City of Aurora Building Division
Aurora water heater permits
Yes, plan on a permit and an inspection for a water heater replacement in Aurora. No, the City does not promise the inspector will come the same day. Here is the scheduling language that was actually published, and the piece that was not retrieved.
What the inspections page says
The inspections and certificate page says work proceeds after required permits, and that the permit card and approved plans must be on the job. For replacement water heaters and furnaces, a licensed plumbing or HVAC contractor may contact the Building Division and ask for a same-day inspection when both the contractor and the homeowner will be present. The City says it will try, and it reserves the right to inspect another day based on volume and staff. Put that sentence next to any quote that says "we'll close it today."
Other same-day inspections, the page says, go through field supervisors and depend on justification and staffing. Weekend and overtime inspections, when granted, are billed at hourly rates the page does not spell out here. Do not invent the fee. Emergency structural repairs from fire, water, wind, or a vehicle can start before the permit, with a same-day inspection if you call 303-739-7420, and the contractor must still get the permit on the next working business day to meet the code the City cites. That path is for structural damage. It is not a water-heater exemption.
How a request gets on the board
Contractors who are registered and licensed with Aurora can request, cancel, and read inspections online, up to 5:45 a.m. the day of the inspection. Everyone else may view results. Phone requests use 303-739-7420, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After 4:30 p.m. the request is not added to the next day. The page also lists an email cutoff at 4:30 p.m. Use the address printed there. It is not a contact for this website, and it is not linked as a send button.
The permitting page is the front door for building permits and contractor licensing. A city handbook that search results describe as asking for heater capacity and fuel type was not opened as a PDF. The file request was refused. Confirm those fields on the live application. Do not treat this paragraph as the form.
What to ask the contractor
Who pulls the permit. Whether they are licensed with the City so they can request the inspection. Whether you must be home. Which inspection they expect, given that the City's list includes plumbing and gas-pipe inspections for some work. What happens if the inspector comes tomorrow instead of today. If the heater is tankless, leave this guide and use tankless installation, and if the house is in Castle Rock, use that town's gas-load rule. The hiring decision for a tank stays on replacement.
Questions to settle first
Is same-day inspection guaranteed?
No. Aurora says a licensed contractor can request it for a replacement water heater when the homeowner and the contractor are both available. The same paragraph reserves another day when volume or staffing does not allow it. A quote may not convert that try into a promise. Ask them to request it, and ask what the backup day does to the schedule.
Can a homeowner put the inspection on the calendar?
The online request tool, as described, is for contractors registered and licensed with the City. Others can view results. Phone and email paths are published for the permit center. This guide will not walk you through pulling a permit as a project. If you are acting as owner-builder, ask the counter what they require before you schedule work.
Where are the hours and the phone?
Permit center phone 303-739-7420. Weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except Wednesday, which starts at 8:30 a.m. After 4:30 p.m. a request waits. Online requests by eligible contractors run until 5:45 a.m. the day of the inspection. Those are City hours, printed so you can check a contractor's story. They are not a hotline for this site.