Littleton, Colorado Building Permit Guide

Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits inside Littleton come from the City’s Building Division and Permit Center at 2255 W. Berry Avenue, and every application is submitted in eTRAKiT. The 2026 fee schedule charges by project valuation, with a 65% plan review fee when plans are reviewed, and Littleton’s Land Use Code requires a permit for every fence and wall.

What requires a permit in Littleton?

A Littleton building permit is needed to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or change its occupancy, and to install, alter, repair or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. The City’s permits page adds that all fences and decks require a building permit. For fences that is the adopted rule: Unified Land Use Code Subsection 10-1-1.6.C says all fences and walls require a building permit. The 7-foot figure in the City’s “Do I Need A Permit?” handout comes from the building code amendments in Title 4 (last amended effective June 25, 2026), which exempt a fence not over 7 feet from the building code’s own permit rule only; the handout itself adds that such a fence stays subject to separate zoning or site requirements. For decks, the same handout asks for a permit when the work exceeds the code’s exemption limits, and Title 4 leaves the residential code’s small-deck exemption unamended, so tell the Permit Center the size, height and attachment of a small free-standing deck before assuming either answer.

Retaining walls holding back no more than 4 feet of cut or fill go through planning and zoning review for setbacks, easements and drainage rather than a Building Division permit.

Who issues building permits in Littleton?

The Building Division, through the Permit Center, issues permits and inspects work inside the Littleton city limits. A Littleton mailing address does not settle the question, so search the address in the City’s District Map Tool before applying; property outside the limits is handled by its county. Planning, zoning and engineering questions go to Development Review, a separate team in the same building.

When you email or leave a voicemail, the Permit Center asks for your name, a phone number or email, the property address, the permit number if there is one and a detailed message.

Littleton permit types, eTRAKiT and who can apply

eTRAKiT is the only way in: applications, plan uploads, status checks, payments, inspection requests and contractor licence renewals all happen there. Two kinds of applicant can pull a permit.

• Littleton-licensed contractors. The City licenses Class A, B and C contractors plus specialty classes such as D-5 roofing and D-11 HVAC/mechanical, and it registers state-licensed electricians and plumbers. New applicants show proof of a passed International Code Council exam. Every licence expires on December 31, renewal opens 90 days earlier, and the insurance certificate must show $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate general liability with the City as certificate holder.
• Homeowners. Homeowner permits exist only for residential property that the applicant owns, uses and occupies. A homeowner can do the work in one discipline (structural, mechanical, electrical or plumbing) after filing a signed Homeowner Affidavit. Once a project covers two or more disciplines, the homeowner needs a Littleton-licensed general contractor or has to pass an ICC test.

The 2026 fee schedule lists contractor licensing at $100 for Class A, B, C and D, $400 for Class M (municipal right-of-way) and $50 each for state-licensed plumbing and electrical registrations.

Besides building permits, the Permit Center takes right-of-way, access, grading and floodplain development permits. Sewer work in the street is now covered by the right-of-way permit; Littleton no longer issues a separate sewer permit.

Littleton permit fees and project charges

City Council adopted the 2026 Schedule of Fees by Resolution No. 105, Series 2025, on October 21, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. The City’s fee web page still heads the same table “2025 fees”, but the figures match the adopted 2026 schedule.

Two taxes are collected on the permit as well: a use tax deposit of 0.01969 times the job valuation (Littleton’s 3.75% rate applied to 52.5% of the valuation) and the Arapahoe County open space tax of 0.00125 times the valuation.

For example, a $50,000 remodel with plan review has a $708.12 permit fee and a $460.28 plan review fee, plus about $984 of use tax deposit and $62.50 of open space tax.

Related 2026 charges on the same schedule include a $100 pre-application meeting, a $750 certificate of demolition under the historic preservation rules, a $1,750 floodplain development permit and grading permits of $300 for 1 acre or less, $1,000 for more than 1 acre but under 10, and $3,000 for 10 acres or more. Littleton warns that it never asks for permit payment by wire transfer or gift card: real invoices arrive as automatic eTRAKiT emails and are paid inside the portal or by check.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits in Littleton

Littleton runs its own electrical and plumbing inspection programme, so these permits come from the City’s Permit Center, and work is inspected to the 2026 National Electrical Code and the 2024 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. Electricians and plumbers register with the City using their state licences, and the details have to match the state record.

A residential gas line permit needs an isometric drawing showing the incoming pressure, the BTU demand of each appliance, pipe material, diameter and length of each run, shut-off valves and burial depth. The pressure test is at least 10 psig for at least 15 minutes.

Rooftop solar and energy storage plans need electrical sheets stamped by a Colorado electrical engineer and a stamped structural letter, and only 25% of the panels may go on before the rough frame and rough electrical inspection.

Commercial projects also submit their plans separately to South Metro Fire Rescue, and food service, childcare, pool and body art projects also go to the county health department for the address.

Documents and plan-review submissions in Littleton

All documents are electronic, each one must carry the project address, and the applicable codes have to be noted on the plans. Sets marked “preliminary” or “not for construction” are rejected.

A residential remodel needs existing and proposed floor plans, and any change to the foundation or structure needs an engineer’s stamped plan at application. For a fence, a legible hand-drawn site plan to scale is accepted if it shows the height, length in feet, post depth and materials.

For a resubmittal, write a narrative that identifies each change by page or detail number, upload full replacement pages under My Active Permits, avoid special characters in file names, then email the permit number and job address to the Permit Center.

How to apply: 6 steps in Littleton

Littleton construction inspections

Inspections are requested in eTRAKiT up to 7 business days ahead. There are no same-day inspections: the request has to be in by 11:59 p.m. on the business day before, which means a Monday inspection is booked by Friday.

After-hours inspections (weekends, holidays, and weekdays before 7:30 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m.) are arranged by phone on 303-795-3751, only when an inspector is available, at $160 for the first 2 hours and $80 for each further hour, travel time included.

A re-inspection fee of $80 applies when an inspection type fails for the third time, and for each failure after that. It has to be paid before any more inspections are carried out.

For a roof inspection, set up and secure a ladder that extends 3 feet above the eave. Inspectors will not pass through a fence or enter a back yard without permission, or when pets are loose.

Local Littleton filing details that matter

Fences: front-yard fences are limited to 48 inches and must be at least 50% open on an interior lot and 75% open on a corner lot. Side and rear fences can be solid and up to 6 feet; anything taller needs a Board of Adjustment variance, and fences over 7 feet need stamped engineered drawings. Keep fences at least 2 feet from sidewalks and the public right-of-way.

Roofs: Building Division Policy 24-001, revised May 21, 2026, requires a full tear-off to the deck, with no overlays of shingle or tile roofs, and at least 6 nails per asphalt shingle. Product data showing the roofing is rated for Littleton’s 40 psf ground snow load and 136 mph ultimate design wind speed must be submitted with the application.

Grading and floodplain: a grading permit applies once a project disturbs more than 5,000 sq ft or 50 cubic yards, and any development in a mapped floodplain needs a floodplain development permit.

Demolition: include the Colorado state demolition approval notice for each structure, a site plan with utility disconnects, a debris hauling route to the nearest state highway and proof that Denver Water approved the water disconnect. A separate grading permit is required.

Water and sewer: water taps are handled by Denver Water (303-893-2444). For a new sewer tap, the sanitation district is paid first and the City second.

Work hours: construction is allowed only between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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 Littleton permitting resources

City of Littleton pages and adopted documents used for the rules and fees above.

• Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations
• Littleton eTRAKiT online system
• Littleton Permits: Review Guides and Requirements
• Littleton Resolution 105, Series 2025: 2026 Schedule of Fees
• Littleton Permit Fee Schedules
• Littleton Building Codes, Amendments & Division Policies
• Littleton Residential Submittal Requirements
• Littleton Commercial Submittal Requirements
• Littleton Fence Requirements
• Littleton Contractor Licensing & Renewal

Littleton building permit frequently asked questions

How much does a building permit cost in Littleton?

The fee is set by project valuation on the 2026 Schedule of Fees: $25.85 up to $500 of work, $708.12 at $50,000 and $1,093.12 at $100,000. Plan review adds 65% when plans are reviewed, and use tax is collected at issuance.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Littleton?

Yes. The Unified Land Use Code requires a building permit for all fences and walls, whatever the height, and the 2026 Schedule of Fees sets the residential fence permit at $100. A fence over 7 feet also needs stamped engineered drawings.

Do I need a permit for a deck in Littleton?

The City’s permits page says all decks require a building permit. Its “Do I Need A Permit?” handout words it as decks that exceed the building code’s exemption limits, so describe a small free-standing deck to the Permit Center (303-795-3751) before building without one.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Littleton?

Yes. Only repairs of 100 sq ft or less are exempt, and the City requires a full tear-off to the deck and a final roof inspection.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Littleton?

Yes, if you own and live in the home and file the Homeowner Affidavit. That covers one discipline; a job with two or more disciplines needs a Littleton-licensed general contractor or a passed ICC test.

How do I schedule an inspection in Littleton?

Request it in eTRAKiT by 11:59 p.m. on the business day before, up to 7 business days in advance.

When is the Littleton Permit Center open for walk-ins?

Monday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., with nobody accepted after 4:15 p.m., and Thursday from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The office is closed on Fridays.

Which building codes does Littleton enforce?

The 2024 International Codes, including the Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and the 2026 National Electrical Code, with amendments in Title 4 of the City Code.

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