Building Permits & Applications

The Cortez Building Department is responsible for ensuring that all structures within the city meet minimum fire, life safety, health, structural, handicap accessibility, and energy efficiency standards. All new construction is required to obtain a permit prior to start of construction. To learn more about when permits are required, please call us here at City Hall at 970-565-3402 or visit our FAQs page.

To apply for a permit for residential construction such as a house, an addition, or a remodel, fences, sheds, decks, re-roof, and new lawn sprinkler systems, we will need the following information:

  • A permit application
  • A site plan complete with lot and block number and/or address
  • A scaled drawing for the floor plan of the new construction complete with dimensions and total square footage of the project
  • Proposed foundation package with details
  • Proposed insulation values for roof, walls, and floors

Download a permit application.

All commercial projects must be prepared by a Colorado licensed design professional.

Submittals must be accompanied by a permit application and three copies minimum of the proposed plans.

New commercial project plans require civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and energy efficiency plans as part of the plan package. Upon receipt of plans, our offices will conduct a plan review to check for compliance with our locally adopted building codes.

To speed the process, plans need to have sufficient detail demonstrating code compliance. Please click on the following links that will explain what information is required for plan review and permitting: Building; Accessibility; Mechanical; Plumbing; Energy; Electrical.

In addition to permit and inspection services within the city limits, the Cortez Building Department works with the Montezuma County Planning Department. Montezuma County may require some projects to use the services of a qualified inspection agency to perform inspections during construction. Upon request, our department can provide these services for a fee. Please call us at Cortez City Hall at 970-565-3402, or the Montezuma County Planning Department at 970-565-2801 for more information.