Building permits, zoning and land rules in Moffat County, Colorado

Yes. Moffat County requires a building permit for a structure larger than 200 square feet, a fence higher than 6 feet or a retaining wall greater than 4 feet¹. An owner may build a one- or two-family home without a contractor if the owner will occupy it, personally buys all materials and personally does all the labor; any contractor the owner hires must hold the applicable city or county license⁸. The county has adopted the 2018 International Codes, and the building department keeps a list of required inspections that applicants follow¹. A building used exclusively to shelter agricultural implements, farm and ranch products, livestock or poultry may qualify for an agricultural exemption, but storage for passenger or recreational vehicles, unrelated construction equipment and workshops does not qualify¹. Before occupying a completed home or business, the owner must obtain a certificate of occupancy; the basic conditions include approved electrical and sewage systems, working plumbing and heat, a posted address and no hazardous condition in the occupied area¹.

The Craig/Moffat Regional Building Department handles Moffat County building-permit information and also issues county septic permits¹. Call 970-826-2013 or email meckhoff@ci.craig.co.us; published office hours are 8:00 AM-5:00 PM¹. The Planning & Zoning Department is the separate first stop for a parcel's district, allowed uses, setbacks and land-use applications⁶. Its office is at 1198 W. Victory Way, Ste. 107 Craig, CO 81625, and its phone number is (970) 824-9148⁶. For a driveway that connects to or affects a county road, the Road and Bridge Department issues the required permit from 822 E. 1st Street^1,10. The county's building and zoning offices serve unincorporated Moffat County; inside Craig, the city sets its own zoning, see Craig³. We could not confirm who issues building permits inside Craig, so ask the Craig/Moffat Regional Building Department.

Yes. The Moffat County Zoning Resolution covers county zoning requirements for unincorporated land, while uses, setbacks, lot size, conditional uses, variances and zone changes depend on the applicable district^2,4. The county lists districts from Agricultural (A) and Rural Residential (R-R) through Rural Community, residential, mobile home park, business, commercial, industrial and open districts². The Agriculture District has a 5-acre minimum lot size, while the Rural Residential District requires 3 acres with individual water and septic, 2 acres with either community water or sewage, and 1 acre with both². Dwelling-size rules also vary by district; the cited provision sets a 200-square-foot minimum floor area in the Agriculture District rather than one countywide minimum⁴. In the Agriculture District, residential structures need a side-yard setback of at least 10 feet from the property line⁴. Buildings in the Agriculture District and the Rural Residential District may not exceed 35 feet in height, with exceptions for items such as chimneys and flagpoles⁴. A mobile home is permitted in the Agriculture District outside an urban development boundary, and separate mobile home districts exist⁴. Setbacks in other districts differ, so have Planning & Zoning confirm the parcel's district before choosing a building site^2,6. Inside Craig, the city's own zoning applies instead³.

Moffat County requires a septic permit, the published fee is $100, and the Craig/Moffat Regional Building Department issues the permit¹. Septic systems in Moffat County are required to be engineered, so budget for a design before you set a house site¹. The building application plot plan must show the well, septic system, proposed construction and property-line distances, with at least 100 feet between a well and the septic system or leach field¹. Colorado also requires a final on-site wastewater inspection after permitted work is complete and before the system is used, and approval is required before an OWTS-served building receives occupancy approval¹¹. Only 23.2% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so site suitability can materially shape the project¹².

We could not confirm a countywide Moffat County rule for long-term RV occupancy or private-land camping, so ask Planning & Zoning about the specific parcel and proposed duration before moving an RV onto the site⁶. The agricultural building exemption does not turn RV storage or use into an exempt agricultural purpose¹. In the Agriculture District, seasonal or recreational dwelling units may not be used more than 6 months of the year, the unit must have a footprint of at least 200 square feet, and a porta-john, composting toilet or approved outhouse⁴. Colorado approves qualifying tiny homes for long-term living on permanent or temporary foundations, but plans must receive state approval before construction and the unit must still satisfy local zoning⁷. Moffat County's minimum dwelling area is district-specific, with a cited 200-square-foot standard in specified districts rather than one rule for every parcel⁴. Confirm the zoning district, allowed dwelling type and occupancy path with Planning & Zoning before ordering a unit⁶.

1. Ask Planning & Zoning to identify the parcel's district, allowed residential use, minimum lot size and setbacks^2,6.
2. Confirm legal access; a driveway affecting a county road requires a Road and Bridge permit, while direct access to a state highway requires a CDOT access permit^10,13.
3. Apply to the state Division of Water Resources before drilling a new groundwater well⁹.
4. Obtain the county septic permit, which costs $100 and requires an engineered system¹.
5. Submit a signed building application, two sets of building plans and a plot plan showing buildings, well, septic, proposed work and property-line distances¹.
6. Complete required inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving into the home¹.

Start with water, septic feasibility, legal access, zoning and flood exposure. Every new groundwater well needs a state permit, while county septic systems require a county permit^1,9. If a seller plans to divide unincorporated land, ask Planning & Zoning about subdivision review: the county process applies to divisions creating parcels smaller than 35 acres, and minor subdivisions may contain no more than four parcels or lots, and a minor subdivision application fee is $500^5,6,14. The county averages 14.9 inches of precipitation annually and has experienced severe drought in 26.5% of years, so verify the realistic water source and yield before relying on a homesite¹². About 51.9% of the land has a slope of 15% or less, and only 23.2% of soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field¹². About 57.2% of Moffat County is federal land, so verify recorded access rather than assuming an adjoining public route serves the parcel¹². Floodplain development standards apply where mapped hazards affect the site; ask the building office to confirm the local review path^1,15.