Colorado Roofing Rules: What Homeowners Should Know
If you're replacing a roof in Colorado Springs, CO, two sets of rules apply: Colorado's roofing-contract law and the local permit rules run by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. This page sums up both in plain terms and links to every source, so you know what to expect before you sign anything.
Prefer to talk? Call now(719) 555-0168At a Glance
Here are the main points. Each one gets more detail further down, and the source list at the bottom links to the law or official page behind it.
- Get it in writing. Colorado requires a written contract, signed by you and the roofer, before any roofing work begins.
- Two 72-hour windows. You can cancel within 72 hours of signing, and again within 72 hours of getting a written claim denial from your insurer.
- Your deductible is yours. A roofer may not offer to pay, waive, rebate or absorb it.
- Roofers don't negotiate claims. A roofer can document damage. You and your insurer settle the claim, or a licensed public adjuster you hire.
- Permits are local. Around Colorado Springs, PPRBD issues re-roof permits and licenses the contractors who pull them.
This is a summary of public law, not legal advice.
Who Can Legally Roof in Colorado
Colorado has no statewide roofing license. Licensing happens at the local level instead. In and around Colorado Springs, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) licenses contractors. A roofer needs a PPRBD Building Contractor D-1 (Roofing) license, or a D-1 Exterior license that covers roofing, stucco and siding. PPRBD's code requires an active license before any permit can be issued.
PPRBD also asks roofing contractors for a certificate of liability insurance showing that re-roofing is included, or at least not excluded. Ask to see that certificate yourself, since a policy that leaves out roof work won't help if something goes wrong.
To check a roofer, go to pprbd.org, choose Contractor, then Search Contractors, and enter the company name your roofer gives you. This site doesn't check licenses on your behalf, so take this step before you sign.
The Deductible Rule
Under C.R.S. 6-22-105, a roofer may not offer to pay, waive, rebate or absorb any part of your insurance deductible. You pay your own deductible. If a roofer hints that the deductible can be skipped, folded into the bill or handed back later, treat it as a reason to keep looking.
The same section keeps roofers out of the adjuster's chair. A roofer may not act as a public adjuster, represent you or negotiate your claim. A roofer can inspect, photograph and price the damage; you and your insurer settle the claim. Only a licensed public adjuster, licensed by Colorado's Division of Insurance, can argue it for you.
Cancellation Rights
Big storms bring a rush of signed contracts. On July 28, 2016, NWS Pueblo reported widespread baseball-size hail in Colorado Springs, with more than $350 million in damage claims. After a day like that, it helps to know what the paperwork has to say and how to back out.
Under C.R.S. 6-22-103, the written contract must cover the scope of work, materials, approximate cost and dates, the roofer's contact details and insurance, and how deposits are handled. The roofer must hold your payment in trust until materials arrive at your home or most of the work is done. Colorado then gives you two separate chances to cancel.
- 72 hours after you sign. Under C.R.S. 6-22-103, you can cancel within 72 hours after signing a roofing contract. The contract itself has to explain this right.
- 72 hours after a claim denial. Under C.R.S. 6-22-104, if your insurer sends written notice that it denied your claim in whole or in part, you have 72 hours after getting that notice to cancel.
Send any cancellation in writing and keep a copy with the date you sent it.
Storm-Resistant Roof Programs
In 2026 Colorado passed SB26-155, which creates a state program to fund grants for stronger, storm-resistant roofs. The grants are not open yet, and no amounts or start dates have been announced. Be careful with anyone who says they can get you a state roof grant today.
Class 4 impact-resistant shingles are an option, not a requirement, in Colorado Springs. Many insurers offer a discount for Class 4 roofs; ask yours what applies to your policy.
If your home is in an HOA, a 2024 Colorado law (HB24-1091) bars HOAs from banning fire-hardened roofing materials. That law doesn't address hail-resistant shingles, so read your HOA's architectural rules before you pick a product or color.
Local Permit Questions
PPRBD, at 2880 International Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 (719-327-2880), handles re-roof permits for Colorado Springs, Fountain, CO, Manitou Springs, CO, Monument, CO and unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado. That last group includes Security-Widefield, CO and Falcon, CO.
- Over 100 sq ft needs a permit. Any roof repair or replacement larger than 100 sq ft needs one, whether a contractor or the homeowner does the work. Your roofer pulls it.
- No overlays on asphalt. All old asphalt layers come off before new asphalt shingles go on.
- Ice barrier above 7,000 ft. Homes above that elevation need an ice barrier installed at the eaves.
- Inspections take time. PPRBD doesn't offer same-day reroof inspections, so ask your roofer how long the final inspection usually takes to schedule.
- Class A inside Colorado Springs. One- and two-family homes in the city need at least a Class A roof covering, excluding solid wood roofing. In other towns, ask PPRBD.
Class A is a fire rating, not a hail rating. The rule has local roots: the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012 and the Black Forest Fire in 2013 destroyed hundreds of homes in the region, according to PPRBD.
Manitou Springs, CO adds a step. The city's Property Improvement Permit comes first, then the PPRBD permit. In the Local Historic Districts, planning staff can sign off on roofing work themselves if the footprint, pitch and dimensions don't change. The color can't be white or very light, rubber and metal roofs are mostly not allowed, and visible exterior work can take one to two months to clear.
Questions on the Rules
Do I need a permit for a small roof repair?
Only if the work covers more than 100 sq ft. PPRBD doesn't require a permit for roofing repairs under that size, but anything larger, including a full replacement, needs one. The rule applies whether a contractor or the homeowner does the work. When you hire a roofer, the roofer pulls the permit and schedules the inspections.
Are Class 4 shingles required in Colorado Springs?
No. They're an option, not a requirement. What Colorado Springs does require is at least a Class A roof covering on one- and two-family homes, which is a fire rating. Many insurers offer a discount for Class 4 roofs, so ask your insurer whether yours does before you decide.
Can my roofer handle the insurance claim for me?
No. Under C.R.S. 6-22-105, a roofer can't represent you or negotiate your claim with the insurer. A roofer documents the damage and prices the work. You and your insurer settle the claim. If you want help arguing it, only a licensed public adjuster can act for you.
What if my insurer denies the claim after I sign?
You have 72 hours after you get written notice of a denial, in whole or in part, to cancel the roofing contract under C.R.S. 6-22-104. That's separate from the 72 hours you get right after signing. Put the cancellation in writing and keep a copy for your records.
Source List
Each source below was read on October 5, 2026. Statute text was read on colorado.public.law, a reprint of the Colorado Revised Statutes current through Fall 2025.
- Written contracts. C.R.S. 6-22-103: contract contents, payment held in trust and the 72-hour cancel right after signing.
- Cancel after a denial. C.R.S. 6-22-104: the 72-hour cancel right after a written claim denial.
- Deductibles and adjusters. C.R.S. 6-22-105: the deductible ban and the bar on roofers acting as public adjusters.
- Roof grants. SB26-155 session law, Colorado General Assembly, approved June 4, 2026.
- HOAs. HB24-1091 advisory, Colorado Division of Real Estate.
- Public adjusters. Consumer advisory, Colorado Division of Insurance, May 31, 2024.
- PPRBD re-roof rules. Reroof Guidelines (revised March 5, 2024), roofing contractor FAQ, homeowner roofing handout, contractor application and disaster information.
- PPRBD service area. El Paso County, Colorado: PPRBD.
- Manitou Springs. Building plan review and permit FAQ, City of Manitou Springs.
- July 28, 2016 hail. NWS Pueblo 2016 annual summary.
Unsure Where You Stand?
Rules make more sense once someone has looked at your actual roof. We connect Colorado Springs homeowners with independent local roofers for a free inspection and a written estimate. Bring your questions about permits and contracts, then check the roofer on pprbd.org and read the contract before you sign. Roofers may pay us for the referral; you never do.
Want a rough number first? The roof replacement cost guide shows published 2026 price ranges.