Aurora enforces the 2021 IRC under City Code Sec. 22-181, and you need a building permit and a roofing inspection to replace a roof. Its code table requires ice shield underlayment, sets a 40 psf ground snow load and lists 105 mph for a typical home.
General information, read from the official sources listed below on 2026-10-28. Codes and local policies change, so confirm the rules for your address with the building department before work starts.
Aurora roof code data table
| Item | Aurora |
|---|---|
| Adopted IRC edition | 2021 IRC, first printing, with Aurora amendments (City Code Sec. 22-181). Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-181 (code adopted) |
| Adopted IBC edition | 2021 IBC (adopted codes page). Source: Aurora adopted building codes |
| Adoption or effective date | Ordinance No. 2021-65, December 6, 2021. Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-181 (code adopted) |
| Roofing amendments and local policies | Sec. 22-196 adds R903.4.2: all roofs that drain over an edge need gutters and downspouts, each downspout with a 5 ft splash block or hinged section. Exceptions: overhangs of 4 ft or more, patio covers, awnings and sheds that get no roof drainage, and roofs draining onto another compliant roof. No tear-off or recover amendment found in the sections read. Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-196 (roof construction) |
| Ice barrier rule | Required ("Ice Shield Underlayment required: Yes", Sec. 22-186). Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-186 (design criteria) |
| Ground snow load | 40 psf ground snow load (Sec. 22-186). Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-186 (design criteria) |
| Design wind speed | 3-second gust: 100 / 105 / 110 / 115 mph for Risk Category I / II / III / IV; special wind region: yes; topographic effects: no. Source: Aurora City Code Sec. 22-186 (design criteria) |
| Reroof permit trigger | Not fully verified: Roof replacement requires a building permit. A repair-size threshold is not stated in the code sections or handbook read. Source: Aurora DIY Home Improvement Handbook |
| Layers allowed | No local amendment found. The 2021 IRC bars a recover over two or more existing coverings or over a water-soaked or deteriorated roof. Source: 2021 IRC Chapter 9 (UpCodes, Colorado edition) |
| Wildfire / WUI code status | Not fully verified: Not stated in the sources read for this page. Ask the building department. |
| Inspection requirements | A roofing inspection is part of the permit; inspectors check the work against the approved scope and adopted codes. Source: Aurora DIY Home Improvement Handbook |
| Permitting office | Aurora Building Division, 303-739-7420. Source: Aurora DIY Home Improvement Handbook |
What it means for a homeowner reroofing in Aurora
Aurora is still on the 2021 IRC while several neighbors moved to 2024, so supplement and bid language should cite 2021 section numbers (for example, R908.3.1.1 for the recover limits).
Gutters are a code item here, not an upgrade. Aurora added R903.4.2, so a roof that sheds water over its edge needs gutters and downspouts that carry water at least 5 feet from the foundation. If a reroof removes or damages gutters, the replacement has to meet that rule.
Aurora lets homeowners replace their own roof under a permit, but the owner then answers for passing every inspection. The wind number in the city table is a 3-second gust value, so it reads lower than the ultimate (Vult) speeds other cities print; do not compare the two directly.
Common inspection failures in Aurora
These are items the building department's own code or handouts say it checks or rejects. No public data ranks how often each one fails, so the order means nothing.
- Ice shield left out at the eaves.
- Gutters or downspouts missing on an edge that drains over the side.
- Downspouts dumping across a walkway or onto a neighbor.
- A second layer installed where the roof already has two coverings.
- Roof replaced without a permit or without the roofing inspection.
Steps to permit a reroof in Aurora
- Pull a building permit listing the roofing scope and who does the removal and install.
- Plan ice shield underlayment at the eaves.
- Check every roof edge for gutters and 5 ft downspout extensions.
- Schedule the roofing inspection before closing out the permit.
Related pages
- Aurora roofing
- Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code on a reroof
- Roof replacement
- Roof repair
- Hail damage repair
- Free roof inspection
- Compare roof codes by jurisdiction
Hail history by ZIP in Aurora: 80011 (Aurora), 80012 (Aurora), 80016 (Aurora), 80137 (Aurora)
Sources
- Aurora City Code Sec. 22-181 (code adopted)
- Aurora adopted building codes
- Aurora City Code Sec. 22-196 (roof construction)
- Aurora City Code Sec. 22-186 (design criteria)
- Aurora DIY Home Improvement Handbook
- 2021 IRC Chapter 9 (UpCodes, Colorado edition)
Compiled by Integrity Roofing and Painting, roofing Colorado homes since 1990 (36 years in business). We are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, and our repair scopes follow the local code and the manufacturer's installation and warranty requirements. We do not issue permits or rule on code; the building department does.
