Building Department Document and Resource Library

Building Permit Applications

A permit application packet & plans must be uploaded with every building permit application submission in  https://www.cityofaspen.com/1211/Salesforce-Applicant-Portal-Support Salesforce:

•  /DocumentCenter/View/5704 Permit Application Signatures Packet PDF
• Existing & Proposed plans, showing cardinal orientation, showing the full building, all levels, and also unit/building relationship where applicable. Please separate your plans by trade i.e. structural, architectural, electrical, etc. all uploaded individually. 
• Photos of the work area appreciated, especially if your plans are not formally rendered.
• See Energy & Building Codes webpage for details on current adoptions and requirements. 

IF the proposed scope of work includes removing, moving, or replacing walls, columns, support beams OR creating doors, windows, or additional structures: 

• Stamped plans or a stamped letter of engagement from a structural engineer

IF the proposed scope of work includes adding or making changes to snowmelt, hot tubs, outdoor heating, fireplaces, heat tape: 

• REMP - Renewable Energy Mitigation Program Worksheet EXCEL

IF the proposed scope of work includes adding or replacing a fireplace or gas appliance: 

• Please note that wood-burning and gas log fireplaces are not allowed per IFGC 8.28.010 o. and p. 
• For Colorado or EPA certified wood stoves and gas appliances, please upload product spec sheets 
  • Please see the Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment for more information.

IF the proposed scope of work includes changing interior lighting:

If residential:

• 100% High Efficacy lighting required, note on plans 
• Dimmers or occupancy sensors shown on plans or general note
• Reflected ceiling plan / lighting plan for multifamily residential

If commercial:

• Comcheck Energy Audit
• Lighting plan showing fixture locations, types, controls, and indication that functional testing will be required. 
• Lighting spec sheets showing wattage and listing by nationally recognized testing laboratory 

IF the proposed scope of work includes outdoor lighting: 

• Outdoor Lighting Code Update
• Outdoor Lighting Compliance Calculator EXCEL
• Outdoor Lighting Compliance Statement PDF

IF the proposed scope of work includes making changes to the exterior façade of a non-historic building: 

• Please email planneroftheday@gmail.com with your plans and a narrative to request your planning approvals or exemptions.
• Note: changes to floor area, deck area, and building relationship to setbacks will also require a survey.

IF the property is a historic resource: 

• Please email HP@aspen.gov with your scope of work to determine the review path and any necessary approvals required.
• Unsure if the property is historic? Any property within the Aspen Main Street Historic District, Commercial Core Historic District, or any individually designated property is subject to Historic Preservation review. Please use the City of Aspen GIS map to determine if the property is historic. If you are still unsure, please contact staff.
• Please see the Historic Preservation webpage for more information.

Construction Mitigation Plan depending on the amount of work area proposed: 

• CMP for Minor Projects (<1000sqf) PDF
• CMP for Medium Projects (1000 – 2000 sqf) PDF
  • Site plan including: 
    1. Location of dumpsters and porta-johns  
    2. Materials staging and removal information
    3. ROW impact Information including use of cranes and temporary parking. 
• For Major Projects (>2000 sqf): Construction Management Plan Manual PDF
  • Projects over 2000 sq ft that are affecting square footage and/or triggering demolition will also require a Construction Waste Diversion Plan. 
  • Site plan with above mentioned features. 

IF the proposed scope of work includes adding, removing, or swapping water fixtures, a change is building use, or additional restaurant seating: 

• Aspen Consolidated Sanitation District Acknowledgement PDF
• ECU Calculator for Residential Projects EXCEL - please upload as an excel file.
• ECU Calculator for Commercial Projects EXCEL - please upload as an excel file. 
• Current water bill 
• See Utilities Permitting webpage for help guides and fee estimators.

IF the proposed scope of work includes impact to trees & critical root zones: 

• See Parks & Open Spaces Forestry webpage

IF the proposed scope of work includes disturbing more than 200 sq ft of soil: 

• See Engineering Submittal Requirement Matrix PDF
• Note: more than 1000 sq ft of soil disturbance will require a survey and major reports 

IF the proposed scope of work includes disturbing more than 1000 sq ft of soil AND this is more than 25% of the parcel OR you are proposing more than 50% increase in water usage for the site: 

• See WELS - Water Efficient Landscaping Standards Page

Create a new permit application in Salesforce. Type: Change Order. There is a field there in which to reference the master permit number. 

Please upload: 

• Updated Contact and HOA pages of the Permit Application Packet PDF
• Narrative describing all changes referencing their location in the plans. 
• Updated plan sets
  • Please bubble/cloud all changes on the plan sets. If the page is entirely new, please bubble/cloud the page number.
  • Please do not upload the entire plan sets. Upload only the pages with changes on them. If more than 75% of the pages are changing you can upload the whole set. 
  • Plans must still be grouped by trade i.e. landscaping pages uploaded separately from civil pages, etc. 
• Any updated supporting documents like ECU calculator, REMP worksheet, assembly and spec sheets, for example. 

"Additional Information": 

• Sometimes very minor corrections can be submitted directly to the relevant reviewer and handled outside of the formal permit process. However, most of the time it is preferred that even minor adjustments are submitted via Change Order. We will then queue it as "Additional Information" if there is only one review agency required to approve.

Standalone Demo Permits

• Permit Application Signatures Packet PDF
• Sanitation Abandon Service Agreement PDF
• Survey
• Asbestos test - will also need state permit to demolish if abatement is required
• Planning approvals, please reach out to Planner of the Day with questions
• Grading & drainage narrative and plans, please see Engineering Standards and Requirements
• Stamped civil plans showing the regrading and utility abandonment
• Construction Management Plan - see document list below for the appropriate template based on your square footage of work
  • Projects over 2000 sq ft will need a Construction Waste Diversion Plan

Phased Projects

• If you intend to phase your project please reach out to our Chief Building Official - Bonnie Muhigirwa. 
• For questions about planning approvals for single family demolition allotments, please reach out to our Community Development Director - Ben Anderson. 

• EPIC Permit Application Signatures Packet PDF
• EPIC Permit Policy PDF
• Expedited Permit Signatures Packet PDF: ex: completely electric projects

EPIC stands for Expedited Permits In Core and is intended to provide a faster option for businesses and community endeavors in the commercial core. We also expedite permits for fully electric projects. If you have a project you would like to be considered for expediting besides what is listed, please reach out to our Chief Building Official, Bonnie Muhigirwa. 

If you have read the EPIC Permit Program Policy and believe your project meets the qualifications for this program or have a fully electric permit of any type, please proceed with gathering all the required documents for your scope (see checklists listed in sections above). 

For preliminary questions:

• See Permit Process page for overview 
• Email Builder of the Day - for building code compliance
• Email Planner of the Day - for planning, zoning, & historic preservation
• Email Environmental Health - for food service and environmental health
• Email Engineering - for construction management & water
• Email Parks - for parks, mall, & trees

Once all documents have been gathered and plans fully developed, please contact Building Support with the following: 

• Applicant name and contact info (whoever will be managing & submitting the permit) 
• Project address
• Detailed scope of work
• Existing + proposed plans + all supporting documents (provide as link)
• What specific questions do you have for building and zoning plans reviewers?
• Does the proposed business involve food service?
• Is this a historic property or landmark? Are you doing exterior work, including vents or other penetrations? If so, please provide your HPC approvals in the link of documents. Contact Planner of the Day with any questions.
• Do you prefer Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays? AM or PM? We will do our best to accommodate your day and time preference. 

During your EPIC pre-submittal meeting, you will be responsible for presenting your plans and supporting materials to building and zoning plans reviewers. At that time, reviewers will make the final determination as to whether your project qualifies for an EPIC permit. They will review your plans for preliminary compliance and provide feedback on changes or additional information that you’ll need to address prior to submitting your permit application.

After the meeting, you will be responsible for incorporating City reviewers feedback into your plans and gathering all required agency signatures. Pre-approval from City staff is a requirement of the EPIC & Expedited Permit Program and applications without staff signatures will not be accepted for review. Once all signatures have been gathered you will submit your permit and upload all documents using Salesforce. 

The IFFR is for interior finishes and fixture removal ONLY. A regular building permit is required to install or rebuild. The IFFR is typically a tool to allow larger renovation projects to get started on removal while the main building permit is still in for review. It is also an appropriate permit to clear out a commercial space for the next tenant. 

See Projects Typically Exempt from Permit PDF.  

For a complete IFFR permit application please upload to your application: 

• Permit Application Packet PDF
• IFFR Policy PDF
• IFFR Agreement PDF
• Narrative describing steps of work proposed 
• Asbestos test, if required based on answer in the permit packet
• Plans of the space 
• CMP depending on work area (See above section: All Building Permits, or below in the library for templates)

New Summer 2024: Affidavit in lieu of review on like-for-like window/door/fenestration replacements

If the conditions on the affidavit below apply, please create a new Building Permit application in the permit portal and upload the following in lieu of review. Expected turnaround upon completeness would be issuance within a week: 

• Permit Application Packet PDF
• Like-for-like Fenestration Affidavit PDF
• Photos of existing windows

If the conditions on the affidavit do not apply, please create a new Building Permit application in the permit portal and upload the following and prepare for a complete minor review process with Building and Zoning: 

• Permit Application Packet PDF 
• RDS - Residential Design Standards exemption from Planner of the Day. Please email them with your proposed scope narrative and pictures to request this. 
• New window spec sheets showing U-factor
• Pictures of existing windows 
• Plans of the unit calling out window location including building orientation and directionality. These can be rendered or drawn. 

Please reach out to Building Support with any questions. And please note that designated historic projects will require a prereview that can take a few weeks. 

All sub-permit applications also take place in Salesforce and must include: 

• Signed HOA Compliance Form PDF
  • A letter on HOA letterhead is not an acceptable substitute. 
• Reference the master building permit number in the appropriate application field 
• Mechanical permits proposing exterior work must include: 
  • Equipment spec sheets
  • Site plan showing the proposed location of the equipment
  • Measurements showing the distance of proposed equipment to all streets
• Electric permits must include: 
  • Recent utility bill 
  • Electric Load Form
• Plumbing permits that touch water fixtures must include: 
  • ECU Calculator - Residential
  • ECU Calculator - Commercial

Please see the GENERAL section at the top for checklists before deciding whether a meeting may be necessary. 

Please see the Permit Process page for an overview of permit submission and review steps. 

For preliminary questions:

• Email Builder of the Day - for building code compliance questions. 
• Email Planner of the Day - for planning, zoning, & historic preservation questions. 
• Email Environmental Health - for food service & environmental health questions. 
• Email Engineering - for civil development, construction management, & water questions. 
• Email Parks - for parks, pedestrian mall, & tree questions. 

To schedule a meeting, please email Building Support with the following information:

• Applicant name and contact info 
• Project address
• Detailed scope of work
• Existing + proposed plans (provide a link or file attachment)
• What specific questions do you have for building and zoning plans reviewers?
• For commercial projects only: does the proposed business involve food service?
• Is this a historic property or landmark? If so, are you doing exterior work, including vents or other penetrations?
• Do you prefer Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays? AM or PM? We will do our best to accommodate your day and time preference. 

For EPIC presubmittal meetings, please see the EPIC section in the dropdown menu above. 

A repair is a like-for-like fixing or replacement of an existing structure that is currently broken. Any additional work would require a separate building permit. 

See Projects Typically Exempt from Permit (PDF).

To begin a repair, please email Builder of the Day or call  tel:9704292898  tel:970-429-2898 970-429-2735. 

For every repair permit please upload to your application in Salesforce: 

• Permit Application Packet PDF
• Narrative (bullet points) describing what is broken and the steps taken or intended to fix it
• Photos of the disrepair
• Plans of the space showing unit/building relationship and cardinal direction, highlighting the work area. Structural stamps or letter if applicable
• Construction Management Plan (CMP) depending on the square footage of work area (see All Building Permits section above or compiled library section below). Contractors must be licensed with the City of Aspen and registered in Salesforce before the permit can be issued
• Wall, floor, ceiling assemblies (waterproofing, soundproofing, fire rating, insulation, etc.) if applicable
• Supporting documents: 
  • If you are touching water fixtures or drains in the course of this repair please include an ECU calculator, Sanitation acknowledgement, recent water bill. See General section above for these forms. 
  • If you are repairing structural components please include stamped plans or letter from a structural firm. 
  • See the General section above for additional common circumstances. 
• For historic projects: 
  • Proposed method of repair. 
  • Specifications for new materials if required. 

Common Occurrences: 

• Is something leaking? Please stop the leak. If efforts to repair disturb more than 32 sq ft of potentially asbestos containing material - you need a permit. Please do what must be done to prevent additional damage and use contact information above to get started with permitting the rest. 
• Got asbestos? Abatement does not require a City of Aspen permit (see state permitting link below). HOWEVER, replacing more than 32 sq ft. of drywall and putting walls back together does require a permit by a licensed contractor. Like-for-like replacements will be processed as repairs. Alterations and remodels require building permits. See Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment for asbestos permitting information.

• Got mold? Abatement & redress does require a permit by a licensed contractor. Like-for-like replacements can be repair permits. Alterations and remodels require a building permit. If you are uncertain of the plan forward and just wish to remove the mold, an IFFR permit will suffice (see IFFR section above). 

After all reviews in a round have been completed, you will be prompted for your response to comments. Some notes: 

• Please do not bubble/cloud changes on your plans sets. This is for change orders only and you will be asked to remove them. 
• Please reupload your full plan sets with the requested edits made. Do not just upload single pages. 
• Please include the comment letters issued to you by our reviewers, with your commentary added. 
• Please respond to all review agencies that require re-review. 
• How to View your Reviews in Salesforce PDF
• Reach out to your reviewers directly with any questions you may have on their comments. 

• See Roof and Re-Roof Application Checklist PDF
• Please note that if the roof has existing heat tape to be replaced or reinstalled and/or new heat tape is proposed, REMP (Renewable Energy Mitigation Program) requirements will be applied. See: REMP - Renewable Energy Mitigation Program Worksheet EXCEL. 
• To estimate roofing fees see: Roofing Fee Calculator EXCEL
• For questions please email Building Plans Examiner Linzhi Douglass
  (970)429-2020.

Common Occurrences: 

• Repairing a patch less than one square (10' by 10')? No permit required. 
• If you have not downloaded the above linked roofing checklist since April 2023, please revisit, as some code references and heat tape requirements have changed. 

Tent

• Permit required for tents over 400 sq ft.
• See Tent Permit Checklist PDF

Temporary Structure

• Permit required for structures over 120 sq ft or more than 10 people.
• Please upload to your permit: 
  • Signature page PDF & HOA/covenants page PDF of the permit packet. 
  • CMP depending on sq ft of work area (see below in library) 
  • Site plan showing accessibility, egress, occupant load
  • Drawn plans or scaffolding/staging kit specs and manual
  • Power plans, heating, generators, general lighting plan will require an electric subpermit. 

Important! Temporary Use Approvals for Tents and Other Temporary Structures

The following properties have received special Temporary Use approvals through City Council Ordinances, allowing the use of tents and other temporary structures: Hotel Jerome, Mollie, Maroon Creek Club, St. Regis and Aspen Meadows.

Per City Council Ordinance, Housing Mitigation impact fees must be paid on the first tent permit issued each calendar year for each of these properties.

If you are the contractor pulling the first tent permit of the year for any of the above locations, it is your responsibility to ensure that the required Housing Mitigation fees are paid prior to tent installation.