City Building Permits
Redlands, COLORADO Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Redlands, Colorado. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Redlands is not an incorporated municipality. The Redlands Area Plan is a joint City of Grand Junction and Mesa County planning document, so permit authority depends on whether the parcel is inside Grand Junction or in unincorporated Mesa County. This is the most important threshold issue for Redlands addresses.
- Department
- Depends on parcel location: Mesa County Building Department for unincorporated Redlands parcels; Grand Junction city process applies inside Grand Junction city limits
- Address
- Mesa County Building Department, 200 South Spruce Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501; Grand Junction Community Development, 250 N. 5th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501
- Phone
- Mesa County 970-244-1631; Grand Junction Community Development 970-244-1430
- mccomdev@mesacounty.us
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Mesa County Customer Portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Verify whether the Redlands parcel is inside Grand Junction city limits or unincorporated Mesa County.
- If in city limits, follow the Grand Junction section for city planning review plus Mesa County building permit issuance; if unincorporated, follow the county process directly.
- Submit the permit application with required plans, forms, and applicable planning clearances.
- Respond to review comments and complete any requested revisions or clearances.
- Pay fees, obtain issuance, and schedule inspections through the applicable county tools.
Typical processing time: No public standard review-time estimate found.
General Requirements
Most construction requires a permit under the applicable county-administered building code. Separate permits are required for separate buildings, structures, pools, and retaining walls. Additional city planning review may apply for Redlands parcels inside Grand Junction.
Required Documents
- Permit application
- Plan set
- Checklist items
- Assessor form and floor plan where required
- Sewer or septic clearance
- Planning clearance
- Gamma radiation survey where applicable
- Fire or agency clearances identified during review
- Permit validity
- Mesa County permits become null and void if the project is not commenced and progress verified by an inspector every 180 days. City-side planning approvals in Grand Junction can have separate timelines.
- Building code
- Mesa County Ordinance 008(D) summary applies for county-issued building permits. Grand Junction separately administers zoning and development review.
- Owner-builder
- Residential homeowners may perform electrical and plumbing work; otherwise those trades must be performed by persons licensed by the State of Colorado.
- Contractor requirements
- Grand Junction contractor licensing applies only inside Grand Junction city limits. Outside city limits, county sources do not show a separate countywide general contractor license, but state plumbing and electrical licensing still applies.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $50.00 for Mesa County building permits
- Plan check fee
- Residential up to 15% and commercial up to 50% of calculated permit fee under the county schedule.
- Permit fee formula
- Valuation-based under Mesa County Table 2, plus any applicable Grand Junction development-review fees for city parcels.
- Reinspection fee
- $50 for first reinspection; $100 for additional same-violation reinspection; $100 in addition for same-day inspection if available; work without permit may be charged at 2x permit fee
- Payment note
- Redlands projects can involve county permit fees plus city-side development-review fees if the parcel is within Grand Junction.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective 2024).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Low fences
- Low retaining walls
- Finish work
- Certain reroof overlays
- Certain small detached accessory structures
- Low-profile decks or flatwork within published thresholds
Important: County exemption list applies for county-administered Redlands permits. Confirm specific exemptions with Mesa County Building Department.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- County Portal (online)
- 970-256-1564 (phone)
- 844-987-4628 (text)
- Scheduling deadline
- Same-day or next-business-day if requested by 7:00 a.m.; later requests within two business days.
Typical inspection sequence: Foundation, framing, rough trades, insulation, specialty inspections as needed, and final.
Additional Resources
- Building code: Mesa County Ordinance 008(D) summary applies for county-issued building permits. Grand Junction separately administers zoning and development review.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Grand Junction Community Development
- Redlands Area Plan
- Mesa County Building Department
- License lookup guide: Colorado Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Colorado Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Colorado hub: Colorado Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Depends on parcel location: Mesa County Building Department for unincorporated Redlands parcels; Grand Junction city process applies inside Grand Junction city limits before applying.
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