Front Range
Denver windows, doors, and skylights have permit details
A Porch Note from Colorado Porch — plain-English local details for all 64 Colorado counties.
Swapping a tired window for a new one of the same size is one kind of job. Cutting a wider opening, dropping in a skylight, or changing the exterior of a designated landmark is another kind entirely, and Denver treats them that way. There is separate guidance for replacement windows and doors, for new openings, and for skylights, and a historic property can add landmark design review on top whenever an exterior change is involved.
The size of the work, not the price of the glass, is what decides which path you are on. A like-for-like replacement is a simple question. Enlarging the hole in the wall, or altering how a landmark looks from the street, is a bigger one, and the review reflects that.
It is worth sorting out before the work starts. If you are buying a place with new windows, it is fair to ask whether they were permitted and whether the property carries any landmark status. If you own the home and are about to order custom windows, doors, or skylights, find out which review applies before the order is locked in. A special-order frame is hard to change once it has been cut to fit.
Sources
Official or primary sources used for this note. Local details can change, so confirm before acting.