Aurora, CO Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 22-2
- No-permit penalty
- 100% added fee
- Refund cap (unused permit)
- up to 75%
- Shed exemption
- under 120 sq ft
- Fence exemption
- 7 feet or under
Summary
Aurora requires a paid permit before starting building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, or fuel-gas work; fees follow a schedule the chief building official sets and the city manager approves, and starting work early costs a full extra fee on top.
Permit fees. A permit shall not be issued until the applicable fees have been paid. The fee for each building permit shall be as set forth in a schedule of fees recommended by the chief building official and approved by the city manager... Work commencing before permit issuance. Any person who commences any work on a building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits shall be subject to 100 percent of the usual permit fee or building fee in addition to the required permit fees or building fee.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 22-2, the city won't issue a building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, or fuel-gas permit until fees are paid, on a schedule the chief building official recommends and the city manager approves. Permit valuation for use-tax purposes runs 100 percent of the estimated construction material and fixture cost. Anyone who starts work before the permit issues owes an extra 100 percent of the usual permit or building fee, on top of what was already due. The chief building official may refund up to 75 percent of a permit or plan review fee if no work or review has begun, or refund in full if a fee was collected in error. A few small jobs skip permits entirely under § 22-135: detached storage sheds or playhouses under 120 square feet, fences up to 7 feet, and antennae under 25 feet.
Violations & Fines
Starting work before the permit is issued adds a second, full permit or building fee, 100 percent of the usual amount, on top of the fee already required, per City Code § 22-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Aurora, Colorado?
What happens if I start construction before getting an Aurora building permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado building safety overview
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle building permits.