Regulations / State
Colorado asbestos regulations.
Who licenses asbestos work in Colorado, who takes the notification, and how long before the job you have to file. Plus how the federal rules layer on top.
State licensing & accreditation
Asbestos abatement work in Colorado is licensed/accredited through the Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) under 5 CCR 1001-10, Regulation No. 8, Part B.
Credentials the state issues:
- General Abatement Contractor (GAC)
- Supervisor
- Worker
- Building Inspector
- Management Planner
- Project Designer
- Air Monitoring Specialist (AMS)
Notification
Notifications go to the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division under 5 CCR 1001-10, Regulation No. 8, Part B.
- Advance notice: 10 working days.
- Notification details / form.
How the federal rules layer in
No matter the state, federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 (asbestos in construction), EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation still apply. A state program layers its own licensing and notification on top of — not instead of — these. Where Colorado has no state license, the federal accreditation and NESHAP notification requirements are the floor.
Colorado-specific notes
- A Colorado-certified GAC, employing at least one certified Supervisor on-site, must remove regulated ACM above trigger levels.
- Individual certificates require Division-approved training; issued for 1, 3, or 5 years.
- 10-working-day notification required before removal above trigger levels or any demolition; friable projects over trigger levels need a permit and fee.
- Air Monitoring Specialist required for final clearance.
Official sources
Related
- All asbestos regulations by state
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 — Asbestos in Construction
- EPA NESHAP — 40 CFR 61, Subpart M
- Asbestos abatement software
- Compliance reporting in Nexus
Items we could not fully verify against a primary source: Trigger-level thresholds not enumerated here.
Last reviewed against the published rules: 2026-05-28. This is a summary, not legal advice. Asbestos rules — and the agencies that run them — change; confirm the current requirements with the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division and read the actual rule before making a compliance decision.
Colorado asbestos: common questions
Do I need a license to do asbestos abatement in Colorado?
Yes — Colorado regulates who can perform asbestos abatement. Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), Air Pollution Control Division (APCD). Relevant credentials include General Abatement Contractor (GAC), Supervisor, Worker, and others.
Who do I notify before asbestos work in Colorado, and how far in advance?
Notifications go to the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division (5 CCR 1001-10, Regulation No. 8, Part B). Required advance notice: 10 working days.
Do the federal OSHA and EPA asbestos rules still apply in Colorado?
Yes. Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101, EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation apply nationwide — Colorado's rules layer on top of them, not instead of them.
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