Pitkin County, CO — 2026 Building Permit Guide

On this page 6

§ 01

Permit authority

Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division

Street address

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

Phone

970-920-5526

Builderoftheday@PitkinCounty.com

Coverage

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

Online portal

Planning Applications and Permit Types

SagesGov / PATS (Permit Application and Tracking System)

Website

Department website

§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Pitkin County

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.

Source: Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division ↗

§ 03

Application process

Application → plan check → issuance → inspection → final

01

Review the Planning Applications and Permit Types page and identify the applicable building permit type.
02

Create a SagesGov account if you do not already have one.
03

Enter contact information, project scope, and upload required documents.
04

Submit the application.
05

The application is reviewed for completeness and then routed to staff and referral agencies.
06

A pre-submittal meeting is required for most building permits.
07

Once the permit is complete and issued, inspections are scheduled through SagesGov.

Source: Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Pitkin County building permit fees

Fee type

Amount

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.

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 periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

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

Source: Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Pitkin County permits

01 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.

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

Building permit fees in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. 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..

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

To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO, follow these steps: 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.

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

Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Pitkin County, CO via: SagesGov. Inspection requests must be made before 9 pm the night before the requested date and 24 hours in advance..

last verified April 2026 source Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division ↗ entry id permits/colorado/pitkin/unincorporated

Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Pitkin County Community Development, Building Division before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.