Roofing rules in Colorado are local. Your city or county decides whether a reroof needs a permit, which inspections it gets, whether roofers must hold a local license, and whether you need Class 4 impact-resistant shingles or wildfire-rated details. Hail exposure varies just as much from town to town. Pick your city for the details.
City guides
Denver metro
Northern Colorado and Boulder County
Southern Colorado
Not on the list? Your Roof Report shows local rules for several more places, and Check out a roofer and How old is my roof? cover more cities and counties.
Hail by city
Days with hail 1 inch or larger reported within 5 miles of each city's center, from April 2010 through July 2026. One inch is the size the National Weather Service calls severe. Colorado Springs is measured from City Hall downtown; the other cities from their standard map coordinates.
| Rank | City | 1″+ hail days | Since 2021 | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Springs | 37 | 6 | 3″ (Jun 12, 2018) |
| 2 | Parker | 28 | 7 | 2″ (Jul 4, 2019) |
| 3 | Fort Collins | 25 | 3 | 2.5″ (Jun 24, 2014) |
| 4 | Denver | 24 | 6 | 2.5″ (May 8, 2017) |
| 5 | Centennial | 23 | 5 | 2.75″ (Jun 19, 2018) |
| 6 | Highlands Ranch | 22 | 7 | 1.75″ (Jul 8, 2023) |
| 7 | Castle Rock | 20 | 5 | 2.5″ (Jun 8, 2019) |
| 7 | Greeley | 20 | 6 | 2″ (May 28, 2024) |
| 9 | Aurora | 19 | 4 | 2.5″ (Jun 19, 2018) |
| 10 | Lakewood | 18 | 4 | 2.5″ (May 8, 2017) |
| 10 | Loveland | 18 | 3 | 1.75″ (Jul 5, 2019) |
| 10 | Broomfield | 18 | 4 | 2.5″ (Jun 18, 2018) |
| 13 | Thornton | 17 | 5 | 2.5″ (Jun 18, 2018) |
| 14 | Westminster | 16 | 4 | 2″ (Jun 18, 2018) |
| 15 | Arvada | 15 | 3 | 2″ (Aug 19, 2021) |
| 16 | Pueblo | 13 | 1 | 3″ (May 26, 2010) |
| 17 | Longmont | 12 | 2 | 1.75″ (May 9, 2023) |
| 18 | Boulder | 6 | 1 | 2″ (Jun 18, 2018) |
Source: our analysis of the NOAA Storm Events Database (Colorado hail reports, April 2010 to July 2026), counting distinct dates with at least one report of 1-inch or larger hail within 5 miles. The database records reports from trained spotters and the public, so it undercounts storms where fewer people are watching. The data behind this table is free to use with a link to this page.
What changes from city to city
- Permits. Most Front Range cities require a permit for a reroof, but thresholds for repairs differ. Some areas use a regional department, like the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department around Colorado Springs.
- Contractor licensing. Colorado has no state roofing license, so licensing is local. Some cities license roofers; others only register them, or don't regulate them at all.
- Class 4 and wildfire rules. A few places require Class 4 shingles on replacements, and towns in mapped wildfire areas apply the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code. See the news and law tracker for the latest.
- Ice barrier, drip edge and tear-off. These code details are set locally too, which is why quotes from roofers in different towns can differ.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database
- City pages each list their own official sources.
Common questions
Which Colorado city gets the most large hail?
Among the 18 cities in this guide, Colorado Springs had the most days with 1-inch or larger hail reported within 5 miles of downtown from April 2010 through July 2026 (37 days), followed by Parker and Fort Collins. Reports depend on people seeing and reporting hail, so treat the ranking as a guide, not an exact count.
Does Colorado have a statewide roofing permit?
No. Permits and contractor licensing are handled by cities and counties, and the rules differ. Each city page lists who issues roofing permits and how to look up a contractor.
How do I see hail history for my exact address?
Run the free Roof Report. It maps reported hail within 1 and 3 miles of your house.
Need a pro to take a look?Tell us what's going on in a short conversation and we'll pass it to a local roofer.
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