Colorado Springs, CO Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Colorado Springs, Colorado sets its own zoning through the city's Unified Development Code¹. Building permits are required for new construction inside city limits and are administered by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department². Septic permits for homes not on city sewer are an El Paso County matter, run by El Paso County Public Health³.

At a glance

Zoning: Yes. The city's own Unified Development Code sets zone districts¹
Building permit: Required for new construction, reconstruction and additions; administered by PPRBD²
Certificate of occupancy: Required before anyone occupies a structure⁴
Minimum lot, R-1 9: 9,000 sq ft, 75 ft wide⁵
Minimum lot, R-E: 20,000 sq ft, 100 ft wide⁶
Minimum lot, A: 5 acres per single-family dwelling, 200 ft wide⁷
Septic: El Paso County Public Health runs the septic (OWTS) program³
Owner-builder: A homeowner may pull a permit for their own primary residence⁸

Who to call

Building permits

Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD)

Building permits, plan review and inspections for Colorado Springs and the surrounding region

719-327-2880

2880 International Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

City of Colorado Springs Planning Department

Zoning code, land use review and development review inside Colorado Springs

(719) 385-5905

30 S. Nevada Ave., Suite 701, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Septic permits

El Paso County Public Health - Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) Program

Septic (OWTS) permitting, plan review and inspection in El Paso County

(719) 578-3199

1675 W. Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Floodplain permits

PPRBD Regional Floodplain Management Office

Floodplain development permits and FEMA compliance for the Pikes Peak region

719-327-2898

2880 International Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

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

Yes. Colorado Springs zones land inside city limits under Chapter 7, the Unified Development Code, which sets zone districts and dimensional standards¹. The rules differ by district, so check the parcel's zone first through the City of Colorado Springs Planning Department⁹.

In the R-1 9 single-family district, the minimum lot is 9,000 sq ft and 75 ft wide⁵. House setbacks there are 25 ft in front, 5 ft on an interior side and 20 ft at the rear, and lot coverage tops out at 35%¹⁰¹¹. In the R-E estate district, the minimum lot is 20,000 sq ft and 100 ft wide, with a 10 ft interior side setback and 30% maximum lot coverage⁶¹²¹³. In the A district, each single-family dwelling needs 5 acres and 200 ft of lot width, with a 35 ft rear setback⁷¹⁴. Buildings in all three districts top out at 35 ft¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷.

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

Yes. New construction, reconstruction and additions inside Colorado Springs need a building permit, and the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) administers residential permits under the Regional Building Code². PPRBD states that it serves Colorado Springs, El Paso County and several other municipalities¹⁸.

Two conditions catch buyers. A permit may not issue unless the lot is platted, a waiver of replat was issued, or an administrative approval applies, and no building permit issues until the applicable utility and subdivision fees are paid². Before anyone moves in, Colorado Springs also requires a certificate of occupancy⁴.

Homeowners can pull their own permit only for work on a primary residence they own and live in; rentals and homes you do not occupy do not qualify¹⁸. Work in a mapped floodplain also goes through PPRBD's Regional Floodplain Management Office, which says most projects there need a floodplain development permit¹⁹.

How do septic permits work in Colorado Springs?

Septic permits are not a city zoning matter. El Paso County's septic authority is El Paso County Public Health, whose OWTS program handles systems not served by municipal wastewater³. Septic permits are required in El Paso County²⁰, and permit applications must come from a licensed OWTS installer²¹.

We could not confirm whether any rule inside city limits changes that for a lot on a septic system, or whether a new home must connect to city sewer when it is available. Call El Paso County Public Health before you buy a lot that is not on city sewer, and ask the City Planning Department about sewer connection. Domestic well permits inside city limits were also not confirmed; Colorado requires a state permit for every new groundwater well²².

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Colorado Springs?

We could not confirm the city's rule on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes inside Colorado Springs, so treat each as unconfirmed until the City Planning Department answers in writing. Phone (719) 385-5905 and give the parcel's address⁹.

The county rules do not answer this question for city land. Outside city limits, El Paso County's zoning rules are different and are covered on the El Paso County page.

Building a home in Colorado Springs: the steps, in order

Confirm the parcel's zone district and its lot-size and setback rules with the City Planning Department⁹.
Confirm the lot is platted or has a waiver of replat, since a permit may not issue otherwise².
If the lot is not on city sewer, contact El Paso County Public Health about a septic permit, which a licensed installer must apply for²¹.
Check the floodplain map with the Regional Floodplain Management Office¹⁹.
Apply for the building permit through PPRBD and pay the applicable utility and subdivision fees first².
Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in⁴.

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

Colorado Springs's zoning applies only inside city limits. For land outside them, El Paso County's Land Development Code governs unincorporated parcels, as described on the El Paso County page. Septic permits come from El Paso County Public Health either way³.

For context, the typical home in El Paso County is valued at about $455,749 and the effective property tax rate is 0.4%²³²⁴. Of the county's soils, 43% are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field²⁵; that is a county-wide figure, so a site evaluation still matters for any one lot.

Watch-outs

We could not confirm the Regional Building Code edition, permit fees, or whether a permit is needed for a small accessory building inside Colorado Springs; ask PPRBD at 719-327-2880 before you plan one¹⁸.
A building permit does not issue on an unplatted lot unless a waiver of replat or an administrative approval applies².
We could not confirm the city's rules for RVs, tiny homes, driveway access or well permits inside city limits; call the City Planning Department at (719) 385-5905⁹.

Sources

Written October 23, 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.

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

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Colorado Springs, Colorado