Arvada, CO Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum temperature
- 68°F in habitable rooms, bathrooms
- Heating season
- September 1 to May 1
- Prohibited heat source
- Cooking appliances
- Governing sections
- Code §§ 18-526, 18-527 (I.P.M.C. §§ 602.2-.3)
- Max fine
- $2,650 per offense (Code § 1-5)
Summary
Arvada's property maintenance code requires rental dwellings to maintain at least 68°F in every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet room. Landlords must supply heat from September 1 through May 1 each year, and cooking appliances can't be used as a substitute heat source.
"Section 602.2. Residential occupancies. Dwellings shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature of 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms based on the winter outdoor design temperature for the locality indicated in Appendix D of the International Plumbing Code. Cooking appliances shall not be used to provide space heating to meet the requirements of this section." ... "602.3. Heat supply. (Insert dates) "from September 1st to May 1st.""
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Council Policy Manual: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
2, Residential occupancies) requires dwellings to have heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature of 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms, calculated against the winter outdoor design temperature for the locality in Appendix D of the International Plumbing Code. The same section bars using cooking appliances, such as a kitchen stove, to meet that heating requirement. 4, Occupiable work spaces), applies the same September 1 to May 1 heating-season dates to occupied non-dwelling work spaces. by Ordinance No. 4738 on September 14, 2020, and they apply on top of the code's general sanitation and structural soundness duties in §§ 18-486 and 18-513, which place the underlying maintenance responsibility on the owner.
A landlord who fails to provide a working heating system capable of the 68°F minimum during the heating season is out of compliance with the habitability standard even if the unit is otherwise sanitary and structurally sound.
Violations & Fines
Heat and habitability violations fall under Arvada's general penalty, Code § 1-5: a fine up to $2,650.00, imprisonment up to 364 days, or both, in Arvada Municipal Court, with each day a rental sits below the 68°F minimum during heating season counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature must my Arvada landlord keep my apartment at?
During what months does Arvada require heat to be supplied?
Can my landlord tell me to use the oven for heat?
Sources & Official References
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