Bolthole Index

Park County, Colorado

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Fairplay, Colorado

Inside the Town of Fairplay, Colorado, the Town's own building department issues building permits and inspects construction within the corporate limits1. The Town also administers its own Unified Development Code for zoning2. Septic permits are a separate question: Colorado requires one from the local public health agency wherever no sewage treatment works serves the building3. Land outside town limits falls under Park County.

At a glance

Building permit
Town of Fairplay issues them inside town limits1
Building code
New structures must comply with the International Building Code or International Residential Code and the International Fire Code4
Zoning
Yes, under the Town's Unified Development Code (Chapter 16)2
Septic
Permit required where no sewage treatment works serves the building; Park County Environmental Health is the county septic office35
Accessory dwelling
One per lot, limited by size and parking6
Floodplain
Special flood hazard areas have elevation requirements7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Fairplay Building Department

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Fairplay town limits

719-836-2622

901 Main Street, P.O. Box 267, Fairplay, CO 80440

Septic permits

Park County Environmental Health

County septic permits, site evaluation and septic inspections; confirm with this office that it covers your address inside town limits

719-836-4267

856 Castello Ave, P.O. Box 216, Fairplay, CO 80440

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 Fairplay means bringing your own water and power. 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.

Do you need a building permit in Fairplay, Colorado?

Inside Fairplay town limits, the Town of Fairplay Building Department issues building permits, reviews construction plans and inspects structures1. The Town's municipal code requires new structures to comply with the International Building Code or International Residential Code and the International Fire Code4. We could not confirm the town's owner-builder rules, permit fees or certificate-of-occupancy process, so ask the Town Building Department before you plan a self-built home.

The Park County Building Department does not cover Fairplay: it handles building permits for the rest of Park County except the towns of Fairplay and Alma8. Those county rules apply to unincorporated land; see the Park County page for it.

Who handles building inspections and how do you reach them?

The Town of Fairplay Building Department performs plan review and inspections for every structure within the corporate limits1. Reach Town Hall at 719-836-2622, 901 Main Street, P.O. Box 267, Fairplay, CO 804401. For a property outside the town limits, the Town's own page sends you to the Park County Building Department1.

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

Fairplay administers its own zoning through the Unified Development Code in Chapter 16 of the municipal code, enforced by the Town Administrator or a designee2. Park County's zoning covers only unincorporated land, so county zone districts do not apply inside town limits9.

We could not confirm district-by-district minimum lot sizes, setbacks, building height, or whether living in an RV or a tiny home on private land is allowed in Fairplay. The only camping rule we confirmed covers the town-owned Fairplay Reservoir, where overnight camping is by permit only10. Call the Town of Fairplay before buying a lot with an RV or tiny home in mind.

One confirmed rule: Fairplay allows a single accessory dwelling unit per lot, between 400 and 850 square feet, with no variances6.

How do septic permits work inside Fairplay?

Colorado requires a permit before anyone builds or alters an on-site wastewater treatment system where no sewage treatment works serves the building3. Final inspection is made by the local public health agency before the system is used11. Park County Environmental Health runs septic permits for the county5 and lists septic and driveway permits among its work12.

We could not confirm whether a given lot inside town limits is on town sewer or needs its own system, or that the county office handles septic inside Fairplay. Ask the Town and Park County Environmental Health which applies to your address.

Building a home in Fairplay: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Town of Fairplay which zoning district the lot is in and what that district allows2.
  2. Ask the Town whether the lot connects to town water and sewer; if not, contact Park County Environmental Health about a septic permit and site evaluation3.
  3. Check whether any part of the lot lies in a special flood hazard area, where the lowest floor must sit one foot above base flood elevation7.
  4. Apply for a building permit with the Town Building Department and schedule inspections1.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, a state access permit is required13.

What stays with Park County, and what to check before you buy in Fairplay

Septic permits, and wells outside any town water system, run through county and state channels rather than the Town: Colorado requires a permit for every new well that diverts groundwater14. Park County Environmental Health is the county's septic office12.

Before buying, confirm the lot is inside town limits using the map on the Town's building page, since the Town of Fairplay Building Department covers only the corporate limits1. Park County's effective property tax rate is 0.3%15, and only a small share of its soils (4.9%) rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation16.

Watch-outs

  • Fairplay and unincorporated Park County use different building departments, so a county permit counter will send an in-town address back to the Town8.
  • Colorado requires a state highway access permit for direct access from a property to a state highway13.
  • We could not confirm Fairplay's RV, tiny home, lot size, setback and permit fee rules; ask Town Hall at 719-836-2622 before you buy1.

Sources

  1. Town of Fairplay Building Department (fairplayco.us)
  2. Fairplay Municipal Code Sec. 16-26-20 Definitions (Town of Fairplay), quoted and re-checked
  3. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Fairplay Municipal Code Sec. 18-2-30 Fire Code amendments (Town of Fairplay), quoted and re-checked
  5. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  6. Fairplay Municipal Code Sec. 16-7-10 Accessory dwelling units (Town of Fairplay), quoted and re-checked
  7. Fairplay Municipal Code Sec. 18-3-180 Specific standards (flood damage prevention) (Town of Fairplay), quoted and re-checked
  8. Park County 2018 Building Code Resolution and Local Amendments, quoted and re-checked
  9. Article V – Zoning and Use Regulations (2026 county census)
  10. Fairplay Municipal Code Sec. 11-4-60 Camping (Fairplay Reservoir) (Town of Fairplay), quoted and re-checked
  11. Title 25 - Public Health and Environment - Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (Colorado statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Park County Environmental Health (parkcountyco.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
  16. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: 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 Fairplay

Town of Fairplay’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedPartial

    New construction inside Fairplay town; only the International Fire Code adoption and its reference to the IBC/IRC was verified

    • The adopting ordinance for the IBC/IRC itself was not opened.
    • Fire code amendments appear in Sec. 18-2-30.
    “The design and construction of new structures shall comply with the International Building Code or International Residential Code and the International Fire Code”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Fairplay town limits; the town administers its own Unified Development Code (Chapter 16)

    • Specific district regulations were not among the sections opened.
    “Administrator means the Town Administrator or his/her designee who administers and enforces the provisions of the Unified Development Code or Building Codes.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Overnight camping at the town-owned Fairplay Reservoir only; camping on private land not established

    • By permit only, with a fee set by the Board of Trustees.
    • Private-land camping rules were not found.
    “All overnight camping shall be by permit only, a reasonable fee for which may be established as deemed appropriate by the Board of Trustees.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units on lots inside Fairplay town

    • One ADU per lot and per principal building
    • Detached ADUs not permitted on lots under 3,500 sq ft
    • ADU between 400 and 850 sq ft, max two bedrooms, one off-street space per bedroom
    • No variances for ADUs; must meet building codes and water/wastewater connection requirements
    • Detached ADUs in residential zones in rear half of lot unless in or above a garage
    • Cannot be sold separately

    maximum ADU size: <= 850 sq ft · minimum ADU size: >= 400 sq ft

    “Only one (1) accessory dwelling unit shall be permitted per lot.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside Fairplay town

    • Lowest floor elevated one foot above base flood elevation, certified by a Colorado PE, architect or surveyor
    • Applies where base flood elevation data has been provided
    • Floodplain development permit requirements apply (Article III)

    freeboard above base flood elevation: >= 1 foot

    “Residential construction. New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement)”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Fairplay town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Fairplay town
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Fairplay town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Fairplay town
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Fairplay town
19 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Fairplay publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Park County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Park County: county rules, score and offices