Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado

Broomfield requires building permits and inspections for most new construction, alterations, additions and repairs, including listed work such as structural repairs, decks, sheds, pools, furnaces, water heaters and mobile-home setup^1,2. The Building Division issues the permits, reviews plans, performs inspections and enforces the code throughout the consolidated city and county⁹. A residential addition needs a general permit from the Building Division and must meet the established height and setback requirements¹⁰. Inside the city of Broomfield, the municipal code also bars erecting, altering or moving a building until the building official issues a permit¹¹. Like the counties around it in Colorado, Broomfield County requires a county building permit¹⁰. Broomfield adopted its 2024 building-code update effective April 15, 2026². Building permit fees depend on the project's total value or cost, with use tax calculated on material value assumed to be half of total cost⁵. A homeowner doing work on their own primary residence does not need a contractor license, but must sign a Homeowner Statement before the permit is issued⁵.

The Broomfield Building Division issues building permits, reviews plans, performs inspections and enforces the building code across the City and County of Broomfield⁹. Building permit applications, plans, revisions, affidavits and general questions must be emailed to buildingpermits@broomfield.org rather than submitted through the online portal². After review, the applicant responds to any request for more information, pays after approval, and has the property owner or contractor schedule the inspections needed to finalize the permit². Zoning approval and parcel-use questions go to the Broomfield Planning Division, which handles development review plus zoning and subdivision-code review¹²; septic permits go to the Health Protection Division⁴. Height limits vary by property and zoning district, so ask Planning for the controlling standard rather than assuming one countywide figure¹⁰.

Yes. The City and County of Broomfield administers land-use and zoning rules countywide³, and the city's own municipal code sets standard districts such as RR, E-1 and R-1¹³. Because Broomfield is one consolidated city and county, no separate county planning counter handles outlying land. Use Broomfield's planning research map to find a parcel's subdivision, property size and zoning, then determine whether a standard Broomfield district, a planned unit development or a legacy code controls³. A legacy district is identified by an (a), (w), (b) or (j) suffix³. Setbacks vary by structure type and neighborhood zoning, and PUD setbacks can be unique to each subdivision or filing⁵. Do not assume neighboring parcels share the same setbacks, lot coverage, minimum dwelling size or height limit; Broomfield's available rules do not establish one general standard for those questions, and height requirements vary by property and district¹⁰. A proposed lot split or development may require a final plat, minor subdivision, preliminary plat, PUD plan or site-development plan; Broomfield recommends scheduling a Planning pre-application meeting at least two weeks before submitting a development application¹⁴. Subdivision rules sit in Title 16 of the municipal code, and the city keeps a list of platted subdivisions¹⁵.

Broomfield's Health Protection Division administers local onsite wastewater treatment system rules, while Colorado Regulation 43 also governs septic systems statewide⁴. A septic (OWTS) permit application is required for installation or other regulated work⁴. Before applying, contact Water Utilities to verify the distance to the public sewer main; connection to sewer is mandatory when the main is within 100 feet of the property line, and Public Works authorization may also be needed⁴. A licensed installer or contractor must inspect an OWTS, including applicable transfer-of-title work and deficiency repairs⁴. About 58.7% of Broomfield soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, but that countywide soil statistic does not replace a site evaluation or permit review^4,16. A new private well is a separate matter: Colorado requires a Division of Water Resources permit for a new groundwater well, subject to exemptions and basin rules¹⁷.

Broomfield permits accessory dwelling units as accessory uses to single-family homes and publishes a separate handout and checklist for the detailed rules¹⁰. The limit is one ADU on an eligible property whose zoning includes single-unit residential use⁶. An ADU may be up to 500 square feet; a larger ADU is limited to half the principal dwelling's footprint or 800 square feet, whichever is less⁶. A building permit and recorded Declaration of Use are required, and the ADU must satisfy the applicable district setbacks⁶. The ADU must use the principal dwelling's water and sewer connections, with no separate water or sewer taps or licenses required⁷. On a septic property, the Health Protection Division must determine whether the system has enough capacity⁶. Travel trailers, recreational vehicles, shipping containers and similar temporary structures cannot serve as an ADU⁶.

We could not confirm a general Broomfield rule allowing RV occupancy, temporary camping or a tiny home as the primary dwelling on private land; ask the Planning Division about the specific parcel¹². Broomfield does expressly prohibit travel trailers, recreational vehicles, shipping containers and similar temporary structures from serving as accessory dwelling units⁶. Colorado permits qualifying Division of Housing-regulated tiny homes for long-term living only after plan approval and compliance with state standards and local zoning¹⁸. That state approval does not override Broomfield's parcel-specific zoning³. Minimum dwelling size and manufactured-home occupancy also remain unconfirmed for Broomfield generally, so obtain a parcel-specific answer from Planning before buying land for any of these uses¹².

1. Use the planning research map and ask the Planning Division which standard, planned-unit-development or legacy rules control the parcel³.
2. Confirm the building envelope, including the applicable setbacks and height requirements, before final design¹⁰.
3. For an ADU, confirm eligibility, size, setbacks, shared utility connections and septic capacity where applicable^6,7.
4. If public sewer is not already available, ask Water Utilities to measure the main's distance; a main within 100 feet of the property line requires connection rather than a new septic system⁴.
5. Ask Engineering whether a new driveway or flatwork needs a Public Private Improvement Permit¹⁰.
6. Email the building permit application and plans to the Building Division; after approval, pay for issuance².
7. Budget building permit fees based on project valuation and any separate trade fees⁵.
8. Have the property owner or contractor schedule every required building inspection, plus septic inspection when applicable, so the permits can be finalized^2,4.

Start with the exact zoning district and any planned-unit-development or legacy rules; dimensional standards are not uniform across Broomfield parcels³. If a lot split or development application is part of the plan, arrange a Planning pre-application meeting before committing to a layout¹⁴. Check floodplain status with Broomfield's Floodplain Program, but ask the office directly about development requirements because we could not confirm a general floodplain-development rule¹⁹. Verify water, sewer and septic feasibility early, including the mandatory public-sewer connection when a main is within 100 feet of the property line⁴. Ask Engineering whether a new driveway needs a Public Private Improvement Permit¹⁰. If rental income matters, Broomfield allows a rental of fewer than 30 days only at the owner's principal residence; the license costs a non-refundable $100, lasts five years, and its number must appear in all marketing⁸. For water, Colorado requires a Division of Water Resources permit for a new well¹⁷.