Basement Egress Window Requirements in Colorado
March 24, 2026 • Basement Remodeling
If your basement finish includes a bedroom, egress is required. Colorado rules vary by jurisdiction. Here is what Boulder County homeowners need to know.
A basement bedroom requires a code-compliant egress opening: a window or door that provides a direct emergency escape path to the exterior. Without it, the room cannot legally be called a bedroom regardless of how finished it looks, and it will fail the final building inspection. DG Home Pro will not finish a basement bedroom without a compliant egress opening. It is a design standard and an ethical practice, not just a code requirement.
IRC Minimum Egress Standards
Colorado has adopted the International Residential Code with local amendments. The IRC sets the following minimums for egress openings in habitable basement spaces:
- Minimum net clear opening area: 5.7 square feet (4.5 sq ft if the sill is at or below grade).
- Minimum net clear opening height: 24 inches.
- Minimum net clear opening width: 20 inches.
- Maximum sill height above finished floor: 44 inches.