Broomfield, CO Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 15-03-070(A)
- Smallest permit fee tier
- $23.50 for work up to $500
- Permit expiration
- 180 days if work not started
- Unpermitted-work penalty
- Investigation fee equal to permit fee
- Fence exemption
- Fences 30 inches or less need no permit
- Max code penalty
- $2,650 fine or 364 days jail
Summary
Anyone who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building in the City and County of Broomfield must first file an application and obtain a permit from the building official under Municipal Code § 15-03-070(A). A short list of minor work, like low retaining walls, small accessory sheds and fences thirty inches or under, is exempt.
(A)Required. ... Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing system, elevator, moving walk, escalator or dumbwaiter, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit. ... Permits shall not be required for the following: ... 8.Fences thirty inches high or less.
Full Breakdown
Section 15-03-070(A), part of chapter 15-03's administrative provisions for the adopted construction codes, requires a written application before any regulated building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, elevator, escalator or dumbwaiter work begins, including a change in occupancy classification. Subsection (B) lists narrow exemptions: retaining walls three feet or less in height, walks not more than thirty inches above grade, playground equipment, accessory sheds of 120 square feet or less on a single-family lot, and fences thirty inches high or less, among others. Permit fees run on a sliding scale set by Table 1-A under § 15-03-100(B): a project valued at $500 or less costs $23.50, and larger jobs pay $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 per additional $100 up to $2,000, with higher-value construction billed at rates that drop toward $4.75 per additional $1,000 as valuation rises above $500,000.
A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issuance or is suspended for 180 days, though the building official may grant extensions for demonstrated cause. Work started before a permit issues draws an investigation fee equal to the permit fee itself under § 15-03-100(D).
Violations & Fines
Commencing regulated work without first securing a permit triggers an investigation fee equal to the full permit fee under § 15-03-100(D), on top of the permit fee itself. Because permit compliance is enforced through the general penalty in § 1-12-020, a person who builds, alters or occupies a structure in violation of chapter 15-03 is subject to a fine of up to $2,650.00, imprisonment up to 364 days, or both, with each day of continuing violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the requirement to get a building permit in Broomfield?
Is a permit needed for a backyard fence or shed?
How much does a Broomfield building permit cost?
What happens if work starts before a permit is issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broomfield
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