Bolthole Index

Ouray County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Ridgway, Colorado

Town of Ridgway, Colorado building permit review and inspections go through the Town Building Official; electrical and plumbing permits are handled by Colorado.1 Ridgway Town Planning handles development review and publishes the Town zoning map and regulations.2 In Ouray County, septic permits come from the County Land Use Department, but feasible public sewer service can prevent septic approval unless the municipality or district authorizes it or determines service is infeasible.3

At a glance

Building permits
Town Building Official reviews applications and conducts inspections1
Zoning
Town zoning map and regulations; ask Town Planning about the parcel2
Water and sewer
Building approval depends on service availability, contracted extensions or authorized private sewer, plus payment of applicable tap fees4
Septic permits
Ouray County Land Use Department; public sewer availability limits approval3
Electrical and plumbing permits
Handled by the State of Colorado1
Occupancy
Certificate of Occupancy required before a building is occupied1

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Ridgway Building Department

Building permit review, inspections, code enforcement and occupancy approval

970-626-5308 x216

jbatchelder@town.ridgway.co.us

P.O. Box 10 / 201 N. Railroad St.

Planning & zoning

Town of Ridgway Planning Department

Town development review, land-use hearings and zoning questions

970-626-5308 x 214

akemp@town.ridgway.co.us

P.O. Box 10 / 201 N. Railroad St.

Septic permits

Ouray County Land Use & Planning Department

County OWTS/septic applications and inspections

970-626-9775

111 Mall Road

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Ridgway, CO?

Ridgway has a Town Building Official responsible for building permit review, inspections and code enforcement, and the Town asks applicants to confirm building permit requirements before starting work.1 Ridgway has adopted the 2018 International Codes with local amendments.1 For a home requiring plumbing, building approval depends on Town water and sewer being reasonably available, necessary extensions being contractually provided, or private sewer being authorized; applicable tap fees must also be paid.4 Resolve the service arrangement with the Town before committing to a building design.4

Who handles building permits and zoning in Town of Ridgway?

Contact the Ridgway Building Department for building permit review and inspection questions; use the Town’s Building Permit Application & Applicant Checklist to prepare the submission.1 Ridgway will not review incomplete submissions until the necessary worksheet items are received.1 Town Planning handles development review and land-use public hearings and publishes the zoning map, zoning regulations, development review guide and land-use application.2 Colorado handles electrical and plumbing permits, while Ouray County Land Use handles septic permits where an OWTS is approvable.13

Does Town of Ridgway have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Ridgway publishes its own zoning map and zoning regulations through the Town Planning Department.2 Ask Town Planning to identify the parcel’s district and explain the permitted use and development review for the proposed home.2 We could not confirm a complete Ridgway rule for private-land RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or accessory dwelling units; ask Town Planning about the specific proposal before buying.2 We also could not confirm district-specific minimum lot size, dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage or height limits; request those standards for the parcel from Town Planning.2

How do septic permits work inside Town of Ridgway?

Ouray County Land Use requires an OWTS permit before installation, alteration, expansion or repair, and plans must be stamped by a Colorado-licensed professional engineer.3 A septic permit cannot be issued where feasible public sewer service is available unless the municipality or special district authorizes the system or determines service is infeasible.3 Ridgway’s own building rules also require an authorized private sewer arrangement when relying on that alternative to Town sewer.4 For an installed OWTS inside Ridgway, the County must inspect the system before backfilling or covering it.5 Establish sewer eligibility with the Town before commissioning septic plans.34

What are the steps to building a home in Town of Ridgway?

  1. Start with Town Planning: identify the parcel’s zoning and use the development review guide and land-use application for the proposal.2
  2. Resolve Town water and sewer availability, any necessary contracted extensions or authorized private sewer, and applicable tap fees.4
  3. Prepare the Town building application and checklist; incomplete submissions will delay review.1
  4. Arrange electrical and plumbing permits through Colorado and building inspections through the Town Building Department.1 Ridgway appreciates at least 48 hours’ notice for planned inspections.1
  5. Obtain the Town Certificate of Occupancy before occupying the building.1

What should you check before buying land in Town of Ridgway?

Ask Ridgway Town Planning to identify the zoning district and review the intended use before making the purchase dependent on a particular home, RV or accessory dwelling proposal.2 Ask the Town Building Department which floodplain development, encroachment and water or sewer tap applications apply to the site; the Department publishes those forms.1 We could not confirm the complete driveway-access or domestic-well rules inside town limits, so request the appropriate authority from the Town before relying on either.2 For land outside Ridgway town limits, consult the Ouray County guide: county building permit and zoning rules apply to unincorporated land.67

Watch-outs

  • A septic design does not establish eligibility for septic in Ridgway: feasible public sewer service limits County OWTS approval.3
  • Ridgway will not review an incomplete building application, and a Certificate of Occupancy is required before occupying a building.1
  • We could not confirm a general Ridgway owner-builder or agricultural building exemption; ask the Town Building Department about the proposed work.1

Sources

  1. Town of Ridgway Building Department (townofridgway.colorado.gov)
  2. Town of Ridgway Planning Department (townofridgway.colorado.gov)
  3. Ouray County On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  4. Ridgway Municipal Code, Chapter 6 Building Regulations (Town of Ridgway), quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic System (OWTS) Permit Application (Town of Ridgway), quoted and re-checked
  6. What Requires a Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  7. Section 3 – Zoning, quoted and re-checked

Written October 10, 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 Ridgway

Town of Ridgway’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building work inside Ridgway town limits; plumbing and electrical permits are separately handled by Colorado.

    • The adopted codes are the 2018 International Codes as amended in RMC 6-1.
    • Plumbing and electrical permits are handled by the State of Colorado.
    “The Town of Ridgway has adopted the 2018 International Codes, as amended in RMC 6-1.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Any building inside Ridgway town limits before occupancy.

    • A Certificate of Occupancy must be obtained before the building is occupied.
    “A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) must be obtained before any building can be occupied.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ridgway town limits.

    • Town Manager or designee administers and enforces the land-use regulations and Official Zoning Map, subject to decisions of the Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment, and Town Council.
    “The Town Manager or designee, shall be responsible for the interpretation, administration, and enforcement of the provisions of these Regulations, as amended, the Official Zoning Map, as amended, and of any decisions entered by the Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment, and/or Town Council, pursuant to this Subsection.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Each manufactured-home space in a manufactured-home park inside Ridgway town limits.

    • Each space may contain only one manufactured home and must comply with the dimensional requirements in § 7-4-12(A)(3).

    minimum lot area: >= 2500 square feet (Applies to a manufactured-home space, not all residential zoning districts.)

    “Each manufactured home space may have only one manufactured home located on it and shall comply with the dimensional requirements of this Subsection. All spaces shall be adequately identified by a number or letter. (a) Minimum Lot area: 2,500 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Manufactured-home spaces in manufactured-home parks inside Ridgway town limits.

    • Detached accessory structures are exempt from the rear and side-yard setbacks but must be at least two feet from the applicable boundary.

    front setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 8 feet (Detached accessory structures are instead subject to a two-foot minimum.) · corner-side setback: >= 7.5 feet · side setback: >= 5 feet (Detached accessory structures are instead subject to a two-foot minimum.)

    “Minimum Setbacks: (i) Front: Ten feet. (ii) Rear: Eight feet. (iii) Side on Corner Space: Seven and one-half feet. (iv) Side: Five feet. (c) Accessory structures which are not attached to the manufactured home are not subject to the rear and side yard setbacks but shall be set back a minimum of two feet.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles placed in Ridgway FIRM Zones A1-30, AH, and AE.

    • The recreational vehicle must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or meet the floodplain permit, elevation, and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes.

    maximum consecutive days on site under temporary option: < 180 days (Other listed compliance options may apply.)

    “All recreational vehicles placed on sites within Zones A1-30, AH, and AE on the community's FIRM either: (a) Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days, (b) Be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or (c) Meet the permit requirements of Section 6-2-4 (C), and the elevation and anchoring requirements for "manufactured homes" in paragraph (4) of this section.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units inside Ridgway town limits where allowed by § 7-3-13(G) or a specific plat note.

    • The cited provision establishes that ADUs may be allowed under § 7-3-13(G) or a specific plat note; the detailed approval and dimensional conditions in that section were not opened.
    “Provided, however, units which may be allowed as an accessory dwelling unit pursuant to subsection 7-3-13(G), or a specific plat note, shall not be counted in computing the tax due.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Premises requiring plumbing inside Ridgway town limits.

    • Town water and sewer must be reasonably available, necessary extensions must be contractually provided, or an individual/private sewer system must be authorized under § 9-1-10.
    • Applicable water or sewer tap fees must be paid.
    “No building permit shall be issued for any premises requiring plumbing unless Town water and Town sewer services are reasonably available to the site”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Ridgway town limits.

    • Short-term rental regulations are in RMC § 7-4-6(N) and RMC Chapter 8, § 5.
    • The Town states that 50 licenses are permitted; availability is constrained by that cap.

    total permitted licenses: 50 licenses

    “Total number of licenses available: 8 out of the 50 permitted”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Land-use and building applications inside Ridgway town limits.

    • The Town publishes building forms, a development review process guide, and a land-use/development application.
    • Applications and review requirements remain subject to the applicable municipal code and district rules.
    “Building Forms Ridgway Development Review Process Guide Land Use/Development Application”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published (with conditions) — Town building and land-use applications inside Ridgway town limits.
      “If you are applying for a building permit, please carefully read all components of the Building Permit Application. This document outlines all required steps for a successful building permit and contains documents that are all editable in Adobe Acrobat.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Ridgway

Town of Ridgway does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Installed OWTS inside Ridgway town limits.

    • The County must inspect the installed system before backfilling or covering it.
    • Regulation 43 and additional County ordinance requirements also govern inspection, maintenance, and use.
    “I understand that the County must inspect the installed system prior to backfilling or covering the system.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Ridgway town limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Ridgway town limits.
  • Inspections — Residential construction inside Ridgway town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Ridgway town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Ridgway town limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Ridgway publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Ouray County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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