Bolthole Index

Weld County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Greeley, Colorado

Inside Greeley, Weld County, Colorado, the city's Building Inspection division issues building permits through its eTRAKiT online system1. Greeley adopts its own zoning in its municipal code, and living in an RV on a residential lot is prohibited2. Septic permits in Weld County come from the county health department's Environmental Health Services3; whether a lot inside the city may use septic at all we could not confirm.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Greeley building official for building, alteration, repair, moving or demolition1
Zoning
Set by Greeley's own municipal code, not Weld County's24
RV living
Prohibited on residential property inside the city2
Camping
Limited: only with owner permission on residential property, under seven days per year5
Small-format homes
Allowed in the R-MH micro-housing district through rezoning or a PUD4
Septic
Weld County Environmental Health Services handles septic permits in Weld County; unconfirmed for lots inside Greeley3
Wells
Colorado requires a state permit for every new well6

Who to call

Building permits

City of Greeley Building Inspection (Community Development)

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Greeley city limits

970-350-9830

building.inspection@greeleygov.com

1100 10th Street, Greeley, CO 80631

Zoning

City of Greeley Planning and Zoning

Zoning and land-use planning inside Greeley city limits

970-350-9780

planning@greeleygov.com

1100 10th Street 2nd Floor, Greeley, CO 80631

Septic permits

Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic)

Septic (on-site wastewater treatment system) permits, site evaluations and inspections in Weld County

(970) 400-6415

1150 O St., Greeley, CO 80631

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 Greeley 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.

Do you need a building permit in Greeley, Colorado?

Yes, for ordinary construction. Greeley's building permits page states that any owner or authorized agent planning to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, or demolish a building or structure must first apply for and obtain a permit from the building official1. Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work is covered too1.

Applications go through the city's eTRAKiT system1. We could not confirm Greeley's owner-builder rules or its list of exempt structures, so ask Building Inspection before assuming a shed or fence is exempt. The Weld County Building Code applies only to unincorporated land; inside Greeley, the city's office handles building permits7.

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

The City of Greeley Building Inspection division, part of Community Development, handles building permits and inspections inside city limits1. Call 970-350-9830 or email building.inspection@greeleygov.com1. The office is at 1100 10th Street, Greeley, CO 806311.

For zoning questions, Greeley Planning and Zoning is at 970-350-9780, planning@greeleygov.com8. Do not go to the Weld County Planning and Development Services counter for a lot inside Greeley: that office serves unincorporated Weld County9.

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

Greeley zones through its own municipal code, and the city's planners apply it to new development8. Living in an RV stored on residential property is prohibited: the code says recreational vehicles or equipment stored on a residential property shall not be used for temporary, accessory, or permanent living2.

Small-format home communities are permitted in the R-MH residential micro-housing district through rezoning tied to a specific project plan or a planned unit development4. In R-MH, home sites need at least 2,500 square feet, or 1,200 square feet for projects with more than 30% open and civic space10. R-MH setbacks are 10 feet front, 5 feet side and 10 feet rear, and buildings top out at 30 feet1112. We could not find a Greeley rule written specifically for tiny homes or accessory dwellings.

Can you live in an RV or camp on a lot in Greeley?

No for living, and only briefly for camping. Greeley prohibits using an RV stored on residential property for temporary, accessory or permanent living2. Camping on residential property is allowed only with the owner's permission for less than seven days in a calendar year, and camping elsewhere is unlawful unless the city expressly authorizes it5.

This differs from unincorporated Weld County, where living in an RV is limited to the period of building a home on agricultural land13. For land outside city limits, see the Weld County page.

How do septic permits work in Greeley?

Septic permits across Weld County are issued by the county health department's Environmental Health Services, not by the city building office3. New, repaired, upgraded or reconnected septic systems need a permit14.

We could not confirm whether the city allows a new septic system on a lot inside Greeley. Weld County's stated policy is to require public sewer wherever feasible and to limit on-site systems to areas where sewer is not feasible15. Call Weld County Environmental Health Services at (970) 400-6415 before buying a lot that is not on city sewer15.

Building a home in Greeley: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and whether your use is allowed with Greeley Planning and Zoning, 970-350-97808.
  2. Confirm sewer service or, if none, ask Weld County Environmental Health Services about septic at (970) 400-641515.
  3. Apply for a building permit in eTRAKiT and submit your plans1.
  4. Colorado requires a state permit for every new well, so check that before drilling6.
  5. Direct access to a state highway needs a state driveway permit16.
  6. Request inspections with Building Inspection, 970-350-98301.

What to check before you buy land in Greeley

Floodplain, sewer availability and the zoning district matter most. Greeley's permit fees and process pages sit with the Building Inspection division1. Weld County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%, with a median bill of $2,242 a year1718. Weld County's typical home value is $498,22319. For land outside city limits, rules differ: see the Weld County page.

Watch-outs

  • Greeley's own rules for owner-builders, certificates of occupancy, driveways and short-term rentals are not confirmed here; ask Building Inspection at 970-350-98301.
  • Weld County's building code and zoning rules cover unincorporated land only; inside Greeley the city's rules apply7.
  • Greeley allows camping on residential property only with owner permission for under seven days a year, and a violation is a misdemeanor5.

Sources

  1. City of Greeley Building Inspection (Community Development) (greeleyco.gov)
  2. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 24-706 Recreational and oversized vehicles (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  3. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
  4. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 24-506 Residential micro-housing district (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  5. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 14-491 Camping on public or private property prohibited (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  6. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Building Permit Applications and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Greeley Planning and Zoning (greeleyco.gov)
  9. Weld County Commissioners approve updates to zoning code, quoted and re-checked
  10. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 24-506 Residential micro-housing district (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  11. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 24-506 Residential micro-housing district (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  12. Greeley Municipal Code Sec. 24-506 Residential micro-housing district (Greeley), quoted and re-checked
  13. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
  14. New System, Repair, Vault, and Statement of Existing, quoted and re-checked
  15. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
  16. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. 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 Greeley

Greeley’s own rules

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Home sites in the R-MH Residential Micro-Housing district inside Greeley city

    • Exception to 1,200 s.f. for projects with more than 30% useable open and civic space.
    • Project minimum 5 acres.

    home site lot size: >= 2500 sq ft (1,200 s.f. with >30% open space)

    “lot size 2,500 s.f. minimum exception: 1,200 s.f. minimum for any project with more than 30% of the project areas designed as useable open and civic spaces”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Home sites in the R-MH district inside Greeley city

    • Perimeter setbacks 25 ft from any street boundary and 20 ft from any property boundary.

    front setback: >= 10 ft (or 18 ft from internal street edge, whichever greater) · side setback: >= 5 ft (or 3 ft with 10 ft between buildings) · rear setback: >= 10 ft

    “front: 10' minimum, or 18' minimum from internal street edge, whichever is greater side: 5' minimum, or 3' minimum with 10' between buildings on adjacent lots rear: 10' minimum”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the R-MH district inside Greeley city

    • Accessory storage up to 8 feet tall.

    maximum height: <= 30 ft

    “height 30' maximum site design each home site shall have a private patio”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Living in a recreational vehicle stored on residential property inside Greeley city

    • Guest RVs may park in front-yard driveways up to seven consecutive days, once per 12 months per vehicle, but sec. 24-706(b)(3) still bars living in RVs on residential property.
    • Storage limited to one RV or major recreational equipment per lot, in rear/side yards with setbacks.
    • RV must be operable and registered.
    “recreational vehicles or equipment stored on a residential property shall not be used for temporary, accessory, or permanent living.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on public or private property inside Greeley city

    • Camping on residential property is allowed only with owner permission for less than seven days in a calendar year.
    • Elsewhere camping is unlawful unless expressly authorized by the city.
    • Violation is a misdemeanor.
    • Camping includes using a vehicle for overnight occupancy.

    residential camping limit: < 7 days per calendar year (less than) (with property owner permission)

    “it is not a violation of this section if a person is camping on a residential property with permission of the property owner for less than seven days in a calendar year.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured/mobile small-format home communities in the R-MH district inside Greeley city

    • Requires rezoning conditioned on a specific project plan (sec. 24-204) or PUD (sec. 24-205).
    • Standards do not apply to factory-built detached houses meeting all other standards of the applicable zoning district.
    • Project minimum 5 acres (3 acres exception); max 10 units/acre (18 with open space).
    “small format home communities are permitted in the residential micro-housing district (r-mh), and implemented through rezoning conditioned on a specific project plan according to section 24-204, or as a planned unit development according to section 24-205.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Greeley city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder rules inside Greeley city
  • Building code adopted — Building codes inside Greeley city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Greeley city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Greeley city
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Greeley publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Weld County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Weld County: county rules, score and offices