Plenty of homeowners assume a small, low deck can skip the permit. In Colorado Springs, that might not be the case. Let's go over why that is.
In this blog, we'll cover when you need a deck permit in Colorado Springs, which decks are exempt, the building codes your deck has to meet, and how the permit and inspection process works from plans to final approval.
Yes, almost every deck in Colorado Springs needs a building permit. The only exception is a small, low, freestanding deck that meets every one of the exemption conditions below.
A deck can skip the permit only if all four of these are true:
The height rule catches a lot of homeowners off guard. On a sloped Colorado Springs lot, a deck can sit at ground level on one side and rise past 30 inches on the other, and that's enough to require a permit.
Deck permits in the Colorado Springs area are issued by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD). It covers Colorado Springs, unincorporated El Paso County, Monument, Fountain, Woodland Park, Manitou Springs, Palmer Lake, Green Mountain Falls, and Calhan.
Projects outside PPRBD's area go through that community's own building department, which has its own submittal process. That includes Castle Rock and the rest of Douglas County.
Colorado Springs deck codes set minimum standards for footings, railings, stairs, and framing so every deck can safely carry people, furniture, and snow. These are some of the key requirements PPRBD reviews:
Composite decking has its own rule, too. Products like Trex must have an evaluation report. They have to be installed according to it, and the report has to be on site at inspection.
Code is the minimum. Every deck we build meets code or goes beyond it, especially in the footings and framing you'll never see once the boards go down.
The deck permit process in Colorado Springs moves from plans to plan review to three inspections and a final approval. Here's how it unfolds:
Plans are drawn.
A deck submittal includes a plot plan showing property lines and setbacks, plus a structural framing plan with joist and beam sizes, post and footing details, ledger connections, stairs, and guardrails.
Zoning and plan review.
Your plot plan goes through zoning review, and PPRBD checks the structural plans against code. If anything needs revising, it's handled before construction starts.
Footing inspection.
An inspector checks the width and depth of the post holes before any concrete is poured.
Framing inspection.
Joists, beams, posts, and connections are inspected before the decking goes on.
Final inspection.
The finished deck, including guardrails and handrails, gets a last review and final approval.
Most decks need those three inspections. More complex projects, like a deck with a patio cover or electrical work, can involve additional reviews.
Building a deck without a required permit can lead to problems later, and they usually cost more to fix than doing it right the first time. The most common ones:
Trouble when you sell.
Unpermitted work can come up during a buyer's inspection or appraisal and complicate the sale.
Opening up finished work.
Bringing a deck up to code after the fact can mean removing decking or rebuilding parts of the structure so footings and framing can be inspected.
Nobody checked the structure.
Without inspections, there's no independent confirmation that the footings, ledger, and railings were built to carry the load safely.
Most patio covers in Colorado Springs need a permit, and any cover built on a deck or attached to your home needs one. PPRBD only exempts detached covers of 200 square feet or less that aren't supported by a deck.
Covers come with a few extra plan requirements, including roof framing details, the roof material and pitch, and larger piers when the cover shares footings with the deck below. If you're adding a built-in grill under the cover, the manufacturer's clearance requirements are part of the review too.
Pergola requirements depend on the design and how it attaches to your home or deck. We confirm the permit path for every pergola during design.
Rocky Mountain Custom Decks handles every part of the deck permit process for you, from drawing the plans to scheduling inspections and securing final approval. Every deck we build goes in under permit.
We've been building decks in the Colorado Springs area since 2006, so we know what PPRBD looks for and how to put together a submittal that moves through review cleanly.
As a veteran-owned Trex Platinum Pro and your backyard general contractor, we also handle the concrete and electrical under the same contract. You get one team responsible for the whole project, and our workmanship is backed by a five-year written warranty.
Yes, almost every deck in Colorado Springs needs a permit from the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. Only detached decks of 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches above grade, that don't serve the home's required exit door are exempt.
A deck railing needs to be at least 36 inches high on any deck more than 30 inches above grade. Balusters can't be more than 4 inches apart.
Deck footings in Colorado Springs need to extend at least 30 inches below grade. That depth keeps footings below the frost line so freeze-thaw cycles don't shift the deck.
Yes, a replacement deck follows the same permit rules as a new one. Unless the new deck meets every exemption condition, it needs plans, a permit, and inspections.
We'll give you a realistic permit timeline for your project during design. Complete, well-prepared plans are the best way to keep review moving, and that's a big part of what we handle for you.
Yes. We prepare the plans, submit the permit, schedule every inspection, and see the project through final approval, so you never have to deal with the building department yourself.
A permit means your deck has been checked at every stage, from the footings to the final railing. It's one of the simplest ways to make sure your new outdoor space is as solid as it looks.
Contact Rocky Mountain Custom Decks to schedule a site visit, and we'll take the permit off your plate.