Denver, Colorado - City and County Development Fees
Denver | Consolidated City and County | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA (Front Range / Denver Metro)
Denver is a consolidated city and county - it functions simultaneously as a home-rule city and a county under Article XX of the Colorado Constitution. Development fees are administered by Community Planning and Development (CPD), which issues building permits, and by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), which administers site development plan review, subdivision plat review, engineering plan review, and sewer use and drainage permits. Water service inside Denver is provided by Denver Water, a separate city-owned utility. This page presents the building permit, plan review, site development, and sewer tap fees captured verbatim from official CPD and DOTI fee schedules. It also lists the EHA Affordable Housing Linkage Fee and fee-in-lieu (effective July 1, 2026) and Denver Water System Development Charges (schedule starting July 1, 2026); see Coverage Notes for the items ZoneFee has not captured (Gateway Impact Fee amounts, construction use tax mechanics, and planning application fees). Verify current amounts with the City and County of Denver before relying on them.
Updated 2026-11-04
Updated 2026-11-04: the affordable housing linkage fee and fee-in-lieu now show the City's July 1, 2026 rates, Denver Water system development charges now show the schedule starting July 1, 2026, and the commercial sewer tap rows now use the 2026 DOTI schedule. The construction use tax figure was replaced with the general sales/use rate from the Denver Treasury rate table.
Earlier versions of this page used 2025 sewer tap amounts and did not list linkage fee or Denver Water amounts. See corrections to report other errors.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Permit and Plan Review Fees (CPD ADMIN 138) | Confirmed | Valuation-based: $20 flat (to $500) rising to $5,385 base + $3.65/$1,000 over $1M; plan review 50% of permit fee | 2024-05-21 |
| Site Development, Plat, and Engineering Review Fees (DOTI) | Confirmed | Site Development Plan Review $2,500 to $12,000 by acreage; subdivision plat $1,500 + $600/lot; wastewater review 2.6% of construction cost | 2024-01-01 |
| Sewer Tap Fees (DOTI SUDP) | Confirmed | Residential $6,480/unit; commercial by tap size/SFRE, $12,960 (3/4") to $557,280 (4"); + $425 SUDP application fee | 2026-01-01 |
| Impact Fees (EHA Affordable Housing Linkage Fee) | Confirmed | $2.56 to $9.21 per sq ft of new gross floor area by use; $5.12 (1,600 sf or less per unit) and $8.18 (over 1,600 sf) for projects of 9 or fewer units; fee-in-lieu $297,256.10 to $568,353.66 per required income-restricted unit. Gateway Impact Fee amounts not captured | 2026-07-01 |
| Water System Development Charge (Denver Water) | Confirmed | Inside Denver, treated water: single-family $3,380 + $1.01/sq ft of lot (first 22,000 sq ft); nonresidential 3/4" tap $14,610 to 2" tap $103,920 | 2026-07-01 |
| Special District Fees (Metro Districts / PID / TIF) | Not administered | Metro districts (CRS Title 32) are independent landowner-assessed entities; Denver does not levy a distinct city special-district developer application fee | - |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Colorado jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers | - |
Building Permit, Plan Review, and Site Development Fees
Source: City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development Building Permit Policy ADMIN 125 and 138 (revision date May 21, 2024; SHA-256 85f13334...), captured verbatim and re-checked 2026-11-04 against the CPD Building and Land Development Fees page, and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2024; SHA-256 1f6072fe...), which is still the posted DOTI schedule, for the site development, plat, and engineering review fees.
Building Permit Fees (Valuation-Based, ADMIN 138)
| Project Valuation | Permit Fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $500 | $20.00 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $35.00 |
| $2,000 to $25,000 | $35.00 for first $2,000 + $8.00 per additional $1,000 |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | $220.00 for first $25,000 + $8.00 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $420.00 for first $50,000 + $7.00 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $770.00 for first $100,000 + $5.60 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,010.00 for first $500,000 + $4.75 per additional $1,000 |
| $1,000,001 and over | $5,385.00 for first $1,000,000 + $3.65 per additional $1,000 |
Plan Review and Permit Surcharges
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plan review fee (all tiers above $2,000) | 50% of permit fee (assessed separately) |
| Same Day plan review (valuation over $2,000) | 20% of permit fee, minimum $100.00 |
| Two-phase construction permit surcharge | Permit fee + 25% |
| Three or more phase construction permits | Permit fee + 50% |
| Solar / PV and renewable energy permit | $50.00 flat per permit; $0 plan review |
| Reinspection / after-hours inspection | $100.00 per hour (2-hour minimum after-hours) |
| Contractor License (Class A, B, C, D) | $250.00 every 3 years |
| Board of Appeals hearing application | $250.00 |
DOTI Site Development, Plat, and Engineering Review Fees
| Review Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Site Development Plan Review - 0 to 9.999 acres | $2,500 |
| Site Development Plan Review - 10 to 14.999 acres | $5,100 |
| Site Development Plan Review - 15 to 49.999 acres | $7,000 |
| Site Development Plan Review - 50 acres or greater | $12,000 |
| Subdivision Plat Review - base fee | $1,500 |
| Subdivision Plat Review - per lot or tract | $600 |
| Engineering Wastewater (SSPR) plan review | 2.6% of construction cost |
| Engineering Transportation (TEP) curb and gutter review - 0 to 299.999 linear feet | $750 |
| Engineering Transportation (TEP) curb and gutter review - 300 to 599.999 linear feet | $3,750 |
| Engineering Transportation (TEP) curb and gutter review - 600+ linear feet | $13,500 |
Authority: Denver Community Planning and Development (building permits) and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (site development, plat, and engineering review). Building permit fees are established under D.R.M.C. Sec. 10-16 (2025 Denver Building Code adopting the 2024 International Building Code).
Sewer Tap and Water Connection Fees
Source: DOTI Right-Of-Way Services SUDP Permitting 2026 Sewer Permit Fees, effective for all SUDP permits issued and/or paid on or after January 1, 2026 (SHA-256 d43d3146...), captured verbatim. These DOTI sewer tap fees recover sanitary sewer availability (SAFE) and Metro Water Recovery District (METRO) costs and are set by water tap size and Single-Family Residence Equivalent (SFRE). Taps of 6 inches or larger, or 218 or more SFRE, use a large-user formula. The METRO portion changes each year; the 2027 sewer permit fees had not been posted as of 2026-11-04. Water service is provided by Denver Water (see below).
DOTI Sewer Tap Fees (SUDP)
| Connection | SAFE | METRO | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential (SFR, duplex, 3+ unit buildings with individual taps or manifold) per unit | $410.00 | $6,070.00 | $6,480.00 |
| Commercial / mixed use / multi-residential 3/4" tap (2.0 SFRE) | $820.00 | $12,140.00 | $12,960.00 |
| 1" tap (4.8 SFRE) | $1,968.00 | $29,136.00 | $31,104.00 |
| 1.5" tap (11 SFRE) | $4,510.00 | $66,770.00 | $71,280.00 |
| 2" tap (20 SFRE) | $8,200.00 | $121,400.00 | $129,600.00 |
| 3" tap (43 SFRE) | $17,630.00 | $261,010.00 | $278,640.00 |
| 4" tap (86 SFRE) | $35,260.00 | $522,020.00 | $557,280.00 |
| SUDP application fee (administrative, per application) | $425.00 (DOTIPT-405.1 2026; also in the 2024 DOTI Consolidated Fee Schedule) | ||
| Sewer service connection inspection | $150.00 per inspection | ||
Denver Water System Development Charge
Water service inside Denver is provided by Denver Water, a self-governing city-owned utility, which charges a System Development Charge (SDC) on new or increased water service. The Denver Board of Water Commissioners voted on March 26, 2025 to raise the SDC in two steps - the first change since 2013 - on January 1, 2026 and July 1, 2026. The table shows the schedule starting July 1, 2026 for treated water inside Denver (SHA-256 415c0077...); outside-Denver and nonpotable rates are also published. Taps over 2 inches are set individually, and a 20% Water Efficiency Credit is available for qualifying developments. Denver Water reviews the schedule every two years; no 2027 schedule had been published as of 2026-11-04.
| Inside Denver, treated water | System Development Charge (from July 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Single-family residential - base charge | $3,380 |
| Single-family residential - lot area, first 22,000 sq ft | $1.01 per sq ft |
| Single-family residential - lot area over 22,000 sq ft | $0.50 per sq ft |
| Accessory dwelling unit | $2,170 |
| Multifamily - first two dwelling units | $12,350 |
| Multifamily - next 6 dwelling units | $2,710 per unit |
| Multifamily - over 8 dwelling units | $2,170 per unit |
| Irrigation only - minimum charge, first 5,000 sq ft | $6,830 |
| Irrigation only - over 5,000 sq ft | $1.09 per sq ft |
| Nonresidential 3/4" tap | $14,610 |
| Nonresidential 1" tap | $26,020 |
| Nonresidential 1 1/2" tap | $58,460 |
| Nonresidential 2" tap | $103,920 |
| Mixed use - nonresidential component | $3.97 per sq ft of nonresidential gross floor area (plus the multifamily component) |
Impact Fees and Construction Use Tax
Colorado authorizes local development impact fees under C.R.S. Section 29-20-104.5. Denver levies three developer-facing charges that ZoneFee groups under this family. Source for the linkage fee and fee-in-lieu: the CPD EHA Ordinance and Affordable Housing Fee page (SHA-256 d63e05cd...), column "Effective 7/1/26".
EHA Affordable Housing Linkage Fee (effective July 1, 2026)
| Project type | Fee per sq ft of new gross floor area |
|---|---|
| Single unit, two unit, or multi unit of 9 units or fewer, 1,600 sq ft or less per unit | $5.12 |
| Single unit, two unit, or multi unit of 9 units or fewer, more than 1,600 sq ft per unit | $8.18 |
| All other residential uses (e.g., congregate living) | $7.16 |
| Commercial sales, services and repair, civic, public or institutional - typical market area | $6.14 |
| Commercial sales, services and repair, civic, public or institutional - high market area | $9.21 |
| Industrial, manufacturing, wholesale and agricultural | $2.56 |
The linkage fee is due before building permit issuance (except excavation or shoring permits) and is adjusted each July 1 for inflation; the July 1, 2027 adjustment had not been published as of 2026-11-04. Residential projects of 10 or more units are subject to the on-site affordable housing requirement instead. Projects exempt from the EHA increases pay the prior (2017 ordinance) schedule, also adjusted for inflation: from July 1, 2026, $2.03 per sq ft for IBC multi-unit dwellings, $0.83 for IRC dwellings and other primary residential, $2.29 for commercial sales, services and repair and for civic, public or institutional uses, and $0.54 for industrial, manufacturing, wholesale and agricultural uses.
EHA Alternative Compliance Fee-in-Lieu (July 1, 2026)
| Market area and development type | Fee per required Income Restricted Unit |
|---|---|
| High market area (10% of units) - rental development | $369,786.58 |
| High market area (10% of units) - ownership development | $568,353.66 |
| Typical market area (8% of units) - townhouses | $297,256.10 |
| Typical market area (8% of units) - ownership other than townhouses | $485,121.95 |
| Typical market area (8% of units) - rental, one to seven stories | $297,256.10 |
| Typical market area (8% of units) - rental, eight or more stories | $350,762.19 |
The fee-in-lieu is an alternative for residential developments of 10 or more units under DRMC Section 27-225, is paid in full before building permit issuance, and is adjusted annually for inflation.
- EHA Affordable Housing Linkage Fee - established under the Expanding Housing Affordability ordinance (Ordinance 20220426; D.R.M.C. Chapter 27, Article V), effective July 1, 2022; the 2017 linkage fee continues for exempt projects. Also referenced in ADMIN 138, Section 400.
- Gateway Impact Fees - transportation impact fees limited to the Gateway planning area in east Denver (near I-70 / Pena Boulevard), administered by DOTI District Management. Most Denver development is outside the Gateway area and does not pay these fees.
- Construction Use Tax - a use tax on construction materials, supplies, tools, and equipment used on Denver job sites, levied under D.R.M.C. Chapter 53, Article III (Treasury Tax Rule 005). The Denver Treasury rate table lists the City and County of Denver sales/use rate (general) as 5.15% and says consumer's use tax uses the same rate table as sales tax. ZoneFee has not verified how the use tax is applied to construction materials or collected at building permit.
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were not closed on this page with a fee amount traceable to a hashed official source document. They are disclosed here rather than estimated, paraphrased from a non-official source, or omitted silently. These items remain under limited-coverage review until these gaps are closed from official, hash-captured sources.
Gateway Impact Fee amounts and construction use tax mechanics
The Gateway Impact Fee amounts (DOTI Gateway impact fee calculator) were not captured. For the construction use tax, ZoneFee shows only the general sales/use rate from the Denver Treasury rate table; how the tax is applied to construction materials and collected at building permit was not verified. Confirm both with the City and County of Denver.
CPD planning application fees (rezoning, variance, special use)
Denver CPD planning application fees (rezoning, design review, variance, and similar discretionary land-use applications) are separate from the ADMIN 138 building permit fees and were not captured this pass. They will be added when captured from an official, hash-verified source.
Special District Fees (Metro Districts / PID / TIF)
Denver is a consolidated city-county. Metro districts within Denver (authorized under C.R.S. Title 32) are independent governmental entities with their own boards and mill-levy authority; their assessments are landowner/property-based, not City and County of Denver development fees. The DOTI 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule and ADMIN 138 contain no city-administered special-district developer application fee. Closed-search outcome: this fee family is not administered by this jurisdiction.
Proffers
Colorado municipalities do not use Virginia-style cash proffers (a conditional-zoning mechanism under Virginia Code Sections 15.2-2303 and 15.2-2303.4 with no Colorado counterpart). Developer capital contributions in Denver occur through impact fees, building permit and review fees, and utility connection charges. Closed-search outcome: this fee family does not apply to this jurisdiction.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| City and County of Denver - Community Planning and Development (CPD) | Building permit fees, plan review, EHA Affordable Housing Linkage Fee | denvergov.org |
| City and County of Denver - Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) | Site development plan review, subdivision plat review, engineering plan review, sewer tap (SUDP) fees, Gateway Impact Fees | denvergov.org |
| Denver Water | Water System Development Charge (SDC) | denverwater.org |
| City and County of Denver - Treasury | Construction Use Tax | denvergov.org |
Sources
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-11-04. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the City and County of Denver (CPD and DOTI) and Denver Water before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from the City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development Building Permit Policy ADMIN 138 (SHA-256 85f13334...), the CPD EHA Ordinance and Affordable Housing Fee page (SHA-256 d63e05cd...), the DOTI 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule (SHA-256 1f6072fe...), the DOTI 2026 Sewer Permit Fees (SHA-256 d43d3146...), the Denver Water 2026 System Development Charges page (SHA-256 415c0077...), and the Denver Treasury tax rate table (SHA-256 466cb7bf...). ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change; no 2027 linkage fee, sewer or Denver Water schedule had been published as of 2026-11-04. Gateway Impact Fee amounts and construction use tax mechanics are disclosed as coverage gaps. Colorado jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers, and Denver does not levy a distinct city-administered special-district developer application fee. Verify all current rates directly with the City and County of Denver and Denver Water before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due-diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.