The Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code applies to a reroof when 25 percent or more of the roof surface on a mapped wildland-urban interface (WUI) parcel is replaced, and to new siding when 25 percent or more of the exterior wall area is replaced. Once that line is crossed, the entire roof, or all the walls, must meet the code’s new-construction rules, and a re-side also pulls in the 5-foot zone around the house. Below the 25 percent line, repairs are exempt, and painting is always exempt. This page is general information based on the state model code text; local versions can differ, and your building department makes the call.
On this page: Where the code came from · Map classes · Triggers · Exemptions · Before you sign
Where the code came from
Senate Bill 23-166 created the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board in 2023 to write a statewide model code for wildfire resilience. The Board’s 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code took effect on July 1, 2025 through rule 8 CCR 1507-39. Counties and cities with WUI areas then adopt it, with or without local changes. El Paso County, for instance, says SB 23-166 required it to adopt standards that meet or exceed the state code by July 1, 2026, and it placed them in Appendix E of its Land Development Code. Colorado had WUI rules before this: the state’s Planning for Hazards program notes that Colorado Springs added a Hillside Overlay WUI appendix in 2012 and Pueblo County adopted most of the 2009 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) in 2011.
Map classes decide the rules
The code applies only in WUI areas shown on official maps. Each parcel gets a fire intensity class, and the class sets the level of hardening:
| Fire intensity class | Typical setting in the code text | Hardening level |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Grass and light shrubs, flames typically under 2 ft | Class 1: roof, valleys, gutters, vents |
| Moderate | Dense shrubs and small trees, flames up to 8 ft | Class 2: Class 1 plus eaves, walls, decks, windows, doors |
| High | Dense forest and heavy fuels, flames 30 ft or more | Class 2 |
On the site side, Class 1 parcels follow the 0 to 5 foot zone, fencing and retaining-wall rules, and Class 2 parcels add the 5 to 30 and 30 to 100 foot zones. See our defensible space zones guide for those.
The triggers for roofs and walls
Roof covering (section 101.6). If the roof covering is replaced, or 25 percent or more of the roof surface is replaced, or the work effectively replaces the covering, the entire roof covering must meet the new-construction roof sections: a Class A covering or assembly, blocked gaps under profiled roofs, and metal valleys over a cap sheet. A roof that already complies is exempt. Our Class A roof guide covers what that means for shingles, metal and tile.
Exterior walls (section 101.7). If 25 percent or more of the total exterior wall area is replaced, or the work effectively replaces the wall material, all exterior walls and attachments must meet the new-construction wall rules, and the immediate zone within 5 feet of the house must be brought into compliance. The wall material rules are Class 2 items, so they bite hardest on moderate and high parcels. Our WUI siding and decks guide explains the material options.
Additions (section 101.5). Work that grows the footprint by 500 square feet or more must meet the rules for a new building.
What is exempt
The state code lists work that does not have to comply, including:
- Interior alterations.
- Roof covering repairs affecting less than 25 percent of the roof surface.
- Wall repairs affecting less than 25 percent of total exterior wall area.
- Painting, staining and similar maintenance.
- Additions under 500 square feet of new footprint.
- Small one-story sheds up to 120 square feet placed at least 10 feet from the house.
- Fences more than 8 feet from a habitable structure.
Before you sign a roof or siding contract
- Confirm your jurisdiction. City, town or unincorporated county decides which code version and which map apply. In unincorporated El Paso County, the county says a fire district reviews plans when the property sits inside one.
- Pull the map class for the parcel. It decides whether only the roof rules apply or the wall, deck and eave rules too.
- Measure the scope against 25 percent. For a hail claim, the replaced share of the roof surface is what matters. Ask your agent before the claim whether your policy pays for code upgrades, a point the Colorado Division of Insurance suggests raising.
- Get product listings in writing. Class A listings, vent listings and siding test reports are what an inspector will ask to see.
- Plan the 5-foot zone early on a re-side. Landscaping work in that zone may need to be finished before final inspection.
In Colorado Springs, see our Colorado Springs roofing codes guide for PPRBD permits. For the full overview, start at our wildfire home hardening guide.
Talk to us about your roof
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and has been family-run since 1990. We are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We can tell you whether a planned roof scope crosses the 25 percent line and which roof items the code lists, then pull the permit. Call (719) 488-2800 for a free Colorado Springs inspection or (303) 209-0152 for a free Denver inspection.
Sources: 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, sections 101 to 102, 303 to 304 (DFPC); Colorado DFPC, Wildfire Resiliency Code Board; El Paso County, PCD Quick Tips: Wildfire Resiliency Requirements; Colorado Planning for Hazards, Wildland-Urban Interface Code; Colorado Division of Insurance, Wildfire Resiliency Building Codes and Insurance.
