Arvada, CO Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Section 18-39(a)(3) makes it unlawful to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use, occupy, or maintain any building or structure in Arvada without first obtaining a permit from the building inspection division; permits for work in the public right of way instead follow Chapter 78. Fees are set by the administrative fee schedule referenced in Section 18-42, and a plan review fee is due when submittal documents are required. Building permit valuations use the higher of the actual contract cost or the ICC Building Valuation Data Chart, adjusted each January 1 by the Denver City Cost Index from RSMeans Data.

Anyone who starts work before a permit issues owes an investigation fee on top of the permit fee, unless the work was genuine emergency work reported to the division by the next business day. C. 2 are unchanged. A permit expires if work has not started within 180 calendar days of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 calendar days, under Section 18-39(f); restarting then costs half the original fee unless the lapse exceeded a year, in which case a full new fee applies.