Pitkin County, CO - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Unincorporated Pitkin County. County building services are handled by Community Development; incorporated municipalities use their own permit authorities.

Department

Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division

Address

530 E Main St. Suite 205, Aspen, CO 81611

Phone

970-920-5526

Email

Builderoftheday@PitkinCounty.com , Permits@PitkinCounty.com , ComDev-Admin@pitkincounty.com

Website

https://pitkincounty.com/192/Building

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Review the Planning Applications and Permit Types page and identify the applicable building permit type.
2. Create a SagesGov account if you do not already have one.
3. Enter contact information, project scope, and upload required documents.
4. Submit the application.
5. The application is reviewed for completeness and then routed to staff and referral agencies.
6. A pre-submittal meeting is required for most building permits.
7. Once the permit is complete and issued, inspections are scheduled through SagesGov.

Source: Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division

General Requirements

The county publishes permit types through SagesGov and requires permits for building work covered by the adopted codes. A pre-submittal meeting is required for most building permits.

Required Documents

• Project-specific submittal checklist
• Plans
• Supporting construction documents
• Permit-type-specific materials

Building code

2021 International Building Code Series effective January 30, 2023; 2023 National Electric Code effective August 1, 2023; Pitkin County amendments to the 2021 IBC series; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code adopted by state board and referenced by the county.

Contractor requirements

All contractors must have a contractor license in order to submit permit applications to SagesGov and commence work in Pitkin County. Contractor licensing is handled by the City of Aspen for Pitkin County licenses.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Single family residence permit fees are percentage based; the schedule published in 2025 shows 1.6 percent for Tier 1 homes, 2 percent for Tier 2 homes, 2.3 percent for Tier 3 homes, and 2.7 percent flat fee for all other building permits.

Plan check fee

Additional plan review required by changes, additions, or revisions to plans is $150 per hour, minimum one-half hour.

Permit fee formula

Based on project valuation and a 16 Division Schedule of Values; single family tiers are based on floor area / energy tiering.

Reinspection fee

$150

Penalty (no permit)

Work performed without required permits results in building permit fees being doubled as a penalty.

Payment note

Inspections outside normal business hours are $300 minimum charge for two hours at $150 per hour. Party tent permit fee is $150 flat.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• SagesGov (online)

Scheduling deadline

Inspection requests must be made before 9 pm the night before the requested date and 24 hours in advance.

Inspection hours

No electrical inspections on Fridays. Zoning, planning, and engineering inspections generally are not next-day or same-day; staff contacts the requester within 48 hours.

Typical inspection sequence: The inspection must be in Required status before it can be scheduled.

Additional Resources

• Building code: 2021 International Building Code Series effective January 30, 2023; 2023 National Electric Code effective August 1, 2023; Pitkin County amendments to the 2021 IBC series; 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code adopted by state board and referenced by the county.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Planning Applications and Permit Types
• Building Code Adoptions
• Inspections
• Contractor Licensing
• License lookup guide: Colorado Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Colorado Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Colorado hub: Colorado Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Pitkin County Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO?

The county publishes permit types through SagesGov and requires permits for building work covered by the adopted codes. A pre-submittal meeting is required for most building permits.

How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO?

The minimum permit fee is Single family residence permit fees are percentage based; the schedule published in 2025 shows 1.6 percent for Tier 1 homes, 2 percent for Tier 2 homes, 2.3 percent for Tier 3 homes, and 2.7 percent flat fee for all other building permits.. Fees are calculated as: Based on project valuation and a 16 Division Schedule of Values; single family tiers are based on floor area / energy tiering.. Plan check fee: Additional plan review required by changes, additions, or revisions to plans is $150 per hour, minimum one-half hour..

How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO?

1. Review the Planning Applications and Permit Types page and identify the applicable building permit type. 2. Create a SagesGov account if you do not already have one. 3. Enter contact information, project scope, and upload required documents. 4. Submit the application. 5. The application is reviewed for completeness and then routed to staff and referral agencies. 6. A pre-submittal meeting is required for most building permits. 7. Once the permit is complete and issued, inspections are scheduled through SagesGov.

How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO?

Inspections can be scheduled via: SagesGov. Inspection requests must be made before 9 pm the night before the requested date and 24 hours in advance..