Skip to main content
PermitBase

Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit in Federal Heights, Colorado

Required for installation of a new automatic fire sprinkler system, installation or modification of a fire alarm system, and related fire-suppression equipment (commercial-cooking suppression, spray booth suppression, building emergency communication systems) within Federal Heights. Unlike several peer Denver-metro Colorado suburbs that rely on an independent special fire protection district (e.g. Edgewater/West Metro Fire, Broomfield), Federal Heights maintains its OWN municipal Fire Department: the City's fire page (fedheights.org/fire) states 'Federal Heights has its own Fire Department,' with a dedicated Fire Prevention Division that performs fire-system plan review, permitting, and inspection in-house. The Fire Department's own Fire Prevention page states: 'All plans for new construction and remodeling are reviewed by the Fire Department prior to the issuance of construction permits,' explicitly covering 'Fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, fire hydrants, access for fire apparatus, proper exits, permitted occupancy loads.' North Metro Fire Rescue District maintains an automatic/mutual-aid agreement with Federal Heights Fire Department for emergency response, but does not perform Federal Heights' fire-system plan review or permitting.

Verified 2026-08-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Governed by the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted by the City in Ordinance 23-02. The Fire Department's 'Fire Prevention' subpage still says the department has 'adopted the 2015 International Fire Code' — that page has not been updated and the ordinance governs. Design to the 2021 IFC, and confirm with the Fire Marshal if an inspector cites the older edition.
  • Fire sprinkler systems (referencing NFPA 13/13D/13R by standard cross-reference in the adopted IFC) and fire alarm systems (referencing NFPA 72) are reviewed by the Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division prior to issuance of the related construction permit
  • New automatic fire sprinkler system installations are billed by square footage; modification of an existing fire alarm system is a separate, flat-fee line item — both are itemized in the City's 2024 Fee Schedule (Resolution No. 24-03) under 'Fire Alarm Systems' and 'Fire Permits - General'
  • Fire Dept. sign-off is one of six required agency blocks (Building, Public Works, Fire Dept., Storm Water, Engineering, Zoning) printed on the City's standard multi-agency Building Permit Application — fire protection systems installed as part of new construction or tenant finish are reviewed by the Fire Department concurrently with the general building permit application, rather than through a wholly separate permitting track (a materially different posture from Edgewater's model, where an independent fire district runs its own separate permit/fee/inspection process)
  • All businesses in the City are separately subject to an annual Fire Safety Inspection ('All businesses within the City are inspected by the fire department annually to ensure compliance with the code') distinct from system-installation plan review — initial inspection and first re-inspection are free; subsequent re-inspections are $75.00/hour (minimum one hour), due within 30 days
  • Operating a fire protection system, or conducting fire-permit-regulated operations, without first obtaining the required permit or prior approval is billed at double the original permit fee, per the 2024 Fee Schedule

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 2 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Installation of a New Automatic Fire Sprinkler SystemCity of Federal Heights 2024 Fee Schedule (Resolution No. 24-03), 'Fire Permits - General' section
$0.20 per sq ft
Modification of Existing Fire Alarm SystemResolution No. 24-03; no separate line item for installing a brand-new fire alarm system was found in the published fee schedule — confirm the applicable fee directly with the Fire Prevention Division for a new-install scope
$75.00
Plan Review (Fire Only)Resolution No. 24-03, 'Fire Inspections' section
$100.00/hr
Fire Inspection — Initial and 1st InspectionResolution No. 24-03
$0.00 (free)
Fire Inspection — Reinspect, more than 2 per eventResolution No. 24-03; matches the City's Business Inspections page language ('Subsequent re-inspections: $75.00 per hour for a minimum of one hour and is due within 30 days')
$75.00
Auto Fire Suppression System — Commercial CookingResolution No. 24-03
$100.00
Auto Fire Suppression System — Spray Booths, Rooms; Mixing RoomsResolution No. 24-03
$150.00
Building Emergency Communication SystemResolution No. 24-03
$50.00
Nuisance Alarm — 3rd, 4th, or 5th in a Calendar YearResolution No. 24-03, 'Fire Alarm Systems' section
$75.00
Nuisance Alarm — 6th in a Calendar YearResolution No. 24-03
$150.00
Operations Without a Permit or Prior ApprovalResolution No. 24-03, 'Fire Permits - General' section
Double the original permit fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit permit actually take in Federal Heights?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection (fire sprinkler/alarm system)

    Performed by the Federal Heights Fire Department Fire Prevention Division to verify the installed system against the approved permit. The City does not publish a multi-stage rough/acceptance-test inspection sequence for fire suppression and alarm systems, so confirm the exact sequence for your system type with the Fire Prevention Division at 303-427-7209.

See the full Federal Heights inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Federal Heights maintains its own municipal Fire Department with an in-house Fire Prevention Division — unlike Edgewater and other peer Denver-metro suburbs that contract fire-system plan review out to an independent special fire protection district (e.g. West Metro Fire), a Federal Heights sprinkler/alarm permit is reviewed by City Fire Department staff as part of the same multi-agency Building Permit Application sign-off process used for standard construction.
  • Genuine discrepancy flag: the Fire Department's own Fire Prevention subpage states the City has 'adopted the 2015 International Fire Code,' but the ordinance-verified codesAdopted entry confirms the 2021 IFC was adopted effective April 15, 2023 via Ordinance 23-02 — treat the 2021 IFC as governing and confirm directly with the Fire Marshal (fireinspections@fedheights.org, 303-427-7209) if code-edition precision matters for your system design.
  • The 2024 Fee Schedule prices a brand-new sprinkler system by square footage ($0.20/sq ft) but only lists a flat $75.00 fee for 'Modification of Existing Fire Alarm System' — no distinct line item for installing a brand-new fire alarm system was found; confirm the applicable fee with the Fire Prevention Division before budgeting for a new-install project.
  • Initial fire inspections and the first re-inspection are free; only the second-and-later re-inspection in the same event is billed, at $75.00/hour with a one-hour minimum, due within 30 days — this mirrors the general Fire Safety Inspection Program's fee structure rather than being a sprinkler/alarm-specific rate.

Frequently asked questions

Federal Heights requires a fire sprinkler and fire alarm system permit for: Governed by the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted by the City in Ordinance 23-02. The Fire Department's 'Fire Prevention' subpage still says the department has 'adopted the 2015 International Fire Code' — that page has not been updated and the ordinance governs. Design to the 2021 IFC, and confirm with the Fire Marshal if an inspector cites the older edition.; Fire sprinkler systems (referencing NFPA 13/13D/13R by standard cross-reference in the adopted IFC) and fire alarm systems (referencing NFPA 72) are reviewed by the Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division prior to issuance of the related construction permit; New automatic fire sprinkler system installations are billed by square footage; modification of an existing fire alarm system is a separate, flat-fee line item — both are itemized in the City's 2024 Fee Schedule (Resolution No. 24-03) under 'Fire Alarm Systems' and 'Fire Permits - General'; Fire Dept. sign-off is one of six required agency blocks (Building, Public Works, Fire Dept., Storm Water, Engineering, Zoning) printed on the City's standard multi-agency Building Permit Application — fire protection systems installed as part of new construction or tenant finish are reviewed by the Fire Department concurrently with the general building permit application, rather than through a wholly separate permitting track (a materially different posture from Edgewater's model, where an independent fire district runs its own separate permit/fee/inspection process); All businesses in the City are separately subject to an annual Fire Safety Inspection ('All businesses within the City are inspected by the fire department annually to ensure compliance with the code') distinct from system-installation plan review — initial inspection and first re-inspection are free; subsequent re-inspections are $75.00/hour (minimum one hour), due within 30 days; Operating a fire protection system, or conducting fire-permit-regulated operations, without first obtaining the required permit or prior approval is billed at double the original permit fee, per the 2024 Fee Schedule. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Federal Heights Building Department at 303-412-3526 before starting work.

Per the City's 2024 Fee Schedule (Resolution No. 24-03), installation of a new automatic fire sprinkler system is billed at $0.20 per square foot. Modification of an existing fire alarm system is a flat $75.00. Fire-only plan review, where separately billed, is $100.00 per hour.

Federal Heights does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Federal Heights Building Department at 303-412-3526 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fire Sprinkler/Alarm Permit Application; Building Permit Application (concurrent submittal referencing fire-protection scope). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Federal Heights requires 1 inspection(s) for a fire sprinkler and fire alarm system permit, in order: Final Inspection (fire sprinkler/alarm system). Schedule each through City of Federal Heights Building Department (303-412-3526).

Apply through City of Federal Heights Building Department at 2380 W. 90th Ave., Federal Heights, CO 80260. Phone: 303-412-3526, email: building@fedheights.org. Office hours: 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, excluding holidays (closed Mondays). After-hours non-emergency line: 303-428-8833. Fax: 303-412-3598. Key staff: Director Tim Williams (303-412-3558); Building Official Drew Leckman (303-412-3562); Permit Technician Karen Jackson (303-412-3527, also the inspection-scheduling line at 303-412-3534).. Official information: https://www.fedheights.org/building.

Federal Heights, Colorado has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), amended — adopted by City Council via Ordinance 23-02 (March 7, 2023), effective April 15, 2023 based on permit application date; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), amended — Ordinance 23-02; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), including appendices A, B and C. Both the text of Ordinance 23-02 §1(6) and the current Municode codification (Sec. 10-16(6), Supp. 42, online content updated May 28, 2026) read 'International Fuel Gas Code, 2018 Edition' — Federal Heights retained the 2018 IFGC alongside the 2018 IECC rather than elevating it to 2021 with the rest of the 2021-cycle codes in Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 ICC Performance Code (ICCPC) — Ordinance 23-02; 2021 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code — Ordinance 23-02; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), amended — City's Adopted Technical Codes page states explicitly this edition 'will remain adopted as the 2018 edition' rather than upgrading to 2021 alongside the other 2021-cycle codes in Ordinance 23-02; Prior code cycle for reference: 2018 ICC Codes were adopted January 19, 2021 via Ordinance 21-01, effective February 1, 2021 (superseded by Ordinance 23-02 for all codes except IECC); NEC (National Electrical Code) edition not separately confirmed on the City's own pages: electrical permitting and inspection in Federal Heights is administered entirely by the State of Colorado (DORA State Electrical Board), not adopted/enforced locally as a city code — see localAmendments for detail. Local amendments apply — see the Federal Heights overview page for the full list.

No. Unlike some peer Denver-metro Colorado cities that rely on an independent special fire protection district, Federal Heights has its own municipal Fire Department, and its Fire Prevention Division performs fire-system plan review, permitting, and inspection in-house, concurrently with the standard multi-agency Building Permit Application.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-13.

Fee schedules

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Federal Heights building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Federal Heights's permit history isn't searchable here yet

This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Federal Heights yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.

Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Federal Heights lands. Privacy.

Other permits in Federal Heights

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)Residential Addition / Alteration / Tenant Finish PermitElectrical Permit (State-Administered)Plumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRe-Roof PermitSolar PermitDemolition Permit (Wrecking and Moving)Commercial Alteration / Tenant Finish PermitDeck / Patio Cover / Carport PermitEV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit (State-Administered)Sign Permit (Permanent and Temporary)Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit

Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit in other cities

Akron, ColoradoAlamosa, ColoradoArvada, ColoradoAspen, ColoradoAult, ColoradoAurora, ColoradoAvon, ColoradoBasalt, Colorado

Compare fire sprinkler and fire alarm system permit fees across Colorado →

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Federal Heights project checklist

Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Federal Heights — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

Get started →