The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Lake County Community Planning and Development

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Lake County, CO?

Adopted code

Lake County Community Planning and Development

Yes — a permit is required to replace a roof in Lake County, CO, issued by Lake County Community Planning and Development. Lake County Community Planning and Development administers all building, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and solar permits for both the county and the City of Leadville. The county encourages scheduling a pre-application meeting (719-486-2875) before submitting; permit forms are downloaded from the county document center, and photos of permits or forms are not accepted.

Jurisdiction
Lake County, Colorado
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
Leadville, CO
Contact
  • url: https://www.lakecountyco.gov/189/Building
  • phone: 719-486-2875
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • license: Lake County's Contractors page states that all contractors who perform work within the County must register with the Lake County Building Department, completing an annual Contractor Registration form (registrants are placed on a public list); registrations expire yearly and must be renewed by January 31 or before starting work. Registered contractors must carry a minimum of one million dollars in liability insurance coverage and provide a current certificate of insurance to the building department, and must have passed one of five approved exams (G13, G12, G11, B1, or B2) depending on project type (residential vs. commercial), with evidence of testing required by December 1, 2022.
Permit process note
Lake County Community Planning and Development administers all building, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and solar permits for both the county and the City of Leadville. The county encourages scheduling a pre-application meeting (719-486-2875) before submitting; permit forms are downloaded from the county document center, and photos of permits or forms are not accepted.
Adopted code
The 2018 ICC codes remain in effect until June 29, 2026. Lake County Resolution 2026-20, adopted May 19, 2026, amends the Lake County Building Code to follow parts of the 2024 ICC International Building Code and other current codes effective June 30, 2026.
Drip edge
Required — Not separately amended by Lake County. Resolution 2026-20's "CHAPTER 9 ROOF ASSEMBLIES" amendment section (bounded between the Chapter 9 and Chapter 11 headings) contains only one item, an amendment to R905.1.2 (ice barrier); it does not delete or modify R905.2.8.5, so the base 2024 IRC drip-edge requirement stands as adopted code. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Required — Resolution 2026-20's Table R301.2 prints "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" as "Yes." Separately, the Resolution's Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies section amends R905.1.2 to read, in relevant part, that "Lake County has" (replacing "areas where there has been") a history of ice forming along eaves, requiring an ice barrier that "shall extend from the lowest edges of all roof surfaces to a point at least" 72 inches (replacing the base code's 24 inches) "inside the interior wall line of the building," and adds that "all valleys shall have at least a 36-inch-wide layer applied and shall extend 18 inches from centerline each way." About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Resolution 2026-20's Appendix D (Inspection Types) lists "Mid-Roof" among the county's required construction inspections, defined as: "Mid-Roof. Shall be made after the underlayment, ice barrier, and flashing has been installed."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — The Lake County building code ordinance was read in full, including its adoption section and every modification. It adopts the 2024 International Building Code and the companion International Codes in their entirety, subject to the modifications set out in the ordinance. Two modifications reach roof coverings: International Building Code Table 1505.1 on fire classification is modified so that its footnote defers to the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, and International Residential Code Section R905.1.2 is amended so that the ice barrier requirement applies throughout Lake County. Those are a fire classification and an ice barrier respectively, and both are independent of impact rating. Nothing in the adopted codes or the County's modifications requires impact-resistant roof coverings or names a UL 2218 or Class 4 standard. The Colorado Energy Office Statewide Building Code Adoption dataset, revised April 2, 2026, likewise reports a 2024 adoption for the County.
Wind design criteria
Lake County Resolution 2026-20 ("A Resolution for Adoption of Certain Parts of the 2024 International Code Series..."), adopted May 19, 2026 effective June 30, 2026, prints "TABLE R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria" reading: Ground Snow Load "R301.2.3" (deferred to the resolution's own snow load section/Appendix E); Wind Design Speed "105" mph; Topographic effects "No"; Special wind region "No"; Windborne debris zone "No"; Seismic Design Category "C"; Weathering "Severe"; Frost Line Depth "48""; Termites "No"; Flood Hazards "9/15/97" and "3/1/98".
Sales & use tax
6.9% combined (state 2.9% + Lake County 4%; no city component since this record covers the county department's general jurisdiction rather than the incorporated City of Leadville, which separately levies its own 0.5% city tax -- see the leadville record; no RTD/SCFD/RTA district applies). CO DOR DR 1002 prints Lake County's row at 4%, and the County's own FAQ independently confirms: "The sales tax rate for Lake County is 4%," matching DR 1002 with no staleness found.

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The building permit authority for Lake County, Colorado. Administers all building, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and solar permits for both the county and the City of Leadville. Roofing permits are required in both the county and the city.

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Sources

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Roofing questions — Lake County, CO

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Lake County, CO?

Required.

Is ice & water shield required in Lake County, CO?

Required — Resolution 2026-20's Table R301.2 prints "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" as "Yes." Separately, the Resolution's Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies section amends R905.1.2 to read, in relevant part, that "Lake County has" (replacing "areas where there has been") a history of ice forming along eaves, requiring an ice barrier that "shall extend from the lowest edges of all roof surfaces to a point at least" 72 inches (replacing the base code's 24 inches) "inside the interior wall line of the building," and adds that "all valleys shall have at least a 36-inch-wide layer applied and shall extend 18 inches from centerline each way.".

Is drip edge required?

Required — Not separately amended by Lake County. Resolution 2026-20's "CHAPTER 9 ROOF ASSEMBLIES" amendment section (bounded between the Chapter 9 and Chapter 11 headings) contains only one item, an amendment to R905.1.2 (ice barrier); it does not delete or modify R905.2.8.5, so the base 2024 IRC drip-edge requirement stands as adopted code..

Is a mid-roof inspection required?

Required — Resolution 2026-20's Appendix D (Inspection Types) lists "Mid-Roof" among the county's required construction inspections, defined as: "Mid-Roof. Shall be made after the underlayment, ice barrier, and flashing has been installed.".

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Lake County, CO?

Required. Lake County's Contractors page states that all contractors who perform work within the County must register with the Lake County Building Department, completing an annual Contractor Registration form (registrants are placed on a public list); registrations expire yearly and must be renewed by January 31 or before starting work. Registered contractors must carry a minimum of one million dollars in liability insurance coverage and provide a current certificate of insurance to the building department, and must have passed one of five approved exams (G13, G12, G11, B1, or B2) depending on project type (residential vs. commercial), with evidence of testing required by December 1, 2022..

What building code does Lake County, CO use?

The 2018 ICC codes remain in effect until June 29, 2026. Lake County Resolution 2026-20, adopted May 19, 2026, amends the Lake County Building Code to follow parts of the 2024 ICC International Building Code and other current codes effective June 30, 2026.