Short answer
Denver Fire’s inspection checklist points to annual inspection for most commercial systems, including fire alarms, wet and dry sprinklers, extinguishers, clean agent systems and radio enhancement systems. It lists kitchen hood suppression at every 6 months and after any activation, standpipes at a 5-year flow test, and fire pumps at a weekly 10-minute churn test plus an annual test. The checklist is an inspector’s form rather than the code itself, so the interval for your equipment can differ.
Intervals named on Denver Fire’s inspection checklist
Denver Fire’s inspection checklist is the form inspectors use at commercial properties. Where it names an interval, the table repeats it. The checklist is undated and is a working form rather than the code, so treat it as the clearest public sign of what an inspector will ask to see.
| System | Interval on the checklist | Records and conditions it lists |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm | Annual inspection, with deficiencies corrected | Previous 3 years of reports and the panel logbook on site, contractor licensed through the Fire Prevention Division, monitoring |
| Radio enhancement (BDA) | Annual inspection and a 5-year test | Required signage |
| Wet and dry sprinklers | Annual inspection, with deficiencies corrected | Sprinkler room and valves labeled, 18 inches of clearance below heads |
| Standpipes | Current 5-year flow test | Standpipe in working order |
| Fire pumps | Annual test and a weekly 10-minute dry churn test | Test records available for the pump |
| Portable extinguishers | Annual inspection tag | Right size and type for the space, 2A:10BC minimum, mounted and reachable |
| Kitchen hood suppression | Every 6 months and after an activation | Hood cleaning records, a Class K extinguisher where there is grease production |
| Clean agent systems | Annual inspection | Tank free of damage, amber strobe and signs inside and outside the protected area |
| Emergency lighting and exit signs | No interval listed; must light when the test switch is pressed | Battery backup or generator power |
| Roll-up fire doors | Inspected and tagged annually | Annual tag |
| Backflow preventers | Not a Fire Department item. Denver Water requires testing at installation and annually | Test result reported to Denver Water |
What the checklist does not settle
Some systems have no interval on the checklist, emergency lighting among them, and the national standards set further component-level tasks on their own schedules. Those standards, including NFPA 72 for alarms, NFPA 25 for water-based systems, NFPA 96 for kitchen exhaust and NFPA 10 for extinguishers, are published by the NFPA, and the current text is the authority. A provider who builds your inspection scope works from the code edition Denver has adopted and from the equipment installed in your building.
Denver adopted its current building and fire codes in 2025, based on the 2024 international codes, with local amendments. The city’s code page is where to confirm what applies.
Turning the table into a calendar for your building
- List every system on the property, including the ones a tenant maintains.
- Write the interval from the table next to each one, then replace it with the interval your provider confirms for that equipment.
- Enter the date of the last inspection from the most recent report.
- Add the next due date and set a reminder well ahead of it, particularly for kitchens that need service twice a year.
- Keep the previous three years of fire alarm reports and the panel logbook on site, since the checklist asks for them.
The city’s inspection is a separate event
Denver Fire Department inspections of commercial properties occur once a year and examine the building and its records. The inspections in the table are performed by the property’s providers and produce the records the city inspector asks to see. A provider’s annual alarm test does not replace the city’s inspection, and the city’s inspection does not replace the provider’s test.
Getting the schedule confirmed
If you are not sure which systems a property has or when each was last serviced, call (970) 591-1310 with the address and any prior reports. Denver Fire Safety collects the details and coordinates a qualified provider, who confirms the intervals for your equipment, performs the work and issues the service records.
Sources and limits
Written from the Denver Fire Department’s inspection checklist and inspections page, and Denver Water’s backflow program, as reviewed on October 27, 2026. The checklist is undated and is not the code, and intervals for your equipment can differ.
Denver Fire Department inspection checklist
The undated form inspectors use, listing what is checked for alarms, sprinklers, extinguishers, kitchens, exits and more.
Denver Fire Department: Fire Safety Inspections
The city’s page on annual commercial inspections, inspection reports, invoices, fees and contacts.
Denver building and fire codes
Denver adopted its current building and fire codes in 2025, based on the 2024 international codes, with local amendments.
Denver Water backflow prevention program
Testing at installation and annually, reported to Denver Water.
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
Published by the NFPA; the current text is the authority for alarm inspection and testing.
NFPA 25, Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
Published by the NFPA; covers sprinklers, standpipes and fire pumps.
NFPA 96, Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations
Published by the NFPA; covers kitchen exhaust systems.
NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers
Published by the NFPA; covers extinguisher inspection and maintenance.
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.