Denver, CO Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- DRMC § 57-41 et seq.
- Applies to
- All private property, incl. vacant lots
- Abatement notice period
- 10 days
- Enforcer
- Community Planning & Development
- Max fine
- $999 plus lien for city costs
Summary
Denver requires every property owner, including owners of vacant and unimproved lots, to keep plantings weeded and maintained; overgrown weeds, brush or noxious vegetation counts as a code violation subject to city notice and abatement.
It shall be the duty of the owner, agent, or lessee of any real property located within the city to provide for regular weeding, pruning, and other maintenance of all plantings located on said private property. Plant materials which exhibit evidence of pests, disease, or damage shall be appropriately treated, and dead plant materials shall be removed or replaced.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 57-41 makes it the duty of every owner, agent or lessee to provide for regular weeding, pruning and maintenance of plantings on private property, and to remove or replace dead plant material: this duty applies to any real property in the city, so vacant lots are covered the same as improved ones. Section 57-42 defines 'unattended vegetation' as overgrown or untrimmed shrubs, brush or grasses, diseased or noxious growth, and weeds. If the deputy director of neighborhood inspection services (Community Planning and Development) finds a violation, § 57-44 requires written notice giving the owner ten days to abate before the city can enter the lot, clear the vegetation, and bill the owner for the cost.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring the ten-day abatement notice lets the city enter and clear the lot itself, billing the owner; unpaid costs become a lien on the property, and violations can also draw up to a $999 fine or 300 days in jail under the Code's general penalty section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Denver's weed ordinance apply to vacant, unimproved lots?
What happens if I don't clear weeds after a notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
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