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When a permit is required
Permit triggers and exempt work for Arapahoe County
County guidance publishes permit-specific requirements for common residential and commercial building permits, including remodels, additions, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roofing, decks, solar, and accessory structures.
Note: No single county exemption list was clearly published on the reviewed pages. Use the county permit requirement pages and adopted code provisions to confirm whether a specific scope is exempt.
- Application
- Site plan
- Construction documents
- Cover sheet with code/zoning data
- Geotechnical report where required
- Engineering
- Truss package
- Manufacturer instructions
- Energy/code compliance items
- Permit-type-specific attachments
- Building code
- County materials state code and design criteria based on the 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC became effective April 1, 2022; permit guides direct applicants to current county building codes and amendments.
- Owner-builder
- If any work is done directly by the homeowner instead of a licensed contractor, a signed certificate for owner-generated permits must be provided.
- Contractor requirements
- Arapahoe County licenses contractors locally. Colorado electrical and plumbing contractors are exempt from county licensing but must hold state licenses.
Application process
Typical processing: Average first-round review after acceptance is 10-12 weeks for projects over $100,000 valuation, 6-8 weeks for projects under $100,000, and 6-8 weeks for solar permits.
- 01 Review the county's permit application and residential/commercial requirement guides.
- 02 Create or use an Accela Customer Access account.
- 03 Submit the complete permit package and upload required attachments.
- 04 County staff review the submittal; incomplete or poor-quality submissions extend review time.
- 05 Pay fees online once invoiced and approved.
- 06 Permit is issued in Customer Access, then inspections are scheduled online.
Typical processing time: Average first-round review after acceptance is 10-12 weeks for projects over $100,000 valuation, 6-8 weeks for projects under $100,000, and 6-8 weeks for solar permits.
Fee schedule
Arapahoe County building permit fees
Electronic check has a $1.50 transaction fee and credit card payments carry a 3 percent transaction fee; county noted a payment-vendor fee increase effective September 22, 2025.
Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.
Required inspections
Scheduling and sequence
- Accela Customer Access (online)
- For after-hours inspections (email)
- Inspection hours
- After-hours inspections can be arranged Monday-Friday from 6:00-8:00 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m., subject to inspector availability.
Frequently asked
Common questions about unincorporated Arapahoe County permits
01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Arapahoe County, CO? ▸
02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Arapahoe County, CO? ▸
03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Arapahoe County, CO? ▸
04 How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Arapahoe County, CO? ▸
05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Arapahoe County, CO? ▸
Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Building Division, Public Works and Development before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.