CPD statement on residential permitting audit follow-up report

CPD statement on residential permitting audit follow-up report

Published on June 04, 2026

Denver's Department of Community Planning and Development (CPD) remains grateful to our residential plan review team for continuing to deliver high quality work and customer service. Our department and staff work hard to serve residents efficiently, minimizing delays without compromising CPD's mission to ensure that all buildings meet the strict life-safety standards of our codes and regulations, maintain quality of life in our city and align with adopted plans.

Since the Denver Auditor's Office conducted its initial audit of residential permitting in 2023, the team has maintained average plan review times well below the 12 to 15-week averages that customers were experiencing in 2022, when a post-pandemic backlog of projects prompted the audit. Year to date, on-time percentage for completed residential, zoning, and structural reviews is 92 percent, with 36 percent of those projects having a 2-business day target review time and 64 percent having a 10-business day target review time.

The numbers above reflect work by CPD, which was the focus of the audit. However, residential review incorporates work by multiple city agencies, including Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver Fire Department, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and Denver Parks and Recreation. Across all residential review disciplines, customers have seen significant improvements in on-time percentage, median days past due for reviews completed late and average days in city possession per review task. (See graphics below.)

CPD's residential team has also developed and implemented innovations that have made the process easier for homeowners and builders, including updating building and zoning codes to streamline permitting, eliminating the requirement for a permit for many small structures like sheds and pergolas, creating a quick permit to allow some interior-only renovations to receive a same-day permit, adding the demolition application process to our E-permits online permitting platform, and creating a comprehensive permitting checklist for new homes and additions. Additionally, the Denver Permitting Office has created an online portal for homeowners and the StartSmart Residential Projects Guide, which provides information tailored to a user's project.

CPD leadership appreciates the auditor's team for their follow-up work and advocacy on behalf of Denver's residents. We have implemented many key recommendations from the original audit report and fully intend to continue to partner with the DPO and other agencies involved in the plan review and permitting process to ensure a positive, seamless experience for residents who are building and updating their homes.

Key Metrics for Residential Permitting

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BUILDING COMMUNITY: Denver Community Planning and Development (CPD) is responsible for visionary city planning and ensuring safe, responsible, sustainable building. We're working hard to make Denver a great place to live, work and play! Visit DenverGov.org/CPD.

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