• Final, once the health, electrical and plumbing inspectors have finalized their permits.

The building may not be occupied until the Certificate of Occupancy has been issued and the address is posted.

Local Las Animas County filing details

Minimum house size: the zoning districts in the Land Use Regulations set a minimum dwelling size of 600 sq ft, with an exception for mobile homes where they are allowed.

Living on site during construction: a temporary residence permit of up to 6 months, which may be a mobile home but not a tent, camper or RV, is issued only after the building permit for the permanent house.

Fences: fences and walls up to 6 feet high are an allowed accessory use in every zoning district. A taller fence needs a permit from the County Building Inspector, who checks that it will not block light, air or vision or create a hazard.

Elevation matters: an ice barrier is required on roofs above 6,500 feet, and sites above 8,000 feet move to the higher snow, wind and frost values.

Radon: the County inspects radon piping in new homes and links to EPA radon guidance on its Building Department page.

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 Las Animas County permitting resources

County forms and pages used above, with the health district and the City of Trinidad.

• Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations
• Las Animas County website
• Las Animas County Building Department
• Las Animas County: Are You Ready to Build?
• Las Animas County Building Permit Fees
• Las Animas County building permit application
• Las Animas County Contractor’s License Application
• Las Animas County Land Use Regulations (June 16, 2026)
• Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department: land, air and water quality
• City of Trinidad Building Inspections & Permits
• Town of Cokedale ordinances (Ordinance 64, Building Inspection)

Las Animas County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in Las Animas County?

Yes, for new homes, additions, remodels, re-roofs, decks, garages, manufactured homes and agricultural buildings such as pole barns. Buildings of less than 120 sq ft do not need one.

How much is a building permit in Las Animas County?

The fee follows the county valuation table: $557 at $40,000 of work, $845 at $75,000 and $1,694 at $200,000, with plan review billed at $50 per hour on top.

Who issues electrical and plumbing permits?

The State of Colorado issues and inspects both. The County handles the building permit only.

Where do I get a septic permit?

From the Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department at 412 Benedicta Avenue in Trinidad, 719-846-2213. It must be done before the building permit is issued.

Can I build my own house as the owner?

Yes. Sign the County’s owner certification stating that you will do all the work yourself; any company you hire must hold a county contractor’s licence.

Who issues building permits in Cokedale?

Las Animas County. Cokedale’s Ordinance 64 sends applicants to the County Building Inspector at 200 E. 1st Street, Room 104, Trinidad (719-845-2577), and doubles the fee for work started without a permit. The Town’s zoning ordinance still applies; the Town Clerk is on 719-846-7428.

Does the County permit building inside Trinidad?

No. The City of Trinidad has its own Building Department at 135 N. Animas Street, 719-846-9843 ext. 136.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Phone 719-845-2577 or 719-890-0028 at least 24 hours in advance.

Simplify Las Animas County 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 Las Animas County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.