Colorado has no one homeowner program. Denver, Fort Collins and Centennial each let an owner act as their own contractor, with different limits on trades, occupancy and help.
A Colorado homeowner can pull permits and work on their own house without hiring a licensed general contractor, but the rules are set city by city, not by one statewide program. Denver, Fort Collins and Centennial all let an owner act as their own contractor on a primary residence, and each one draws the line in a different place. This guide compares the three so you know what an owner can do, what still needs a licensed trade, and where the exemption stops.
At a glance
- Denver issues homeowner permits only for single-family homes, only to the owner who lives there, and never to a trust, LLC or corporation.
- Denver requires you to occupy the home for at least one year after the work is complete.
- Denver limits a homeowner to one new single-family home permit every five years, while renovations and additions are not counted.
- Fort Collins requires a notarized affidavit and a 24 month gap between new homes you build yourself.
- Centennial requires the homeowner to personally perform every trade they initial on the affidavit.
For the bigger picture on how Colorado licenses contractors, start with the Colorado contractor license guide. This page covers only the homeowner permit paths. If you want the general question of who can pull a permit at all, read can I pull a permit without a contractor license.
Why Colorado homeowner rules differ by city
Colorado does not run one statewide general contractor license, so the permit office in your city decides who may build and under what conditions. Centennial's own affidavit says it plainly: electrical and plumbing contractors must be state licensed and registered with the city, while general, mechanical and roofing contractors are not state licensed but must be licensed through the city. That split is why a homeowner exemption looks different in every Front Range city.
The practical result is that the same project can be easy in one city and closed to homeowners in the next. A townhome owner in Denver cannot pull a homeowner permit at all, while Fort Collins lets that owner do minor repairs under a separate form. Check your own city's building department before you plan any work.
Denver: the strictest eligibility test
Denver's homeowner permit page sets the narrowest door of the three cities. The property must be a single-family home, which may include an attached garage. Denver states that a homeowner cannot obtain a permit for work in accessory dwelling units, townhomes, condos or duplexes.
| Denver requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Legal owner and occupant | Photo ID must match the Denver Assessor's records |
| No entity owners | Permits are not issued to trusts, LLCs or corporations |
| One year of occupancy | You must live in the home at least one year after the work is complete |
| New home limit | One new single-family home permit every five years |
The five year limit applies to building a new home. It does not apply to renovations or additions, so an owner can permit several remodels in the same period.
Trade work in Denver
Denver separates general work from the three licensed trades. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical or HVAC work requires either a licensed contractor in that field or a passing score on the homeowner exam, and a state license may substitute for the electrical or plumbing exam. No exam is needed for general construction or for roofing and siding. The exam is offered only in English, and Denver's page links to times and locations without listing a fee.
Who has to do the work in Denver
The default rule is that the homeowner personally performs the work on the permit. There are two ways around it. You can submit a written request to act as your own general contractor and hire Denver licensed subcontractors, or you can use the designated worker option. Since May 22, 2025, trade permits for new construction and additions also require an issued Residential Construction Permit first.
Fort Collins: a notarized affidavit with two options
Fort Collins asks the owner of record to sign a notarized affidavit and pick exactly one of two options. Both options require that the home is the owner's primary residence. The second option covers alterations and additions to a detached single-family home.
- Option 1, a new home. You certify that you will personally build the home as your primary residence and that you have not personally built another new home inside Fort Collins in the past 24 months.
- Option 2, an alteration or addition. You certify that you act as your own general contractor on your primary residence and that you either do the work yourself, hire City licensed trades, or continuously supervise unpaid volunteers.
What still needs a licensed contractor in Fort Collins
The affidavit says structural wood framing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and roofing work must be done by City licensed contractors when you hire it out. Anyone paid to supervise the whole project must be a City licensed general contractor, and paid specialty trades must be City licensed subcontractors. If you hire someone for work that requires a license, that contractor must be listed on the permit application and be current on City license and insurance requirements.
Attached homes in Fort Collins
Owners of townhouses, condos and duplexes get a narrower form. It allows only minor alterations and repairs under the owner's continuous personal supervision. It excludes structural framing changes (with an exception for replacing windows and doors without enlarging the opening), fire resistive assembly work, new electrical, plumbing or mechanical installations, and more than 100 square feet of roofing. Nonstructural work over $2,000 in total value also requires a licensed contractor.
The city lists the consequences of misusing the form: a stop work order, permit revocation, forfeiture of fees and a court summons. The text we read for this guide was partly garbled in places, so confirm the current form with the Fort Collins building office before you sign.
Centennial: you do the work you initial
Centennial uses a Homeowner Agreement Affidavit that works trade by trade. You initial the work you plan to do yourself, and the form states that it "will be personally performed by me the homeowner." One line is blunt: "I affirm, as the homeowner, I will do all of my own electrical work."
By signing, the homeowner also certifies these points:
- You act as your own general contractor and understand how to manage the project and when to request inspections.
- You know the correct methods for the framing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work you initialed.
- You will have the work inspected before it is covered and again at completion, before occupancy.
- You will make sure all work follows the codes and ordinances adopted by the City of Centennial.
Any contractor you hire must show proof of current workers' compensation and liability insurance and current state licensing where state law requires it. The form does not list specific penalties. It warns that using an unlicensed, unregistered or uninsured contractor "may lead to unintended consequences."
Side by side: the three cities
| Question | Denver | Fort Collins | Centennial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Homeowner permit, ID check | Notarized affidavit | Homeowner Agreement Affidavit |
| Entity owners | Not allowed | Owner of record signs | Owner signs |
| Occupancy rule | One year after work | Primary residence | Not stated on the form |
| Trade work | Exam or licensed trade | City licensed trades if hired | Owner personally does initialed trades |
Where the homeowner exemption ends
Every one of these programs is built around a person improving their own home. None of them lets you build for other people, run a construction business, or put a company on a permit. The moment you take payment to build, remodel or manage work for someone else, you are a contractor, and the city expects the license, registration and insurance that go with that.
Owners also get into trouble by treating the exemption as permission to hire unlicensed help. Fort Collins, Centennial and Denver all pair the exemption with a rule that paid trades must be properly licensed. Read penalties for unlicensed contracting if you are weighing a shortcut.
When a business needs a qualifier
A homeowner permit solves one house. A contractor who wants to work across many Colorado cities needs the license each city requires, and a company usually has to name a qualified individual who holds the credential and answers for the work. A qualifying agent QUALIFIES a company by serving as that individual, working as a full time W-2 employee of the company they qualify.
Learn how that works in What Is a Qualifying Agent and how the owner and qualifier roles differ in contractor license qualifier: owner vs employee. Founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski built The Licensing Company around exactly this problem for contractors who outgrow the homeowner path. If you are ready to place a qualifier, visit Hire a Qualifying Agent or see consultation packages.
For the trade side of Colorado licensing, see electrician license Colorado, plumbing license Colorado and HVAC license Colorado. Owners in other states can compare the Arizona owner builder exemption, the Nevada owner builder exemption and the California owner builder exemption.
FAQ
Can I build my own house in Colorado without a license? Usually yes, if you own it, live in it and your city allows a homeowner permit. Denver, Fort Collins and Centennial each require the home to be your own residence and set their own limits on how often you can do it.
Can an LLC pull a homeowner permit in Denver? No. Denver does not issue homeowner permits to trusts, LLCs or corporations, and the owner must match Assessor records.
Do I need an exam to do my own electrical work? In Denver, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work requires a licensed contractor or a passing homeowner exam. Centennial does not describe an exam on its affidavit, but it requires you to personally do the electrical work you initial.
Can I hire friends to help? Fort Collins allows continuously supervised unpaid volunteers on an alteration or addition. Paid help in a licensed trade must hold the city license.
How much does it cost to hire a qualifying agent? It varies with the state, the trades, the company's structure and the work involved, so there is no single number. See consultation packages to talk through your situation.
Sources
- City and County of Denver, Applying for Permits as a Homeowner, read 2026-10-30
- City of Fort Collins, Homeowner Affidavit, read 2026-10-30
- City of Centennial, Homeowner Agreement Affidavit 2024, read 2026-10-30
Rules change and cities update forms. Confirm the current requirements with your building department before you start work.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.