A final inspection needs to be requested and approved by the Larimer County inspector prior to release of a Certificate of Occupancy.

Final Inspection - To be made after finish grading, and the building is completed and ready for occupancy, all plumbing fixtures are set, heating equipment set and working, and final electric is signed off. Radon test must be completed and submitted to the Building Department if applicable. (Carpet and other floor coverings, trim and interior doors except fire-rated doors between sleeping rooms and mechanical rooms do not need to be completed for full CO.) If you are in a Wildfire Hazard Area, the final wildfire inspection will need to be conducted prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

Within 48 hours of final inspection approval,  the Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion will automatically attach to the permit and can be viewed via the Customer Online Portal system.

• Certificate of Occupancy - Issued for Residential & Commercial Permits
• Letter of Completion - Issued for cabins, accessory structures,  barns, garages, storage buildings, stand alone structures and all miscellaneous permits.

A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) may be issued for 180 days after final inspections are obtained and all life-safety issues have been corrected, in the judgment of the county building inspector. Please let your inspector know you are seeking a TCO, so he can verify you meet the minimum conditions, and what corrections are needed for the permanent Certificate of Occupancy. If the inspector approves you for a temporary certificate of occupancy, you must bring your signed permit inspection card to the building department office and pay a $600 TCO fee, which is partially refundable if you make all corrections prior to the TCO's expiration. 

See more details on requirements and fees for TCO's

• One complete working bathroom, with shower or tub.
• Kitchen sink to be installed and working.
• Heating system, furnace & water heater, to be installed & working.
• Electric final to be approved.
• Health department final (if applicable) to be approved.
• Access and flood finals (if applicable) to be approved.
• All stairs, handrails, and guardrails to be installed per code.
• Wildfire final inspection and any other life safety issues.
• Fire Department final approval if fire-sprinklered or if by conditions of approval.
• Any other life safely issue in the opinion of the building inspector.

When is a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) required on a commercial building? Before a building or structure is occupied. Examples:

• All new commercial, industrial, and multi-family structures.
• When there has been a change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure, for example from a warehouse to office.
• Tenant finishes in a shell building.
• Major commercial additions that require Site Plan Approval.

When is a Letter of Completion issued instead of a CO? Examples:

• Accessory structures.
• Minor additions or alterations of a commercial building.
• Shell buildings.

What steps are required to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion?

• Need to obtain a final approval from all agencies that approved the permit.
• Meet all conditions of approval of the permit. Conditions of approval are printed on your new Building Permits and on the back of the permit card.
• Bring in permit card showing all approvals, proof that all conditions are met, and request a Certificate of Occupancy.

Here are some examples of some agencies that may need final approval:

• Larimer County Building Division (Building & Wildfire Approval)
• Larimer County Environmental Health (Septic or Food License Permit).
• Larimer County Engineering Division (Access Permit, Surveyor's Certification, and Storm Drainage Approval on Commercial Buildings).
• Local Fire Department (Sprinkler and/or Final on Commercial Buildings).
• Larimer County Planning Division (Landscaping & Final Site Plan Approval on Commercial Buildings).

A Temporary CO may be request by following the same procedure as above. If final approval was not obtained, but there are no life safety issues as determined by the inspector a T.C.O. may be requested. There will be a $600 fee for temporary certificate of occupancy. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy shall be valid for six months. If a full Certificate of Occupancy is issued within the first month, all but $40 will be refunded. If a full Certificate of Occupancy is issued prior to the six month expiration, $100 shall be refunded for each full month remaining out of the original six month validity period of the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.