Bolthole Index

Arapahoe County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Centennial, Colorado

Inside Centennial, Colorado, the city's Building Division issues building permits1, the city's own Land Development Code sets zoning2, and septic permits come from Arapahoe County Public Health, not the city3. Outside city limits, unincorporated Arapahoe County has separate rules, covered on the Arapahoe County page.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the City of Centennial Building Division1
Zoning
Yes; the city's Land Development Code sets districts and uses24
Septic permit
Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health3
Accessory dwelling
Permitted in AG, RS, RA, RU, NC and NI districts5
Manufactured home
Permitted in AG; limited in RS, RA, RU, NC and NI6
RV living
Not confirmed for private land; RVs cannot be licensed as short-term rentals7
Private well
State well permit required for every new well8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Centennial Building Division

Building permit applications, plan review and inspections inside Centennial city limits

303-754-3321

buildingdivision@centennialco.gov

13133 E. Arapahoe Rd. Centennial, CO 80112

Zoning

City of Centennial Planning and Zoning

Zoning questions, the Land Development Code and land use applications inside Centennial city limits

303-754-3308

centennialplanning@centennialco.gov

Health department

Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health

Septic (OWTS) permits and use permits in Arapahoe County

303-795-4584

6964 S. Lima St., Centennial, CO 80112

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Centennial means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Centennial, Colorado?

Yes. The City of Centennial requires building permits for new buildings, renovations and additions to existing buildings1. The city's Building Division, not Arapahoe County, handles these permits for addresses inside Centennial. The county's Building Division says its own services cover unincorporated parts of the county only9. Which edition of the building codes the city enforces, and how owner-builders are treated inside city limits, we could not confirm; ask the Building Division at 303-754-33211 before you plan a do-it-yourself build.

Applications go in through the city's online self-service portal, and the city says it takes up to one business day to begin processing an application1.

Who issues building permits in Centennial, and how do you reach them?

The City of Centennial Building Division at the Civic Center, 13133 E. Arapahoe Rd., issues building permits and runs inspections inside city limits1. Call 303-754-3321 or email buildingdivision@centennialco.gov1.

For zoning questions, the city's Planning and Zoning staff answer the zoning hotline at 303-754-330810. Do not take a Centennial address to the Arapahoe County Building Division on S. Lima St.; that office serves unincorporated land only9.

Does Centennial have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Centennial adopts its own Land Development Code with zoning districts, including AG, RS, RA, RU, NC and NI for residential and institutional uses24. Check the district for your address before you buy.

Accessory dwelling units are permitted in the AG, RS, RA, RU, NC and NI districts, and limited in CG, AC and UC5. Manufactured homes are permitted in AG, limited in RS, RA, RU, NC and NI, and not allowed in CG and later districts6.

Dimensions vary by district. In the NC 2A district, single-family lots have a 50 ft front setback, a 25 ft rear setback, 80 ft of total side setback, a 20% building coverage cap and a 35 ft height limit111213. We could not confirm the setbacks, lot sizes or heights for AG and RS lots; ask the zoning hotline at 303-754-330810. Tiny-home rules inside the city are also unconfirmed.

How do septic permits work inside Centennial?

Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health runs septic permitting for the county, including addresses with a Centennial mailing address3. A septic permit is required for new installations, expansions, repairs and use14. The county says it has no minimum lot size for septic, and recommends about 2.5 acres for lots with wells14.

The county also requires a use permit when a property is sold15, and requires tanks to be inspected every 4 years16. Whether a given Centennial address has a sewer connection through a special district we could not confirm; ask the seller or the district before you count on a septic system. Call 303-795-458414.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Centennial?

We could not confirm a rule for living in an RV on private land inside Centennial. The city bans camping on city-owned property unless it authorizes it, and that rule does not reach private land17. The city also says a short-term rental license may be denied for an RV, travel trailer or temporary structure7.

Colorado Division of Housing tiny homes are approved for long-term living but must meet local zoning requirements18. Whether Centennial's zoning accepts one on a given lot we could not confirm; ask Planning and Zoning at 303-754-330810.

Building a home in Centennial: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the zoning district for your address with the city's property search, then confirm setbacks and uses with the zoning hotline at 303-754-330810.
  2. Confirm water and sewer service for the address; if the lot needs septic, apply to Arapahoe County Public Health at 303-795-458414.
  3. If you need a private well, the state requires a well permit for every new well8.
  4. Apply for the building permit on the city's self-service portal1.
  5. Schedule inspections through the Building Division at 303-754-33211.
  6. If your driveway meets a state highway, Colorado requires an access permit from CDOT19.

What stays with Arapahoe County, and what to check before you buy

The Arapahoe County Building and Zoning Divisions serve unincorporated land, so the county's permit and zoning rules do not apply inside Centennial; see the Arapahoe County page for land outside city limits. Septic permits stay with Arapahoe County Public Health3.

Floodplain: the state sets floodplain development standards20, and the city publishes a floodplain map; ask the Building Division whether an address needs floodplain review. Taxes: Arapahoe County's effective property tax rate is about 0.5%21, and the median bill is about $2,767 a year22. The typical home value is about $516,23323.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Centennial's rules for RVs, tiny homes, minimum dwelling size or minimum lot size in AG and RS districts; call the zoning hotline at 303-754-3308 before you buy10.
  • Septic permits are issued by Arapahoe County Public Health, not the city, and a property sale triggers a use permit15.
  • Arapahoe County's building and zoning rules cover unincorporated land only, so search results for "Arapahoe County building permits" may send you to the wrong office9.

Sources

  1. City of Centennial Building Division (centennialco.gov)
  2. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-2-302 Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-2-302 Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  5. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-2-302 Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  6. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-2-302 Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  7. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 6-9-40 Short-term rental license denial (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  8. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building, quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Centennial Planning and Zoning (centennialco.gov)
  11. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-3-301 General standards for residential development (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  12. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-3-301 General standards for residential development (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  13. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 12-3-301 General standards for residential development (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  14. Arapahoe County Public Health – Environmental Health (arapahoeco.gov)
  15. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Centennial Municipal Code Sec. 10-14-30 Camping on City-owned property prohibited (Centennial), quoted and re-checked
  18. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. SB24-179 Floodplain Management Program (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Centennial

Centennial’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Centennial city limits; the city adopts its own Land Development Code (Municipal Code Chapter 12) with zoning districts

    “Table 12-2-302, Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses, sets out which residential, home, and institutional uses are allowed in each zoning district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Centennial city

    • Table columns list districts AG, RS, RA, RU, NC, NI, CG, AC, UC, EC-MU, EC-N, EC-LI, BP, I, ED, OSR
    “Table 12-2-302, Residential, Home, and Institutional Uses, sets out which residential, home, and institutional uses are allowed in each zoning district.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    NC 2A (Neighborhood Conservation) single-family detached lots inside Centennial city

    • Setbacks differ by district; other NC and NI subdistricts have different values
    • RS and AG district setbacks not in the sections opened
    • Alternative setback standards in Sec. 12-3-302 may apply

    front setback: 50 ft · rear setback: 25 ft · total side setback: 80 ft

    “nc 2a single family detached see table 12-2-201b see table 12-2-201b 50 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. 80 ft. 25 ft. 20% 35 ft.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    NC 2A single-family detached lots inside Centennial city

    • Building coverage ratio varies by district
    • RS and AG district values not in the sections opened

    building coverage ratio: <= 20 percent

    “nc 2a single family detached see table 12-2-201b see table 12-2-201b 50 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. 80 ft. 25 ft. 20% 35 ft.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    NC 2A single-family detached lots inside Centennial city

    • Height varies by district; NC 18 through NC 5 are 30 ft; NI districts 35 ft or per Table 12-3-301B
    • RS and AG district heights not in the sections opened

    maximum height: <= 35 ft

    “nc 2a single family detached see table 12-2-201b see table 12-2-201b 50 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. 80 ft. 25 ft. 20% 35 ft.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on City-owned property inside Centennial city only; private land not addressed by this section

    • Unlawful except as specifically authorized by the City
    • Citation only after oral notice from a law enforcement officer
    “it is unlawful for any person to camp on any city-owned property, except as may be specifically authorized by the city.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Centennial city

    • Permitted (P) in AG; Limited (L) in RS, RA, RU, NC, NI; not allowed in CG and other later districts
    • Limited uses must meet additional standards in the Land Development Code
    “manufactured home p l l l l l - - - - - - - - - -”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed

    Accessory dwelling units inside Centennial city

    • Permitted in AG, RS, RA, RU, NC, NI; Limited in CG, AC, UC
    • In CG, AC, UC only on an existing single-family lot with an existing single-family home (Sec. 12-2-401.D)
    “accessory dwelling unit p p p p p p l l l”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Centennial city

    • A city license is required and may be denied for good cause
    • Good cause includes an address with no permanent structure that is a legal dwelling unit, or an application for an RV, travel trailer or temporary structure
    “short-term rental licenses may be denied when there is good cause to deny the application.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Centennial or Arapahoe County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Centennial city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder rules inside Centennial city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Centennial city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Centennial city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Centennial city
16 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Centennial publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Arapahoe County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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