Planning and Development Services 2026 Schedule of Fees

The rates in effect at the time of application applies. Building permits are issued as a general permit. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing sub-contractor permits and fees are required when associated with a general permit unless stated otherwise.

Section 4204(c)(d)(e)

This fee is based on the value of the work covered by the permit. It shall be determined by either the City of Boulder Valuation Table or the estimated value of the work covered by the permit provided by the applicant at time of application. The higher of the two valuations shall be used to calculate the building permit fees and the estimated pre-payment of construction use tax. The square foot construction costs in the City of Boulder Valuation Table are based on the August 2025 cost data as published by the International Code Council and will be updated on an annual basis. Construction materials are defined as materials that become an inseparable and integral part of a completed structure or project.

Fee is due at the time of permit issuance and is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit.

City of Boulder Valuation Table – Fee

City of Boulder Valuation Table – Scope

International Code Council Valuation Table (August 2025)

N.P. = not permitted

Section 4204(f)8

This fee is for the review of new construction and additions to assure that the design complies with the International Energy Conservation Code. Fee is due at the time of permit issuance and the rate is in effect at the time of application.

Section 4204(f)7

This fee applies to building and sitework permits to assure that the design complies with all city codes. Fee is due at the time of application and is nonrefundable. The rate in effect at the time of application applies.

(RL-2 on lots >8,000 square feet that are not within a planned development, planned residential development, planned unit development, or an approved site review; or shown on Appendix H of Title 9, Land Use Code.)

Section 4208

Fee is due at the time of permit issuance and is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit.

Residential

Fee is based on the enclosed living area of new, remodels, and additions to oneand twounit dwellings and townhomes.

Nonresidential and Multifamily

Fee is based on the total cost of the electrical installation, including labor and electrical materials.

Photovoltaic System Permit Fee

Temporary Construction Power Permit

A Temporary Construction Power Permit is $36.40, no tax.

Section 42013

Fee is based on the value of the mechanical materials and labor to building the structure and is due at time of permit issuance. This fee is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit.

Solar Thermal System

Section 42015(b)

Fee is due at the time of permit issuance. This fee is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit. Additional fees may apply. Refer to the Utility Fees section for additional information.

Residential

For new construction, the fee is based on the number of bathrooms and/or dwelling units. Please note that a roughedin bathroom constitutes a bathroom.

Nonresidential

Fees shall be computed based on the total dollar value of the complete plumbing installation including materials, fixtures and all installation costs, as follows:

Section 4204(f)1

This fee is due at the time of permit issuance and is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit. Additional fees apply for buildings over fifty years old. Refer to the Historic Preservation Application Fees section.

Section 4-20-72

An applicant for a building or demolition permit which requires a deposit under section 3601.2.3 of the City of Boulder Building code or section R328.2.3 of the City of Boulder Residential Code shall pay an administrative fee of $219.

Section 4204(f)14

Fee is based on the volume of cut and fill material associated with the project and is due at the time of permit issuance. The Grading Permit Fee is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit.

Grading Plan Review Fee

Additional plan review required by changes, additions, or revisions to the approved plans is $51.30 per hour with a minimum of one-half hour.

Grading Permit Fee

Section 42021(b)

Fee is based on the type of sign and is due at the time of application. Sales tax is due on valuation of the sign at time of application. This fee is doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit.

Section 3-2-5 and Section 3-17-6

City and county sales and use taxes are paid on building and right-of-way permits at the time of permit issuance and are a pre-payment estimate based on the construction material valuation of the work covered by the permit. For a building permit, material valuation is estimated at fifty percent of the total valuation. For a right-of-way or grading permit, material valuation is estimated at thirty percent of the total valuation. The tax rate in effect at the time of application applies. An applicant is exempt from city and county taxes on the construction materials associated with the permit at vendors throughout Colorado upon purchasing the permit. Contractors and homeowners acting as their own contractor may be required to reconcile the pre-payment of estimated Construction Use Taxes with actual taxes due based on the final contract price or final project cost. Please refer to the city’s website for additional information.

Sales tax is collected on publications and water/wastewater taps and meters.

Section 383

Development Excise Taxes fund the cost of future capital improvements.

Development Excise Taxes are assessed on new residential and nonresidential development and nonresidential additions. Excise taxes are paid prior to final inspection for new construction, or at the time of permit issuance for all other types of construction. The tax rate in effect at the time of application applies.

Section 4-20-62

Capital facility impact fees will be collected for capital improvements to serve new development. Residential development will be charged impact fees based on unit size. Residential additions will be charged on net additional square footage. Non-residential development will be charged impact fees based on square footage by type of use. Redevelopment will be charged for net new square footage and a change of use. Capital facility impact fees are paid prior to final inspection for new construction, or at the time of permit issuance for all other types of construction. The tax rate in effect at the time of application applies.

Residential Impact Fee Rates per Dwelling Unit

Additional Impact Fee Rate for Expansion of Existing and Replacement Single-Unit Dwellings

Nonresidential Impact Fee Rates

The table below impact fee rates are per square foot of nonresidential floor area.

The table below impact fee rates are based on unique demand indicators.

Public & Civic Uses and Affordable Commercial Uses Impact Fee Rates

Section 4-20-53

This fee is required when requesting to build within a wetland area and is due at the time of application.

Section 4-20-44

Fees are due at the time of application. Refer to Section 9-3-2, Section 9-3-6(b)(3), and Section 9-16-1(c) for additional information.

Other Floodplain Development Fees

Fee is due upon application and at annual renewal. Fee cannot be prorated.

Section 42018 and 4-20-38

Fee is due prior to issuance or renewal of a rental housing license. Licenses must be renewed every four years.

Section 4-20-6, Section 4-20-23, and Section 4-20-27

All Right-of-Way Permits require payment of a permit fee plus additional fees for services and inspections. Fees are due at the time of permit issuance, and are doubled on permits for work started or completed without an approved permit. The fee rate in effect at the time of application applies. Sales and use tax is collected on permits where city infrastructure will be repaired or replaced. Refer to the Sales and Use Taxes section for additional information.

Right-of-Way Permit Fees

Right-of-Way Inspection and Testing Fees

Appurtenance Fees

Stormwater, Sewer, and Testing Fees

Other Right-of-Way Fees

Section 4-20-11(a) and Section 4-20-20

The Initial Review Fee is non-refundable. Permits and leases must be renewed every three years. Applications for other encroachments not covered by this section will be reviewed and assessed a fee on a case-by-case basis.

These fees apply to services related to utility work – including water, wastewater, and flood control – on private property. Fees are due at the time of permit issuance. Additional fees apply for work in the public right-of-way. Refer to the Right-of-Way Permit Fees section.

Front Foot Assessments

• Many properties have outstanding utility assessments that are due to the City of Boulder or the original installer of a utility line at the time of annexation, subdivision, redevelopment, building permit issuance or connection, whichever occurs first.

Outside City Utilities

• Connection of properties outside the City of Boulder limits requires a separate
  Land Use Review approval. City right-of-way permit fees related to restoration are not applicable in right-of-way owned by Boulder County.

Sections 42023

Fees are for service connections and replacements

Section 42023(d)

Additional fees apply for meter pits. Refer to the RightofWay Permit Fees section for additional information. Individual components including yokes, meters, transponders, and related equipment may be purchased according to the fees listed in Section 42023.

Water Meter Call Back Fee

Section 42023(e)

The contractor is responsible for providing materials for all taps.

Water Tap Call Back Fee: $312.00

This fee applies if the site is not ready for the tap.

Section 42027

Section 4-20-27(c)

Wastewater Tap Call Back Fee: $238.00
This fee applies if the site is not ready for the tap.

Sections 4-20-26, 4-20-29 and 4-20-46

General Information

Plant Investment Fees (PIFs) are for water, wastewater and stormwater utilities and are charged to utilize existing infrastructure systems. PIFs are paid prior to final inspection for new construction, or at the time of permit issuance for all other types of construction. The fee rate in effect at the time of application applies.

Credits

• Existing residential units or metered commercial facilities approved as part of a previous permit are credited at current plant investment fee rates.

Efficiency Standard

• All nonresidential or mixed use customers can opt to choose the efficiency standard to establish a custom water budget. The PIF will be determined at that time. Please see the Boulder Revised Code for details.

Large User Agreements

• Nonresidential users requiring a water meter larger than two inches, or water use that exceeds the limits described in Section 11-1-52(j), or wastewater discharge that exceeds limits described in Section 11-2-33(j) will require a special agreement with the city and will be subject to large user fees specified in Section 4-20-26 (a) (5) and/or 4-20-29 (a) (4).

Mixed Use Developments

• Developments with combined residential and nonresidential uses in the same structure shall pay a plant investment fee based on the individual uses within the structure.

Water PIFs are charged when an increase in demand is placed on the city’s existing water system. The PIFs are based on both an indoor and an outdoor component (except for irrigation-only services, which only have an outdoor component). See Table I for details by customer type. Existing customers who are increasing their demand on the system due to a remodel or an addition may or may not require a PIF payment.

TABLE I: Water PIF Payment

Based on Customer Type

Commercial, industrial and institutional customers must determine the appropriate meter size and select an annual water budget as shown in Table II. Each meter size and water budget (percent of AWC) correlates to a specific PIF payment as shown in Table III. A customer may select a smaller water budget and pay less in PIFs; however, if a customer goes over their monthly water budget, they will pay more in their monthly utility bills. Water usage other than listed below may be evaluated and assessed a proportional PIF on a case by case basis.

TABLE II: Annual Water Budget

Based on Average Winter Consumption (AWC) (gallons)

TABLE III: Water PIF Payment

Based on Percent of AWC (water budget)

Wastewater PIFs are charged when an increase in demand is placed on the city’s existing wastewater (sanitary sewer) system. See Table IV for details by customer type. Existing customers who are increasing their demand on the system due to a remodel or an addition may or may not require a PIF payment.

TABLE IV: Wastewater PIF Payment

Based on Customer Type

Commercial, industrial and institutional customers must determine the appropriate meter size and select an annual water budget as shown in Table II. Each meter size and water budget (percent of AWC) correlates to a specific wastewater PIF payment as shown in Table V. A customer may select a smaller water budget and pay less in PIFs; however, if a customer goes over their monthly water budget, they will pay more in their monthly utility bills.

TABLE V: Wastewater PIF Payment

Based on Percent of AWC (water budget)

Stormwater and Flood Management Utility PIFs

Section 4-20-46

This fee applies to any customer increasing their impervious, (hardscape), area and is calculated based on the square feet of additional impervious area. However, if new storm water detention facilities are built by the owner according to the most current City of Boulder Design and Construction Standards in effect at the time the building permit application is submitted, on or after April 2, 2009, the applicable fee shall be reduced by 50 percent.

Development review fees are due at the time of application. In addition, some Technical Document Review and Land Use Review applications are billed hourly following issuance of the initial comments. Refer to the Acknowledgement of Obligation form for additional information.

The application fee in effect at the time of application applies; the hourly billing rate in effect at the time of services rendered applies. Reapplication fees are listed in Section 42043.

Section 42043(a)(b)(c)

Section 42043(b)

The Planning Board fee is refundable if the application is withdrawn prior to publication of the item on a Planning Board agenda.

¹ The Annexation Feasibility Study Fee will be credited to the Annexation/Initial Zoning Fee if both applications are submitted within the same calendar year.

Section 42043(b)

Section 42037

Sections 42033, 42047, 9-2-3(d)