What to expect during a zoning inspection is the Zoning/Neighborhood Inspections Inspection Checklist published by Community Planning and Development for the City and County of Denver. It tells you what to have ready before a zoning inspection tied to a Denver permit (a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy) or to a business license, and what the inspector will look at on site. On this page you can fill out the checklist online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the City and County of Denver.
Last updated
What is What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO?
What to expect during a zoning inspection is the one-page Inspection Checklist of Denver's Development Services, Zoning/Neighborhood Inspections, listing what to prepare before a zoning business license inspection or a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) zoning inspection, and the items the inspector checks.
The checklist has two parts. The first, "Before requesting a zoning inspection," covers how to request the inspection and what must be in place: approved plans, paved and striped parking with wheel stops, painted and signed handicap spaces, zoning approval for roof-top units (RTUs) and for exterior façade changes including new signs, and landscaping or a notarized letter about it.
The second part is the list the inspector works through. It asks, for example, whether the inside of the business matches the approved floor plan, whether the use matches what was approved, whether outdoor lighting has full cutoff fixtures, whether trash areas are screened, and whether fences, signs, outdoor storage and the Xcel transformer match the approved site plan. The checklist warns that this may not be an exhaustive list for all scenarios.
The document is a preparation guide, not an application. It does not issue a CO or a license; those depend on passing the inspection and on the other approvals the city requires. Community Planning and Development, the City and County of Denver agency that publishes it, lists Zoning Administration among the agencies whose approvals may be required on a construction permit's final agency inspection record.
Who needs to file What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO?
The checklist is for anyone who is about to request a zoning inspection in Denver in one of two situations:
- CO or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO): you need a CO or TCO zoning inspection tied to a residential or commercial construction permit.
- Business license: you need a zoning inspection on a business license, for example for a marijuana facility.
Its items apply to the site being inspected, so owners, tenants and contractors preparing the property can all use it. The checklist notes that some items depend on the site. In industrial zone districts, for example, trash screening is not required, but dumpster locations must appear on the site plan, and free-standing light fixtures cannot exceed 35' in height. It is not a general guide to every type of Denver inspection: building, plumbing and other inspections follow separate procedures on the city's Building Inspections page.
When to file What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO
Use the checklist before you request the zoning inspection, so every item is in place when the inspector arrives. Landscaping depends on the date of the inspection. If landscaping was required and the inspection falls in the growing season, April 1 to Oct. 1, it must already be installed. From Oct. 2 to March 31, if it is not installed, give your inspector a notarized letter on company letterhead stating your intent to install it by May 15th.
For construction permits scheduled through e-permits, the city's Building Inspections page says inspections are completed within 2 business days and cannot be scheduled while a permit is under review; the permit status must be "issued." The checklist itself prints no separate due date.
Documents you need
- Approved zoning site plan and floor plan: have both ready to show the inspector at every zoning inspection.
- Residential or commercial construction permit number ("RESCON" or "COMMCON"): needed to schedule a CO or TCO zoning inspection online.
- Excise & Licenses record number: needed to schedule a zoning inspection on a business license by phone.
- Zoning approval for all roof-top units (RTUs), such as A/C units and roof-top mechanical equipment, if the site has any.
- Zoning approval for any exterior façade changes, including new signs, if the site has any.
- Notarized letter on company letterhead stating your intent to install the landscaping by May 15th: only if landscaping was required, is not installed, and the inspection is between Oct. 2 and March 31.
How to fill out What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO
Identify the inspection you need
Decide whether you need a CO or TCO zoning inspection or a zoning inspection on a business license, such as for a marijuana facility. The request method differs for each.
Gather the permit or record number
For a CO or TCO, find your RESCON or COMMCON construction permit number. For a business license, find your Excise & Licenses record number.
Prepare your approved plans
Have the approved zoning site plan and floor plan ready to show the inspector. The inspector checks whether the inside of the business matches the approved floor plan and whether the use matches what was approved.
Check parking and handicap spaces
Make sure all parking is paved and striped, with wheel stops where there are no curbs, and bike parking if applicable. Handicap spaces must be painted and delineated with an upright handicap sign in front of the space.
Confirm roof-top unit and façade approvals
Make sure you have zoning approval for all roof-top units (A/C units, roof-top mechanical equipment) and for any exterior façade changes, including new signs. Signs must also match what is described on the permit.
Check landscaping and the seasonal rule
If landscaping was required, it must match the approved site plan and be installed if the inspection is between April 1 and Oct. 1. From Oct. 2 to March 31, prepare a notarized letter on company letterhead stating you will install it by May 15th.
Review lighting, trash and storage items
Outdoor fixtures need full cutoff to prevent glare onto another zone lot. Trash areas must be screened and flush with or behind a street-facing façade, outdoor storage must be on the permit and site plan, and industrial districts have the exceptions the checklist states.
Review fences, phasing and transformer
Any fence needs a permit and a place on the site plan. For phased construction, the current portion needs enough off-street parking, and the Xcel transformer must match the approved site plan.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check each item against your site, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Request the inspection through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO
The checklist is not filed with the city; you use it to prepare, and you request the inspection itself through one of two channels:
- Online, for a CO or TCO: go to denvergov.org/buildinginspections to schedule. You need a residential or commercial construction permit number (a "RESCON" or "COMMCON") to schedule zoning inspections online.
- By phone, for a business license inspection: dial 3-1-1 (720-913-1311 if you are outside of Denver). Be specific about what you need inspected, and have your Excise & Licenses record number ready.
Have your approved zoning site plan and floor plan ready to show the inspector. For questions, the checklist lists Community Planning and Development, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 205, Denver, CO 80202, phone 720-865-2705. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Requesting a CO or TCO zoning inspection online without a RESCON or COMMCON construction permit number, which the online scheduling requires.
- Requesting a business license zoning inspection online instead of by phone at 3-1-1, or calling without an Excise & Licenses record number.
- Describing the request vaguely; the checklist asks you to be specific about what you need inspected.
- Arriving without the approved zoning site plan and floor plan to show the inspector.
- Leaving parking unpaved or unstriped, without wheel stops where there are no curbs, or with handicap spaces lacking paint, delineation and an upright sign in front of the space.
- Having roof-top units or exterior façade changes, including new signs, that lack zoning approval.
- Not installing required landscaping during April 1 to Oct. 1, or, from Oct. 2 to March 31, not bringing the notarized letter on company letterhead promising installation by May 15th.
- Using barbed or razor wire on a fence in an industrial zone district without Fire Department approval, or leaving a fence off the permit and site plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Denver zoning inspection checklist?
It is a one-page checklist from Denver's Development Services, Zoning/Neighborhood Inspections, titled "What to expect during a zoning business license inspection or a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) zoning inspection." It lists what to prepare beforehand and what the inspector checks.
How do I schedule a zoning inspection for a CO in Denver?
For a CO or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, go to denvergov.org/buildinginspections and schedule online. You need a residential or commercial construction permit number, called a "RESCON" or "COMMCON," to schedule zoning inspections online.
How do I request a zoning inspection for a business license?
Dial 3-1-1, or 720-913-1311 if you are outside of Denver, and be specific about what you need inspected. You need an Excise & Licenses record number to schedule this inspection. The checklist gives marijuana facilities as an example.
What does the zoning inspector check?
The inspector checks whether the interior matches the approved floor plan, whether RTUs, signs and façade changes are approved, and whether the use, parking, handicap spaces, landscaping, lighting, trash screening, outdoor storage, fences and Xcel transformer match the approved plans. The list may not be exhaustive.
What if my landscaping is not installed at inspection time?
It depends on the date. Between April 1 and Oct. 1, required landscaping must already be installed. From Oct. 2 to March 31, bring a notarized letter on company letterhead stating your intent to install the landscaping by May 15th.
Do I need zoning approval for roof-top units?
Yes. The checklist says to ensure you have zoning approval for all roof-top units (RTUs), such as A/C units and roof-top mechanical equipment. The inspector asks whether all RTUs have been approved and permitted by zoning.
Can I fill out the Denver zoning inspection checklist online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service that does not schedule inspections or file anything with the city; you request the inspection online at denvergov.org/buildinginspections or by calling 3-1-1.
Ready to fill out What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO?
Fill out What to expect during a zoning inspection – Denver, CO now