Lakewood, CO Frost Depth & Snow Load: Frost Line Depth (2026)
Key Facts
- Frost depth
- 36 inches
- Code edition enforced
- 2021 I-Codes (2021 IRC and IBC) with the 2023 National Electrical Code
- Winter design temperature
- 1°F
- Air freezing index
- 532
- Mean annual temperature
- 51°F
- Local amendments
- Lakewood Municipal Code, Title 14
Summary
Lakewood sets a frost depth of 36 inches in the Codes and Loads handout its Public Works permit office publishes, matching neighbouring Denver.
CITY OF LAKEWOOD — CODES AND LOADS, PERMIT PROCESS ASSISTANCE HANDOUT. CITY OF LAKEWOOD DESIGN LOADS — Frost Depth: 36 inches. Ground Snow Load: 30 psf non-reducible. Minimum Roof Snow/Live Load: 30 psf (Minimum). Winter Design Temp: 1°F. Air Freezing Index: 532. Mean Annual Temperature: 51°F. Seismic Design Category: Residential: B.
Full Breakdown
Colorado has no statewide residential building code, so each municipality sets its own frost depth, and Lakewood publishes its figure in a permit-process handout titled Codes and Loads rather than burying it in the municipal code. The frost depth is 36 inches. That is the same figure as Denver and Aurora, which is convenient for anyone building across the western edge of the metro, though Lakewood diverges from Denver on snow load and on seismic treatment. The handout also fixes the winter design temperature at 1°F, the air freezing index at 532 and the mean annual temperature at 51°F: the air freezing index being the value that matters if a frost-protected shallow foundation is being considered instead of digging to full depth. Local amendments to the adopted codes sit separately in Title 14 of the Lakewood Municipal Code.
Violations & Fines
Footing depth is checked at the foundation inspection before concrete is placed, by Lakewood's permit office. A footing bearing above 36 inches will not pass. Because the figure comes from the department's own handout rather than the codified ordinance, that handout is the document plan reviewers work from, and matching it is the practical test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep do footings have to be in Lakewood, Colorado?
Is that the same as Denver?
Where does Lakewood publish this?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
Compare Lakewood to another location·View the Colorado frost depth & snow load overview
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