Short answer
A Denver commercial property can face two separate sets of charges. The city bills its annual fire safety inspection by building size: under the July 2026 schedule, a 2,000 square foot building is $75 and a 100,000 square foot building is $465 when a fire company does the inspection, with reinspections billed at $85 and then $165. A provider’s fees for testing, inspecting and repairing the systems are not set by the city, depend on the equipment and what is found, and are not published here as flat prices.
The city’s annual inspection fee
When a fire company, meaning firefighters assigned to a neighborhood station, inspects a commercial building, Denver’s fee depends on the building’s square footage. Buildings under 500 square feet pay $20 and those from 501 to 900 square feet pay $35. Larger buildings pay a base of $65 to $150 plus $3.12 per 1,000 square feet, and totals are rounded to the nearest $5. The city’s own examples:
| Building size (square feet) | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| 2,000 | $75 |
| 5,000 | $85 |
| 6,000 | $105 |
| 10,000 | $120 |
| 11,000 | $135 |
| 50,000 | $260 |
| 51,000 | $310 |
| 80,000 | $400 |
| 100,000 | $465 |
Occupancies that Fire Prevention inspectors handle, including assembly, factory, hazardous materials, health care, high-piled storage, high-rise, school and mall properties, have their own tables in the same schedule. The city’s inspection page notes that inspection and permit fees increased effective July 1, 2026, and says card payments carry a 2.5 percent processing fee that is not refundable. Checks and electronic debit are also accepted.
Reinspection fees
| Situation | Fee |
|---|---|
| Non-compliance reinspection after an annual inspection, first | $85 |
| Non-compliance reinspection after an annual inspection, each after the first | $165 |
| Reinspection of permitted fire alarm or sprinkler work, first | $500 |
| Reinspection of permitted fire alarm or sprinkler work, each after the first | $800 |
The first two rows come from the July 23, 2026 inspection fee schedule and the second two from Denver Fire’s permit and testing page. The guide to failed inspections explains when each applies.
What sets a provider’s price
The city does not set what a provider charges to test, inspect or repair a system. Several things move the number:
- The type of system and the number of devices, heads, units or assemblies involved.
- The size of the building and how long it takes to reach panels, risers, roofs and tenant spaces.
- Whether the visit is a routine test or troubleshooting of a known problem.
- The reports required, and whether anything has to be filed with the city or a water provider.
- What the inspection finds, since repairs are usually quoted separately from the test.
- Permits, where the work needs them.
- After-hours or urgent scheduling.
Denver Fire Safety does not publish flat prices because those factors vary from one property to the next. It confirms scope, timing and price with the property contact before any work is authorized.
Comparing two quotes
- Scope: the same systems, the same device counts and the same tests in each quote.
- Records: whether a written report is included, and any filing with the city or water provider.
- Repairs: whether deficiency repair is quoted separately, and whether you approve it before work starts.
- Credentials: the Denver Fire Department license categories for the company and the technician. The guide to choosing a company lists the categories.
- Conditions: after-hours work, access limits and how long the quote stays valid.
Getting a price confirmed
Call (970) 591-1310 with the property address, the systems involved, any report and the deadline. Denver Fire Safety collects those details, identifies a qualified provider and confirms scope, timing and price with you before you authorize anything.
Sources and limits
Fees are from the Denver Fire Department’s fee schedule dated July 23, 2026 and its inspections and permit pages, reviewed October 27, 2026. Fees change, and the city’s current schedule controls. The provider price factors are general and are not a quote.
Denver Fire Department inspection fee schedule, July 23, 2026
Annual inspection fees by building size and occupancy, and the non-compliance reinspection fees.
Denver Fire Department: Fire Safety Inspections
The city’s page on annual commercial inspections, inspection reports, invoices, fees and contacts.
Denver Fire Department: plan review, systems testing and occupancy
Inspection steps and reinspection fees for permitted fire alarm, sprinkler and related work.
Who publishes this guide
Denver Fire Safety is an independent commercial service coordinator for Denver-area properties. It is not affiliated with the City and County of Denver or the Denver Fire Department, and it does not hold the licenses described above. A qualified provider, named to you before you authorize work, performs and documents the regulated work. Call (970) 591-1310 to start a request. If there is an active fire, smoke or immediate danger, call 911.