Building Permit Fees

Fee Types

Common building permit fee types are listed below. The City of Durango Building Permit Fees Schedule lists the amounts of the fees. 

  • Building Permit Fee - This fee is applied to the building permit as adopted in Section 6-20 of the City Code and Appendix L of the 2012 International Residential Code.
  • Durango Fire Protection District (DFPD) Impact Fee – A DFPD impact fee is now required for new single family residences, new commercial, and commercial additions within the City of Durango. This fee is calculated and collected by DFPD before the building permit is issued. For more detailed information, please contact DFPD directly at (970) 382-6000 or https://durangofire.org/.
  • Major Street Impact Fee –When a new residential or commercial unit, an addition, or a change in use is proposed, this fee is collected for the purpose of assuring that the street system is adequate and available to support projected new growth and development, while maintaining the existing and preferred level of service standards.
  • Park Fees –When a new residential unit is proposed this fee is collected for the purpose of providing park or recreational facilities and their improvement in lieu of land dedication.
  • Plumbing and Mechanical Fees – Plumbing and mechanical permits are separate from the main building permit. If there is not a main permit already issued, the plumbing and mechanical permits are calculated in the same way as a building permit as explained on the Building Permit Fees sheet.
  • School Fee –When a new residential unit is proposed this fee is collected for the purpose of purchasing land for school use, the construction of school facilities, or other capital improvement needs within School District 9R in lieu of land dedication.
  • South Durango Sanitation District (SDSD) - Projects south of Bodo Industrial Park (including Three Springs) are served by South Durango Sanitation District, which is a separate district with separate fees from the City of Durango. Please contact them directly for sewer service rates.
  • Use Tax - This tax is assessed upon all tangible personal property purchased to be used within the City of Durango city limits, regardless of where the purchase took place, when sales tax has not been charged. The use tax and the sales tax for the City of Durango combine to total 3.5%. On building permits, it is assumed that half of the valuation of every building project is for labor, so the use tax rate is only applied at 1.75% of the entire valuation of the building project. If the contractor or applicant ends up paying the City of Durango sales tax on items used on the project, they may contact the Finance Department by calling (970) 375-5033, to discuss a possible refund.  Please click here for an informational handout.
  • Water and Sewer Plant Investment Fees (PIF) - These fees are charged to anyone requesting new water or sewer service from the city or a request to increase an existing water service size. Plant investment fees are collected to support infrastructure. Both fees are based on the water line size.

Exemptions 

  • Three Springs projects are exempted from Park Fees.
  • Twin Buttes projects are exempted from Park and School Fees.
  • Skyridge projects are exempted from Park and School Fees.
  • South Durango Sanitation District (SDSD) projects south of Bodo Industrial Park (including Three Springs) do not pay City of Durango sewer fees.  Sewer fees are collected by SDSD.