Effectively yes in mapped wildfire areas, and outright in several jurisdictions. Wood shakes and shingles generally cannot meet stand-alone Class A, so the state code's Class A requirement disqualifies them in mapped WUI areas. Separately, cities and counties including Colorado Springs, Boulder, Boulder County, Aspen and Summit County banned wood roofing on their own, some of them decades ago.
Local bans that predate the state code
These are independent of the wildfire resiliency code and remain in force.
- Colorado Springs banned new wood roofs in 2002.
- The City of Boulder prohibits wood roof covering materials, including fire-retardant-treated wood, and required roofs more than 50% wood by volume to be replaced by January 1, 2014.
- Boulder County, after the Marshall Fire, mandated in June 2022 that no new wood shake roofs be permitted on newly built homes, and requires Class A roofing and ember-resistant venting on new residential construction in mapped WUI zones.
- Mountain jurisdictions including Aspen and Summit County also ban natural wood shakes.
What it means if you have a wood roof now
An existing legal wood roof is generally grandfathered until you do triggering work, unless your jurisdiction set its own replacement deadline. When you reroof, you convert to a Class A material. That is the point where a wood-shake home in the foothills often discovers the 25% rule, because a repair that seemed small pushes the whole roof into replacement.
Keeping the look without the wood
Synthetic shake products exist specifically for homes and neighborhoods that want the cedar profile. Some lines carry a stand-alone Class A rating and others achieve it as a tested assembly, so the product listing has to be verified rather than assumed. Fire-retardant-treated wood shakes are Class A by assembly at best, and are prohibited outright in Boulder.
Worth knowing if you are in an HOA: a 2024 Colorado law prohibits homeowners associations from banning fire-hardened building materials, while allowing reasonable appearance guidelines. An HOA cannot force you into a noncompliant roof.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction
Colorado's wildfire code is a state minimum, but adoption and enforcement happen locally, and adoption is uneven. Some counties, towns and fire districts adopted the code, some adopted amended or more stringent versions, and some declined. Nothing on this page tells you what applies to your specific address. We confirm the current adopted code and map with your building department before every project in a wildfire area, and we put the answer in writing with the estimate.
Common questions
- Are wood shake roofs legal in Colorado?
- Not in mapped WUI areas under the state code, because wood shake generally cannot meet stand-alone Class A. Colorado Springs, the City of Boulder, Boulder County for new homes, Aspen and Summit County also ban wood roofing directly.
- Do I have to replace my existing wood shake roof?
- The state code does not force retrofit of an untouched roof, so an existing legal wood roof is generally grandfathered until triggering work. Some jurisdictions, such as the City of Boulder, set their own replacement deadlines, so check locally.
- Can my HOA stop me from installing a fire-hardened roof?
- No. Colorado law prohibits homeowners associations from banning fire-hardened building materials. HOAs may still set reasonable appearance guidelines, which is where synthetic shake products often solve the problem.
Talk to us about your roof
We work out of 9822 Titan Park Cir, Littleton, and cover the Front Range foothills where this code matters most. Call (303) 738-1032 or book an inspection and we will confirm the local requirements, walk the roof, and put the 25% answer in writing with your estimate. Our neighborhood guides and service areas show where we work, and the insurance claim guide covers the documentation side.