Average Plan Review Times
The ability to estimate permitting timelines is an important factor in managing your project. While we strive to provide accurate estimates based on current 90-day averages, actual review times may vary by project. Community Planning and Development is committed to monitoring and sharing review times and making adjustments as needed to provide excellent quality of work and customer service for all projects.
Some projects will have a due date listed in e-permits. These dates are set automatically based on target review times, and do not adjust in response to volume or capacity. For a more accurate estimate, please use the dates provided in the dashboard below based on when your permit application was accepted for review. Projects are reviewed in the order they are received by the next available staff member. E-permits will not list a specific reviewer for your project until one is available and the project has been officially picked up for review by that individual.
Q2 Update: Mayor's Goal to Reduce Permitting Time
On July 15, 2024, Mayor Mike Johnston, joined by Denver Community Planning and Development and other city agencies, announced that the city has cut bureaucratic red tape and streamlined processes to exceed Mayor Johnston’s goal of cutting residential permitting times by 30 percent and is on track to reduce commercial permitting times by 30 percent by the end of the year.
Previous efforts combined with current innovations and initiatives are helping the city make progress in meeting the mayor’s goal by the end of 2024. This progress reflects steps the city took several months ago to reduce the backlog in permit review times. Community Planning and Development has also met with several city stakeholders, including the Downtown Denver Partnership and developers, to collect feedback and act on solutions.
Staff have been focused on driving the improvements and will continue to do so. The city also recognizes that these timelines can still fluctuate if other variables are at play. Changes in permit application volumes, staffing levels, and market activity have the potential to affect plan review timelines positively or negatively before the end of 2024. Throughout the year, the city will continue to monitor progress and prioritize solutions that will help us achieve the permitting timeline goals.
Read the full news release
Updates on this important work will be provided as we continue to innovate and improve the city's permitting process.
Review Times Dashboard
- Average Weeks: These columns show the average review times experienced by customers over the last 90 days.
- 90th Percentile Weeks: These columns show the maximum review times over the last 90 days. It includes projects that are taking longer than usual due to complicated or unique circumstances.
Use the arrow in the bottom-right to open in full-screen mode. Data is updated daily.
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Additional Resources
List of Minor Commercial and Residential Projects (eligible for faster review times)