Frequently Asked Questions

Addresses have a long history in the U.S. Most of the reasons for an address are obvious - the need to find a person, deliver a piece of mail or package, or to provide important emergency services like fire or medical response. As technology has advanced, the need for a specific address has developed to identify a specific land coordinate, or the individual structures on a parcel for taxing and political purposes.

In most parts of the country, the local counties or emergency response agencies are responsible for assigning addresses. In Pitkin County, the GIS (Geographic Information System) team, as mandated through the Pitkin County Address Ordinance, is responsible for adding, updating and maintaining the address data for the unincorporated portions of Pitkin County. Additionally, we receive address data from the municipalities in Pitkin County to provide as complete a list of addresses for the entire county as possible via the Pitkin Maps and More website, so that services such as law enforcement, fire, utilities, elections, the Assessor’s Office, the United States Postal Service and other third parties are provided with accurate and updated addressing data for all addressable structures in the county.

Any habitable structure, commercial or residential, should have an address.

1. What is habitable -  any building with facilities designed for sleeping, eating, education, or employment of humans. This includes separate structures on a parcel that are deemed as auxiliary or only used for part of the year for these purposes. If there is a separate entrance in a building for a caretaker unit, a sub address, such as a Unit B, may also be assigned to assist emergency responders in finding the occupants.

2. Any structure with a standalone, permitted, or regularly inspected Fire Protection System and/or alarm system is addressable. 

Vacant parcels are not required to have an address. If requested, one can be assigned for insurance or wildfire prevention needs. The address location must be accessible by fire safety personnel - think a fire truck. This is why it is often necessary to have a driveway in place before an address is assigned.

All addresses within unicorporated Pitkin County are assigned by the Address Coordinator. Several activities can prompt an address assignment: new construction, notification from county public safety personnel or an inquiry from a homeowner are the most common examples. 

The adress number is based on what is known as the Century System. The number is based on how far up a named road the location of the driveway entrance is from the origin of that road, measured in fractions of a mile. The theory behind this numbering is that anyone in a vehicle can find a destination based on an odometer reading. The numbering is based on the location of the driveway from the accessed named road. If a driveway has more than two addressable structures on it, the roadway will be named per the county ordinance, and all addresses assigned or re-assigned based on the origin of this new named roadway.

The address number is further assigned based on parity (odd on one side, even on the other) and sequenced in relation to other address numbers on the same road. See the Titled Address Standards 9.08.080 ADDRESS/NUMBERING SYSTEM for more detailed information.

The following information and documents are necessary to complete the application:

1. Property Owner Information: Name, mailing address, daytime phone number and email address.

2. Pitkin County parcel ID number. If the structure being addressed is on USFS (federal) land, use “N/A” or “none” in the requested field.

3. Number of structures: It is helpful to know if there is a current address on the parcel. How many structures are being added that you believe need to be addressed is also helpful.

4. Site or Plot Plan: A diagram with clear property lines showing the location of each existing addressable structure labeled, and new/proposed structure(s) and the driveway and their proximity to the nearest named road. The site plan should also show, if possible, the location of the main entrance door for each building. 

5. A brief description of what is needed - a new caretaker dwelling unit, a new single family residence being built, adding a barn with fire suppression, etc. 

6. If you are not sure which structures are addressable, call the Address Coordinator to discuss, or label them all. Labeling a structure does not mean it will be addressed.

A property owner or their authorized agent may initiate an address assignment request by completing and submitting an Address Request form via this website.

Complete the New Address Assignment form in the Address Services section of the Pitkin County website. More details are provided on the form link and the form itself.

If the structure is not meant for sleeping, and is considered an outbuilding, then these are not normally addressed. However, a review per the ordinance or community development processes may determine the need to address detached structures if deemed necessary due to public safety, telecommunications, utilities, access or other reasons. One reason is a building that is accessed off a separate driveway on a parcel may be benefited with an address. Less common needs for an address will be discussed with the homeowner prior to assignment.

1. If a driveway or new road is unnamed, a request for a New Address will start the process. Sometimes adding a new structure, such as a caretaker dwelling unit, will prompt the Community Development team to reach out to the GIS Address Coordinator to inquire whether or not a driveway should be named.

2. All roads that serve three (3) or more addressable structures shall be named regardless of ownership, public or private. A “road” refers to any highway, road, street, avenue, lane, private way or similar paved, gravel or dirt thoroughfare. A road name assigned by Pitkin County shall not constitute or imply acceptance or the road as a public way.

3. The property owner will be contacted and encouraged to participate in the naming of a road and the installation of street signs prior to assignment. However, if the homeowner is not available or chooses not to participate in the naming or agreement of subsequent re-addressing of structures due to the road naming, the Address Coordinator has the authority to complete the process and send proper notification to the affected owners to prevent a delay in implementation.

Pitkin County encourages property owners to make suggestions for the naming of the new road, as it affects them directly. Please see the Street Naming Resources section for further information.

Counties and municipalities are usually the entities who have addressing authority and are the only ones that officially assign addresses. Once those addresses are assigned, the information is shared with a variety of other county departments, the public safety teams, local utility companies and the postal service. Depending on each individual company's data sharing and updating processes, the address is then synced and updated to third parties such as Amazon, UPS and Google. New addresses are usually added and available within a couple of weeks. Changed addresses do sometimes take longer, and sometimes even require additional steps and communication to reflect the change. 

Google Maps, the United States Postal Service, UPS, Amazon and other package delivery companies rely on county address information. However, they have their own syncing and updating processes and timelines, and the County staff have very limited control in these updates. Other than USPS, the County does not have direct access to request information updates with these third party service providers.

Depending on the mapping service you prefer to use, (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, etc.) they have in-app processes to submit update suggestions. It is often faster and more efficient if you add or change the location information for your property yourself. However, especially when a road is added or changed, the County will submit a request to have the road name data included in the service. It does take some time for this to sync, so be patient. You may send a request to addressing@pitkincounty.com to request help with this.

Help us find YOU!

The County ordinance states that every structure with an assigned address must have the address number properly displayed. This ordinance is enforceable by fine. Owners of structures shall display and maintain assigned numbers in a conspicuous place on said structure.

For details on preferred types, sizing and location of street signs and address numbering please refer to the Address Ordinance section 9.08.090: SIGNAGE.

In 2016 the Pitkin County Commissioners passed a formal Address Ordinance. Some addresses are long lived and meet these requirements for access, distance, parity and sequence. Some addresses, because of historical inconsistencies in data or changing situations, need to be updated.

The purpose of the ordinance is to provide a system of address standards that will be used to name roadways and assign addresses to properties along such roadways. The intent of the ordinance is to assign addresses with an orderly system, ensure emergency services can locate a person as quickly as possible, provide logic and order to roadway names and address numbering, and guide staff in consistent addressing practices.

Changed addresses are made with careful consideration primarily for public safety. Confusing, out of order, non parity (even/odd) addressing and having more than two addressable structures on an unnamed driveway make it harder to find someone in the case of an emergency.

Pitkin County will inform local Public Safety agencies and county agencies of the news address. However, it is best to inform each agency or company yourself of the address assignment, like motor vehicle, clerk and recorder (Voting), driver’s license, cable, mobile phone provider, etc. to ensure your services are not interrupted and that your account information is correctly associated with your current address. You will receive a list of suggested agencies, companies and people to inform with your mailed address assignment. (Sent to the mailing address as provided with the address request form.)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Address Coordinator at addressing@pitkincounty.com

There is no direct cost to have a road named or an address assigned in Pitkin County. However, depending on the specific circumstances of the assignment, either Pitkin County or the property owner may be required to provide and install signage for a new road. All homeowners are required to provide and install the assigned number on the structures as suggested in the county ordinance.