Renovation permits and contractor licences in Colorado

Trades that need a licence in Colorado

• Electrical work

  Electricians are licensed by the state, not by your city. The Division says plainly that it is a violation of state law for anyone other than the homeowner who is not a registered electrical contractor to install an electrical project on your property. If you hire an electrical contractor, pulling the permit is their job, not yours.

  Sources:Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – Electrical and plumbing permits⁠(opens in a new tab)Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – State Electrical Board⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Plumbing

  Plumbers are licensed by the State Plumbing Board on the same pattern, and the same rule applies: anyone other than the homeowner who is not a registered plumbing contractor may not install a plumbing project on your property. Active plumbers must complete continuing education every year of their licence period.

  Sources:Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – State Plumbing Board⁠(opens in a new tab)Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – Electrical and plumbing permits⁠(opens in a new tab)

• General contracting and renovation

  There is no single state licence for general contracting in Colorado, so the rule depends on where you live. Denver issues its own contractor licences and certificates and will not accept one from another county or state, and Aurora runs its own contractor and supervisor licensing. Ask your city what it requires before you compare bids.

  Sources:Denver Community Planning and Development – Contractor licensing⁠(opens in a new tab)Aurora – Building Division⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Certified trades

  Who inspects your job depends on the county. The state Division issues electrical and plumbing permits and inspects, but it does not inspect in a jurisdiction that runs its own inspection programme, and it publishes the list of those jurisdictions. Work out which authority covers your address before anyone applies.

  Sources:Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – Electrical and plumbing permits⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Consumer protection

  Check an electrician's or plumber's licence yourself in the state licence lookup, which covers every profession the Division regulates. The Electrical Board also publishes consumer guidance on hiring, including what to look for in a home improvement contract and how to avoid disaster-repair scams.

  Sources:Colorado DORA – Licence lookup⁠(opens in a new tab)Colorado State Electrical Board – Consumer resources⁠(opens in a new tab)

Before you hire a contractor in Colorado

Practical checks you can do yourself, using official tools where they exist.

1. 1

   Check an electrician's or plumber's state licence in DORA's licence lookup before work starts.

   Official lookup: Colorado DORA – Licence lookup⁠(opens in a new tab)

2. 2

   Ask your city whether it licenses general contractors, and whether it will accept a licence from elsewhere.

   Official lookup: Denver Community Planning and Development – Contractor licensing⁠(opens in a new tab)

3. 3

   Confirm that your contractor, not you, is pulling the electrical or plumbing permit.

   Official lookup: Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations – Electrical and plumbing permits⁠(opens in a new tab)

4. 4

   Find out whether your address is inspected by the local building department or by the state division.

   Official lookup: Colorado State Electrical Board – Consumer resources⁠(opens in a new tab)

5. 5

   Ask which code edition the plans will be reviewed under before they are drawn.

   Official lookup: Denver – Building codes, policies and guides⁠(opens in a new tab)

6. 6

   Get proof of insurance and a written scope, materials list and price before you pay a deposit.

   Official lookup: FTC – How to avoid a home improvement scam⁠(opens in a new tab)