Building Safety in Lakewood, CO (2026)
7 verified building safety rules for Lakewood, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Elevator Maintenance
Lakewood's local amendment to the International Building Code, Section 3009, bars installing or majorly altering an elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter or moving walk without a State of Colorado permit, and bars operating one without a current State certificate of inspection, with narrow dwelling-unit exceptions handled by the city instead.
Lakewood, CO Elevator Permit & Inspection Rule
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code § 14.02.040(H)(1) (IBC § 3009.1-3009.2, as locally added)
H. The provisions of Chapter 30 shall include the following amendments: 1. A new section 3009 is added to read as follows: Section 3009 Permits and Certificates of Inspection. 3009.1 Permits required. It shall be unlawful to hereafter install any new elevator, moving walk, escalator, or dumbwaiter, or to make major alterations to any existing elevator, dumbwaiter, escalator or moving walk as de...
Green Building Code
Lakewood's Zoning Ordinance requires most new development of 2,500 square feet or more to earn Enhanced Development Menu sustainability points, with projects over 150,000 square feet required to reach LEED or NGBS green building certification or hit alternate benchmarks.
Lakewood CO Green Building Points
Some RestrictionsLakewood Zoning Ordinance §§ 17.13.2.2.A, 17.13.2.3.A (Article 13, Sustainable Development, Adopted June 27, 2022)
The EDM shall be applied to all development projects with cumulative gross floor area of 2,500 square feet or greater for all proposed buildings and parking structures... Development projects over 150,000 square feet in proposed gross floor area must obtain 150 points pursuant to section 17.13.2.2, and shall select from the following menu items...: 1. Green Building Certification (EDM Item 1); ...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Lakewood requires a carbon monoxide alarm outside every sleeping area, within 15 feet of its entrance, plus an additional alarm inside any sleeping area that itself has a fuel-burning appliance.
Lakewood, CO Carbon Monoxide Alarm Rule
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code § 14.09.040(C)(10) [IRC § R315.3, as amended]
R315.3 Location. Carbon Monoxide alarms in dwellings shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area within 15 feet of the entrance to each sleeping area/room. Where a fuel burning appliance is located within a sleeping area or its attached bathroom, a carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed within the sleeping area. 11.A new subsection R324.1.1 is added to read as follows: R324....
Building Permits
Lakewood exempts small, low, freestanding decks from a building permit: 200 square feet or less, under 30 inches high, and not attached to the house. Bigger, higher, or attached decks need one.
Lakewood, CO Deck Permit Threshold
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code § 14.09.040(A)(3) [IRC § R105.2, "Building" Item 11]
Decks not over 200 square feet in area that are not more than 30 inches above grade at any point, are not structurally attached to the dwelling, do not serve the required exit door, and are not installed over a required emergency escape and rescue opening. Exemption from the permit requirements of this Code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in vio...
Electrical Permits
Lakewood adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code, as amended by the Colorado State Electrical Board, as the city's Electrical Code under Municipal Code Ch. 14.06. Violators face the general penalty in Section 1.16.020, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Lakewood, CO Electrical Permit Code
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code §§ 14.06.010, 14.06.020, 14.06.030
14.06.010 - National Electrical Code Adopted by Reference. The National Electric Code of the National Fire Protection Association, 2023 Edition, as adopted and amended by the State of Colorado, by and through the State Electrical Broad, is hereby adopted by reference as the Electrical Code of the City of Lakewood. 14.06.030 - Penalties for violations of the Electrical Code. A. Any person who vi...
Plumbing Permits
Lakewood adopts the 2021 International Plumbing Code by reference for all plumbing and drainage installation, alteration, or repair, requiring permits and fees under the citywide building fee schedule, and mandates the work meet or exceed state standards.
Lakewood, CO Plumbing Permit Code
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code § 14.05.010
In accordance with C.R.S. 31-16-201 et seq., and the Lakewood City Charter, the International Plumbing Code of the International Code Council, 2021 Edition, including Appendices B, C, D, and E, herein after "International Plumbing Code," is hereby adopted by reference, subject to the deletions, amendments, and additions contained herein. The intent of this code is to meet or exceed the requirem...
Building Inspections
Lakewood, Colorado's locally amended building code ties every certificate of occupancy to a passed inspection, and automatically extends open permits only after each successful inspection.
Lakewood CO Building Inspection Certificate Rule
Some RestrictionsLakewood Municipal Code § 14.02.040 (amending IBC § 111.2)
111.2 Certificate issued. After the Building Official inspects a building or structure and does not find violations of the provisions of this code or other laws that are enforced by the department, the building official shall issue a certificate of occupancy for all new buildings, buildings with a change of use, or buildings with modifications to the fire sprinkler, fire alarm systems or fire s...
Looking for Jefferson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Lakewood city rules.
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