STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
There is no Colorado framing license, no state carpentry board and no statutory threshold. Structural framing is governed by the building code the local jurisdiction adopted and by the inspection sequence that code sets — and by whoever holds the general contractor license the permit was issued under.
Where it gets interesting is the licensing map. Denver has no framing certificate at all; framing falls inside the Class A, B, B-2 or C construction scopes, or under Specialty Class D categories like Open Deck Installer and Non-Structural Residential Remodel. Pikes Peak Regional Building Department likewise absorbs framing into Building Contractor A, B, C or E. Aurora licenses no framer. Fort Collins, alone among the four, lists Framing as its own specialized trade contractor category with an ICC exam — the exception that proves how little Colorado standardizes.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Framing is the clearest illustration of Colorado's patchwork. Fort Collins publishes Framing among its specialized trade contractor categories and tests it through ICC — so a framing crew working Fort Collins holds a credential that does not exist anywhere else on the Front Range. Denver has no framing certificate: framing sits inside the Class A, B, B-2 and C construction scopes, with Specialty Class D certificates covering adjacent work such as Open Deck Installer, Pre-Cast Concrete Building Units and Non-Structural Residential Remodel. Pikes Peak Regional Building Department is the same, absorbing framing into Building Contractor A, B and C, with Building Contractor E covering decks, patio covers, detached garages and interior nonstructural remodel. Aurora's license list has no framing entry at all. Because no state licensing statute preempts anyone, each of these jurisdictions is free to add a framing category tomorrow — and to charge for it.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Colorado county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Fort Collins lists Framing as its own specialized trade contractor category with an ICC exam. Denver, Aurora and Pikes Peak Regional Building Department have no framing credential and absorb the work into the general contractor classes.
CDPHE defines demolition as the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member, which pulls structural framing work into the asbestos notification regime even when no asbestos is found.
Colorado's workers' compensation act reaches every private employer with one or more persons in service under a contract of hire — there is no small-crew exemption for framers.
A practical sequence for a new framing contractor in Colorado. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
There is no Colorado framing license and therefore no state unlicensed-practice offense. Where a city licenses framing, working without it is an ordinance violation and the permit will not issue.
Removing load-supporting structural members without the required asbestos inspection and Demolition Notification Application, filed with a ten-working-day notice period, violates Colorado's air quality asbestos rule.
An employer in default on coverage shall not continue business operations while the default continues, and may be fined for every day of the default.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: Fort Collins framing license fee amount and term length · Whether jurisdictions outside the four profiled here license framing separately — practice varies and the smaller departments do not always publish a category list
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.