The review, step by step
| Stage | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Apply | Total Demolition Application, color photos of all sides (300 dpi, at least 4 x 6 in), Assessor's real property record; submitted in E-permits as "Landmark Demolition" | One application per building |
| No designation potential | Staff approve the demolition | Within 10 business days of a complete application |
| Designation potential | Sign posted on site; emails to Registered Neighborhood Organizations within 200 ft, preservation partners and the district's Council members | 21 calendar days |
| Notice of intent filed | Posting extended; a facilitated stakeholder meeting with the owner must happen by day 40 | Up to day 60 |
| Designation application filed | Landmark designation process begins; if the property is not designated within 90 days, staff approve the demolition the next business day | Up to 90 more days |
| Approval lifetime | Approvals on or after 1 November 2019 expire after three years | 3 years |
A demolition of an individual landmark or a building in a historic district follows a separate process. Check the City's historic landmarks and districts map by address before you sign anything.
The 40% line decides the paperwork
Partial demolitions under 40% of wall area for an addition or remodel are part of the construction permit. Denver's checklist for new homes and additions makes the contractor show it: demolition floor plans and elevations must mark what is removed, and the drawings must calculate the removed exterior wall area as a percentage of the total (DCBC 130.1). A pop-top or a large rear addition can cross the line. If yours is close, ask the designer for that calculation before you budget the schedule, because crossing it adds the Landmark review and a separate demolition permit.
What it means when you hire
- Start the review first. Landmark Preservation encourages applying for demolition approval early; on a teardown-and-rebuild, the builder's schedule should start with it, not with plan review.
- The paperwork is property paperwork. The application needs the Assessor's real property record and photos of every side of each building, with a separate application per building; have them ready so the 10-day clock starts on a complete file.
- Ask who holds the demolition permit. In our file 122 firms filed demolition permits against 270 on new homes, so the wrecking is often a different firm from the builder. Get it in writing which firm holds the permit and whether utility disconnects are in its scope.
- Fees are set by project valuation when the demolition permit is pulled.
What 1,139 Denver demolition permits show
| Measure | Denver demolition |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,139 |
| Firms / active in the last year of data | 122 / 67 |
| Usual filed value | $8,000 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $6,945 to $10,000 |
| Usual days from issue to close | 21 |
| Closed (permits a year or more old) | 91.3% |
| Share held by the busiest firm / five busiest | 48.0% / 73.9% |
| New-home permits in the same period | 2,371 |
This is one of the most concentrated trades in our Denver file: the busiest firm, Mendoza Demolition Services Inc, holds 48.0% of permits and the top five hold 73.9%. Once the permit is issued the work is quick, about 21 days to close, and 91.3% of older permits are closed. In other words the Landmark review, not the wrecking, is where a teardown schedule stretches. Values by firm are on Denver demolition cost.
Compare Denver demolition contractors →
Related
The rebuild: Denver new home permit and Denver new home cost. Looking up an address: Denver building permit search. Licenses: Denver contractor license lookup. General rules: do I need a permit for demolition.
What this does not tell you
Our records do not show which demolitions went through a 21-day posting or a designation fight, and filed values are the contractor's estimate. State and other local approvals (the City lists "local and state authorities") are not covered here.
How we know this
Review steps and deadlines are from Denver Landmark Preservation's Demolition Review for Non-Landmark Structures page, and the 40% calculation requirement from the City's Permitting Checklist for New Homes and Additions, both read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City and County of Denver demolition permits, October 2023 to September 2026; the closed share uses permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City and County of Denver residential construction and demolition permits, data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What counts as a demolition in Denver?
Total demolition is removing 40% or more of a structure's total wall area. Partial demolitions under 40%, done for an addition or remodel, are covered by the construction permit and need no separate demolition permit, according to Denver Landmark Preservation.
- How long does Denver's demolition review take?
If Landmark Preservation staff find no potential for landmark designation, they approve the demolition within 10 business days of a complete application. If they find potential, a sign is posted for 21 calendar days; a notice of intent to designate stretches that to 60 days, and a filed designation can add up to 90 more days.
- Do I need Landmark Preservation approval to demolish a house that is not a landmark?
Yes. Total demolition of a non-landmark structure still goes through Landmark Preservation's demolition review in E-permits, with photos of every side and the Assessor's real property record, before the demolition permit.
- How much does a demolition permit cost in Denver?
Landmark Preservation says fees are charged when the demolition permit is pulled and are based on the project's valuation. In our file the usual Denver demolition permit was filed at $8,000 (1,139 permits, October 2023 to September 2026).
- How long is a Denver demolition approval good for?
Landmark demolition approvals issued on or after 1 November 2019 expire three years after approval; approvals issued before that date do not expire.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Nashville historic overlay rules: what needs a preservation permit, and what it means for your contractor
- Building on a Pittsburgh hillside: the landslide-prone overlay, steep slopes, undermined areas and the geotechnical report
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Denver? Zoning, building and SUDP permits, fees and the homeowner route
- Pittsburgh contractor license lookup: HIC registration, City trade licenses and the permits
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Henderson, NV? Subdivision vs custom homes, owner-builders and build times
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Honolulu? Plans, the Table 18-A fee, the solar water heater rule and owner-builders
For one city
- Demolition Review for Non-Landmark Structures — Denver Landmark Preservation (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permitting Checklist for New Homes and Additions — Denver CPD (accessed 2026-10-23)