Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado

At a glance

Building permit

Required for most new construction, alterations, additions and repairs¹

Zoning

Yes; the controlling district may be standard, PUD or legacy county zoning³⁷

Septic permits

A local OWTS (septic) permit is required; public sewer is mandatory when the main is within 100 feet⁶

Owner-builder permit

Allowed for your own primary residence with a signed Homeowner Statement⁸

Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

One on an eligible property; size and other conditions apply⁹

RV, trailer or container as an ADU

Not allowed — Broomfield's own rule bars these as accessory dwelling units¹⁰

Permit fees

Based on the project's total value or cost¹¹

Short-term rental

Only at the owner's principal residence, with a license¹²

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Broomfield County, Colorado?

Broomfield requires building permits and inspections for most new construction, alterations, additions and repairs, including listed work such as structural repairs, decks, sheds, pools, furnaces, water heaters and mobile-home setup¹². The Building Division issues the permits, reviews plans, performs inspections and enforces the code throughout the consolidated city and county¹³. A residential addition needs a general permit from the Building Division and must meet the established height and setback requirements¹⁴. Inside the city of Broomfield, the municipal code also bars erecting, altering or moving a building until the building official issues a permit¹⁵. Like the counties around it in Colorado, Broomfield County requires a county building permit¹⁶. Broomfield adopted its 2024 building-code update effective April 15, 2026¹⁷. Building permit fees depend on the project's total value or cost, with use tax calculated on material value assumed to be half of total cost¹¹. A homeowner doing work on their own primary residence does not need a contractor license, but must sign a Homeowner Statement before the permit is issued⁸.

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

The Broomfield Building Division issues building permits, reviews plans, performs inspections and enforces the building code across the City and County of Broomfield¹³. Building permit applications, plans, revisions, affidavits and general questions must be emailed to buildingpermits@broomfield.org rather than submitted through the online portal¹⁸¹⁹. After review, the applicant responds to any request for more information, pays after approval, and has the property owner or contractor schedule the inspections needed to finalize the permit¹⁹. Zoning approval and parcel-use questions go to the Broomfield Planning Division, which handles development review plus zoning and subdivision-code review²⁰; septic permits go to the Health Protection Division²¹. Height limits vary by property and zoning district, so ask Planning for the controlling standard rather than assuming one countywide figure²².

Does Broomfield County have zoning?

Yes. The City and County of Broomfield administers land-use and zoning rules countywide³, and the city's own municipal code sets standard districts such as RR, E-1 and R-1²³. Because Broomfield is one consolidated city and county, no separate county planning counter handles outlying land. Use Broomfield's planning research map to find a parcel's subdivision, property size and zoning, then determine whether a standard Broomfield district, a planned unit development or a legacy code controls⁴. A legacy district is identified by an (a), (w), (b) or (j) suffix²⁴. Setbacks vary by structure type and neighborhood zoning, and PUD setbacks can be unique to each subdivision or filing²⁵. Do not assume neighboring parcels share the same setbacks, lot coverage, minimum dwelling size or height limit; Broomfield's available rules do not establish one general standard for those questions, and height requirements vary by property and district²². A proposed lot split or development may require a final plat, minor subdivision, preliminary plat, PUD plan or site-development plan; Broomfield recommends scheduling a Planning pre-application meeting at least two weeks before submitting a development application²⁶. Subdivision rules sit in Title 16 of the municipal code, and the city keeps a list of platted subdivisions²⁷.

How do septic permits work in Broomfield County?

Broomfield's Health Protection Division administers local onsite wastewater treatment system rules, while Colorado Regulation 43 also governs septic systems statewide⁵. A septic (OWTS) permit application is required for installation or other regulated work⁶. Before applying, contact Water Utilities to verify the distance to the public sewer main; connection to sewer is mandatory when the main is within 100 feet of the property line, and Public Works authorization may also be needed⁶. A licensed installer or contractor must inspect an OWTS, including applicable transfer-of-title work and deficiency repairs²⁸. About 58.7% of Broomfield soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, but that countywide soil statistic does not replace a site evaluation or permit review²⁹⁶. A new private well is a separate matter: Colorado requires a Division of Water Resources permit for a new groundwater well, subject to exemptions and basin rules³⁰.

How do accessory dwelling units work in Broomfield County?

Broomfield permits accessory dwelling units as accessory uses to single-family homes and publishes a separate handout and checklist for the detailed rules³¹. The limit is one ADU on an eligible property whose zoning includes single-unit residential use⁹. An ADU may be up to 500 square feet; a larger ADU is limited to half the principal dwelling's footprint or 800 square feet, whichever is less⁹. A building permit and recorded Declaration of Use are required, and the ADU must satisfy the applicable district setbacks⁹. The ADU must use the principal dwelling's water and sewer connections, with no separate water or sewer taps or licenses required³². On a septic property, the Health Protection Division must determine whether the system has enough capacity⁹. Travel trailers, recreational vehicles, shipping containers and similar temporary structures cannot serve as an ADU⁹.

Can you live in an RV, camper or tiny home on your land in Broomfield?

We could not confirm a general Broomfield rule allowing RV occupancy, temporary camping or a tiny home as the primary dwelling on private land; ask the Planning Division about the specific parcel²⁰. Broomfield does expressly prohibit travel trailers, recreational vehicles, shipping containers and similar temporary structures from serving as accessory dwelling units⁹. Colorado permits qualifying Division of Housing-regulated tiny homes for long-term living only after plan approval and compliance with state standards and local zoning³³. That state approval does not override Broomfield's parcel-specific zoning⁷. Minimum dwelling size and manufactured-home occupancy also remain unconfirmed for Broomfield generally, so obtain a parcel-specific answer from Planning before buying land for any of these uses²⁰.

Building a home or ADU in Broomfield: what are the steps, in order?

1. Use the planning research map and ask the Planning Division which standard, planned-unit-development or legacy rules control the parcel⁴.
2. Confirm the building envelope, including the applicable setbacks and height requirements, before final design²².
3. For an ADU, confirm eligibility, size, setbacks, shared utility connections and septic capacity where applicable⁹³².
4. If public sewer is not already available, ask Water Utilities to measure the main's distance; a main within 100 feet of the property line requires connection rather than a new septic system⁶.
5. Ask Engineering whether a new driveway or flatwork needs a Public Private Improvement Permit³⁴.
6. Email the building permit application and plans to the Building Division; after approval, pay for issuance¹⁸.
7. Budget building permit fees based on project valuation and any separate trade fees¹¹.
8. Have the property owner or contractor schedule every required building inspection, plus septic inspection when applicable, so the permits can be finalized¹⁹²⁸.

What should you check before you buy land in Broomfield?

Start with the exact zoning district and any planned-unit-development or legacy rules; dimensional standards are not uniform across Broomfield parcels⁴. If a lot split or development application is part of the plan, arrange a Planning pre-application meeting before committing to a layout²⁶. Check floodplain status with Broomfield's Floodplain Program, but ask the office directly about development requirements because we could not confirm a general floodplain-development rule³⁵. Verify water, sewer and septic feasibility early, including the mandatory public-sewer connection when a main is within 100 feet of the property line³⁶. Ask Engineering whether a new driveway needs a Public Private Improvement Permit³⁷. If rental income matters, Broomfield allows a rental of fewer than 30 days only at the owner's principal residence; the license costs a non-refundable $100, lasts five years, and its number must appear in all marketing¹²³⁸. For water, Colorado requires a Division of Water Resources permit for a new well³⁰.

Watch-outs

• A new water license is listed at $39,350 per three-quarter-inch-equivalent tap and a sewer license at $15,500 per equivalent tap; neither can be issued before the building permit¹³.
• Short-term rentals of fewer than 30 days are prohibited unless the home is the owner's principal residence and licensed¹².
• A public sewer main within 100 feet of the property line makes direct connection mandatory instead of a new septic system⁶.
• Broomfield's RV-occupancy, temporary-camping and general minimum-dwelling-size rules remain unconfirmed; get parcel-specific answers from the Planning Division before buying²⁰.

Sources

1. Building Division, quoted and re-checked
2. Homeowner Permits and Building Guides, quoted and re-checked
3. Zoning, quoted and re-checked
4. Zoning, quoted and re-checked
5. On-site Wastewater Treatment System and Septic System License, quoted and re-checked
6. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
7. Zoning, quoted and re-checked
8. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
9. Accessory Dwelling Units FAQ Handout, quoted and re-checked
10. Broomfield Accessory Dwelling Unit Rules (Planning Division) (broomfield.org)
11. Building Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
12. Short Term Rentals, quoted and re-checked
13. Broomfield Building Division (Community Development Department) (broomfield.org)
14. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
15. Broomfield: Broomfield Municipal Code 17-50-020 Building permit; required when (Broomfield County), quoted and re-checked
16. broomfield.org (2026 county census)
17. Building Code Information, quoted and re-checked
18. Homeowner Permits and Building Guides, quoted and re-checked
19. Homeowner Permits and Building Guides, quoted and re-checked
20. Broomfield Planning Division (Community Development Department) (broomfield.org)
21. Broomfield Health Protection Division (OWTS/Septic Systems) (broomfield.org)
22. Homeowner Information, quoted and re-checked
23. Broomfield: Broomfield Municipal Code 17-09-040 RR lot and yard requirements (Broomfield County), quoted and re-checked
24. Broomfield Legacy Zoning (Planning Division) (broomfield.org)
25. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
26. Development Applications and Forms, quoted and re-checked
27. Subdivision Plat Maps, quoted and re-checked
28. On-site Wastewater Treatment System and Septic System License, quoted and re-checked
29. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
30. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
31. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
32. Accessory Dwelling Units, quoted and re-checked
33. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
34. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
35. Broomfield Floodplain Program (Engineering Division) (broomfield.org)
36. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
37. broomfield.org, quoted and re-checked
38. Short Term Rentals, quoted and re-checked

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.