La Plata County, CO Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Where to apply
- Building Department Permit Portal
- Shed exemption
- 200 square feet, 12 feet to peak, four per parcel
- Fence exemption
- Fences not over 8 feet high
- Deck exemption
- Not over thirty inches above grade, no roof
- Work before permit
- Investigation fee at least equal to permit fee
- Fine
- Not more than $100, each day a separate offense
Summary
In unincorporated La Plata County, Colorado, La Plata County Code § 18-35 (105.1) requires an owner or agent to apply to the building official and obtain all required permits before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing or changing the occupancy of a building. Section 105.2 exempts items such as small sheds and fences not over 8 feet high.
105.1 Permits. Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure subject to this Code, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, 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 all required permits. ... 105.2 Work exempt from permits. A building permit is not required for the following: Building: One-story, detached accessory buildings used solely as tool and storage sheds, well houses, and similar uses, not for human occupancy, provided the exterior wall dimensions do not exceed 200 square feet of floor area, the building height does not exceed 12 feet in height to the peak of the roof, and eave overhangs are no greater than 16 inches. These exempt accessory buildings are limited in number to four (4) per parcel of land.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 18 adopts the 2024 International codes with county amendments, and § 18-35 rewrites the administrative provisions. Section 105.1 requires the owner or authorized agent to make application to the building official first, and it covers gas, mechanical and plumbing systems as well as buildings. A building permit does not replace the separate permits the county requires for grading, temporary uses or structures, floodplain development, land use, and activities of interest. The building official can refuse a permit for an illegally sold or illegally subdivided lot or parcel at any time, and no permit issues for work on a parcel that does not comply with the La Plata County Land Use Code.
Section 105.2 lists work that needs no building permit. One-story detached accessory buildings used solely as tool and storage sheds or well houses, not for human occupancy, are exempt if the exterior wall dimensions do not exceed 200 square feet of floor area, the height does not exceed 12 feet to the peak, and eave overhangs are no greater than 16 inches. The exemption is limited to four such buildings per parcel, with electrical connections for simple lighting only. Other exemptions include fences not over 8 feet high, open decks not over thirty inches above finished grade with no roof, animal loafing sheds not exceeding 200 square feet and open on at least one side, and agricultural exempt structures under C.R.S. § 30-28-201.
Section 105.2.4 limits every exemption: the structure must still meet the county's setback requirements from property lines, height limitations in the Animas Valley, Chapter 19 and Chapter 78 on floodplain management.
Under § 105.3, applicants apply through the Building Department Permit Portal with a completed application, electronic plot plans, proof of sewage disposal authorization, and proof of adequate potable water. In areas of highly expansive soils, a Colorado professional engineer must design the foundation of residential structures.
Violations & Fines
Under § 109.4, anyone who starts work before obtaining the necessary permits owes an investigation fee in addition to the permit fee, and the minimum investigation fee equals the permit fee. Section 114.4 cites C.R.S. § 30-28-209: violating the Code is an offense punishable on conviction by a fine of not more than $100, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a building permit for a shed in unincorporated La Plata County?
Does a building permit cover grading or floodplain work?
Can the county refuse a permit on an illegally split lot?
Do exempt projects still have to follow setbacks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in La Plata County
Compare La Plata County to another location·View the Colorado building safety overview
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