Before you start your project, you need to know what regulations apply to your property and what factors may impact your project. You'll need to consider:

Historic Landmark Status

If your property is in a local historic landmark district or is a designated landmark structure, the Landmark Preservation staff must complete a design review of your project before you begin. Use the DevelopDENVER tool to the right to determine your property’s landmark status. Changes to the exterior of landmarked properties require approval from Landmark Preservation prior to the issuance of appropriate zoning, building, curb cut, or revocable permits.   Visit the Design Review web page for more information.

Zoning

Zoning establishes standards for things like the size and location of structures and acceptable uses for your property. Before you begin construction, you need to be sure your project is in compliance with Denver's Zoning Ordinance. Use the DevelopDENVER tool to the right to determine the zoning for your property. Once you've found how your property is zoned, you should look up your zone district in the Denver Zoning Code to see what that means for you.

Building Code

Denver Building Code provides minimum standards for building in order to safeguard public safety, health and welfare.

• Landmark Certificate of Appropriateness - required if you live in a Landmark District or in a designated landmark structure
• Zoning Permit - required for Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
• #1R Construction Permit - Required for tilt-up systems only
• #3 Electrical Permit - required for solar photovoltaic systems
• #4 Plumbing Permit - required for solar hot water systems

For Landmark Certificate of Appropriateness:

For Zoning Permit (for Flush Mounted Solar Panels):

• Roof plan showing that the solar panels are installed parallel and within one foot of the roof surface they are placed on and at least 2' dimension between the solar panels and the edge of the roof.  
• Calculations performed by a Colorado registered professional engineer shall be submitted to the Division to substantiate that the structure can support the design loads specified in Chapter 16 of the IBC ad DBCA. Details and calculations for the panel connections to the roof shall be included.  

For Zoning Permit (for All Other Solar Panels):

• Site Plan
• Roof concept plan
• Elevations

For Photovoltaic (PV) Sysems:  Two sets of plans to include the following:

• One-line diagram
• Supporting calculations
• Catalog sheets of equipment

For Building Permits:

•  #3 Electrical Permit (PDF) with complete one-line diagram, all supporting calculations, and copies of the equipment catalog sheets (per standard procedures).
• #4 Plumbing Permit (PDF)
• #1R Construction Permit - Completed by staff of Development Services (Required for tilt-up systems only):
  • Name of system manufacturer, model name or number of system.
  • Drawings signed and sealed by a design professional.

For a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Project:

• Homeowners Exam for specific trade if completing the work yourself  (See DIY Projects for requirements and more information.
• Identification (i.e. Driver's License)

Estimate Fees

Zoning and Building permit fees are based on valuation of the work to be completed including the labor and materials. 

NOTE:  When a Same Day Review is required for the #1R Permit, a  "walk through" submittal fee of 20% of the valuation of the work to be completed with a $100.00 minimum will be charged in addition to building permit fees.

Fees for Solar Panels are capped at $50 for all permits.

View the permit fee schedules to estimate the fees required for your project. 

There are no fees for Landmark review.

Pay Fees

Development Services

Wellington Webb Municipal Building

201 W. Colfax Ave., 2nd Floor

Denver, Colorado 80202

For Landmark Certificate of Appropriateness: 

Submit a design review application to Landmark Preservation.  The approval typically takes one to three weeks.  More complex projects or projects requiring Landmark Preservation Commission or Lower Downtown Design Review Board approval will take longer.

NOTE:  Obtain Landmark approval first before proceeding with other permits.

For Zoning and Building:

• Same Day Review - Submit all construction documents at the Permit Service Counter for review by City staff. Once review has been completed and all documents approved, permits will be issued.
  NOTE:  Solar panel projects that include complex engineering plans may require a Plan Review. 
• Quick Permit for #3 Electrical Permit
• Quick Permit for #4 Plumbing Permit

Typical inspections for installation of solar panels include the following:

• Rough Utilities (Electrical and Plumbing)
• Final Utilities (Electrical and Plumbing)
  NOTE:  You must provide a ladder at the time of inspection for all roof mounted inspections. 
• Zoning inspection required for PV systems with tilt-up panels on roof
• NIS inspection required where PV roof panels are within 1 foot of the maximum height or where panels are located near bulk plane edge

NOTE:  The inspections listed above may vary depending on the complexity of your project.