Denver’s roofing code is the 2022 Denver Building Code, based on the 2021 International Residential and Building Codes, plus the city’s own Roofing Guide and Checklist (updated April 11, 2024). For a typical house it means: a permit for any replacement and for repairs over 10 percent of the roof or 200 square feet, whichever is smaller; shingles labeled for the wind zone your street sits in; a tear-off when there are already two layers; no deck gaps over 1/2 inch; and a final inspection before the permit closes. An ice barrier at the eaves is not required in Denver.
Denver’s rules at a glance
| Topic | What Denver requires |
|---|---|
| Repair permits | Over 10% of the roof or two squares, whichever is smaller (buildings under 25,000 sq ft). Every new penetration needs a permit. Coatings do not |
| Partial roofs | A partial roof may be replaced if it ends at a natural edge, not partway up a slope |
| Layers | Tear off to the deck unless re-covering a single layer; two or more layers must come off |
| Decking | No continuous gap between boards over 1/2 inch, and no opening over 6 square inches under shingles |
| Ice barrier | Not required at eaves or rakes |
| Design loads | 35 psf ground snow load; wind 115, 125 or 140 mph depending on location |
| Shingle wind label | ASTM D7158 Class D, G or H for the zone, or D3161 if the shingle is outside D7158’s scope |
| Nailing | Manufacturer’s instructions, and at least four nails per strip shingle |
| Drip edge | Eaves and rakes, 2-inch laps, fastened at least every 12 inches |
| Valleys | Closed valleys 36 inches wide in roll roofing or self-adhering membrane; no metal in a closed valley |
| Venting | Not inspected on a re-roof, but must still meet the code in effect when the house was built |
Wind zones by street
Denver ties the minimum shingle wind rating to location: east of Federal Boulevard, 115 mph; Federal to Sheridan Boulevard, 125 mph; Sheridan to Kipling Street, 140 mph. A house in the west zone needs a higher class than one near downtown. Our explainer on shingle wind ratings shows which class matches each speed.
A Denver reroof, step by step
- Permit. The licensed contractor pulls the permit before work starts. You can check it yourself with a Denver roof permit lookup.
- Tear-off and deck check. Old layers come off as required, and gapped boards or soft sheathing are covered or replaced.
- Underlayment, drip edge and valleys. Installed to the IRC tables and the checklist widths.
- Roofing. Shingles with the wind-zone label, fastened per the manufacturer.
- Inspection. A mid-roof where required, then the final (code 201) to close the permit.
Inspections
| Roof type | Pre-inspection (205) | Mid-roof (206) | Final (201) |
|---|---|---|---|
| House, asphalt shingles | No | If needed | Yes |
| Townhomes | Yes | If needed | Yes |
| Tile or metal | No | Yes | Yes |
| Low-slope | Yes | If needed | Yes |
Tile gets its mid-roof before more than 30 percent of the tile is laid. A failed item means corrections, a new inspection request and a $100 re-inspection fee.
Who can do the work
Denver licenses roofing contractors by type: shingle roofs fall under a D-Roof Shingles license, and membrane roofs require a D-Roof Covering/Waterproofing license (a shingle contractor can install a small membrane area under 10 percent of the roof or two squares). Older homes may also need an asbestos inspection under state health department rules before tear-off.
Our practice in Denver
Codes are minimums. On every replacement we tear off to the deck, photograph the decking, and follow the Integrity Roofing System, including ice and water shield in the valleys and a windstorm starter strip, even where Denver does not require it. If hail brought you here, read about Denver hail and the roofs that hold up, then see roof replacement in Denver or roof repair. Suburbs set their own rules: compare Littleton, Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock.
Codes for Littleton, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch are in our roofing industry guides, and Denver hail, wind and cost guides are in our Denver roofing guides.
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, with a Denver-area office in Centennial. Call (303) 209-0152 or book a free Denver roof inspection; we reach out the same business day.
Older Denver houses add their own steps to a code-compliant reroof, from plank decking to lead paint and possible asbestos siding. See our guides to pre-1940 homes, post-war ranch homes and 1960s and 1970s split-levels and bi-levels.
Sources: City and County of Denver, Roofing Guide and Checklist (updated 4/11/2024); 2021 IRC Chapter 9, Table R905.2.4.1.
Photos From Our Projects
