Yes, pit bulls are legal in Denver, but only if you obtain a breed-restricted permit from Denver Animal Protection (DAP) before the dog lives in your home. Denver voters repealed the city’s 31-year ban in November 2020 and replaced it with a permit system under Ordinance Sec. 8-67 that requires registration, annual fees, and specific rules for at least three years.1City and County of Denver. Breed-Restricted Permits Owning a pit bull in Denver without that permit is still illegal and can lead to fines or removal of the dog.
Which Dogs Denver Treats as Pit Bulls
Denver’s rules apply to any American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier, plus any mixed-breed dog that displays a majority of physical traits matching one or more of those breeds under American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club standards.2Animal Legal and Historical Center. Denver Municipal Code – Sec 8-55 Pit Bulls Prohibited
What a breeder, rescue, or DNA test told you does not control the outcome. DAP evaluators look at the dog’s physical features, and if the dog looks like a pit bull by those standards, the city treats it as one.
How to Get the Permit
Only dogs 10 months or older go through a breed evaluation. Bring the dog to the Denver Animal Shelter between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. any day of the week for a walk-in assessment. The evaluation costs $25 (non-refundable) and takes about 30 to 45 minutes.1City and County of Denver. Breed-Restricted Permits
Three DAP staff members examine the dog. All three must agree the dog displays predominantly pit bull traits for it to be classified as a restricted breed. If even one disagrees, no permit is required.
If the dog is classified as a pit bull, you then apply for the breed-restricted permit, which costs $30. You will need to submit:
- Your name, the address where the dog will live, and contact information for two people who can be reached in an emergency involving the dog
- An accurate physical description of the dog and a recent photograph
- Proof of current rabies vaccination, proof the dog is spayed or neutered (or a DAP intact permit), proof of a registered microchip, and proof of a current Denver city pet license
The Denver pet license is a separate $15 purchase made at the Denver Animal Shelter. Expect at least $70 up front: $25 for the assessment, $30 for the permit, and $15 for the city license. As of May 2025, the city also charges a 2.5 percent service fee on credit and debit card payments.1City and County of Denver. Breed-Restricted Permits
Rules You Have to Follow After You Get the Permit
The permit comes with ongoing obligations that owners of other breeds do not face:
- No more than two pit bulls per household, regardless of how many adults live there.3City and County of Denver. Denver Restricted Breed FAQ
- If your permitted dog bites someone or gets loose, you must notify DAP within eight hours.3City and County of Denver. Denver Restricted Breed FAQ
- The permit must be renewed every year for three consecutive years at $30 per renewal.
The Three-Year Clock
After three violation-free years, you can request written notice removing you from the breed-restricted requirements, and the dog no longer needs the special permit to live in Denver.1City and County of Denver. Breed-Restricted Permits
Any violation resets that clock. The city defines violations broadly: off-leash incidents, a lapsed permit, failure to clean up after your dog, bite incidents, excessive-barking complaints, and dangerous-animal charges all count. After a violation, you have to show the issue is corrected before you can reapply. A missed license renewal or a barking complaint restarts the three years from zero.
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
Enforcement is graduated but moves fast. If DAP discovers an unpermitted pit bull, you receive a warning and a mandatory order to bring the dog in for an assessment. DAP follows up within 10 days. If you still have not brought the dog in and applied for a permit, you face a court appearance, a fine, or removal of the dog from your home. Under the older version of the ordinance that still governs repeat offenders, the dog can become the legal property of the City and County of Denver.2Animal Legal and Historical Center. Denver Municipal Code – Sec 8-55 Pit Bulls Prohibited
You are also responsible for boarding fees if DAP impounds the dog while your case is resolved.
Service Dogs and Assistance Animals Are Treated Differently
Two federal laws create exceptions worth knowing before you assume the Denver permit applies.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, state and local governments cannot ban a service dog based on breed. The ADA covers dogs of any breed and any size that are individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability.4ADA.gov. Service Animals Denver can still require licensing and vaccination for a service dog because those rules apply to every dog, but it cannot require the breed-restricted permit for a legitimate service animal.
If you live in housing covered by the Fair Housing Act, you may be entitled to keep an assistance animal (including an emotional support animal) as a reasonable accommodation, even where the lease or HOA bans certain breeds. Housing providers must grant the request unless the specific animal poses a direct threat or the accommodation would impose an undue burden, and the request must be supported by reliable disability-related information when the need is not apparent.5U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assistance Animals That protection covers breed restrictions in leases and HOA rules. It does not override Denver’s own permit requirement under Sec. 8-67, which is a separate municipal obligation.
Insurance and Bite Liability
Being legal with the city does not solve the insurance problem. Many homeowners and renters insurers either refuse coverage for households with pit bulls or exclude dog-related liability from the policy. If your dog bites someone and your insurer has a breed exclusion, you are personally liable for the full cost of the claim.
Some major insurers, including State Farm and USAA, evaluate dogs individually rather than applying blanket breed restrictions. If your current carrier will not cover your pit bull, options include switching to an insurer without breed exclusions, adding a pet liability endorsement to your existing policy, or buying a standalone animal liability policy. Disclose the breed to your insurer. Hiding it and filing a claim later is a reliable way to see coverage denied.
Colorado law adds a layer of exposure for every dog owner. Under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 13-21-124, if your dog bites someone and causes serious bodily injury, you are liable for economic damages regardless of whether you knew the dog was aggressive. Colorado does not follow the one-bite rule, so you cannot defend by pointing to a clean history. If you knew or had notice that the dog was dangerous and a bite causes serious injury, a court can order the dog euthanized at your expense.6Justia Law. Colorado Code Title 13 – Section 13-21-124 The statute applies to every breed, but combined with insurance exclusions, it is the reason pit bull owners in Denver should confirm their liability coverage before a problem arises.