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Permitting Authorities / Colorado / City and County of Denver - Community Planning and Development

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in City and County of Denver, CO?

Adopted code

City and County of Denver - Community Planning and Development

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in City and County of Denver, CO, issued by City and County of Denver - Community Planning and Development. Reroofing requires a building permit obtained through Denver's online permitting system, and contractors must be licensed with the city. Colorado has no statewide roofing license, so registration is handled at the municipal level.

Roof code checklist: City and County of Denver, CO

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesdenvergov.org2026-07-11
Repair permit thresholdPublishedroofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-18
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1roofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-19
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1roofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-19
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5roofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-18
Ice & water shieldNoroofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-18
Mid-roof inspectionYesroofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-18
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoroofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-08-10
Wind design criteriaPublishedroofing_guidelines_and_checklist.pdf2026-07-19
Adopted codePublisheddenvergov.org2026-07-11
Contractor license / registrationYesdenvergov.org2026-07-11
Sales & use taxPublishedgnl_tax_info_booklet.pdf2026-07-18

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
City and County of Denver, Colorado
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
Denver, CO
Contact
  • url: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • license: City contractor license/registration required to perform roofing work in Denver
  • insurance: proof of general liability insurance required
Permit process note
Reroofing requires a building permit obtained through Denver's online permitting system, and contractors must be licensed with the city. Colorado has no statewide roofing license, so registration is handled at the municipal level.
Adopted code
Denver Building and Fire Code (based on the 2021 International Codes with local amendments); verify the current edition with the city.
Drip edge
Required — Drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges: installed with a minimum of 2" overlap for segments, extending a minimum of 1/4" below the roof sheathing and a minimum of 2" onto the roof deck, mechanically fastened at a minimum of 12" o.c.; underlayment shall be installed over the drip edge along eaves and under the drip edge along rakes (IRC R905.2.8.5 / IBC 1507.2.8.3, current 2021 IRC / 2022 DBC column of the Denver Roofing Guide and Checklist). About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Table R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria in Denver's Roofing Guide and Checklist lists "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required: No"; the guide states "Self-adhering bitumen installed at the eaves and rakes to two feet inside the exterior wall is NOT required." About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Mandatory for Tile/Metal roofs: "A mid-roof inspection shall be made to inspect underlayment, battens and flashings. No more than 30% of the tile system may be completed before requesting the inspection." (DBC 140.5(8)). For One- and Two-Family Asphalt Shingle and Low-slope roofs, the "206" mid-roof inspection is listed as "If Needed" only, triggered when the "205" pre-inspection identifies items that will not be visible at the final inspection.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — The City and County of Denver's Roofing Guide and Checklist (Community Planning and Development, updated April 11, 2024) and Denver Residential Code Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, were reviewed in full; Denver's only amendment at IRC R905.2.4 addresses wind resistance (ASTM D7158/D3161), not impact resistance, and no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact-resistance requirement exists for asphalt shingle roofing in Denver.
Repair permit threshold
For buildings under 25,000 sq ft, repairs exceeding 10% of the roof square footage or two roof squares (whichever is smaller) require a permit; for buildings 25,000 sq ft or more (per Denver's Green Buildings Ordinance), the threshold is 5% of the roof square footage or two roof squares, whichever is smaller.
Wind design criteria
Table R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria lists Wind Design Speed (MPH) as "115/125/140," Topographic Effects "No," Special Wind Region "Yes," Windborne Debris Zone "No," and Seismic Design Category "B." The guide separately details "Wind Speed Zones for Denver (per IBC Section 1609)": areas east of Federal Blvd. -- 115 mph min. rating; Federal Blvd. to Sheridan Blvd. -- 125 mph min. rating; Sheridan Blvd. to Kipling St. -- 140 mph min. rating (Denver Roofing Guide and Checklist, Table R301.2, updated 4/11/2024).
Roof layer limit / recover
"Existing roofs must be removed to deck and replaced where two or more layers of any roof covering exist" (Roofing Guide Sec. 3.A). The companion Roofing Checklist item #3 (IRC R908.3.1.1(3)/R908.3, IBC 1511.3.1.1/1512.2) states: "Existing roof covering must be removed down to deck unless re-covering a single layer" -- a roof recover is permitted only over one existing layer; two or more layers force full tear-off.
Deck & sheathing requirements
"Asphalt shingles shall be fastened to solidly sheathed decks" (Roofing Checklist item #20, IRC R905.2.1, IBC 1507.2.1 -- printed unamended, with no DBCA marker, across the 2015/2018/2021 code columns). Per Roofing Guide Sec. 3.B-C: "No continuous opening between boards can be greater than 1/2" regardless of manufacturer's recommendations. If manufacturer requires a smaller gap, then the manufacturer's requirement prevails." For asphalt shingles on 1X decking, "no opening greater than 6 square inches" is allowed regardless of manufacturer's recommendation; "openings smaller than this dimension can be covered with 26-gauge metal."
Sales & use tax
9.15% combined (state 2.9% + RTD 1.0% + SCFD/CD 0.1% + Denver 5.15%); Denver is home-rule self-collected. Denver imposes a 5.15% consumer use tax on construction materials and supplies, but does NOT collect it at building-permit issuance — contractors pay it to suppliers at purchase or remit it directly on a consumer use tax return.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Denver, ColoradoCity hub

More roof permit pages in Colorado

City and County of Pueblo, CORoof permit Clear Creek County, CORoof permit Coal Creek, CORoof permit Collbran, CORoof permit Columbine Valley, CORoof permit Roofing in ColoradoState hub

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor Hail-Belt Rules by State

The permitting authority for the consolidated City and County of Denver. Community Planning and Development issues building permits, including residential and commercial reroofing permits, and licenses contractors.

Hail reports near City and County of Denver, CO

Reports, last 24 months
17
Largest, last 24 months
1.75 in Jun 1, 2026
Most recent
Aug 14, 2026 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
121
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Aug 14, 20261.00 in10 mi SW
Jun 1, 20261.75 in6 mi W
Jun 1, 20261.75 in2 mi WSW
Jun 1, 20261.50 in5 mi WSW
Jun 1, 20261.25 in4 mi WSW

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database and daily storm reports (reports since the start of the current year are preliminary), within 10 miles of City and County of Denver, CO (Census point). Data through Oct 7, 2026, not updated since. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in City and County of Denver, CO? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

Code items like drip edge and ice & water shield are what adjusters ask you to document.

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Sources

Free instant roof estimate — City and County of Denver, CO

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Roofing questions: City and County of Denver, CO

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in City and County of Denver, CO?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in City and County of Denver, CO. For buildings under 25,000 sq ft, repairs exceeding 10% of the roof square footage or two roof squares (whichever is smaller) require a permit; for buildings 25,000 sq ft or more (per Denver's Green Buildings Ordinance), the threshold is 5% of the roof square footage or two roof squares, whichever is smaller.

Is ice & water shield required in City and County of Denver, CO?

No. Table R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria in Denver's Roofing Guide and Checklist lists "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required: No"; the guide states "Self-adhering bitumen installed at the eaves and rakes to two feet inside the exterior wall is NOT required."

Is drip edge required in City and County of Denver, CO?

Yes. Drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges: installed with a minimum of 2" overlap for segments, extending a minimum of 1/4" below the roof sheathing and a minimum of 2" onto the roof deck, mechanically fastened at a minimum of 12" o.c.; underlayment shall be installed over the drip edge along eaves and under the drip edge along rakes (IRC R905.2.8.5 / IBC 1507.2.8.3, current 2021 IRC / 2022 DBC column of the Denver Roofing Guide and Checklist).

Can you roof over an existing roof in City and County of Denver, CO?

"Existing roofs must be removed to deck and replaced where two or more layers of any roof covering exist" (Roofing Guide Sec. 3.A). The companion Roofing Checklist item #3 (IRC R908.3.1.1(3)/R908.3, IBC 1511.3.1.1/1512.2) states: "Existing roof covering must be removed down to deck unless re-covering a single layer" -- a roof recover is permitted only over one existing layer; two or more layers force full tear-off.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in City and County of Denver, CO?

Yes. City contractor license/registration required to perform roofing work in Denver

What building code does City and County of Denver, CO use?

Denver Building and Fire Code (based on the 2021 International Codes with local amendments); verify the current edition with the city.