Permitting Authorities / Boulder County - Community Planning & Permitting
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Boulder County, CO?
Adopted code
Boulder County - Community Planning & Permitting
Yes — a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Boulder County, CO, issued by Boulder County - Community Planning & Permitting. Re-roofing is an alteration that requires a building permit in unincorporated Boulder County. Incorporated cities and towns within the county permit separately, so verify jurisdiction by address. Colorado has no statewide roofing contractor license.
Jurisdiction
Boulder County, Colorado (unincorporated)
Contact
- url: https://bouldercounty.gov/property-and-land/land-use/building/
Roofing permit required
Required
Permit process note
Re-roofing is an alteration that requires a building permit in unincorporated Boulder County. Incorporated cities and towns within the county permit separately, so verify jurisdiction by address. Colorado has no statewide roofing contractor license.
Adopted code
2021 editions of the International Codes with Boulder County amendments, adopted by Resolutions 2025-012 and 2026-020 and effective July 1, 2026. The amendment instrument adopts the 2021 IBC, IRC, IEBC and companion codes by reference and repeals the 2015 editions on that date.
Ice & water shield
Required — County climatic/geographic design-criteria table: "ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED = YES. In accordance with Sections R905.1.2, R905.4.3.1, R905.5.3.1, R905.6.3.1, R905.7.3.1 and R905.8.3.1, where there has been a history of local damage from the effects of ice damming, ice barrier is required." Boulder County's official determination applies this trigger countywide (no elevation threshold).
About ice & water barrierMid-roof inspection
Not required
Impact-resistant roofing
Required — Boulder County Building Code Amendments, Resolutions 2025-012 and 2026-020, effective July 1, 2026, IBC section 1504.8.1: "Asphalt shingles shall be Class 4 impact resistant, tested in accordance with UL 2218, and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions." The parallel residential amendment is IRC section R905.2.4.2. Exception: if the roof repair, roof replacement, roof recover or new roof area of an addition is no greater than 200 square feet and no greater than 25% of total roof area, the owner may request a code modification from the Building Official (requires a written statement from a roofing contractor or supplier that no matching Class 4 shingles are available). The County's Building FAQ states the same requirement in the same terms. This amendment first appears in the County's March 31, 2025 amendment round; the 2009 and June 6, 2022 rounds contain no impact-resistance provision. The County's amendments apply in unincorporated Boulder County; cities and towns within the county adopt and enforce their own building codes independently.
Repair permit threshold
Permit exempt: "Roof covering repair, shingle repair or replacement, not exceeding one square (100 square feet of area) (9.29 m2) of covering per building or structure." (Section 105.2, Work exempt from permit, item 16)
Wind design criteria
Table R301.2(1) as amended: "WIND DESIGN / WIND SPEED = Varies. The references from the basic wind speed map Figure R301.2(2) are replaced by the Boulder County map, 'Boulder County Wind Speed Map,' as amended. Wind exposure category shall be determined on a site-specific basis in accordance with Section R301.2.1.4." "TOPOGRAPHIC EFFECTS = No." "SPECIAL WIND REGION = YES, in accordance with Figure R301.2(2), per local data, there is local historical data documenting unusual wind conditions." "WINDBORNE DEBRIS ZONE = NO." The county's Wind Speed Map (dated 1/27/2017) shows ultimate-velocity wind loads ranging from approximately 130-140 mph across the eastern-county metro belt (Boulder, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior) up to 225 mph in the high mountains of western Boulder County. The 225 mph mountain-zone figure is unusually high but reads as an intentional site-specific topographic gust value for chinook-wind terrain; it does not apply to the eastern-county metro communities. Adopted via Boulder County Resolutions 2025-012 and 2026-020 (Boulder County Building Code Amendments), effective 2026-07-01.
Sales & use tax
5.335% combined for unincorporated Boulder County (state 2.9% + county 1.335% + RTD 1% + SCFD 0.1%). The county collects a building/construction-materials use tax (1.335%) as a prepayment deposit at building-permit issuance for unincorporated-county projects.
The building permit authority for unincorporated Boulder County. Community Planning & Permitting issues re-roofing permits and conducts inspections outside the incorporated cities and towns within the county.
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