Colorado building code
Colorado does not adopt one unified statewide building code. The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Colorado cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- No statewide building code cycle; state-level codes: 2023 NEC (electrical), 2021 Colorado Plumbing Code (2021 IPC base), 2021 IBC/IFC/IRC/IEBC/IMC/IECC for DFPC-jurisdiction buildings, Model Low Energy and Carbon Code (2024 IECC-based) as local-adoption minimum from 2026-07-01
- Code authority
- No single statewide building authority. Sector agencies: DORA State Electrical Board (3 CCR 710-1); DORA State Plumbing Board (3 CCR 720-1, Colorado Plumbing Code); CDPS Division of Fire Prevention and Control (8 CCR 1507 series, schools/health facilities/where DFPC is AHJ); Colorado Energy Office / Energy Code Board (HB22-1362 model energy codes); DOLA Division of Housing (factory-built structures; multifamily/hotels in jurisdictions without codes)
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | 2021 IFC based on 2021 IFC (1st printing October 2020) | n/a |
| Electrical | 2023 NEC based on 2023 NEC (NFPA 70) | n/a |
| Plumbing | 2021 Colorado Plumbing Code based on 2021 IPC (selected chapters/appendices B, C, D, E) plus 2021 IRC plumbing provisions | n/a |
| Energy | 2024-IECC-based Model Low Energy and Carbon Code (HB22-1362 minimum) based on 2024 IECC (modified by Colorado Energy Code Board) | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Colorado. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- Wildland-urban interface area
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
- Seismic design category overlay
Sources
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-710-1.5
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-720-1.2
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/title-8/agency-1507/division-101/article-3
- https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB22-1362
- https://www.iccsafe.org/adoptions
- https://www.coloradosos.gov/CCR/Welcome.do
Common questions
What building code does Colorado use?
Colorado does not adopt a single unified statewide building code for general construction. Building, residential, and trade codes are adopted locally by ordinance, so the governing edition is whatever the city or county reviewing the permit has enacted. Narrow-scope state programs: No single statewide building authority. Sector agencies: DORA State Electrical Board (3 CCR 710-1); DORA State Plumbing Board (3 CCR 720-1, Colorado Plumbing Code); CDPS Division of Fire Prevention and Control (8 CCR 1507 series, schools/health facilities/where DFPC is AHJ); Colorado Energy Office / Energy Code Board (HB22-1362 model energy codes); DOLA Division of Housing (factory-built structures; multifamily/hotels in jurisdictions without codes)
Do cities in Colorado amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Check a plan set against Colorado code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
Your first check is free, no card required.
Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.