New Single Family

Before you Apply

Thinking about building a new home in Arvada? If the lot is over 10,000 square feet a site development permit must be obtained. 

Required Documents

Below are the required documents that must be filled out completely and submitted along with the online permit application through aravdapermits.org. The permit will not be accepted if there are missing plans, documents or information. All plans should be submitted as one combined set of documents and there should be no security-locked documents submitted. Please verify that all design criteria, design conditions and adopted codes match what has been adopted by the City of Arvada before submitting. Design conditions, code information and design criteria are listed below. 

For Custom Homes Provide:

Custom Home build plans will need to be site specific with the address or lot/ block listed on all plans. 

• Plot Plan
• Erosion/ Grading Plan
• Floor Plans to include: Building Elevations, Cross Sections, Floor Plans, details, etc.*
• Structural Plans, Stamped and Signed**
• Foundation Plans, Stamped and Signed**
• Soils Report, Stamped and Signed**
• Set of Manual J, D and S Calculations
• Energy Report- calculation of Building Envelope Compliance***
• Truss Specification Package, Stamped and Signed**
• Gas line sizing calculation and schematic drawing

For Mastered Homes Provide:

Master plans should have no addresses or site specific information on them. 

• Floor Plans to include: Building Elevations, Cross Sections, Floor Plans, details, etc.*
• Structural Plans, Stamped and Signed**
• Foundation Plans, Stamped and Signed**
• Truss Specification Package, Stamped and Signed**
• Gas line sizing calculation and schematic drawing

For Repeat Plan Sets from Master provide:

Repeat home plans will need to be site specific with the address or lot/ block listed on all plans. 

• Plot Plan
• Erosion/ Grading Plan
• Structural Plans/ Foundation Plans, Stamped and Signed**
• Soils Report, Stamped and Signed**
• Set of Manual J, D and S Calculations
• Energy Report- calculation of Building Envelope Compliance***

Plans must include the proposed square footage. Multi-unit buildings must include details showing construction of rated walls/assemblies between units. Plans and any engineer letters must also include the applicable design criteria and adopted codes for the City of Arvada.

*See the most current version of the Colorado Revised Statutes 12-25-303 for requirements on when architectural stamped plans are required.
**By a professional licensed in the State of Colorado (engineer or architect).
***Only required when using a performance based method of compliance to demonstrate building envelope compliance requirements (some examples of an energy report include REScheck or HER's report).

Submitting Application

Applications are submitted using our customer portal. Please log in with your AEC number that was assigned to your company. Applications are only available to licensed contractors. If you are a homeowner that will be constructing a new single family, please contact the office to get a homeowners license number.

  eTRAKIT Application

Required Approvals

Approvals for permit issuance is required from Planning, Engineering and Building Inspections. After the application is accepted a review will be sent to the review team. Each review cycle will be 15 business days. After the review cycle, all documents and staff comments will be combined and returned to you with an approval or with a request for revisions. If revisions are requests, you must submit the updated and complete packet (all required documents) through the customer portal for additional review. During our review cycle you will not be able to view staff comments.

Note: If your application is associated with a development project the application will not be approved until the Development Application has received approval.

Inspections

Inspections can be scheduled until 6:00 a.m. of the desired inspection date. Inspections are completed Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All inspection can be scheduled using arvadapermits.org or by calling 720-898-7630 and using the automated line. A 3-digit inspection code is required.

Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.)

To obtain a Certificate of Occupancy the project must be in good standing with Engineering, Planning and Stormwater. All fees must be paid prior to issuance of the C.O.

Step 1. All final inspections are completed:

• Final Structural,
• Final Electrical,
• Final Mechanical (HVAC) 
• Final Plumbing
• CO- Public Improvement 

Step 2: Upload Required Documents

All documents should be uploaded to the permit through www.arvadapermits.org/etrakti3. All documents must be uploaded individually in PDF format.

Provide the following:

• Air Leakage Report/ Blower Door Certification- less than or equal to 3 ACH/ Min

• Energy certification, if using performance based method

  Insulation certificate, if using a prescriptive based method of compliance

• Provide documentation of compliance with section R302.13 of the 2018 IRC for fire protection of floor assemblies (the documentation that needs to be submitted depends on what method was used for compliance. Please ask us if you have any questions)

• Provide the Foundation Inspection Form with each of the required inspections signed off and stamped by the engineer that approved the inspection. See Foundation Inspection Form for details.

• Final ILC w/ impervious surface calculation

• Final Grading Certificate

• Certificate of Landscaping Completion

  If landscape construction is partially completed, or is yet to start construction, the Landscape Architect must provide an estimate indicating the value of the incomplete landscaping; this will serve as the basis for the required escrow amount as established by the development agreement. If there is no effective development agreement for the site, the required escrow amount will be set at 150% of the estimated value, except during a drought, during which time the escrow may be reduced to 110% of the contract value for incomplete turf or seeded areas, trees, shrubs, mulch, edger, and weed barrier; a factor of 150% will be applied to all other landscape elements. Escrowed funds will be released upon submission of Certificate of Landscape Completion indicating that 100% of the landscape design for the site has been completed per the approved plans.

Step 3: Schedule a CO/TCO Inspection.

This will notify the other departments a CO or TCO is being requested. Upload all required documents with request, missing documentation may result in a denial of request.

Step 4: Pay Fees

1. Pay your tap fees. If paying fees with non-certified funds, you must allow for the payment to clear before you will be approved for a Certificate of Occupancy.

2. Landscaping Escrow: If the landscape is incomplete, the planner will assess escrow amount on the permit. This must be paid beofre CO/TCO can be issued.

Step 5: Monitor arvadapermits.org

Once all required documents are added to the permit and you have scheduled the inspection, monitor arvadapermits.org to make sure all of the reviews are completed by the following departments:

• Engineering
• Planning
• Utility Billing
• Building

After all departments have approved their reviews, a Certificate of Occupancy may be issued. An email will be sent to the permit applicant when the permit status is updated. Please allow 3-5 business days for the request to be reviewed.

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (T.C.O)

A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy can be requested, please complete the steps for a Certificate of Occupancy and email buildingpermits@arvada.org with details for your request for a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy