​Fire-Related Permits, Codes & Inspections

The Fire Prevention Division is responsible for the enforcement of city of Thornton laws, codes, and ordinances, including the International Fire Code and nationally recognized standards. Through plan review, inspections, meetings with citizens and design professionals, and continuing education, the Prevention staff works toward the protection of life and property from the effects of fire.

Due to COVID-19 and modified personnel scheduling, please be aware you may experience longer than usual plan review time. Please call 303.538.7007 to set up inspections. We appreciate your patience at this time.

***To submit plans for a permit, please use the City View Portal link to the right***

There are several different types of permits that are required by the Fire Prevention Bureau, they include but are not limited to the following. Please Note:  The forms and documents on this page are all in PDF format.

• Automatic Fire Sprinkler System 
• Kitchen Hood Extinguishing System
• Spray Booth Extinguishing System
• Fire Alarm System
• Sprinkler System Monitoring
• Other Fire Suppression Systems
• Tank Installation Removal
• Propane Exchange
  
• Tent/Canopy
  
• Recreational Fire/Burn

Adopted Codes as of June 1, 2023

Business Fire Inspection Information

Thornton Fire Department personnel visit businesses each year to perform a routine annual or biannual Fire Safety Survey. The purpose of the survey is to verify that the use and maintenance of buildings comply with the important fire and life safety requirements of the International Fire Code, as adopted by the City of Thornton. Special attention is given to hazards that pose a serious fire and life safety threat to buildings, its occupants and its neighbors. The survey also provides firefighters with the opportunity to become familiar with buildings and businesses in order to respond to an emergency in a fast, safe and efficient manner.

Attached is a short list of common hazards and special items that are checked during the survey. The survey may reveal that a business has additional requirements. We ask businesses to take the time to make sure all of these items have been addressed so that the surveys are quick and informative. The Thornton Fire Department personnel conducting the survey can answer any questions that a business owner may have.

Remember, compliance with International Fire Code requirements is mandatory and contributes toward the goal of making the City of Thornton a safer place to live and work by reducing the loss of life and property from fire. Most hazards, when identified, will need to be addressed in a short time depending on the severity of the hazard(s). The Thornton Fire Department will make every effort to work with all businesses toward compliance. However, Fire Code violations are illegal, and serious violations or the need for repeated follow-up surveys may result in a criminal summons being issued for violation of the International Fire Code.

***Explanation of the change in annual inspections for 2020***

The Thornton Fire Department reduced services of the Annual Inspection in 2020.  The COVID19 pandemic placed a number of restrictions on conditions to carryout functions of the fire department.  Typically, Fire crews conduct annual company life safety surveys to Thornton businesses.  Local and federal guidelines were placed for safety and protections due to the unknown risks of the virus.  Precautions taken, due to the virus, reduced the staffing availability to initiate business inspections by the crew.  Inspections for 2020 were deferred based on the safety conditions dictated.

Thornton Fire Prevention will resume Company Inspection in 2021.  Initially, the inspection will be conducted per request of the business owner.  Fire Prevention Division staff will be the ones to complete the initial request.  Crew inspections are anticipated to resume Summer of 2021.

To assist with community safety, Thornton Fire Prevention has partnered with Brycer Compliance Engine for record management of third party inspections.  The Compliance Engine requires companies who inspect, maintain, or test protection systems to upload copies of the report to a data base.  This data base allows for Thornton Inspection staff to access and review reports at any time.  Business owners do not have to worry about maintaining copies of inspections for the fire department.  Brycer meets that code requirement.

I do apologize for any inconvenience or delays this may have caused.