Bolthole Index

Weld County, Colorado

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Kersey, Colorado

The Town of Kersey, Colorado, in Weld County, adopts its own zoning code for land inside town limits1. Building permits inside town go through the town's online portal and its contracted inspection agency, SafeBuilt2. Septic permits are a separate question: Weld County's health department permits septic systems across the county, but we could not confirm how that works inside Kersey3.

At a glance

Zoning
Town zoning code (Land Development Code Chapter 21) inside Kersey limits1
Building permit
Applied for through the town's online portal; inspections by SafeBuilt2
Septic
Weld County Environmental Health permits septic in Weld County; confirm for town lots3
RV living
Limited: no living in an RV on a street; guest RVs up to 7 days4
Tiny homes
Allowed on a permanent foundation, with wheels removed5
Mobile homes
Only inside a licensed mobile home park6
Accessory dwelling
One per lot, 500 to 750 sq ft7
Flood zones
Floodplain development permit and elevation rules apply8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Kersey Building Inspection Department (contracted to SafeBuilt Colorado)

Building inspections for construction inside Kersey town limits; building permit applications go through the town's online portal

970-353-1681

446 1st Street, Kersey, CO 80644

Zoning

Town of Kersey Planning Department

Zoning, land use applications and the land use code inside Kersey town limits

970-353-1681

446 1st Street, Kersey, CO 80644

Septic permits

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

Septic (on-site wastewater treatment system / OWTS) permits, site evaluations, design reviews and inspections for systems with flows below 2,000 gallons per day 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 Town of Kersey means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Kersey, Colorado have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. The Town of Kersey zones land inside its limits under Chapter 21 of its Land Development Code, which divides the town into zoning districts1. Dimensional rules such as lot size, setbacks and height differ by district, and we could not confirm those tables, so ask the Planning Department which district a parcel sits in9.

Inside Kersey, no RV may be used for living on any street or public right-of-way, and guest RVs may park in a front-yard driveway for up to 7 consecutive days4. Tiny houses used as a primary or accessory dwelling must sit on a permanent foundation, and the wheels must come off5. Mobile homes may be placed only inside a licensed mobile home park6.

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

Building permits for work inside Kersey come from the town, not Weld County. Contractors apply through the town's online portal, and the town contracts with SafeBuilt Colorado for inspections2. Residential construction inside Kersey also carries an added insulation inspection before wall coverings go up10.

We could not confirm the town's permit fees, an owner-builder exemption or a certificate-of-occupancy rule, so call Town Hall at the number below before you plan a schedule2. The county's building permit rules cover only unincorporated Weld County, not Kersey lots.

How do septic permits work in Kersey?

Colorado requires a permit from the local public health agency before an on-site wastewater system is built11. In Weld County, the Environmental Health Services Division oversees permits, site evaluations and inspections for systems under 2,000 gallons per day3. The county's stated policy is to use public sewer wherever feasible and to limit septic systems to areas where sewer is not feasible12.

We could not confirm whether Kersey requires sewer connection for a given lot, or how the town and county divide septic work inside town limits. Ask Kersey Town Hall about sewer availability first, then Weld County Environmental Health about any septic permit13.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling in Kersey?

Living in an RV is limited inside Kersey: never on a street or right-of-way, and RVs must be currently registered and operable4. Tiny houses are treated as dwellings and need a permanent foundation plus water, wastewater, electric and fire protection5.

An accessory dwelling unit is allowed, one per lot, between 500 and 750 square feet, on a permanent foundation, and not larger or taller than the main house7. It cannot be rented short-term, and RVs or motor homes cannot serve as one14. The Weld County RV allowance for builders applies only to unincorporated land, so it does not carry over to Kersey15.

Building a home in Kersey: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and what it allows with the Kersey Planning Department9.
  2. Ask Town Hall about sewer and water service for the lot, then Weld County Environmental Health about any septic permit13.
  3. Apply for the building permit through the town's online portal2.
  4. Schedule inspections with SafeBuilt, including the insulation inspection before wall coverings10.
  5. If the lot is in a flood zone, get a floodplain development permit and raise the lowest floor 1 foot above base flood elevation8.

What stays with Weld County, and what to check before you buy in Kersey

Weld County, not the town, runs septic permitting countywide3, and Colorado's well permits come from the state Division of Water Resources16. We could not confirm whether Kersey allows private wells on town lots.

For land outside town limits, use the Weld County page, where the county's own rules apply. Before buying, confirm the parcel is inside Kersey limits: the town's annexed area includes roads and land with Greeley mailing addresses9. Weld County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%17.

Watch-outs

  • Kersey's zoning district tables for lot size, setbacks and height were not confirmed; ask the Planning Department before you design anything9.
  • Mobile homes are limited to licensed mobile home parks inside Kersey, so a mobile home on a private town lot is not an option6.
  • Weld County's building and zoning rules, including its RV and ADU allowances, apply only to unincorporated land, not inside Kersey15.
  • Septic and well rules inside Kersey town limits were not confirmed; ask Weld County Environmental Health and Town Hall13.

Sources

  1. Kersey Land Development Code Section 21-23 MHP Mobile Home Park District (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Kersey Building Inspection Department (contracted to SafeBuilt Colorado) (kerseygov.com)
  3. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
  4. Kersey Municipal Code Sec. 8-38 Recreational vehicles (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  5. Kersey Land Development Code Section 21-52 Residential Uses (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  6. Kersey Land Development Code Section 21-23 MHP Mobile Home Park District (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  7. Kersey Land Development Code Section 21-52 Residential Uses (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  8. Kersey Land Development Code Section 22-607 Standards for subdivision proposals (Flood Damage Prevention) (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Kersey Planning Department (kerseygov.com)
  10. Kersey Municipal Code Sec. 18-45 Addition, deletions and amendments (Residential Code) (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  11. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Septic Systems (On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems), quoted and re-checked
  13. Weld County Environmental Health Services (On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems / Septic) (weld.gov)
  14. Kersey Land Development Code Section 21-52 Residential Uses (Town of Kersey), quoted and re-checked
  15. Current Planning – Weld County, quoted and re-checked
  16. Well Permitting | Division of Water Resources, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: 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 Town of Kersey

Town of Kersey’s own rules

  • InspectionsRequired

    Residential construction inside Kersey town

    • Adds an insulation inspection to IRC R109.1.5.
    “Inspection of the structure shall be made following installation of the wall, ceiling and floor insulation and exterior windows and before wall coverings are installed.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Kersey town limits

    • Zoning is in Kersey Land Development Code Chapter 21 (Zoning District Regulations).
    “for the purposes of this chapter, the town is divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RV living/parking inside Kersey town

    • No RV may be used for living or residential purposes on any street or public right-of-way.
    • On single/two-family lots RVs may be in the front side yard at least 3 ft behind sidewalk or property line.
    • Guest RVs may park in front yard driveways up to 7 consecutive days, one period per vehicle per 12 months; one additional week by administrative variance.
    • RVs must be currently registered and operable (Sec. 8-39).

    guest RV stay: <= 7 days (one additional week by administrative variance)

    “no recreational vehicle shall be used for living, sleeping or temporary or permanent residential purposes on any street or public right-of-way within the town.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny houses as primary or accessory dwellings inside Kersey town

    • Must be on a permanent foundation.
    • Must meet water, wastewater, electric, utility and fire protection requirements of the Town or service provider.
    • Wheels must be removed when installed on a lot.
    “each tiny house used as a primary or accessory dwelling shall be installed on a permanent foundation;”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes inside Kersey town

    • Mobile homes only within a licensed mobile home park in the MHP district; does not apply to temporary construction offices.
    • Park license requires Board of Trustees approval.
    • Whether HUD-code manufactured homes on permanent foundations are treated differently in other districts is not established in supplied text.

    MHP maximum density: <= 10 units/acre

    “It shall be unlawful for any person to place or park either temporarily or permanently or permit the placing or the parking either temporarily or permanently, of any mobile home at any location within the Town except within the confines of a licensed mobile home park.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units on lots inside Kersey town

    • One ADU per lot, on a legal platted lot in a district allowing single-unit dwellings.
    • Size 500 to 750 sq ft and not larger or taller than the primary residence.
    • Permanent foundation; building and fire codes apply; no RVs or motor homes as ADUs.
    • Not closer to the front property line than the principal structure; not sold separately; not an exclusive use.
    • Not for short-term rental in any residential district.
    • Caretaker dwelling allowed in Ag and I districts, 500 to 2,200 sq ft.

    ADU floor area: 500-750 sq ft

    “may not be larger or taller than the primary residence on the property and shall not be smaller than 500 square feet or larger than 750 square feet.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside Kersey town

    • Floodplain development permit requirements apply under Sections 22-553 and 22-576.
    • Residential lowest floor must be elevated one foot above base flood elevation.
    • RVs in zones A1-30, AH, AE must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, be highway-ready, or meet permit and anchoring rules.

    freeboard above BFE: >= 1 ft

    “shall meet floodplain development permit requirements of sections 22-553 , 22-576 ; and the provisions of Division III.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental inside Kersey town

    • Accessory dwelling units may not be used for short-term rental in any residential district.
    • A 4 percent lodging tax applies to accommodations under 30 days.
    • General short-term rental rules for primary dwellings not located.
    “The accessory dwelling unit shall not be used for short-term rental in any residential district.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Kersey town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Kersey town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Principal single-family dwellings in Kersey residential districts
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family residential and Ag districts in Kersey
  • Setbacks — Single-family residential and Ag districts in Kersey
14 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Town of Kersey publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Weld County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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