Kitchen & Bathroom Remodel Permit and Plan Submittal Guide

PURPOSE

To help homeowners, contractors and design professionals understand when kitchen and bathroom remodel permits are required in the City of Littleton and what information must be included with the permit submittal.

APPLICABLE CODES

Single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and qualifying townhouses are generally administered under the International Residential Code (IRC). Other occupancies, including apartment/multifamily buildings outside the IRC scope, commercial spaces and mixed-use buildings, are administered under the International Building Code (IBC) and International Existing Building Code (IEBC). This distinction also affects which electrical provisions apply.

• IRC-administered projects: Electrical work is reviewed under the electrical provisions of Littleton’s adopted IRC and NEC. The remodel must meet current requirements applicable to the work being performed.
• IBC/IEBC-administered projects: Electrical work is reviewed under Littleton’s adopted 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC), together with applicable IBC/IEBC requirements.

THE BASIC RULE

A permit may be required even when a project looks “cosmetic.”

Cabinets, countertops and similar finish work may be permit-exempt when the work is truly limited to finishes and does not alter regulated building, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing work. Once the project affects regulated work or becomes part of a larger remodel, a permit is required.

Kitchen remodels

A permit may be required when cabinets or countertops are replaced as part of a larger kitchen remodel, even if walls stay in place or the visible work appears cosmetic. Show the entire kitchen layout because cabinet, countertop, island, sink and appliance locations affect receptacle and circuit requirements.

Complete bathroom remodels

A building permit is required for a complete bathroom remodel. Show the entire bathroom layout, including plumbing fixtures, receptacles, lights, switches, ventilation, doors and windows or glazing that could be affected by safety-glazing requirements.

Limited bathtub or shower replacement

A standalone bathtub or shower replacement may be permitted as a limited-scope project without requiring the remainder of the bathroom to be remodeled. This exception applies only when the work is truly confined to the bathtub or shower area.

Electrical scope in a remodeled kitchen or bathroom

The electrical features serving the remodeled room must be evaluated and brought into compliance where required by the remodel scope, including required receptacles, GFCI/AFCI protection, branch circuits and equipment connections. This does not automatically require wholesale replacement of otherwise undisturbed wiring elsewhere in the dwelling; however, existing wiring and overcurrent protection used for the remodeled work must be suitable and safe for that work.

PLAN SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

All permit applications and plans must be submitted electronically through the City’s eTRAKiT system. Include the project address on every document and identify the applicable code editions. Plans marked “Preliminary,” “Not for Construction,” or similar are not accepted.

1.     Existing and Proposed Floor Plans. Provide clear, dimensioned existing and proposed floor plans showing the project address, north arrow, room dimensions, ceiling height, walls, doors, windows, door swings, structural elements and the complete scope of work. Hand-drawn plans may be accepted when neat, legible, drawn to scale or fully dimensioned, and complete.

2.     Kitchen Layout. Show base and wall cabinets; countertops and backsplashes; islands and peninsulas; pantry, utility and built-in storage; sinks; dishwasher; refrigerator; range; oven; cooktop; microwave and other fixed appliances; whether appliances are gas or electric; kitchen exhaust equipment and duct route; and applicable installation clearances.

3.     Bathroom Layout. Show the water closet, lavatory or vanity, bathtub and shower locations and dimensions; shower doors, walls and enclosures; door swings and fixture clearances; windows or glazing near wet areas, including horizontal distance and height above finished floor; exhaust fan and duct route; plumbing fixtures and valves; niches, benches and curbs; waterproofing details; and required blocking or reinforcement for accessibility features where applicable.

4.     Electrical Layout. For residential remodels, the electrical drawing is a location-and-scope layout and is not intended to require an engineered electrical design unless the project or code specifically requires one. Show receptacles, countertop/work-surface receptacles, island and peninsula provisions, switches, lighting, exhaust equipment, the nearest existing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, electrical panel location and service size, affected circuits, and equipment requiring dedicated circuits.

ADDITIONAL PLAN INFORMATION

5.     Plumbing and Mechanical Layout. For residential remodels, show enough location and scope information to identify the plumbing and mechanical work. Show affected fixtures and appliances; water, drain and vent piping; sink, lavatory, water closet, tub and shower connections; dishwasher, refrigerator water line and disposal connections; valves; exhaust equipment and duct routes; and heating registers or ductwork being moved, altered or covered. Manual J, S or D calculations may be required by the scope.

6.     Gas Piping Changes and Isometric. Describe every gas-related change in the permit scope. A gas piping isometric is required for new or altered gas piping unless the work fits one of the limited existing-range exceptions listed below.

When an isometric is required, show:

• Incoming gas pressure and allowable pressure drop.
• BTU demand of every appliance served downstream of the meter.
• Pipe material, diameter and developed length of every pipe section.
• Shutoff valves, meter, regulator and appliance locations.
• Burial depth for underground piping, where applicable.
• Any fuel conversion affecting gas piping, including electric-to-gas or gas-to-electric work, and any capped or abandoned gas piping.

A gas piping isometric is generally not required when the only gas-piping change is:

• Shortening existing gas piping by any amount.
• Downsizing existing piping using the same piping material.
• Increasing the length of piping serving only a range by no more than 10 feet.
• Replacing a range with an increase in appliance input of no more than 10%.

Gas test pressure. Littleton’s current fuel-gas amendment requires a test pressure of not less than 20 psig. For a system with less than 10 cubic feet of pipe volume or a system in a single-family dwelling, the minimum test duration is 15 minutes. Gas piping must remain exposed and available for inspection until approved.

7.     Structural Information. Show framing information whenever a wall, ceiling, floor, foundation or other structural component is altered. For IRC-administered projects, a Colorado-licensed Professional Engineer design is generally required for structural or foundation alterations, except a prescriptive header design that fully complies with the IRC may be accepted without an engineer. For IBC/IEBC-administered projects, structural alterations generally require design by a Colorado-licensed Professional Engineer who is professionally competent in structural design. If engineer field verification is required by approved plans, plan-review comments or inspection conditions, submit the verification before final approval. Foundation alterations require engineer verification before final approval.

8.     Energy-Code Information. Additional energy-code information may be required when work affects exterior walls or ceilings, insulation, air barriers, windows, skylights, exterior doors, heating/cooling equipment, ductwork, service water heating, or permanently installed lighting/electrical controls. Identify insulation, air-sealing and thermal-envelope work and provide applicable compliance information for the scope.

BATHTUB OR SHOWER-ONLY PROJECTS

A permit is still required for a bathtub or shower replacement, but the permit may remain limited to that work when no other portion of the bathroom is being remodeled.

Submit:

• A simple floor plan showing the bathroom and the bathtub or shower location.
• Existing and proposed bathtub or shower dimensions.
• Wall, backer and waterproofing system information.
• Plumbing valve and drain information.
• For windows or other glazing near the wet area: the horizontal distance from the tub/shower enclosure to the glazing and the height above finished floor to the bottom of the glazing.
• Manufacturer information for a prefabricated tub, shower base or enclosure, when applicable.

Safety note. New work within the project area must comply with current code. Shower and tub-shower valves must provide required pressure or temperature protection and be set to limit the maximum water temperature to 120°F.

The limited-scope exception does not apply when the project also includes:

• A new or relocated vanity, water closet or other plumbing fixture.
• Changes to receptacles, lights, switches or fans outside the tub/shower work.
• A changed bathroom layout.
• Wall removal or structural work.
• Work that is part of a larger bathroom renovation.

OTHER COMMON REQUIREMENTS

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

For most kitchen and bathroom remodel permits, required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout the dwelling unit must be brought into compliance with the current code. The plans do not need to diagram every alarm in the dwelling; show the nearest existing alarms to the remodel area. Certain plumbing-only or mechanical-only permits, including qualifying limited tub/shower work, may fall under code exceptions.

Inspections

Do not cover wiring, piping, framing, shower waterproofing or other concealed work before the required inspection has been completed and approved. Typical inspections may include:

• Rough framing.
• Rough electrical.
• Rough plumbing.
• Rough mechanical.
• Gas pressure test.
• Insulation or energy-code inspection.
• Final building inspection.
• Final trade inspections.

Who May Perform the Work?

Contractors must hold the licenses or registrations required by the City of Littleton. A homeowner permit is available only to a person who owns, uses and occupies the property. A homeowner supervising a project involving two or more disciplines may be required to hire a City-licensed general contractor or demonstrate sufficient knowledge to supervise the work through the City’s testing process.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

1.     Confirm jurisdiction.
Use the City of Littleton Address Wizard to verify that the property is inside city limits.

2.     Prepare complete plans.
Include the existing and proposed room layout and all information required for the project scope.

3.    Use the full permit valuation.
Include design, labor and materials, including owner-provided materials.

4.     Submit through eTRAKiT.
Upload the permit application and required documents electronically.

5.     Obtain the permit before work starts.
Do not begin demolition or regulated work until the permit has been issued.

6.     Keep approved plans onsite.
Do not conceal work until required inspections are approved.

This handout provides general information. Approved plans, adopted codes, manufacturer instructions and project-specific conditions govern the work.