Frost Depth & Snow Load in Colorado (2026)
14 rules on the books across Colorado, 5 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Frost Line Depth
How deep footings must go below finished grade to sit under the frost line, as adopted locally in IRC Table R301.2 or an amendment to R403.1.4.
Aurora
Some RestrictionsAurora requires a minimum frost depth of 36 inches for foundations, published by the city's Building Division in its…
Read full rule →Denver
Some RestrictionsDenver sets its frost line at 36 inches below finished grade, stated both in the residential design criteria table and…
Read full rule →Greeley
Some RestrictionsGreeley sets its frost line depth at 30 inches in the design criteria table added to its municipal code: six inches…
Read full rule →Lakewood
Some RestrictionsLakewood sets a frost depth of 36 inches in the Codes and Loads handout its Public Works permit office publishes…
Read full rule →Ground Snow Load
The ground snow load in pounds per square foot (Pg) the jurisdiction adopted, which sets what roofs and structures must be designed to carry.
Colorado Springs
Significant RestrictionsColorado Springs has no single ground snow load: it splits at 7,000 feet, with 43 psf below and 57 psf at or above…
Read full rule →Denver
Significant RestrictionsDenver's 2025 code raised the ground snow load from 35 psf to 43 psf and, for the first time, lets designers look up a…
Read full rule →Aurora
Some RestrictionsAurora sets a ground snow load of 40 pounds per square foot, and requires the roof snow load to be calculated from it…
Read full rule →Greeley
Light RestrictionsGreeley fixes its ground snow load at 30 pounds per square foot by ordinance, citing the Structural Engineers…
Read full rule →Lakewood
Light RestrictionsLakewood sets a ground snow load of 30 pounds per square foot and marks it non-reducible, so the usual code reductions…
Read full rule →Roof Snow Load
The minimum roof or flat-roof design snow load (Pf), a different quantity from ground snow load, where the jurisdiction adopts its own figure.
Colorado Springs
Some RestrictionsThe flat roof snow load in Colorado Springs is 30 psf below 7,000 feet and 40 psf at or above it, published as a…
Read full rule →Greeley
Light RestrictionsGreeley does not publish a fixed roof snow load: it requires the value to be calculated under the IBC, but sets a hard…
Read full rule →Building Design Criteria
The full set of local design criteria, wind speed, seismic design category, weathering, termite risk and ice-barrier requirements, as adopted.
Aurora
Some RestrictionsAurora's design criteria sheet sets seismic category B, Severe weathering, a 1°F winter design temperature and, unlike…
Read full rule →Denver
Some RestrictionsDenver's design criteria table sets seismic category B, Severe weathering and three wind speeds by risk category, and…
Read full rule →Lakewood
Some RestrictionsLakewood's design loads set residential seismic category B, Exposure C, and a wind speed that changes at a street…
Read full rule →