Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-09-26
1 of Colorado's 64 counties — 2% — require no residential building permit and have no county-wide zoning in their unincorporated areas. That is the 22nd-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Baca County (43/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 563 counties nationwide → Colorado: no building codes → Colorado: no zoning → Colorado: owner-builder → Colorado: tiny homes → Colorado: no minimum home size → Full Colorado profile →
1 of 64 Colorado counties · sorted by Index score
Baca County is one of the Colorado counties without a local building department; the state Division of Housing regulates only factory-built/manufactured structures, and the coun…
Colorado Division of Housing - Jurisdictions without Building Departments ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Colorado state page for all 64 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Colorado counties? 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.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
