Bolthole Index

Montezuma County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and RV rules in the Town of Dolores, Colorado

The Town of Dolores, Colorado requires a separate building permit for each building or structure and enforces the 2021 International Building Code1. The town runs its own zoning under its Land Use Code2, and RV occupancy on private property is capped at two weeks in any 180-day period3. Septic permits inside town limits were not confirmed; Montezuma County Environmental Health is the office to ask4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Town of Dolores, which enforces the 2021 International Building Code15
Zoning
Yes, the town administers its own Land Use Code with zone districts2
Accessory structures
Anything over 120 sq ft needs a building permit6
RV living
Two weeks per 180-day period on private property3
Accessory dwelling
One per residential lot where the zone allows it, owner must live on site7
Short-term rental
Town permit required; prohibited in the MH and P zones8
Septic
Montezuma County Environmental Health reviews septic applications; town-limit specifics unconfirmed4

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Dolores Building Department (Town Hall)

Building permit applications and the building code inside Dolores town limits

970-882-7720

[email protected]

601 Central Avenue, PO Box 630, Dolores, CO 81323

Septic permits

Montezuma County Environmental Health

Septic system applications and permits for Montezuma County

(970) 564-4763

Montezuma County Annex, 106 West North, Cortez, CO 81321

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 Dolores means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does the Town of Dolores have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Dolores administers its own Land Use Code, and the town is divided into zone districts2. That code is separate from Montezuma County's, which applies only to unincorporated land9.

RVs: one RV may be occupied on private property in Dolores for a maximum of two weeks within a 180-day period3. The RV must be completely contained on the owner's property, generators may not power it, and the owner cannot charge for parking it3. Sleeping in a vehicle parked on town streets or alleys overnight is unlawful unless the Land Use Code permits it10. Living in an RV year-round on a Dolores lot is therefore not an option.

Tiny homes: we could not confirm a tiny-home rule in the town code. Accessory dwelling units are allowed, one per residential lot in zones where the code permits them, but not in RVs or manufactured housing7. Ask the town before planning a tiny home.

Dimensions vary by district. In the manufactured home park district, lots need at least 3,000 square feet per space11 and the front setback is at least 15 feet12. We did not confirm standards for other districts, so ask the town for the district of the specific lot.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Dolores, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Dolores prohibits building, enlarging, altering, repairing or moving any building or structure without first obtaining a separate building permit for each one1. The town enforces the 2021 International Building Code1, and its Land Use Code points to the building and life safety codes in Title 15 of the municipal code5.

Accessory structures are covered too: any structure larger than 120 square feet requires a building permit, and accessory structures of every size must meet setbacks and spacing from other buildings6.

This is different from the land around town. Unincorporated Montezuma County does not enforce residential building codes13, so the county's looser answer does not apply inside town limits. We could not confirm whether the town requires inspections, certificates of occupancy or an owner-builder exemption; call Town Hall.

Who do you call for building permits in Dolores, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Dolores handles building permits from Town Hall at 601 Central Avenue1. Call the town building office on the number listed below to request an application, or use the permit fee calculator on the Building Department page. Short-term rentals have a separate town permit, which is not available in the MH and P zones8.

For land outside town limits, Montezuma County Planning & Zoning handles the Land Use Code; see the Montezuma County page.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Dolores?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Dolores town limits or what the town requires. Montezuma County Environmental Health reviews septic system applications and awards permits14. The county's septic regulations apply to municipalities in the county that do not maintain their own public health agency15. We found no evidence that Dolores runs its own health agency, so start with Environmental Health and confirm with Town Hall.

For reference, Colorado requires a permit for septic systems16. If the town sewer reaches your lot, the town may require a connection instead; manufactured home parks in the MHP district must connect to the sanitary sewer17, and accessory dwellings need separate water and sewer taps7.

Building a home in the Town of Dolores: the steps, in order

  1. Ask Town Hall which zone district your lot is in and what the Land Use Code allows there2.
  2. Check whether the lot touches a flood hazard area; development there needs a floodplain development permit under the town code18.
  3. Confirm water and sewer service, or a septic permit from Montezuma County Environmental Health14.
  4. Apply to the Town of Dolores for a building permit1.
  5. Build to the 2021 International Building Code the town enforces1.
  6. Ask the town whether inspections or an occupancy approval are required; we could not confirm this.

What stays with Montezuma County, and what to check before you buy in Dolores?

Inside Dolores, the town sets zoning and issues building permits21. Septic permits and wells were not confirmed at the town level; ask Montezuma County Environmental Health and Town Hall14. Colorado requires well permits statewide19.

Before buying, confirm the zone district, flood status18, and whether your plans fit the RV, accessory dwelling and short-term rental limits above. County-level figures: Montezuma County's median property tax bill is about $915 a year20. For land outside town limits, see the Montezuma County page.

Watch-outs

  • The RV limit of two weeks in any 180-day period applies on private property inside Dolores, so an RV cannot serve as a long-term home while you build3.
  • Montezuma County's no-residential-code answer applies only to unincorporated land, not inside Dolores town limits13.
  • We could not confirm septic permitting inside town limits, tiny-home rules or inspection requirements; call Town Hall and Montezuma County Environmental Health14.

Sources

  1. Town of Dolores Building Department (Town Hall) (townofdolores.colorado.gov)
  2. Dolores Land Use Code Section 3.6 Manufactured home park district (MHP) (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  3. Dolores Code 10.13.010 Recreational vehicle occupancy on private property (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  4. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. Dolores Land Use Code Section 4.5 Use-specific standards (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  6. Dolores Land Use Code Section 4.6 Accessory Uses (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  7. Dolores Land Use Code Section 4.6 Accessory Uses (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  8. Dolores Land Use Code Section 4.5 Use-specific standards (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  9. Resolution No. 21-2020 The Montezuma County Land Use Code, quoted and re-checked
  10. Dolores Code 10.40.030 Additions or modifications (Model Traffic Code) (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  11. Dolores Land Use Code Section 3.6 Manufactured home park district (MHP) (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  12. Dolores Land Use Code Section 3.6 Manufactured home park district (MHP) (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building in Montezuma County, quoted and re-checked
  14. Montezuma County Environmental Health (montezumacounty.gov)
  15. Montezuma County Public Health Department On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  16. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Dolores Land Use Code Section 3.6 Manufactured home park district (MHP) (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  18. Dolores Code 17.08.250 Standards for subdivision proposals (Town of Dolores), quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Administration (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Median property tax bill: 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 Dolores

Town of Dolores’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Accessory structures inside Dolores town

    • Accessory structures regardless of size are subject to setbacks and spacing between buildings
    • General permit rules for principal structures not verified

    building permit threshold: > 120 sq ft

    “any structure larger than 120 sq. ft. requires a building permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building and life safety codes inside Dolores town

    • Edition of the adopted codes not verified; Title 15 not opened
    “applicable town building and life safety codes adopted under title 15 of the dolores municipal code as may be amended from time to time”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Dolores town limits; the town administers its own Land Use Code (Appendix A) with zone districts

    “the town of dolores, colorado, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP (Manufactured Home Park) district inside Dolores town; single-family residential district not reviewed

    • Manufactured home 500 sq ft; other residential structures 400 sq ft

    min floor area manufactured home: >= 500 sq ft

    “min. floor area per principal dwelling unit (sq. ft.) 500 400”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP district inside Dolores town; other districts not reviewed

    • Park area minimum 1.9 acres

    min lot area per space: >= 3000 sq ft · min lot width per space: >= 40 ft

    “min. lot area/space (sq. ft.) 3,000 min. lot width/space (ft.) 40”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP district inside Dolores town (manufactured home / other nonresidential structures); other districts not reviewed

    • Minimum distance between manufactured homes 12 ft

    front setback, manufactured home: >= 15 ft · rear setback, manufactured home: >= 10 ft

    “front 15 10 exterior street side 15 10 interior street side 10 10 rear 10 10”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP district inside Dolores town; other districts not reviewed

    max lot coverage: <= 60 percent

    “max. lot coverage (%) 60 min. lot area/space (sq. ft.) 3,000”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP district inside Dolores town; other districts not reviewed

    • Accessory structure height limited to height of principal building

    max height manufactured home: <= 20 ft · max height other residential structures: <= 35 ft

    “max. height, principal bldg (ft.) 20 35 max. height, accessory structure [1] [1]”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    RV occupancy on private property inside Dolores town

    • RV must be completely contained on the owner's property
    • Generator use to power the RV or charge batteries is prohibited
    • Idling for more than ten minutes is prohibited
    • Owner cannot charge for parking an RV
    • RV parks allow 4-month maximum stays where permitted

    max RV occupancy: 2 weeks per 180-day period

    “one rv may be occupied on private property for a maximum of two weeks within a one hundred eighty-day period.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping in vehicles on streets and alleys inside Dolores town

    • Exception: as may be permitted by the Dolores Land Use Code
    • Private-property RV occupancy limited to two weeks per 180 days under 10.13.010
    “it shall be unlawful to camp overnight between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. inside of a vehicle that is otherwise lawfully parked on the streets or alleys of the town of dolores, except as may be permitted by the dolores land use code.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes on new manufactured home lots or replacing existing manufactured/mobile homes inside Dolores town

    • Short-term rentals prohibited in MH zone
    • MHP district standards in Sec. 3.6 apply
    “Type 1 Manufactured Homes (Certified on or after January 1, 1990) are required for placement on new manufactured home lots or the replacement of existing manufactured or mobile homes.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units on lots with a single-unit detached or duplex dwelling inside Dolores town, in zones where Table 4.3 permits ADUs

    • Owner must live in primary or accessory unit
    • Separate water and sewer taps required
    • Primary unit built first
    • Detached ADU max 80 percent of primary gross floor area
    • One dedicated off-street parking space
    • Not permitted in RVs, mobile homes or manufactured housing
    • Table 4.3 shows ADUs not permitted in some districts
    “one accessory dwelling unit is permitted per residential lot.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Manufactured home parks and subdivisions in the MHP district inside Dolores town

    • General distance/availability rule for other new homes not verified
    • ADUs must have separate water and sewer taps
    “manufactured home parks and manufactured home subdivisions shall connect to the sanitary sewer system.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision proposals inside Dolores town

    • Flood-safety, drainage and utility standards apply; full subdivision regulations not reviewed
    “all subdivision proposals including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall be reasonably safe from flooding.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside Dolores town (Chapter 17.08)

    • Residential lowest floor elevated one foot above base flood elevation
    • RVs in flood zones must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, be highway-ready, or meet permit and elevation rules
    “shall meet floodplain development permit requirements of article 3, section 17.08.080; article 4, section 17.08.160”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Dolores town

    • Valid short-term rental permit required; issued to the owner and not transferable
    • Must be in a habitable structure complying with town building and life safety codes
    • Prohibited in MH and P zones
    • Board may adjust total permits issued annually
    “short-term rentals are permitted in all zones except the mh—mobile home and p—public zones where all short-term rentals are expressly prohibited.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Dolores town
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Dolores town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Dolores town
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Dolores town
  • Who permits septic — Septic systems inside Dolores town
8 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Dolores publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Montezuma County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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