Building permits, RVs and septic in the Town of Crawford, Colorado

At a glance

Building permit

Required for new buildings and additions inside town limits¹

Who issues it

The Town Building Inspector, only with a conforming plot plan showing water and sewer taps¹

Permit fees

Set by Board of Trustees resolution; we did not review the current schedule⁴

Sewer

Connection required if a public main is within 400 feet of the parcel⁵

Septic

Private systems only where public sewer is not available; Delta County Environmental Health handles septic permits⁶³

RV living

Occupancy up to 30 days within a one-year period²

Tiny homes

Must meet the Town's Building Code; travel trailers cannot be permanently installed⁷

Mobile homes

Application to Town Hall before installation⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Crawford, Colorado?

Yes. The Town of Crawford requires a building permit for any new building or addition to a building inside town limits¹. The Town Building Inspector issues it only when a plot plan that conforms to the Crawford Town Code is submitted, showing the location and size of the required water and sewer taps, and the fee is received⁹.

A building that does not comply can ask the Board of Trustees for a variance on a showing of undue hardship¹. Water service may be shut off for noncompliance⁹. Building permit fees are set by Board of Trustees resolution after public notice, and we did not review the current schedule, so ask Town Hall for the amount⁴.

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

Inside the Town of Crawford, the Town Building Inspector issues building permits¹. Start at Town Hall, 425 Hwy 92, which lists hours of Monday through Thursday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM¹⁰. We could not confirm inspection steps, certificates of occupancy or owner-builder rules, so ask Town Hall what the Building Inspector requires before you pour a foundation.

Do not go to Delta County Planning and Community Development for a permit on a lot inside town limits; the county's land-use office serves unincorporated Delta County. Outside Crawford, see the Delta County page.

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

We could not confirm Crawford's zoning districts, minimum lot sizes or numeric setbacks. The town code refers to proper lot setbacks for RVs, but the setback numbers were not located². Ask Town Hall for the zoning map and district rules for any lot you are considering, and for whether an accessory dwelling or short-term rental is allowed there.

Tiny homes inside Crawford must meet the Town's Building Code, and travel trailers cannot be permanently installed⁷. Mobile homes need an application to Town Hall before installation, with a fee of $50 plus $3 per additional $1,000 of value⁸.

How do sewer and septic work inside Crawford?

Crawford requires connection to the public sanitary sewer when a main line is within 400 feet of any property line of the parcel⁵. Existing private systems must be abandoned and filled once the connection is made⁵.

A private sewage disposal system is allowed only where public sewer is not available, and it must comply with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provisions⁶. Colorado requires an onsite wastewater system permit from the local public health agency before construction, with a final inspection before use¹¹. In Delta County that agency is Environmental Health Services³. The town code does not name the septic permitting office, so confirm with¹² that it handles your address.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Crawford?

Not long-term on a vacant lot. Crawford allows an RV to be parked and occupied on private property for no more than 30 days within a one-year period². The RV must sit within proper lot setbacks and be registered under state law, with no gray or blackwater discharge in town and no permanent connection to wastewater, water lines or electricity². An RV cannot serve as a permanent dwelling except in mobile home parks, and travel home parks need Board of Trustees approval and a permit².

A tiny home has to meet the Town's Building Code, which means a building permit like any other new structure⁷.

Building a home in Crawford: the steps, in order

1. Call Town Hall to confirm zoning for your lot, since we could not confirm the district rules¹⁰.
2. Find out whether a public sewer main lies within 400 feet of the parcel⁵.
3. Prepare a plot plan showing the water and sewer taps⁹.
4. Apply for the building permit from the Town Building Inspector and pay the fee¹.
5. If no sewer is available, apply for a septic permit through¹²³.
6. If a driveway meets a state highway, a state access permit is required¹³.

What stays with Delta County, and what to check before you buy in Crawford

Septic permits and drinking-water programs come from Delta County Environmental Health Services³. Delta County's own land-use rules apply to unincorporated land, so a parcel just outside the town limits follows different rules; see the Delta County page.

Check whether the parcel is inside town limits, whether a sewer main is within 400 feet⁵, and whether a water tap is available, since a separate water tap is required per structure⁵. Colorado also requires a state permit for any new well¹⁴. Delta County's effective property tax rate is 0.3%¹⁵.

Watch-outs

• Crawford requires a building permit for new buildings¹, but we could not confirm its zoning ordinance, inspection requirements, certificates of occupancy or owner-builder rules, so call Town Hall before you commit to a lot.
• Crawford's RV rule is a 30-day limit in a one-year period, and an RV cannot be a permanent dwelling outside a mobile home park².
• A building permit is issued only with a plot plan showing water and sewer taps, and water service can be shut off for noncompliance⁹.

Sources

1. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 18-1-30 Building permits—Variances—Enforcement (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
2. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 10-10-20 Recreational vehicles within Town limits (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
3. Water/Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
4. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 18-1-30 Building permits—Variances—Enforcement (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
5. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 13-1-20 Connection with sanitary sewer required (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
6. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 13-1-20 Connection with sanitary sewer required (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
7. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-20 Application and setup fee (mobile homes) (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
8. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-20 Application and setup fee (mobile homes) (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
9. Crawford Municipal Code Sec. 18-1-30 Building permits—Variances—Enforcement (Town of Crawford), quoted and re-checked
10. Town of Crawford Town Hall (townofcrawford.colorado.gov)
11. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Delta County Environmental Health Services (deltacountyco.gov)
13. Access Permits | Frequently Asked Questions (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. 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.