The PPRBD rule
From PPRBD's Work Exempt From Permits list and Homeowner Permits page, read 23 October 2026:
| Remodel job | Permit? |
|---|---|
| Painting, wallpaper, tile, carpet, cabinets, countertops | Exempt |
| Replacing doors and windows in the same rough opening | Exempt (egress and safety-glazing rules still apply) |
| New or changed framing, moving a wall | Yes: "Framing (New or Modification)" |
| Basement finish | Yes |
| Garage conversion, room addition, sun room | Yes |
| Electrical work | Yes, a trade permit |
| New fixtures, moved drains, gas lines, water heater | Yes, trade permits; "minor plumbing and heating repairs" generally exempt |
| Fireplace or stove, gas or solid fuel | Yes |
| Repairs to siding or roofing under 100 sq ft | Exempt |
A kitchen that keeps its layout can be a finish-only job with no building permit, but the new range circuit or the moved sink is not. PPRBD's advice where a job is in between: "Contact Us prior to starting any project to verify the need for a permit" (719-327-2880).
Who can pull it
A licensed remodeler. PPRBD licenses general building contractors in B classes; the B-E Maintenance and Remodeling class covers nonstructural interior work, and structural remodels and additions fall under the B-C Home Builder class (License Types, read 22 October 2026; see the Colorado Springs license lookup). Electricians and plumbers hold state DORA licenses and register with PPRBD.
You. Only "on your primary residence, which you own and reside in", doing the work yourself. PPRBD: "It is illegal for a homeowner to obtain a permit for a contractor hired to do the work for you."
If the work is reported or seen without a permit, PPRBD issues a stop work order, and if no permit follows, a "Certificate of Alleged Non-compliance" is filed with the county Clerk and Recorder, "placing a lien against the property". Unpermitted work often surfaces at a home inspection before a sale.
What it costs
From PPRBD's fee schedule, read 23 October 2026:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Alteration, valuation $2,001 to $25,000 (Table A) | $80 plus $8 per extra $1,000 |
| Alteration, $25,001 to $50,000 | $264 plus $8 per extra $1,000 |
| Additions, garage conversions, basement finishes | Valued at 0.27 of $169.09 per sq ft (ICC data), plus trade permits on job cost |
| Basement finish, existing one- or two-family home (Table A.1) | $300 flat |
| Each electrical, plumbing, gas or heating permit attached to an alteration (Table B.1) | $50 |
| Plan examination (Table E) | 28% of the building permit fee |
| Work started without a permit | Investigation fee of twice the permit fee |
At the usual $14,100, Table A gives $184; a kitchen with electrical and plumbing permits attached adds $100 (our arithmetic, before any plan examination fee). Run the job through PPRBD's Fee Calculator for the exact figure. Local prices: Colorado Springs remodel cost; national ones: home remodel cost.
Inspections and timing
Book inspections by phone (719-327-2880), in person or online; for many permits, a request in by 8:29 am gets a same-day inspection. Permits last 180 days and each inspection resets the clock (Permit Guidelines for Homeowners). Results usually post the same day on Permit Search.
What 1,639 Colorado Springs remodel permits show
| Measure | Colorado Springs remodel and addition |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,639 |
| Firms | 422 |
| Firms with a permit in the 12 months to September 2026 | 242 |
| Firms with 10 or more permits | 35 |
| Usual filed value | $14,100 |
| Middle half of firms' usual job value | $6,500 to $35,000 |
| Usual days to final (estimated) | 96 |
| Share held by the five busiest firms | 11.1% |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | April (123) / December (83) |
Colorado Springs remodeling is spread thin: the five busiest firms hold only 11.1% of permits, and the middle half of firms' usual jobs runs from $6,500 to $35,000, so the same word covers a bathroom refresh and an addition. Compare a bidder's past filed values with your job before you compare prices. Filing is steadier than outdoor trades, from 123 in April to 83 in December. Basement finishes are counted separately on the Colorado Springs basement list.
See every Colorado Springs remodeler by permits filed →
Check it in five minutes
- Ask for the remodeler's PPRBD license number and check it is Active, in the right class, on the Contractor and Mechanic Search.
- Find permits on your address, including old unfinished ones, on PPRBD Permit Search (how).
- Compare firms on the Colorado Springs remodel list; monthly counts on Colorado Springs permit statistics.
Trade permits on their own: Colorado Springs electrical permit and plumbing permit. Other cities: do I need a permit for a home remodel, kitchen and bathroom.
What this does not tell you
Our remodel count includes additions and leaves out homeowner-pulled permits and basement finishes. PPRBD's file has no final date: days to final are estimates, and we show no finished share or license status for this trade. Finish-only kitchens leave no permit record at all.
How we know this
Exemptions, the homeowner rule, the non-compliance lien and fees are quoted from Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's Work Exempt From Permits list, Homeowner Permits page, fee schedule and homeowner permit guidelines, read 23 October 2026; license classes from PPRBD's License Types page, read 22 October 2026. Counts are PPRBD remodel and addition permits on homes inside Colorado Springs city limits, October 2023 to September 2026, without homeowner-pulled permits; 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 remodel a kitchen in Colorado Springs?
For new cabinets, countertops, tile and flooring, no: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department exempts 'Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work.' Moving or adding walls, new wiring, plumbing or gas lines all need permits.
- How much is a remodel permit in Colorado Springs?
PPRBD charges the building permit on the job's valuation (Table A): $80 for the first $2,000 plus $8 per extra $1,000 up to $25,000. At the usual Colorado Springs remodel filed value of $14,100, that is $184. Each electrical, plumbing, gas or heating permit tied to it adds $50.
- Do I need a permit to finish my basement in Colorado Springs?
Yes. Basement finish is on PPRBD's list of projects that require a permit, at a flat $300 building fee for an existing one- or two-family home, plus $50 for each trade permit attached.
- Can a homeowner pull a remodel permit in Colorado Springs?
Yes, for your primary residence that you own and live in, if you do the work. Not on a rental, and never for a contractor you hired: PPRBD says that is illegal. A hired remodeler needs a PPRBD B-C or B-E license.
- How long does a remodel permit take in Colorado Springs?
By our estimate the usual Colorado Springs remodel permit reached final in 96 days. PPRBD permits last 180 days, reset by each inspection.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- How to get an owner-builder permit: who qualifies, what you sign, and the resale rule
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a remodel permit in Miami? Cabinets, the $7,500 exemption, owner-builders, fees and sub-permits
- Do I need a permit to remodel in Minneapolis? What is exempt, who can apply, fees and timing
For one city
- Work Exempt From Permits — Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Homeowner Permits — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- RBD Current Building Permit Fee Schedule — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- License/Registration Types — PPRBD (2026-10-22)
- Permit Guidelines for Homeowners — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permit Search — PPRBD (accessed 2026-10-23)