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An official website of the Town of Pierce, Colorado.

Official website of the Town of Pierce

Town of Pierce Colorado · Est. 1902

Building Permits

When you need a building permit, how to apply, how inspections work, and guides to what the code requires.

The Town issues building permits for new construction, renovations and additions, reviews plans before permits are issued, and inspects work as it goes. Permitting is run for the Town by SAFEbuilt.

Whether you are building a house, remodelling one, or putting up a shed, the aim is the same: that the work meets the code and that you can prove it when you come to sell.

The Town has adopted the 2024 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code. The design criteria page lists them, along with the wind, snow and frost values your plans must be drawn to.

Apply online

Permits are applied for through CommunityCore, run by SAFEbuilt.

Before you apply

  1. Talk to the building permit technician Strongly recommended before you complete an application or submit plans. They will tell you whether your project is subject to additional requirements, particularly if your property is in the flood way or flood zone.
  2. Read the guide for your kind of work The guides below say what the code requires and what to show on your plans. Getting this right first time is the difference between a permit in days and one in weeks.
  3. Apply, and keep the permit on site The permit must be posted at the job site, and approved stamped plans must be there too, including foundation and truss designs.

Questions people ask

Why should I get a building permit?

Your drawings are reviewed, and each phase of the work is inspected against the building code. The plans examiner and the field inspector are a resource — they will tell you how to do something properly.

There are consequences to not having one. Work without a permit is illegal, and it causes serious complications when you try to sell. If there is a fire, your insurer can use unpermitted work as a reason not to pay the claim.

When is a building permit required?

Typically for:

  • New buildings, including agricultural buildings
  • Additions and room additions
  • Decks
  • Patio covers, carports, patio enclosures and screened porches
  • Storage sheds and pole barns
  • Attached and detached garages
  • Re-roofing
  • Fences over 6 feet high
  • Pools over 5,000 gallons, hot tubs and spas
  • Air conditioning and furnace installation or replacement
  • Boiler installation or replacement
  • Water heater installation or replacement
  • Gas piping over 10 feet, and gas log installation or replacement
  • Solar panels
  • Demolitions

Also for renovation work of any kind: finishing a basement, kitchen remodelling, electrical or plumbing modifications, structural modifications, changing the dimensions or type of a door or window, and building, replacing or removing a wall.

If your project is not on this list, ring and ask. It is a short conversation and considerably cheaper than finding out afterwards.

What inspections do I need?

Inspections happen at various stages of the work, to check it against the building and fire codes. An inspection card is issued with your permit setting out which ones your project needs.

If the inspector finds a problem, it is noted on a correction form and left at the job site. Put it right, then book a follow-up inspection to record that it has been done.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Ring SAFEbuilt on 970-674-1036 or 1-866-671-1036.

Call before 7:30am for a same-day inspection. Anything after that is scheduled for the next working day.

Have ready: the permit number, the job site address, the type of inspection, a telephone number, and the date you want.

Things that will stop an inspection happening:

  1. The permit must be posted at the job site.
  2. Approved stamped plans must be on site, including foundation and truss designs.
  3. Do not proceed past a stage until the inspector has approved it by signing the permit card.
  4. Covered work that was not inspected may have to be uncovered, or an engineer may have to write a letter confirming it meets the code.
  5. A permit becomes void if work has not started within 180 days of the date on it.
  6. A permit becomes void if more than 180 days pass between inspections, or if work stops for that long.
  7. Reinforcing steel must be in place before concrete is poured and inspected.
  8. Lot corners must be clearly staked for setback inspections.
  9. A certificate of occupancy will not be issued until the final inspection has passed and all conditions are met.
  10. A re-inspection fee may be charged if the work is not ready, the permit card is not posted, the approved plans are not on site, or the inspector cannot get access. No further inspections happen until it is paid.

Guides and checklists

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