Frequently Asked Questions

Please fill in the Work Session Meeting Request Form. For questions, call the Board of County Commissioners Administration (BOCC) at (719) 836-4201.

Please fill in the Request for Public Documents form with a detailed description of your request.

Contact the Park County Court located at 300 4th St, Fairplay, CO. 80440, by phone 719-836-2940, or by visiting their web page at:

The sales tax rate for the Town of Fairplay is 8.9%. The sales tax rate for the Town of Alma is 7.9%. The sales tax rate out of town is 4.9%.

For all of your Planning & Zoning, Permitting, Licensing, and Code Enforcement needs go to the CloudPermit Portal

We are open Monday through Thursday 7am to 4pm in Fairplay. We are closed for holidays. Please check the Park County website for upcoming holidays. Inspections need to be scheduled no later than 5:00 p.m. the business day before you need the inspection to occur.

The following do not require a building permit but still must conform to land use regulations.

• One story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, that do not exceed 200 sq. ft. (Please note that most properties require a dwelling prior to any accessory structure)
• Fences not over 6 feet high.
• Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall that are not structural/load baring.
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, siding, and similar cosmetic work. (Non-structural)
• Swings and other playground equipment accessory to detached one and two- family dwellings.

Please contact Park County's Building Department at 719-836-4255 or county.building@parkcountyco.gov for more information regarding permitting requirements regulations.

No. The Building Department, the Planning and Zoning Department and the Environmental Health Department are totally separate departments and we don’t share paperwork.

Please submit two sets of plans showing what you are planning to change and submit them to our office for a plan revision. The cost for plan revisions is $50.00 per hour for every hour it takes to review the new plans, with a two hour minimum. If you are adding square footage to your project you will also be charged the standard new building square footage price for the additional area. Plan revisions do have to go through the standard plan review process that usually runs two weeks. Please be aware that you will not be able to receive any inspections while your revision is in plan review.

Yes. Any demolition work requires a permit. The demolition permit applications are available on our website. The fee is $100.00 and the permit is good for one year from the date of issuance.

Yes. Any type of addition, alteration, remodel, garage, or deck permits requires:

•The warranty deed •The approved planning and zoning sheet and the approved plot plan. Please contact Planning and Zoning @719-836-4254 or planner@parkco.us • The ISDS (individual sewage disposal system) approval form. Please contact Environmental Health @ 719-836-4267 or EHS@parkco.us for details. •A copy of your driveway permit. The only exception is that if the property already has a structure on it you do not need to provide the building department with a driveway permit. • The necessary forms from the fire department or fire protection district you are in. Please contact the applicable fire district, Platte Canyon Fire Department @ 303-838-5853, Hartsel Fire Department @ 719-836-3500, Jefferson/Como at 719-836-2082 and Southern Fire Protection at 719-689-9479, to see what approvals you need from them and associated fees. •The completed homeowner statement of responsibility if you are doing the permit as an owner/builder. •PDF of construction drawings showing what you are planning to build and how you plan to build it.

Please note you must submit all required documents at the same time. Partial submittals will not be accepted.

The frost depth in Park County can be as deep as ten feet. The prescriptive minimum footer depth is 24” below finished grade, on undisturbed soil.

Park County has adopted the following 2018 International codes.

The 2018 International Residential Code. The 2018 International Building Code. The 2018 International Mechanical Code. The 2018 International Fuel Gas Code.

These code books can be purchased on-line at www.iccsafe.org.  

Please contact the Park County Planning and Zoning Department @ (719)-836-4254 or planner@parkco.us regarding this question.

Yes. Park County does license/register general contractors. Please see the Park County Contractor license information for complete details.

Mobile homes are not allowed in Park County.

Refer to 2018 International Residential Code Section R304.

Yes, but you must have a general contractor who holds both his/her “Park County Contractor license/registration” and his/her “Colorado Division of Housing manufactured housing registration” responsible for the entire project. Please contact the Building Department for a list of licensed/registered installers.

Park County contracts all plumbing and electrical with the State of Colorado, please contact them @ 303-894-7800 or online

Approximate building permit fees can be found on the Building page under Permit Applications and Fees. 

The snow loads in Park County depends on the location of the project. You can obtain snow loads for specific locations on our website by searching with the schedule number of the property. Our website will have a “Snow Load Map” under Design Loads for Structure to determine to ground snow loads and wind loads for the location of the project. The map is a digitalized form from the SEAC 2022 snow loads and should be used with the adjustment factors in ASCE 7 to be converted into roof snow loads. 

No. There is a minimum standard of living that states all buildings used for the purposes of sleeping must have electrical, plumbing, sanitation facilities, and running water.

Please refer to the Park County Inspection Information document available on our website or call 719-836-4255 to have a copy e-mailed to you.

Please submit an information request form, which is available on our website, or call to have it emailed to you. Once submitted, we will get back to you as soon as possible. (Sometimes on the same business day, but requests can take up to three business days) Please note: large complex requests can take longer and may not be able to be done while you wait or within three business days.

Code requires that work commences within 180 days of permit issuance, and that progress be made every 180 days. If work proceeds but cannot be completed within one year, you can request a permit renewal.

The deceased will be transported to the Park County Coroner facility in Fairplay, CO.

A pending death certificate will be signed as soon as possible after an autopsy or exam is complete. A final Death Certificate will be issued once all required tests are completed.

The Park County Clerk and Recorder will sell you Certified copies of the Death Certificate. The current cost is $20 for the first and $13 for each additional Copy. Your Funeral Home may assist with this.

The approval of the Coroner's Office is required for tissue / organ donation. The wishes of the deceased for organ / tissue donation will be evaluated on an individual case basis. If donation is approved, the Park County Coroner’s Office will be glad to assist in the coordination of the donation procedures. In rare cases donation of organs / tissue needed for a complete investigation will not be approved.

Select a funeral home or whole body donation service as soon as possible. Ask them to call the Park County Coroner's Office. If the deceased is to be removed out of state, ask the mortuary from that state to coordinate with a local mortuary for the necessary services.

Fill out the Autopsy Report Request form and you will receive them via email. If you have further questions call 719-836-4340.

Generally, jobs are posted at our Administrative Offices in Fairplay and on the County website. You should also refer to indeed.com for those same jobs as well. 

• A completed employment application is required to be considered for any open position.
• Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an employment application.
• You are welcome to attach a resume to the completed application.
• An employment application must be completed for each position to which you are applying.

• We evaluate your application to determine whether you qualify by comparing your background to the job qualifications and/or requirements.
• We will send you a notice to let you know if we are not going to pursue your application any further.
• The hiring department selects which of the qualified candidates to interview.
• Please note that simply fulfilling the minimum qualifications or requirements does not assure an interview.

To check the status of your application, please call (719) 836-4201 or Contact Human Resources online.

For all county positions you may

• Apply online
• By mail: Park County Human Resources, P.O. Box 1373, Fairplay, CO, 80440
• In person: Park County Human Resources, 856 Castello Ave, Fairplay, CO, 80440
• For Sheriff’s Office positions, you may also submit your application to: Park County Sheriff’s Office-Business Manager, 1180 County Road 16, Fairplay, CO, 80440 Ph:(719) 836-4374

View the following Concealed Handgun Permit Application Procedure Brochure.

There are over 50 different lodging options in Park County, including motels, hotels, cabins, bed and breakfast inns, country lodges, and dude ranches. Descriptions, rates, photos, and contact information are provided for each facility at the following site.

Back-country trails and roads abound in Park County for both motorized and non-motorized recreation. Most routes are maintained by the U.S. Forest Service and have certain use restrictions. For a description of each road, trail, and area, visit the following site:

There are 29 Forest Service campgrounds in Park County, ranging from 7,900 feet to 12,000 feet in elevation.

Log In to the CodeRed Portal. Navigate to the Profile Update page and click on the Deactivate button in the lower left hand corner.

Log In to the CodeRed Portal. Navigate to the Profile Update page and click on the Deactivate button in the lower left hand corner.

CodeRED™ is a web-based critical communication solution that enables local public safety personnel to notify residents and businesses by telephone, text message and email of time sensitive information, emergencies or urgent notifications.  The system can reach hundreds of thousands of individuals in minutes.  

Yes, when you create an account you are able to customize how messages are delivered.  

 A CodeRED™message will have the caller id of 866-419-5000 for emergencies and 855-969-4636 for non-emergencies.

You can set up your account to alert you only by text vs a phone call for non-emergency messages.  The system will not allow emergency messages to be by text only due to the emergent nature of an emergency.  A phone call will be attempted as well as text if you set up the cell phone to receive text alerts.

During an emergency we are attempting to reach as many residents as possible.  The emergency itself such as a wildfire may overload cell towers with phone calls as well as the landline network (lines are busy), the text may be the only message that is able to get through which is why including the text option is very important.  The system will attempt to contact the resident 3 times before it times out.

Residents that have a solicitation blocker on the phone will not receive the entire message.  The CodeRED™ system will assume the message for solicitation blockers are in fact your answering machine message, wait for the appropriate amount of time and deliver the message.

You call the number back to hear the most recent message being sent.

Drag the blue balloon to the location of your home.   You can zoom in and out of the map using the + or -.   Move the balloon slowly so you do not lose your location on the map.

The CodeRED™ system uses the locations of your home based on your address to map the area to alert. If your homes location is not correct when you register, you may not get an important message.

Yes, by doing so you know it is not a robo call.

The CodeRED™  system uses the geo-location of your cell phone to provide you an alert when traveling.   The alert you receive from the mobile app is not the same alert you get for an alert involving your home.    They are separate functions of the system.   If you set up your cell phone for your home you will get those messages.   Using the mobile alert, you will get messages that do not involve your home when your travel through an area that received an alert.  For example, a wildfire in Jefferson county may include the roadway you are traveling on, as you enter the alert area your cell phone will receive that alert.

No, as long as your contact information has not changed. If you move you need to update all your information to your new location in Park County or cancel your registration if you have moved out of county.

To ensure we have your correct contact information we strongly urge all residents to create and account. CodeRED™ will update their database regularly using various resources for contact information.

Ask a neighbor that has internet for help or go to your local library for internet access or call 719-836-4115 for personal help.   If you have internet you should register yourself.

No, you must sign up in order to receive an alert.

No, you must set up your account to have at least one telephone ring for emergency alerts for an incident that may occur late at night while you are sleeping.   Also, if you have a cordless phone it will not work during a power outage.   All numbers you enter into your account will be called during an alert.

Yes, make sure you are using your address in park county and any landline that is appropriate.  You can have your primary phone called in addition to your landline in park county as well as your cell phones.

Emergency alerts are usually for a geographical area. Incident Command will provide an area to be alerted. The 911 Center will create that mapped area in the system. Your residence may be outside of the mapped area. If you think you should have been alerted, contact the 911 Center Director at 719-836-4115.

We have two Motor Vehicle Offices:

• In Fairplay at 856 Castello Ave
• In Bailey at 59865 Highway 285

We take cash, personal and business checks, electronic check (add a $1.00 flat fee), credit/debit cards (add a 2.9% portal admin fee for transactions over $10) and Money Orders.

• ATTN: On July 1, 2025, Document Filing Fee's will change.

Copies from 1989 to present are 25 cents per page, microfiche copies prior to 1989 are $1.25 per page. Certified copies are $1 per document. Plat maps are $7.00 per page. If being mailed, there is also a fee for postage.

Business and personal checks, money orders, cash, credit and debit cards are acceptable forms of payment.

Go to the Assessor’s website and submit address changes online.

You have the option to pay your taxes in full by April 30, or in 2 installments - First half by February 28 and the Second half by June 15.

You can look up your tax amount online through the Treasurer's website.

Yes. Barking dogs are regulated by Park County Resolutions. In order for Animal Control to take action against the dog’s owner, you need to provide specific dates and times, where the dogs live, and who owns them if you know. You must also include your full name, date of birth, residence, mailing address, and a working phone number. To expedite your complaint, use the Barking Dog Complaint Form.

Permitting a dog to run at large is a violation of Park County Resolution 95-11-8(a). If possible, follow the dog(s) to their home, or safely contain them. You can make a report through Park County Dispatch at 719-836-4121 ext 5. An available officer with either come retrieve the dog(s) if contained or attempt to contact the owner. Photos and/or videos of the dogs at large are also helpful.

No. Cats are wandering animals and do not fall under Park County Resolution 95-11 as a stray animal. Please release the cat so it may return home. If the cat is injured, then Animal Control will respond.

We investigate cases of animal cruelty regularly. This includes all species of domestic animals, not just horses. Cruelty can include neglect, abandonment, failure to provide necessary sustenance, or mistreatment. Call us at (719) 836-4380 with details please leave a name and phone number so the officer is able to contact you for further details.

No. Livestock (horses, cattle, buffalo, sheep, donkeys, etc.) are not required by law to have either shelter or blankets.

Park County Animal Control will hold the animal for 5 days, at which point it is considered abandoned. We work closely with multiple shelters and will hold the animal until another shelter has space for it. All the shelters we work with are no kill and will make sure each animal ends up in a loving home!

Unfortunately, Animal Control does not have the facilities to hold cats. Please reach out to one of the shelters near you about finding homes for the cats.

Colorado is a fence out state. This means that if you don’t want cows on your property, you must fence them out. You can contact the local brand inspector, and they can assist in finding an owner, however ultimately you would still need to fence out the cows. If your property is lawfully fenced, and the cows are still getting onto your property, the brand inspector can assist you with contacting the owner and filling a civil case for any property damage. 

While that is legal, a better solution is to find out where the dogs live, who owns them, and report the information to Park County Animal Control. If you can get photos or video this will help the officer if a citation is issued to the owner. Permitting a dog to chase wildlife or livestock is a violation of the law and carries a penalty of up to $500 with a mandatory 10-day quarantine. 

Please contact Animal Control at 719-836-4380, and we can assist by putting you in touch with local pet pantries.

Any dog living in the county for longer than 30 days are legally required to be licensed with the county. This helps Animal Control reunite dogs with their owners if they get lost. This also ensures all dogs are up to date on their rabies vaccine.

No, unauthorized signs may not be placed within the right-of-way of any public road in Park County, nor on any public lands. This includes, but is not limited to, any commercial signs advertising goods or services, real estate signs, political signs, yard sale signs or any sign not authorized by Public Works and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Any unauthorized signs found in the right-of-way will be removed and disposed of. Public Works will not store any signs pulled from the roadside.

No. There is no parking or storage allowed of any vehicle, trailer, boat, or any type of property or material, including building supplies, trash cans and dumpsters, in the right-of-way of any public road or on any public property in Park County. Vehicles or other property in the right-of-way may be removed at the owner’s expense. The County is not responsible for any damage to property placed in the right-of-way.

A right-of-way is property typically reserved for transportation uses. The property is usually deeded or dedicated, in our case to the County, and implies an ownership right. Rights-of-way in Park County are most often, but not always, sixty feet (60’) in width. However, rights-of-way may vary from twenty feet (20’) to one-hundred and twenty feet (120’) or more.

An easement is for property dedicated to a specific use. An easement is for the specified use only, and the grantor of the easement retains ownership of the property. The easement may be for public transportation uses, or it may be for ingress and egress for specific people across or to a specific property. Easements may also be granted for the placement of utilities or for purposes such as snow storage. An easement will spell out what it is for and how the property may be used. It may or may not spell out specific allowed or mandated maintenance activities, however an easement for public roads usually implies that the road will be maintained and managed the same as a road with a dedicated or deeded right-of-way.

Property lines are usually marked by property pins, which are required to be in, and stay in, place. Plat maps and property descriptions are helpful in determining property lines. If there is confusion as to where the property line actually is, and no pins or markers are evident, a survey may be needed to determine where the line actually is. Surveys will most often be the financial responsibility of the person benefiting from the survey.

By State law, any snow that falls on a property must remain on that property and cannot be pushed into the public right-of-way. Please see the Park County Snow Removal Policy for more information.

It is the property owner’s responsibility to clear the snow from in front of their driveway, please see the Park County Snow Removal Policy for more information.

Obtain and complete a Citizen Complaint Form. Submit the form by Email, fax at (719) 836-4351, or mail it to: Planning Department P.O. Box 1598 Fairplay, CO 80440 If you do not have access to a computer, you can call 719-836-4267 and we will mail you a complaint form.

The lobby is open Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. We are closed for all federal holidays.

maps.parkco.us

Setback requirements can be found by calling 719-836-4292. Note: Some Planned Unit Developments(PUDs) have specific setback requirements.

A permit is required for camping more than two weeks per year and camping units may not be left on lots when not in use. For additional information, please contact the Planning Department at 719-836-4292.

• Is your property is an existing subdivision? If so, it cannot be further subdivided.
• If your property is less than ten acres it cannot be subdivided.
• Is your property ten acres or more and not in a subdivision? If so, then it is possible to subdivide it.
• Please contact the Park County Planning Department at 719-836-4292 for more information.

Go to the Citizen Portal to start your process.

The permit fees are listed on page two of the Development Permit Application, which are found on the Environmental Health's Web page under Applications & Permits.

Contact the Environmental Health Department immediately at 719-836-4267.  A repair permit will be required. After the application has been completed, an inspection will be scheduled to determine what type of repair will be needed.  The application for a septic permit is found on the Park County Website under Environmental Health Department.

Generally, the septic and driveway permits are issued 7 – 10 days after the first inspection.  Permit turnover may take longer during the months of May – September due to the volume of applications during these months.  

Transfer of Title is required per Park County, OWTS Regulations.  Please refer to section 43.4 L of the Regulations under Environmental Health Department web page.

The Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) has several types of well permit application forms to assist with obtaining a permit to construct a new or replacement well, or to register an existing well.   Well documents can be found by visiting: https://dwr.colorado.gov/services/well-permitting. 

The Environmental Health Department may have copies of well papers if the septic system was installed after 2003.

Apply for a Site Evaluation through the Environmental Health Department.  Once a survey and wetland delineation have been performed on the property.  This application can be found on the Park County webpage under Environmental Health Department.  This evaluation does not include recommendations for placement of your home or septic system.

You may contact the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment at 303-692-3039 to discuss water testing.  Their website is: http://fs8.formsite.com/cohelath/form542518383/index.html.

NOTE:  Between Evergreen and Buena Vista, please refer to the yellow pages under "Environmental Services" or "Laboratory Testing."

Contact your closest landfill:  Freemont 719-372-6671, Jefferson 303-371-5115, Summit 970-668-4290, Chaffee 719-539-3738, Teller 719-686-7517.

For household trash, call Mountain View Waste Systems: 303-838-0560.  There are transfer stations in Bailey, Fairplay, Guffey, Hartsel, Lake George & Pine Junction.  Ask for addresses and hours of operation.  For larger items, call the Chaffee County Landfill: 719-539-3738; DRL Summit County Landfill: 970-4668-4290; BFI Foothills Landfill (Golden):303-371-5115.

Print out the "Environmental Health Complaint Form" from the Park County webpage under Environmental Health Department.  You may mail it to: Environmental Health Department; P.O. Box 216; Fairplay, CO  80440, fax it to: 719-836-4266 or e-mail it to ehs@ParkCo.us. Otherwise you can complete the form online at our website: www.parkco.us

First, seek medical attention and document your incident. Complaint forms from the State of Colorado are handled by Park County Environmental Health. Call Human Services at 719-836-4139.

For the latest information on pandemic and epidemic health issues, please visit this Web site prior to calling Park County Environmental Health:   www.cdphe.state.co.us

If it is child sexual abuse, yes. If it is an adult, no.

However, you have the option of being examined at a hospital with a SANE program where you will be examined (at no cost to you) for any injury and given treatment and information re: STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and/or pregnancy. Evidence is collected and is held for up to two years. If you chose to report at any time during this 2-year period the evidence will be handed over to the law enforcement agency where the crime occurred per your instructions.

You may also call the Mountain Peace Shelter, (303) 838-8181 for confidential assistance with this process.

SANE (Sex Assault Nurse Examiner)/FNE (Forensic Nurse Examiner) is specifically trained to examine sexual assault victims for injuries, collect evidence (forensic evidence), provide medications to prevent sexually transmitted infection and give information to prevent pregnancy.

The hospitals with SANE programs that are closest to Park County are: St. Anthony Central - Denver Memorial Hospital - Colorado Springs Summit Medical Center - Frisco

Yes. Both Park County Sheriff’s Office Victim Services and PeaceWorks have a list of therapists for both adult and child victims. Again, Victim Compensation will, in most cases, pay for this treatment.

• She is frightened or seems threatened when her partner is angry
• She worries that her partner will be jealous or suspicious
• Her partner makes all or most decisions
• Her partner criticizes her frequently
• She apologizes frequently for her partner's behavior
• She's withdrawn from friends and family
• She seems in a hurry to get home
• Her partner breaks things, throws things, intimidates her, or is cruel to children or animals
• She may quit her job
• She or her partner grew up in a violent home

Please fill in the Work Session Request Form with a detailed explanation of the purpose for the requested meeting.

Contact the GIS Department at 719-836-4294

• metes and bounds
• within a platted subdivision
• by Section of a Township and Range [also known as an aliquot portion of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS)]
• within a "bounded by" description

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Reside in this state at least 22 days before the election
• Provide proof of ID

• A valid driver's license
• A valid identification card issued by the Department of Revenue
• Your Social Security number

• A valid driver's license
• A valid identification card issued by the Department of Revenue
• A valid United States Passport
• A valid Employee Identification Card with photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United State Government or of this State, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of this State
• A valid pilot's license with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by the Federal Aviation Administration or other authorized agency of the United States
• A valid United States Military Identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector
• A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issues by the United States Health Care Financing Administration
• A certified copy or a birth certificate for the elector issued in the United States
• Certified Documentation of Naturalization
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector

On July 1, 2025, Document Filing Fee's will change.

When an owner on a deed dies, the death certificate may need to be recorded with the Clerk and Recorder. For more information on recording a death certificate, visit the Clerk and Recorder or call: 719-836-4333

The rest of the process depends on what kind of ownership the property is.

If the property is joint tenancy, the recording of a death certificate may result in the deceased owner being removed, but we still recommend getting legal advice from an attorney or probate court to be certain.

If the property is tenants in common, the recording of the death certificate will not automatically result in the deceased owner being removed. You will need to contact probate court or an attorney to have the deceased owner removed. The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide any legal advice. Probate Court, 719-836-2940.

The Assessor’s Office is notified of changes in ownership by recorded documents.

The Assessor’s Office is unable to provide legal advice as to which document you should record.

The prepared deed will list all current owners as the seller, and all current owners plus the new person or people listed as the buyer. It must contain the legal description of the property and all current owners must sign the deed with a witness and notary. The new deed will be recorded with the Clerk and Recorders Office 719-836-4333.

Please contact Code Enforcement :  719-836-4259

County-wide fire ban information can be found on our website or by calling 719-836-4160.

Log In to the CodeRed Portal. Navigate to the Profile Update page and click on the Deactivate button in the lower left hand corner.

A short five or six digit number sequence that is displayed on the recipient’s phone when they receive a CodeRED message. These codes are designed to be easy to read and remember, allowing your residents to save the number into their address book. The short Code for Park County is 76993

• health coverage that meets a minimum standard (called “minimum essential coverage”) by January 1, 2014;
• qualify for an exemption; or
• make a payment when filing their taxes if they have affordable options but remain uninsured.