Bolthole Index

Eagle County, Colorado

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Gypsum, Colorado

The Town of Gypsum, Colorado requires a building permit for construction inside town limits, and the town issues it, not Eagle County1. Gypsum sets its own zoning in Title 18 of its municipal code2. Septic tanks are prohibited inside town limits except where the code expressly allows them3; where an exception applies, Eagle County Environmental Health handles septic approval4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside town limits, issued by the Town of Gypsum; small sheds, low decks and agricultural buildings are exempt1
Zoning
Town zoning in Title 18, with MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR and AG residential districts2
Building code
2021 International Building and Residential Codes with local amendments5
Septic
Septic tanks prohibited inside town limits except as the code expressly provides3
RV living
RV parks only, on at least 2 acres; rules for RVs on ordinary lots not confirmed6
Accessory dwellings
Allowed in certain districts with a town ADU permit and a $250 application fee4
Agricultural lots
AG district lots must be at least 5 acres7
Contractor licensing
Contractors must hold a current Town of Gypsum contractor license8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Gypsum Building Department

Building permits, plan submittal, contractor licensing and inspections inside Gypsum town limits

(970) 524-7514

50 Lundgren Blvd, Gypsum CO 81637

Zoning

Town of Gypsum Community Development (Planning & Zoning)

Zoning, planning and code compliance inside Gypsum town limits

(970) 524-7688

50 Lundgren Blvd. Gypsum, CO 81637

Septic permits

Eagle County Environmental Health

Septic (OWTS) permits and installer licensing in Eagle County; relevant inside Gypsum only where the town code allows a septic exception

970-328-8755

environment@eaglecounty.us

551 Broadway, Eagle, CO 81631

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 Town of Gypsum means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Gypsum, Colorado have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Gypsum adopts its own zone districts in Title 18 of its municipal code, including MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG and nonresidential districts2. Eagle County's zoning does not apply inside the town; the county's land use regulations govern only unincorporated Eagle County9.

Minimum lot sizes depend on the district. In the single-family districts, SF/HD requires 6,500 square feet, SF/MD 10,001 square feet and SF/LD 20,001 square feet, while the RR district requires 2 acres and the AG district 5 acres10. An AG lot may hold a maximum of two dwelling units, either a second dwelling unit or an accessory dwelling, not both7.

Maximum lot coverage is 33 percent in SF/LD, RR and AG, and 50 percent in MHP, MF, SF/HD and SF/MD11. Principal buildings may be 35 feet tall in SF/LD, RR and AG12. Ask the Community Development department which district your parcel is in before you design.

Do you need a building permit in Gypsum, and who issues it?

Yes. Gypsum requires a building permit for construction inside town limits, and the Town of Gypsum issues it1. The Eagle County Building Division inspects only unincorporated areas of Eagle County, so it is not the office for a lot inside Gypsum13.

Exemptions are narrow: one-story detached sheds not for habitation up to 120 square feet, decks not more than 30 inches above grade, and agricultural buildings as the Gypsum code defines them1. The town has adopted the 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code with local amendments5.

The town's Building Department takes applications and plans through its website, and states that construction cannot begin until a building permit has been issued8. Call the department at its main town line, (970) 524-75148. We could not confirm a published residential fee schedule; the code publishes commercial fees, so ask the department what your project will cost14.

How do septic permits work inside Gypsum?

Mostly they do not, because Gypsum prohibits septic systems inside town limits. The town code bars any person from maintaining a privy, septic tank, evapotranspiration system or cesspool within the town, except as otherwise expressly provided3. A new home on a town lot is therefore built around town sewer service rather than a drain field.

We could not confirm a permit process for the exceptions, so ask the town Building Department before assuming one exists. Where a lot has no town sewer, the town's accessory dwelling rule sends the applicant to Eagle County Health Department septic approval4. Eagle County requires an OWTS permit for new installations, alterations and repairs, issued by Eagle County Environmental Health1516. Colorado law also requires the local public health agency to issue an OWTS permit before a building not served by a sewage treatment works can be permitted17.

Wells are a separate question: we could not confirm a Gypsum rule, and state law requires a permit for every new well that diverts groundwater18.

Can you live in an RV, manufactured home or tiny home in Gypsum?

RV living inside Gypsum is tied to recreational vehicle parks. A park needs a lot of at least 2 acres, with electrical, water and sewer service to each RV space, and removing wheels or setting a unit on a foundation is prohibited in a park6. We could not confirm any rule that allows living in an RV on an ordinary private lot, so call Community Development before parking one on your property. Tent camping in a park is capped at 30 days in any one-year period19.

Manufactured homes are allowed only if HUD-compliant, built after June 15, 1976, at least 12 by 32 feet and on a permanent chassis; a unit more than five years old can go on a vacant lot only if it replaces an older home and visually improves the site20.

Colorado Division of Housing tiny homes are approved for long-term living, but they must also satisfy local zoning requirements21. We could not confirm a Gypsum-specific tiny home rule.

Can you build an accessory dwelling unit in Gypsum?

Yes, in limited cases. Gypsum treats accessory dwelling units as a limited use that needs an ADU permit from the town planner, a deed restriction and a $250 application fee4. ADUs are allowed only in certain residential districts or planned unit developments, one per lot, and not for short-term rental under 30 days4.

An ADU is limited to 800 square feet or 50 percent of the primary dwelling, whichever is less4. Without town water the applicant must show water rights, and without town sewer the applicant needs Eagle County Health Department septic approval4.

What are the steps to build a home in Gypsum, in order?

  1. Confirm your parcel's zone district and the lot, coverage and height limits with Gypsum Community Development, whose number is on the town website22, and compare it with the district limits10.
  2. Check whether a design review board or HOA must approve your plans; the town's building page flags this for developments other than Eagle River Estates and Bertroch8.
  3. Settle sewer service. Septic tanks are prohibited inside town limits unless the code expressly provides otherwise3.
  4. Apply for a building permit with the Town of Gypsum and submit plans for the 2021 codes5. A footing and foundation permit may be issued early with the Building Official's approval, at the permittee's risk23.
  5. Use a contractor who holds a current Town of Gypsum contractor's license, as the town requires8. We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption inside town limits.
  6. Schedule inspections through the Building Department as work proceeds.

What stays with Eagle County, and what should you check before you buy in Gypsum?

Land outside Gypsum town limits follows Eagle County's rules, not the town's. The Eagle County page covers unincorporated land, where the county Building Division issues building permits and Eagle County Planning verifies zoning24.

Septic permits and installer licensing run through Eagle County Environmental Health, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a CDOT access permit25. Floodplain, road cut and county access permits come from the Eagle County Engineering Department in unincorporated areas26.

Before you buy, confirm sewer and water service with the town. County-level numbers: Eagle County's effective property tax rate is 0.4 percent27, and only 4.1 percent of its soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so county lots outside town often need a site evaluation or an engineered system28.

Watch-outs

  • Septic tanks are prohibited inside Gypsum town limits except as the code expressly provides, so do not plan a drain field on a town lot without written confirmation from the town3.
  • Eagle County's building and zoning offices do not serve lots inside Gypsum; the county Building Division inspects only unincorporated areas13.
  • Eagle County's OWTS rules change on January 1, 2027, when Transfer of Title inspections take effect for properties on septic outside town29.
  • We could not confirm Gypsum rules for RVs on private lots, owner-builders, wells or driveways; call the Town of Gypsum Building Department at (970) 524-7514 before you buy8.

Sources

  1. Gypsum Code 15.01.040 Amendments to the Code (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  2. Gypsum Code 18.05.020 Residential development standards (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  3. Gypsum Code 13.03.060 Privies and septic tanks prohibited (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  4. Gypsum Code 18.10.040 Accessory dwelling units (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  5. Gypsum Code 15.01.010 Application (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  6. Gypsum Code 18.05.045 Development standards for recreational vehicle parks (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  7. Gypsum Code 18.04.130 Agricultural (AG) (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Gypsum Building Department (townofgypsum.com)
  9. Eagle County Affordable Housing Guidelines, quoted and re-checked
  10. Gypsum Code 18.05.020 Residential development standards (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  11. Gypsum Code 18.05.020 Residential development standards (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  12. Gypsum Code 18.05.020 Residential development standards (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  13. Online or Paper Applications, Checklists, & Documents, quoted and re-checked
  14. Gypsum Code 15.01.040 Amendments to the Code (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  15. Water & Waste Water, quoted and re-checked
  16. Eagle County Environmental Health (eaglecounty.us)
  17. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Gypsum Code 18.05.045 Development standards for recreational vehicle parks (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  20. Gypsum Code 18.02.470 Manufactured home (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  21. Consumers of Manufactured Homes and Tiny Homes - HUD (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Town of Gypsum Community Development (Planning & Zoning) (townofgypsum.com)
  23. Gypsum Code 15.01.040 Amendments to the Code (Town of Gypsum), quoted and re-checked
  24. Online or Paper Applications, Checklists, & Documents, quoted and re-checked
  25. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Online or Paper Applications, Checklists, & Documents, quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  28. 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
  29. Water & Waste Water, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Gypsum

Town of Gypsum’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Gypsum town, issued by the Town

    • Exempt: one-story detached sheds/playhouses not for habitation up to 120 sq ft and 10 ft at roof peak; decks not more than 30 inches above grade (18 inches if in a setback) with no permanent construction above floor line other than guardrails; agricultural buildings as defined in the Gypsum Municipal Code.
    • Footing and foundation permit may be issued early with Building Official approval.

    exempt shed max area: <= 120 sq ft

    “the following structures shall not require a building permit:”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All dwellings, buildings and structures inside Gypsum town

    • Adopted with local amendments (15.01.040); where provisions differ the more restrictive governs.
    • IECC 2018 edition adopted; other I-codes 2021 edition.

    International Building Code edition: 2021 · International Residential Code edition: 2021

    “the International Building Code, 2021 Edition; the International Residential Code, 2021 Edition; the International Energy Conservation Code, 2018 Edition;”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Gypsum town limits

    • Town adopts zone districts (MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG and nonresidential districts) in Title 18.
    “The following standards shall regulate the size, bulk, height, building setbacks, density, and open space within the designated zone districts.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG inside Gypsum town; main single-family districts SF/LD 20,001 sf and RR 2 acres

    • Column order MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG; multifamily area increases per added unit.

    SF/HD min lot area: >= 6500 sq ft · SF/MD min lot area: >= 10001 sq ft · SF/LD min lot area: >= 20001 sq ft · RR min lot area: >= 2 acres · AG min lot area: >= 5 acres

    “minimum lot area/dwelling (sf), dwelling more than 1,000 sf 3,500 4,000 6,500 10,001 20,001 2 acres 5 acres”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Agricultural (AG) district inside Gypsum town
      “Lot area is a minimum of five acres and a maximum of two dwelling units are allowed on each lot.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts inside Gypsum town; column order MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG

    • Coverage includes all buildings, structures and accessory buildings; excludes driveways, roof overhangs, open decks, porches and walkways unless covered.

    SF/LD, RR, AG max lot coverage: <= 33 percent (SF/LD shown as 33 1/3%) · MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD max lot coverage: <= 50 percent

    “maximum lot coverage (buildings, structures and accessory buildings) 50% 50% 50% 50% 331/3% 33% 33%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts inside Gypsum town; column order MHP, MF, SF/HD, SF/MD, SF/LD, RR, AG

    • Accessory building max 20 ft (25 ft in RR; none in AG).

    principal building height SF/LD, RR, AG: <= 35 ft · principal building height MF: <= 45 ft

    “maximum building height (ft), principal building 20 45 35 35 35 35 35 accessory building 20 20 20 20 20 25 none”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RV occupancy inside Gypsum town, via recreational vehicle parks

    • RV parks need at least two acres, electrical, water and sewer to each RV space.
    • Removing wheels or placing a unit on a foundation is prohibited in a park.
    • Rules for RVs on ordinary private lots not found.

    minimum RV park lot area: >= 2 acres

    “The minimum lot area for a recreational vehicle park shall be two acres.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Tent camping inside Gypsum town recreational vehicle parks

    • Camping rules found only for RV parks.

    tent max stay: <= 30 days per year

    “No tent shall remain in place in a recreational vehicle park for more than 30 days in any one-year period.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Gypsum town

    • Must be HUD-compliant, built after June 15, 1976, at least 12 by 32 feet, on a permanent chassis.
    • Older than five years only if replacing an older mobile or manufactured home and visually improving the location.
    • Which districts allow them not confirmed (MHP district exists).

    max age at installation on vacant lot: <= 5 years (older unit allowed if replacing an older mobile/manufactured home and visually improving the location)

    “newly installed manufactured homes must be no older than five years at the time of installation on a vacant lot or if it is older than five years at the time of installation it must be replacing an older mobile or manufactured home and visually improving the existing location.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    ADUs on single-family lots inside Gypsum town

    • Requires ADU permit from town planner, deed restriction, and $250 application fee.
    • Only in certain residential districts or PUDs; one ADU per lot.
    • Not for short-term rental under 30 days.
    • Without town water, proof of water rights; without town sewer, Eagle County Health Department septic approval.
    • Existing unpermitted ADUs had to apply by June 1, 2021 with $500 fee.

    max ADU size: <= 800 sq ft (or 50 percent of primary dwelling gross floor area, whichever is less) · application fee: 250 USD

    “Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are a limited used subject to the requirements of this section 18.10.040”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools and similar sewage disposal inside Gypsum town

    • Prohibition applies except as otherwise expressly provided.
    • RV and boat pump-out facilities and tanks require express approval of the public works department.
    “Except as otherwise expressly provided, no person shall maintain within the town any privy, privy vault, septic tank, evapotranspiration system, cesspool”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural buildings inside Gypsum town (building permit exemption)

    • Only buildings meeting the Gypsum Municipal Code definition of agricultural buildings.
    “agricultural buildings as defined in the gypsum municipal code.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Commercial building permit fees inside Gypsum town; residential fee schedule not reviewed

    • Contractor transfer of a building permit is 65% of original fee.
    • ADU permit $250 application fee.

    fee for valuation $1 to $500: 50 USD

    “transfer of a building permit is 65% of original building permit fee.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permits inside Gypsum town

    • Footing/foundation permit may precede full documents at the Building Official's approval, at permittee's risk.
    • Commercial plans must be stamped by a Colorado licensed architect and engineer.
    “the permittee shall proceed at their own risk until the full set of documents are received and approved.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Gypsum or Eagle County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Gypsum town
  • Inspections — Construction inspections inside Gypsum town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Gypsum town
  • Septic permit — Septic permits inside Gypsum town
  • Septic inspection — Septic inspections inside Gypsum town
3 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access

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 Town of Gypsum publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Eagle County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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