Aurora, CO Development Impact Fees (2026)
Normalized development impact fees, water & sewer connection (tap/SDC) fees, and mitigation fees for Aurora, Colorado — per dwelling unit, by category, with links to every official source.
What a single-family home pays in Aurora
$38,660 total per unit across 8 fee categories.
- Water connection (tap / SDC)$14,455
- Sewer connection (tap / SDC)$12,481
- Parks & recreation$5,726
- General government / capital$1,760
- Police$1,520
- Fire / EMS$1,325
- Transportation / roads$971
- Library$422
Aurora’s $38,660 is close to the Colorado tracked median of $38,504.
Full fee schedule — single-family
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Transportation / roads Transportation Capital Impact Fee (Public Works) — VERIFIED. Public Works transportation capital impact fee. Confirmed in body (page 48 'Transportation Capital Impact Fee', SFD 916.00 -> 971.00) AND in the document's detail appendix line 1254-1256, Dept=Pub Wks ('Transportation Capital Impact Fee', SFD $916.00 base $970.91 -> final $971.00). 2025 was $916. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. The OTHER body table titled 'Transportation Capital Impact Fee' on page 25 (SFD $1,325) is mislabeled; appendix line 608-611 confirms that $1,325 set is the FIRE fee (Dept=Fire). This $971 is the genuine transportation fee. | per dwelling unit | $971 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Fire Capital Impact Fee — VERIFIED in detail appendix line 608-609, Dept=Fire, labeled 'Fire Capital Impact Fees*' (SFD $1,275.00 base $1,325.17 -> final $1,325.00). The body-text fee table on page 25 mislabels this same $1,325 set as 'Transportation Capital Impact Fee' (a typo). 2025 was $1,275. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. | per dwelling unit | $1,325 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Police Police Capital Impact Fee — VERIFIED. Body page 43 (Police 'Capital Impact Fee', SFD 1,446.00 -> 1,520.00) and detail appendix line 1159-1161, Dept=Police ('Police Capital Impact Fee', SFD $1,446.00 base $1,520.26 -> final $1,520.00). 2025 was $1,446. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. | per dwelling unit | $1,520 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
General government / capital General Government Capital Impact Fee — VERIFIED. Body page 27 ('General Government Capital Impact Fees', SFD 1,674.00 -> 1,760.00) and detail appendix line 623-625, Dept=Gen Mgmt ('General Government Capital Impact Fee', SFD $1,674.00 base $1,759.97 -> final $1,760.00). 2025 was $1,674. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. | per dwelling unit | $1,760 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Library Library Capital Impact Fee — VERIFIED. Body page 32 ('LIBRARY CAPITAL IMPACT FEES', SFD 401.00 -> 422.00) and detail appendix line 820-821, Dept=Lib & Cul (SFD $401.00 base $421.59 -> final $422.00). 2025 was $401. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. | per dwelling unit | $422 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Park Capital Impact Fee - Large Urban, Special Use & Regional Parks — VERIFIED. Body ('Large Urban and Special Use Parks Capital Impact Fee', SFD 1,574.00 -> 1,586.00) and detail appendix line 1023-1025, Dept=Park & Rec ('Large Urban, Special Use and Regional Parks Capital Impact Fee', SFD $1,574.00 base $1,585.90 -> final $1,586.00). One of three additive parks/recreation charges (this + Recreation Capital Impact Fee + Park Development Fee). 2025 was $1,574. | per dwelling unit | $1,586 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Recreation Capital Impact Fee — VERIFIED. Body ('Recreation Capital Impact Fee', SFD 1,658.00 -> 1,743.00) and detail appendix line 1028-1029, Dept=Park & Rec (SFD $1,658.00 base $1,743.15 -> final $1,743.00). Additive parks/recreation capital impact fee. 2025 was $1,658. Set by City Code sec. 146-412. | per dwelling unit | $1,743 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Park Development Fee - Neighborhood Park — VERIFIED in body 'PARK DEVELOPMENT FEES' table (Neighborhood Park, Single Family Dwelling Unit 1,737.55 -> 1,751.45). Separate from and additive to the Park Capital Impact Fees. Additive with Community Park component below. 2025 was $1,737.55. | per dwelling unit | $1,751 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Park Development Fee - Community Park — VERIFIED in body 'PARK DEVELOPMENT FEES' table (Community Park, Single Family Dwelling Unit 640.29 -> 645.42). Additive with Neighborhood Park component above. 2025 was $640.29. 'Active Adult' ($384.81) and 'Transit Station Area' ($491.98) Community-Park variants for different unit types confirmed in source. | per dwelling unit | $645 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) Jan 1, 2026High |
Drainage / stormwater Stormwater Development Fee (per sq ft of lot, SFD) — VERIFIED. Aurora Water Stormwater Development Fee for SFD, per sq ft of LOT size, correctly excludeFromTotal=true (area-based, not per-unit). Source example: 8,000 sf lot = $424. For multi-family it is $0.16/sf of IMPERVIOUS area. alternative · not added to total | per sq ft | $0.05 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Service Connection Fee - Indoor Use (3-4 bathrooms, SFD) — VERIFIED in Fee Schedule 7 SFD Connection Fees table: 1-2 baths $8,651; 3-4 baths $13,978; 5+ baths $24,224. Indoor-use base; 3-4 bath used as representative ~2,000-2,500 sf home. A single half bath is deducted. Add Transmission Development Fee and Outdoor (lot-size) fees below. | per dwelling unit | $13,978 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Connection Fee - Indoor (1-2 bathrooms tier) — VERIFIED. Lower bathroom tier (1-2 baths). Correctly excludeFromTotal=true; the 3-4 bath tier ($13,978) is the representative primary (mutually exclusive tier). alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $8,651 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Connection Fee - Indoor (5+ bathrooms tier) — VERIFIED. Higher bathroom tier (5+ baths). Correctly excludeFromTotal=true; the 3-4 bath tier ($13,978) is the representative primary (mutually exclusive tier). alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $24,224 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Transmission Development Fee - Indoor (3-4 bathrooms, SFD) — VERIFIED. Indoor Water Transmission Development Fee, additive on top of the Indoor Connection Fee. Tiered: 1-2 baths $295; 3-4 baths $477; 5+ baths $825. New connections platted before Jan 1, 2017 may get a credit for the water transmission fee. | per dwelling unit | $477 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Service Connection Fee - Outdoor Use (per sq ft of lot) — VERIFIED. ADDITIVE outdoor-use water connection fee per sq ft of LOT size, correctly excludeFromTotal=true (lot-size based, not per-unit). $2.087/sf standard; $1.478/sf for developments adopting the conservation ordinance. Source example: 8,000 sf lot = $16,696 outdoor connection + $400 outdoor transmission ($0.050/sf). alternative · not added to total | per sq ft | $2.09 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Transmission Development Fee - Outdoor (per sq ft of lot) — VERIFIED. Additive outdoor transmission development fee per sq ft of lot. $0.050/sf standard; $0.036/sf conservation. Correctly excludeFromTotal=true (lot-size based). alternative · not added to total | per sq ft | $0.05 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) City of Aurora Sanitary Sewer Connection Fee (SFD) — VERIFIED. City of Aurora sanitary sewer Connection Fee base, per unit ($5,875). Confirmed in SFD table (Connection Fee $5,875, Interceptor $536) and example calc ($5,875 + $536 = $6,411). Separate from (additive to) the Metro Wastewater District fee below. | per dwelling unit | $5,875 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) City of Aurora Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Development Fee (SFD) — VERIFIED. Sewer Interceptor Development Fee $536, additive on top of the City sanitary sewer connection fee. New connections platted before Jan 1, 2019 may not be subject to the interceptor or stormwater development fees. | per dwelling unit | $536 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Metro Wastewater Reclamation District Connection Fee (SFD, 5/8" meter) — VERIFIED. SEPARATE DISTRICT fee: Metro Wastewater Reclamation District connection fee, collected by Aurora Water as part of the total connection fee. Priced by meter size: 5/8" $6,070 (representative residential primary); 3/4" $12,140; 1" $29,136. Mandatory and additive to the City of Aurora sewer fees. | per meter | $6,070 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Metro Wastewater District Connection Fee - 3/4" meter (variant) — VERIFIED. Larger meter-size variant of the Metro Wastewater District connection fee. Correctly excludeFromTotal=true; 5/8" base ($6,070) is the representative residential primary (mutually exclusive meter size). alternative · not added to total | per meter | $12,140 | City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) Jan 1, 2026High |
Coverage & caveats
PRIMARY SOURCES (both official, effective Jan 1, 2026): (1) City of Aurora 2026 Service Fees document (Office of Budget) — contains the seven Capital Impact Fees and the Park Development Fee; (2) Aurora Water Fee Schedule 7 (Water Development and Connection Fees, Effective 2026) — water/sewer/stormwater connection (tap) fees. Confidence is HIGH throughout; figures are quoted verbatim and cross-checked against the document's own detailed indexing appendix. WHAT EXISTS for residential builders in Aurora (all per dwelling unit unless noted): - Capital Impact Fees set by City Code sec. 146-412, indexed annually: Transportation/Public Works ($971 SFD), Fire ($1,325 SFD), Police ($1,520 SFD), General Government ($1,760 SFD), Library ($422 SFD), Parks — Large Urban/Special Use/Regional ($1,586 SFD) and Recreation ($1,743 SFD). - Park Development Fee (separate from park capital impact fees), additive Neighborhood ($1,751.45 SFD) + Community ($645.42 SFD) components. - Water/sewer/stormwater TAP fees via Aurora Water: SFD water connection is tiered by bathroom count (indoor) PLUS a large LOT-SIZE-based outdoor-use fee ($2.087/sf of lot, conservation rate $1.478/sf). City sanitary sewer $5,875 + interceptor $536; PLUS a mandatory SEPARATE-DISTRICT fee — the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District connection fee ($6,070 at 5/8\" meter), collected by Aurora Water. Stormwater Development Fee $0.053/sf of lot (SFD). NORMALIZATION/EXCLUSIONS: For SFD water indoor connection the 3-4 bathroom tier ($13,978) is the representative ~2,000-2,500 sf home; 1-2 bath ($8,651) and 5+ bath ($24,224) tiers are correctly excludeFromTotal=true (mutually exclusive). Outdoor water fees and the stormwater development fee are per-sq-ft-of-lot (area-based) and correctly excludeFromTotal=true. Metro Wastewater 5/8\" meter is the residential primary; 3/4\" variant correctly excluded. Multifamily per-unit figures are correctly excludeFromTotal=true for reference. KEY DOC CAVEAT (CONFIRMED): The body of the 2026 Service Fees PDF has a labeling error — a fee table on the Fire department's pages (page 25) is headed \"Transportation Capital Impact Fee\" but lists $1,325 SFD; the document's own detailed appendix (Dept = Fire, lines 608-611) confirms that $1,325 figure ($1,325.17 indexed) is the FIRE capital impact fee. The genuine Transportation (Public Works) capital impact fee is $971 SFD (appendix Dept = Pub Wks, lines 1254-1256, $970.91 indexed). Reported accordingly. WHAT DOES NOT EXIST here: NO mandatory school impact fee (Colorado does not authorize them; only a VOLUNTARY ~$25/permit Careers in Construction contribution, omitted). NO affordable-housing/inclusionary impact fee and NO standalone open-space impact fee. NO standalone drainage IMPACT fee beyond the Aurora Water Stormwater Development Fee (PDR/MDR/FDR drainage REPORT fees are plan-review service fees, omitted). General-category here is the city's General Government capital impact fee. Builders should confirm project-specific figures with Aurora's Office of Development Assistance (303.739.7345) and the TAP Application Office (303.739.7393), as fees are due at the rate in effect at time of payment and water/stormwater fees depend on lot size, meter size, and bathroom count. VERIFY: confirmed 28 of 28 rows; dropped 0. Every fee amount and sourceQuote was re-fetched and matched verbatim against the cited PDFs. The researcher's central labeling-typo finding (Fire $1,325 vs Transportation $971) was independently CONFIRMED via the document's detail appendix department assignments (Dept=Fire lines 608-611 vs Dept=Pub Wks lines 1254-1258). All multifamily and meter/bathroom-tier and lot-size variants were re-checked and verified verbatim. excludeFromTotal corrections: NONE — all flags were already correct (1-2/5+ bath tiers, 3/4\" Metro meter, outdoor water, stormwater, and all multifamily rows correctly excluded; only the SFD representative rows feed the primary per-unit total, no double-counting). Representative SFD per-unit total of confirmed non-excluded rows = $37,659.87 (sane: $10,433.87 in capital impact + park dev fees + $13,978 water connection + $477 water transmission + $5,875 city sewer + $536 interceptor + $6,070 Metro Wastewater 5/8\"; outdoor water and stormwater are lot-size-dependent and excluded by design).
All Capital Impact Fees and the Park Development Fee are set by Aurora City Code sec. 146-412 and indexed annually; the 2026 amounts here take effect Jan 1, 2026. Water/sewer/stormwater connection (tap) fees are from Aurora Water Fee Schedule 7 (Effective 2026). A representative all-in SFD example from the official source: 3-bathroom home, 5/8\" meter, 8,000 sf lot = $44,456 total water+sewer+stormwater connection fee ($31,551 water + $6,411 city sewer + $424 stormwater + $6,070 Metro Wastewater) — this example was verified verbatim in Fee Schedule 7. The seven per-unit Capital Impact Fees plus the two Park Development Fee components add roughly $10,400 more for a SFD unit, before the tap fees.
Sources
2 official sources · 28 high-confidence figures.
- 1City of Aurora 2026 Service FeesCity of Aurora, Colorado (Office of Budget) · fee schedule · effective Jan 1, 2026 · retrieved Jun 16, 2026
- 2Fee Schedule 7 - Water Development and Connection Fees, Aurora Water (Effective 2026)City of Aurora, Colorado (Aurora Water) · fee schedule · effective Jan 1, 2026 · retrieved Jun 16, 2026
Aurora impact fees — FAQ
- How much are development impact fees in Aurora, CO for a single-family home?
- As of 2026-06-16, total development fees for a single-family detached home in Aurora are about $38,660 per unit — roughly $11,724 in impact/development fees plus $26,936 in water/sewer connection fees. Figures are normalized from official sources; verify with the jurisdiction before relying on them.
- Are impact fees in Aurora the same as building permit fees?
- No. Impact fees (and water/sewer connection fees) fund off-site capital — roads, parks, schools, utilities — and are charged per new dwelling unit. Building permit and plan-review fees are separate and are not included here.
- How often do Aurora's impact fees change?
- Most jurisdictions adopt fees by ordinance and escalate them annually (often by a construction cost index), with occasional mid-year updates. Always confirm the current adopted schedule with the jurisdiction. ImpactFeeAtlas last verified Aurora on 2026-06-16.