Building Division

Online Portal for all Applications, Permits, and Inspections

Building Permits & Inspections

Community Development staff can not answer questions about the requirements of the building code, overview passed/failed inspections, or explain building inspection requirements. If you need to talk directly to a building inspector or plan reviewer, you must call (877)840-6041 and leave a message with your permit number, project address, and contact information to be followed up with. Allow up to 2 business days for a response. Building officials can not provide consultation or design advice. If you need assistance with designing your project we encourage you to contact a licensed Colorado Engineer or Architect. 

Single Family Home Required Inspections

Inspections are done on Monday and Wednesday only. They must be requested online through your permit application on our online portal. You must request an inspection online by 5pm the day prior to inspection. You will be given a time for inspection the morning of the inspection which will show up on the online portal. The inspector will arrive within 2 hours of this window. If your inspection has been scheduled in the portal do not contact office staff until 2 hours after the inspection window for failure to show. 

Contact a Building Inspector/Official: (877)840-6041 (Leave a message with callback number and permit number)

Contact Staff: communitydevelopment@gilpincounty.org or (303)582-5831

Processing & Plan Review Time

New single family dwellings and building permits requiring full plan review can take a minimum of 4 weeks. Review time for new single family homes can take up to 8 weeks off-season and up to 12 weeks on-season. If you submit a permit application after September 1st, there is no guarantee your project will be permitted prior to frost conditions. Plan accordingly. 

Requirements for New Residential Dwelling Unit Construction

1 Legal Access

Building permit applicants for the construction of new residential dwelling units on parcels not adjacent to roads determined by the Department of Community Development to be public roads, shall be required to demonstrate that they have the legal right to utilize existing or construct new roads or driveways to reach the nearest public road. Building permits will not be issued based purely on the evidence of a long standing dirt roadway existing across private properties. Property owners may be required to obtain easements even for existing dirt roadways for every parcel they are traversing to get to a roadway determined to be public. Community Development strongly encourages individuals seeking to construct new residential dwelling units on mining claims and property in the southern areas of the county to thoroughly research whether existing legal access exists or whether it can be obtained prior to applying for a building permit. 

2 Driveway & Access Road Standards

The construction of new residential dwelling units that are greater than 150' feet from a publicly maintained roadway will be required to provide or demonstrate that the driveway/road from the nearest publicly maintained road to the proposed dwelling unit meets the minimum requirements of either the 2018 International Fire Code or the Gilpin County Driveway Specifications prior to the issuance of a building permit. Existing non-maintained roadways and driveways that do not meet the minimum requirements for grade, width, and turning radius will not be grandfathered in for the issuance of building permits for new residential dwelling units. 

Gilpin Driveway Standards Specifications

3 Survey, Site Plan, & Driveway Details

No building permits will be issued for the construction of new residential dwelling units without a contemporary survey. If you plan on constructing a new residential dwelling unit on a mining claim or property described by metes and bounds, a survey conducted within the last 10 years is a must. A site plan drawn to scale and consistent with the survey of the property is necessary. Site plans shall provide the accurate distances of all proposed structures from every property line or be scaled properly for this to be determined during building plan review. Site plans shall accurately detail the footprint of all proposed and existing structures including their dimensions as measure in feet. Site plans should illustrate the location and dimensions of all proposed and existing driveways or roadways on the subject parcel. In addition, driveway details shall be required when you are proposing to construct a new residential dwelling that is greater than 150' feet from a publicly maintained roadway. You will be required to demonstrate that the roadway/driveway from the publicly maintained road to your property meets minimum standards of the 2018 IFC along the whole distance of the roadway/driveway.

4 Automated Fire Sprinkler Requirement 

When the total square footage of a dwelling unit exceeds 3,600 square feet you will be required to install an automated fire sprinkler system. This is a requirement of the 2018 Gilpin County Residential Building Code and can not be waived. Total square footage means total square footage of all space in the dwelling unit, inclusive of unfinished space, storage space, and attached garages. 

5 Zoning & Setbacks

Gilpin County has two residential zoning districts: RR, Resource Residential and RS, Residential Subdivision. In RR, the required setback or distance of structures from the property lines is 30' feet from the front, 15' feet from the side, 15' from the rear and 55' feet from the centerline of the traveled portion of an unplatted roadway. In RS, the required setback is 30' feet from all property lines and 55' feet from the centerline of the traveled portion of an unplatted roadway. When proposed primary structures and accessory dwelling units are within 10' feet of the required setback you shall be required to have a surveyor complete a setback verification prior to starting foundation work. 

6 Onsite Wastewater Treatment System

All new residential dwelling units must have an onsite wastewater treatment system compliant with our 2018 OWTS Regulations and the minimum requirements of Colorado Regulation 43. You can not utilize a composting or incinerating toilet in lieu of having a water carrying onsite wastewater treatment system. 

7 ASCE Hazard Tool Report

All new residential dwelling unit construction shall submit a copy of their ASCE Hazard Tool Report with their permit application for wind and snow loads under risk category II. 

Design Criteria (Climate & Geographic Minimum Standards)

Climate & Geographic Design Criteria Effective 1/1/23

Gilpin County Energy Code Requirements (R Values & U Factors)

New Snow and Wind Load Map Effective September 2nd, 2024

To use the ASCE Hazard Map, please make sure the below information is correct:

1: The version must be ASCE/SEI 7-22

2: The correct snow load for the property is the P(g) value, which can be reduced by 10% when using the 2018 Code series. The IRC only value is not typically applicable, and can only be used with the tables of the IRC when the snow load is less than 70 lbs. For all engineered designs, the P(g) must be used. Engineered designs are required for all projects that exceed 70 lbs/sqft IRC only value.

3: The risk category for all residential buildings and accessory buildings is Risk Category II (2). Gilpin County does not have any Risk Category I buildings. Risk Category III and IV is for commercial buildings.

4: The wind speed is the 3 second gust speed indicated, the Ultimate MRI values are not used. All of Gilpin County is exposure category C. The 3 second gust speeds equate to ULT and can be converted to Vasd per R301.2.1.3.

Roofing Requirements & Permits

A permit is required for replacing more than 200 square feet of roofing area. Overlays are not permitted. We do allow ridge vents on roof installations. Please upload a standards and specifications sheet from the roofing material manufacturer to your permit. Utilize the ASCE Hazards Tool above to verify that your roofing material will meet our minimum requirements.  

For any wind speeds over 155 MPH or under 194 MPH per the ASCE Risktool, (the entire county) the Vasd is calculated by multiplying the risktool number by Square root of ".6". That results in a number between 130 MPH and 150 MPH, which is used for roofing materials. All of those require a classification of Class H or F. See table 1504.2 in the 2024 IBC as a helpful reference. 

Contractor Registration Required

Contractors must provide proof of passing score for applicable ICC exam or have a valid license from another ICC jurisdiction. State licensed electricians and plumbers shall provide copy of their active state licenses. 

Apply for Contractor Registration

Electrical and Plumbing Permits

All electrical and plumbing permits in unincorporated Gilpin County are now being issued by the county effective March 1st, 2023. If you have an active permit issued by the State, you will continue and complete your existing permit with the State. All electricians and plumbers are required to register with Gilpin County by completing a Contractor Registration application before conducting work on any building, electrical, or plumbing permit. If you are an electrician or plumber who will be conducting work under a building permit that you are not the applicant on, contact staff at communitydevelopment@gilpincounty.org or 303-582-5831 to have your Contractor Registration number attached to the building permit. Please provide us the building permit number or project address in your request. 

Procedure for Contemporaneous Reviews of Electrical and Plumbing Licenses

Electrical Utility Meter Release for United Power or Xcel Energy

To obtain a meter release you need to pull an electrical permit, have a qualified electrician inspect the work or electrical connected to the meter, then request a meter release inspection online through your permit application. Once that inspection is complete, we will send notice to release the meter to either Untied Power or Xcel Energy. 

Building Permit Fees

Fee Schedule Effective 01/01/2025

Building Permits Required

Construction of any primary structure whether it be residential or commercial requires a building permit regardless of size. Most vacant land in Gilpin County is zoned RR, Resource Residential or RS, Residential Subdivision. Vacant, residentially zoned land, requires the construction of a primary structure prior to the construction or placement of any accessory structure(s). For residentially zoned land, a primary structure would be a single family home. 

An accessory structure is a structure on the same property as a primary structure and the use of which is incidental to the use of the primary structure such as a garage, storage shed, or greenhouse. A permit is required for any accessory structure that is to be used for habitation of any kind regardless of the size of the structure. Accessory structures below 200 square feet that are not used for habitation (i.e. cooking, sleeping, bathrooms), do not require a building permit but still must meet all zoning regulations and developmental standards such as property line setbacks. 

Residential Deck Construction

If you are constructing a new deck and it will be attached to a residential dwelling unit (house or ADU) you will need a permit regardless of the size or height. If your deck is less than 30" inches above the ground and not attached to a house, you do not need a permit. You do not need a permit to modify/replace/repair planks or boards of an existing deck. If you are modifying or changing anything relating to the foundation and support of an existing deck, you need a permit. Decks that are attached to a home, are higher than 30" inches, need to meet the setbacks from the property line for the zoning district you are in. If you are in RS, Residential Subdivision the setback is 30' feet. If you are in RR, Resource Residential, the setback is 30' feet in the front, 15' feet from all other sides.

Adopted Building Codes per Resolution 23-35 Effective 6/28/23

ICC International Residential Code 2018 

ICC International Building Code 2018

ICC International Mechanical Code 2018

ICC Energy Conservation Code 2018 

ICC International Fire Code 2018

ICC International Plumbing Code 2018

ICC International Fuel Gas Code 2018

National Electric Code 2020 

2018 IRC Residential Building Guides

The Colorado Chapter of the International Code Council has guides to help homeowners prepare plans for building permit submittal for things such as additions, garages, and decks. You can access the guides on their webpage page here: https://coloradochaptericc.org/documents/building-guides/