Denver has adopted the 2018 ICC (International Code Council) codes listed below. You are responsible for ensuring that your project complies with ICC codes as well as Denver's amendments to the ICC codes, which are located in the Denver Building and Fire Code.
The links below will take you to an external site hosted by the ICC.
Denver also abides by the 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), which is adopted at the state level.
Building code policies
The policies listed below clarify existing codes and detail how to handle certain situations that are not clearly addressed within current codes.
| Referenced 2019 Code Section |
Description |
Last updated |
| DBC Section 103.10 |
Transition Rules |
4/30/20 |
| ADMIN_120A(PDF, 225KB) |
Classifications of Licenses, Registrations and Certificates |
12/17/20 |
| ADMIN 133B |
Submittal Requirements for Residential Projects that Include Structural Work |
2/2/20 |
| ADMIN 134C |
Temporary Emergency Residential Shelters |
10/20/20 |
| ADMIN 134D(PDF, 147KB) |
Temporary Daycare Occupancies |
1/14/21 |
ADMIN 138
|
Permit and Inspection Fees
|
7/15/20 |
| IBC 302.1 |
Occupancy Classification for Marijuana Uses |
8/22/20 |
| IBC 603.1 |
Limited Combustible Pedestals on Roofs of Type I and II Buildings |
9/17/20 |
| IBC 1004.5 |
Calculating Business Office Occupant Load |
4/1/20 |
| IBC 1507.19 |
Use of Foam Plastics with Reinforced Rubberized Asphalt Roofing |
9/15/20 |
| IECCC401.2 and R401.2 |
Residential and Commercial Project Submittal Requirements for IECC and ASHRAE Prescriptive Paths |
6/25/20 |
| IECC, IMC Clarification |
IECC, IMC Clarification on R-2 Ventilation Requirements |
1/15/20 |
| IRC 401.4(PDF, 109KB) |
IRC Geotechnical Investigation Reports |
12/28/20 |
Building code policies for the 2016 code are available for download below:
| Referenced 2016 Code Section |
Description |
Last updated |
| DBC Section 103.10 |
Transition Rules |
2/18/20 |
| ADMIN_120A(PDF, 225KB) |
Classification of Licenses, Registrations and Certificates |
12/17/20 |
| ADMIN 120B |
Modular Cold Storage Room Contractors |
10/17/11 |
| ADMIN 126.4 |
Demolition or Building Moving Permits |
6/09/17 |
| ADMIN 130 |
Residential (Single-Family and Duplex) Submittals |
3/1/16 |
| ADMIN 130.2A |
Residential Excavation and Shoring |
1/26/18 |
| ADMIN 130.2B |
Third Party Roofing Inspections |
4/7/20 |
| ADMIN 131 |
Permit Application and Issuance |
12/29/17 |
| ADMIN 131.2 |
Alternative Permitting for Expedited Construction |
12/10/18 |
| ADMIN 131.3 |
Owner Occupier (Homeowner) Permits |
2/7/17 |
| ADMIN 131.5 |
Plan Review and Permit Cancellation |
3/13/17 |
| ADMIN 132.9 |
Compliance Plan and Conditional Certificate of Occupancy |
7/21/2017 |
| ADMIN 132A |
Groundwater Remediation Equipment Shelters |
3/21/16 |
| ADMIN 132B |
Temporary Outdoor Stages |
3/21/16 |
| ADMIN 133 |
Electrical Plan Review Requirements |
4/11/16 |
| ADMIN 133.3 |
Setback Verification |
1/25/18 |
| ADMIN 133.5, 135 and 136 |
Foundation Only, Phased Construction and Deferred Submittal Permits |
10/11/16 |
ADMIN 134
|
Building Permit Application Requirements for Temporary Buildings |
9/5/18 |
ADMIN 134B
|
Temporary Sales Office Within a Model Home |
10/2/19 |
| ADMIN 138 |
Permit and Inspection Fees |
7/15/20 |
| ADMIN 140.4 |
Home Inspections Containing Weyerhaeuser Flak Jacket TJI Joists |
10/4/17 |
| ADMIN 142A |
Temporary Occupancies |
3/21/16 |
| ADMIN 603.1 |
Limited Combustible Pedestals on Roofs of Type I and II Buildings |
9/17/20 |
| IBC 302.1 |
Occupancy Classification for Marijuana Uses |
8/22/20 |
| IBC 310.3 |
Residential and Personal Care, Assisted Living |
10/14/11 |
| IBC 709.9 |
Gas Fired Heating in R-1 and R-2 |
10/14/11 |
| IBC1008.1.9 |
Locking and Securing of Egress Doors |
10/14/11 |
| IBC 1014.3 |
Tenant Finish of Existing Office Buildings |
10/14/11 |
| IBC 1507 |
Porch, Patio and Group U Roofing |
10/14/11 |
| IBC 1704 |
Special Inspector Qualification |
10/17/11 |
| IBC 1705 |
High-rise Building Exterior Wall Special Inspection Requirements |
2/14/19 |
| IBC 3103 |
Temporary Fabric Structures - Tents, canopies and Air Inflated Structures |
10/17/11 |
| IBC 3303 |
Demolition or Building Moving Permits |
6/09/17 |
| IBC 3307.1.1 |
Notification Prior to Excavation, Demolition or Relocation |
9/9/13 |
| IBC 3408A |
Occupancy Conformance - Change in Use Within the Same Occupancy Group or Change in Occupancy |
10/14/11 |
| IBC 3408B |
Change in Occupancy or Use - Procedures for Obtaining a New Certificate of Occupancy |
10/14/11 |
| IBC H106 |
Permitting Procedures for Electric and Neon Signs |
10/17/11 |
| IECC R101, R103and IRC Chapter 11 |
Submittal Requirements to Document Compliance with the IECC's Residential Provisions |
11/7/17 |
| IECC C101, C103, C202, C408 |
Submittal Requirements to Document Compliance with the IECC's Commercial Provisions |
2/13/19 |
| IECC C202 |
Approved Agency Determination RE: System Commissioning |
9/11/18 |
| IECC C405 |
Lighting and Metering Requirements |
4/11/16 |
| IECC C408.2.4 |
Commissioning Compliance Checklist |
9/11/18 |
| IMC 301.4 |
Waste Oil Heaters |
10/17/11 |
| IMC 506, 507, 508 |
IMC Kitchen Hood Exhaust System Submittal Requirements |
11/21/16 |
| IMC 507 |
Kitchen Hoods and Ventilation Requirements |
12/21/16 |
| IPC Chapters 13 & 14 |
Graywater Treatment Works Systems |
3/20/18 |
| IRC 101, 202, 302.3, 311 |
Residential Structures Containing a Second Complete and Independent Dwelling Unit |
11/16/18 |
| IRC 401.4(PDF, 109KB) |
IRC Geotechnical Investigation Reports |
12/28/20 |
| IRC405.1 |
Subsoil Drainage Systems |
10/17/11 |
| IRC M2301 |
Solar Energy System Permits |
3/14/18 |
| IRC N1105 & N1106 & IECC 405 & 406 |
Energy Rating Program Procedures |
11/7/17 |
| IRC R302.1 |
Exterior Wall Requirements for IRC Buildings |
1/16/18 |
| IRC R302.2 |
Extending Stories in IRC Townhouses |
1/16/18 |
| NEC 590 |
NEC 590 Temporary Power |
7/29/14 |
| NEC 590.4 |
Cable installation for temporary special events
|
5/6/15 |
| NEC 705 |
Distributed Resources Generating Systems |
10/17/11 |
Building guides
The following guides are available for download in PDF format:
| Commercial Building Permit Guide(PDF, 913KB) |
UPDATED DECEMBER 2020.Guideline of requirements for commercial projects, information on related permits, and collection of required forms. |
| Electronic Signatures Guide |
A how-to guide with screenshots for creating a valid electronic signature using Adobe Acrobat or BlueBeam Revu. (All building plans submitted to CPD electronically must include a valid electronic signature.) |
| Commercial Permitting Presentation |
Presentation and panel discussion from December 9, 2020.
YouTube recording, Slide deck(PDF, 9MB)
|
| IECC Checklists |
Required for all new commercial and multi-family residential construction projects; commercial tenant finish projects over 10,000 square feet; and single-family/duplex projects with new conditioned space or additions over 30% square feet.
Commercial IECC Performance Checklist(XLSX, 147KB)
Commercial ASHRAE Prescriptive Checklist(XLSX, 151KB)
Commercial ASHRAE Performance Checklist(XLSX, 143KB)
Commercial Energy Code Modeling Report(PDF, 740KB)
Residential IECC Prescriptive Checklist(XLSX, 82KB)
Residential IECC Performance Checklist(XLSX, 78KB)
Residential ERI Checklist(XLSX, 78KB)
Learn how to fill out and submit the correct IECC checklist:
Commercial checklist webinar (opens in YouTube), View slide deck(PDF, 5MB)
Residential checklist webinar (opens in YouTube), View slide deck(PDF, 4MB)
|
| IECC Training Sessions |
March 2020: Slide decks available for the following focused sessions: Homebuilders and electrical engineers
June 2020: YouTube videos available for the following focused sessions: Residents and home designers, Contractors, Mechanical and plumbing engineers, and Architects
|
| Expanded Prep Demo Overview |
Permit path enabling an expedited construction start for certain commercial tenant-finish projects |
| Administrative Modification Request |
UPDATED MARCH 2020.Application information and supplemental guidelines |
|
Master/TA guide for production homebuilders
|
UPDATED MARCH 2020.Submittal instructions and checklists for Master plan and Type-Approved (TA) single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes built under the International Residential Code (IRC). |
| Residential Permitting Guide |
UPDATED JANUARY 2020.Additional project guides for specific types of work in single-family homes and duplexes are available on the Inside the Home, Outside the Home, Building/Expanding a Home, and Homeowner Permits webpages. |
| Slide Deck: Navigating Residential Permitting |
Presentation from March 1, 2020. Navigating the permitting process for Single-Family and Duplex projects. |
| DEH Plan Review Application |
UPDATED DECEMBER 2019. This application is used to conduct an Environmental Health and building permit review of proposed new and extensively remodeled retail food establishments/commercial kitchens, marijuana-infused product (MIP) kitchens, and marijuana dispensaries. |
| Restaurant Guide |
Visit the online guide for Restaurant Permits. |
| Concept Phase Overview |
A brief overview of the Concept Phase of Plan Review |
| Concept Phase Submittal Checklist |
Submittal checklist for the Concept Phase |
| Formal Phase Overview |
A brief overview of the Formal Phase of Plan Review |
| Formal Phase Submittal Checklist for Site Plans |
Submittal checklist for the Formal Phase |
| Final Recordation Phase Overview |
A brief overview of the Final Recordation Phase of Plan Review |
| Plan Amendments Guide |
How to apply for an amendment to an approved plan |
| Pool Permitting Guide |
Permitting guide for residential and commercial pools, spas and water features |
| PUD/PBG Site Plan Rules and Regulations |
The process and requirements for site plan review of Planned Unit Developments/Planned Building Groups |
| Total Demolition Guide |
Step-by step procedures for demolition of residential and commercial structure |
Recent amendments to the Denver Building and Fire Code
The current edition of the Denver Building and Fire Code was initially adopted on December 26, 2019. Amendments will be posted here when they are available.
Archived Denver building codes and policies
Archived Denver Building Code Amendments are available for download below.
Archived building code policies for the 2011 code are available for download below:
| Referenced 2011 Code Section |
Description |
| DBC Section 103.10 |
Transition Rules |
| ADMIN 120A |
Classification of Licenses, Registrations and Certificates |
| ADMIN 120B |
Modular Cold Storage Room Contractors |
| ADMIN 126.4 |
Demolition or Building Moving Permits |
| ADMIN 130 |
Residential (Single-Family and Duplex) Submittals |
| ADMIN 130.2A |
Residential Excavation and Shoring |
| ADMIN 130.2B |
Third Party Roofing Inspections |
| ADMIN 131 |
Permit Application and Issuance |
| ADMIN 131.2 |
Alternative Permitting for Expedited Construction |
| ADMIN 131.3 |
Owner Occupier (Homeowner) Permits |
| ADMIN 131.5 |
Plan Review and Permit Cancellation |
| ADMIN 132A |
Permitting Construction Completed Without Permits
|
| ADMIN 132B |
Temporary Outdoor Stages |
| ADMIN 132C |
Temporary Occupancies |
| ADMIN 132D |
Groundwater Remediation Equipment Shelters |
| ADMIN 133 |
Electrical Plan Review Requirements |
| ADMIN 133.3 |
Setback Verification |
| ADMIN 134 |
Building Permit Application Requirements for Temporary Buildings |
| ADMIN 138 |
Permit and Inspection Fees |
| ADMIN 142.2 |
Home Occupation |
| IBC 302.1 |
Occupancy Classification for Marijuana Uses |
| IBC 310.3 |
Residential and Personal Care, Assisted Living |
|
IBC 709.9
|
Gas Fired Heating in R-1 and R-2 |
| IBC 1004.1a |
Maximum Floor Area Allowances Per Occupant Within Marijuana Plant Husbandry Operations |
| IBC1008.1.9 |
Locking and Securing of Egress Doors |
| IBC 1014.3 |
Tenant Finish of Existing Office Buildings |
| IBC 1507 |
Porch, Patio and Group U Roofing |
| IBC 1704 |
Special Inspector Qualification |
| IBC 3003.2 |
Pressurized Hoistways |
| IBC 3103 |
Temporary Fabric Structures - Tents, canopies and Air Inflated Structures |
| IBC 3303 |
Demolition or Building Moving Permits |
| IBC 3307.1.1 |
Notification Prior to Excavation, Demolition or Relocation |
| IBC 3408A |
Occupancy Conformance - Change in Use Within the Same Occupancy Group or Change in Occupancy |
| IBC 3408B |
Change in Occupancy or Use - Procedures for Obtaining a New Certificate of Occupancy |
| IBC H106 |
Permitting Procedures for Electric and Neon Signs |
| IECC 505 |
Lighting and Metering Requirements |
| IMC 301.4 |
Waste Oil Heaters |
| IMC 506, 507, 508 |
IMC Kitchen Hood Exhaust System Submittal Requirements |
| IMC 507 |
Kitchen Hoods and Ventilation Requirements |
| IRC 305 |
Basement Remodeling in Single Family Homes |
| IRC 401.4 |
Residential Soils Tests and Geotechnical Investigation Reports |
| IRC405.1 |
Subsoil Drainage Systems |
| IRC M2301 |
Solar Energy System Permits |
| IRC H101 |
Patio Covers |
| IRC N101.2.1 |
Residential Energy Rating Program |
| IRC R302.2 |
Extending Stories in IRC Townhouses |
| NEC 590 |
NEC 590 Temporary Power |
| NEC 590.4 |
Cable installation for temporary special events
|
| NEC 705 |
Distributed Resources Generating Systems |
New IECC checklist for all development projects
Working hand in hand with the Denver community, the city has defined and adopted bold climate goals. Adoption of more stringent building codes to achieve higher building performance is integral to attaining these goals. CPD's new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) checklist is designed to support project teams in navigating complexities of the IECC section of Denver’s 2019 Building and Fire Code, and succeeding in delivering projects that support our community’s expressed priorities.
Starting on January 4, 2021, this checklist will be required for all new commercial and multi-family residential construction projects; commercial tenant finish projects over 10,000 square feet; and single-family/duplex projects with new conditioned space or additions over 30% square feet.
Download the appropriate checklist based on your project type (all files open in Excel):
Commercial IECC Prescriptive Checklist(XLSX, 153KB)
Commercial IECC Performance Checklist(XLSX, 147KB)
Commercial ASHRAE Prescriptive Checklist(XLSX, 151KB)
Commercial ASHRAE Performance Checklist(XLSX, 143KB)
Commercial Energy Code Modeling Report(PDF, 740KB)
Residential IECC Prescriptive Checklist(XLSX, 82KB)
Residential IECC Performance Checklist(XLSX, 78KB)
Residential ERI Checklist(XLSX, 78KB)
Learn how to fill out and submit the correct IECC checklist:
Commercial checklist webinar (opens in YouTube), View slide deck(PDF, 5MB)
Residential checklist webinar (opens in YouTube), View slide deck(PDF, 4MB)
Code error and unclear language amendment process