How the permit works
| Step | What PPRBD asks |
|---|---|
| Plans | A full plan set, with plumbing and electrical sheets: floor plan at 1/8" = 1'-0", fixture schedule, panel and emergency disconnect location, kitchen layout, hot-water pipe insulation, water meter location (residential plan requirements) |
| Energy | An IECC certificate and HVAC equipment certificate (handouts); equipment that differs from the approved duct design needs a change form signed by the mechanical designer, and "Contractor completed change forms will not be accepted" |
| Plan review | PPRBD's top plan review mistakes: missing documents, missing details, wrong design criteria or codes, unclear scope, and no engineer's stamp where the design goes beyond the IRC |
| Permit | Fees paid at issuance; a permit stays valid 180 days and each inspection resets it |
| Over $1 million | Since 29 May 2026, a declaration that all workers have workers' compensation coverage (Colorado SB 26-093, per PPRBD's downloads page) |
PPRBD's homeowner page notes some projects "may still require a review and/or permit from the zoning and floodplain authorities."
What it costs
PPRBD's fee schedule (2025 ICC valuation data, effective 30 June 2025, read 23 October 2026) works in three steps:
- Valuation. "For all new single family dwellings – Regional Modifier is .27 of $169.09" per square foot; an attached garage built with the house is ".14 of $169.09".
- Permit fee from Table A. $464 for the first $50,000 plus $5 per extra $1,000 up to $100,000; $714 for the first $100,000 plus $4 per extra $1,000 up to $500,000.
- Plan review. "28% of Building Permit Fee", with a $50 handling fee each time a builder's master plan is used.
| House size (living area) | Valuation | Table A fee | Plan review | Total PPRBD fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft | $68,481 | $559.00 | $156.52 | $715.52 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $91,309 | $674.00 | $188.72 | $862.72 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $136,963 | $862.00 | $241.36 | $1,103.36 |
Our arithmetic from the schedule; PPRBD says its Fee Calculator "is intended as a guide" and "Additional fees may apply depending on your city/county/area", and the calculator also estimates taxes. Charges set by other agencies are not on this schedule. Construction prices from our permits: Colorado Springs new home cost.
Who can build it
A builder needs PPRBD's B-C Home Builder license: "one- and two-family dwellings not more than three (3) stories" (License Types); Colorado has no state home builder license. Electricians and plumbers on the job hold DORA licenses registered with PPRBD. The license checks are in the Colorado Springs license lookup.
An owner-builder route exists but is narrow. PPRBD issues homeowner permits only for "your primary residence, which you own and reside in", for work you do yourself, and "It is illegal for a homeowner to obtain a permit for a contractor hired to do the work for you" (Homeowner Permits). Ask PPRBD how that applies to a house not yet lived in before you plan on it; the trade-offs are in the owner-builder permit guide.
What 4,274 Colorado Springs new-home permits show
| Measure | Colorado Springs new homes |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 4,274 |
| Builders | 122 |
| Builders with a permit in the 12 months to September 2026 | 59 |
| Usual filed value | $407,676 |
| Middle half of builders' usual value | $371,394 to $782,254 |
| Usual days to final (estimated) | 190 |
| Share held by the five busiest builders | 51.9% |
| Builders with a single permit | 56 (45.9%) |
| Busiest / quietest month for filing | May / November |
Two markets sit in this table. Five production builders hold 51.9% of permits, led by Clayton Properties Group, Inc. with 245 in the 12 months to September 2026; meanwhile 45.9% of builders filed one house in three years, which is where custom builds and owner projects sit. The upper quartile of builders' usual value, $782,254, is the custom end.
Check it in five minutes
- Confirm the builder's B-C license is Active on PPRBD's Contractor and Mechanic Search.
- Look up the builder's other houses on PPRBD Permit Search (how) and check they reached Final.
- Compare builders on the Colorado Springs new-home builder list.
Other cities' rules: do I need a permit to build a house. National prices: new home construction cost.
See every Colorado Springs home builder by permits filed →
What this does not tell you
The fee table above is PPRBD's only; zoning, utility and other agency fees are not on PPRBD's schedule and we have not verified them, so ask the City of Colorado Springs and your utility. PPRBD's file has no final date, so days to final are estimates, and we show no finished share or license status. Owner-pulled permits are left out of our counts. More: Colorado Springs permit statistics.
How we know this
Process, fee formulas and license wording are quoted from Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's fee schedule, Fee Calculator, homeowner permit page, downloads page and residential handouts, read 23 October 2026, and its license types page, read 22 October 2026; the fee examples are our arithmetic. Our counts are PPRBD new-home permits inside Colorado Springs city limits, October 2023 to September 2026; days to final are estimated.
Numbers come from Pikes Peak Regional Building Department permits inside Colorado Springs city limits, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Colorado Springs?
Yes. A new home is on Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's list of projects requiring a permit, and the plans go through PPRBD plan review before the permit is issued. City zoning and utility approvals are separate.
- How much is a building permit for a new house in Colorado Springs?
PPRBD sets the valuation of a new single-family house from its ICC table (regional modifier .27 of $169.09 per square foot), applies its Table A fee to that valuation and adds plan review at 28% of the permit fee. For a 2,000 sq ft house that works out to about $674 plus $188.72 of plan review, before garage, city, utility and use-tax charges.
- Who can build a house in Colorado Springs?
A builder with a PPRBD B-C Home Builder license, which covers one- and two-family dwellings of up to three stories. Colorado has no state home builder license. An owner can pull a homeowner permit only for their own primary residence and must do the work themselves.
- How long does a new home permit take to final in Colorado Springs?
By our estimate the usual Colorado Springs new-home permit reached final in 190 days from issue. Plan review comes before that.
- How many new homes are built in Colorado Springs?
4,274 new-home permits were filed inside Colorado Springs city limits from October 2023 to September 2026, by 122 builders.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Arlington's 2,500-square-foot rule: when an addition or new house needs a Land Disturbing Activity and stormwater permit
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Denver? Zoning, building and SUDP permits, fees and the homeowner route
- Do I need a permit to build a new home in Elk Grove? Production homes, custom homes, fees and timing
For one city
- RBD Current Building Permit Fee Schedule — Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permit Fee Calculator — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Homeowner Permits — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Downloads, Forms & Handouts — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Top 5 Plan Review Mistakes, Residential Construction — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Plan Submittal Requirements, plumbing and electrical sheets (rev. 01/04/2024) — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Equipment Change Form, 2024 IECC — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- License/Registration Types — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-22)