Administrative overview · FIPS 08011
Bent County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Bent County Land Use Office
For a project in or near Bent County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
(719) 456-2223; County government main line (719) 456-1600
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Bent County Courthouse, 725 Bent Avenue, Las Animas, CO 81054; mailing address P.O. Box 350, Las Animas, CO 81054
Operating hours
Courthouse hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; contact the Land Use Office before visiting because the County's permit page does not publish a separate counter schedule.
Review expectation
N/A for permit review; the published zoning rule provides a five-day Certificate-of-Occupancy issuance target after completion is reported and the final inspection is made. Special-review applications and plans must be submitted at least 14 days before the County Commissioners' hearing.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Bent County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Bent County Land Use Office is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact (719) 456-2223; County government main line (719) 456-1600.
How long might review take?
N/A for permit review; the published zoning rule provides a five-day Certificate-of-Occupancy issuance target after completion is reported and the final inspection is made. Special-review applications and plans must be submitted at least 14 days before the County Commissioners' hearing.
How are inspections scheduled?
Notify the Bent County Zoning Enforcement Officer/Land Use Office when building work is complete to request the final inspection; the zoning manual says a Certificate of Occupancy is issued within five days after notification and a final inspection confirming conformance. Electrical and plumbing inspections cannot be performed by Bent County and must be obtained from Colorado state inspectors; the building application lists David Bechtle at (303) 869-3472 for electrical and Donnie Perkinson at (303) 894-7899 for plumbing.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; Bent County's current Land Use Office materials publish zoning/subdivision regulations and a building-permit process but do not identify an adopted 2026 technical building-code edition. Electrical and plumbing inspections are expressly handled by Colorado state inspectors; applicable state, fire, septic, stormwater, and zoning requirements still apply. N/A; the reviewed current building application and Planning and Zoning Manual do not publish a detailed minor/cosmetic exemption list. The zoning resolution states that no building may be erected, occupied, or moved until a permit is issued, subject to an approved variance; confirm any small repair or accessory-work exemption with the Land Use Office.