Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. Denver requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Denver Revised Municipal Code Sec. 8-73. The set ticket for a first offense is $150, and $250 for a repeat.
What the Denver ordinance says
| Ordinance | Denver Revised Municipal Code Sec. 8-73 (Disposition of excrement), as amended by Ord. No. 539-23 (6-5-2023) |
|---|---|
| Fine | $150 |
| Repeat offense | $250 |
| Must carry a bag | No |
| Service animal exemption | No |
How the penalty works
Denver Animal Protection administrative citation schedule: $150 first, $250 second, $500 third and subsequent; second and third offenses count only if within 12 months of the prior violation. The same amounts apply to 'Unlawful Accumulation of Manure'. If prosecuted criminally instead, DRMC 1-14(d) classifies 8-73 as a class 4 offense, maximum $300 fine or 10 days in jail (Ord. No. 328-26, 6-29-2026). Schedule read at https://denver.prelive.opencities.com/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Animal-Shelter/Animal-Protection/Administrative-Citations (the city's OpenCities mirror of the denvergov.org Administrative Citations page; the denvergov.org copy blocks automated fetches). A 2021 city handout, 'Understanding Denver's Animal Laws', also lists Sec. 8-73 at $150 per violation.
The carry rule
No bag-carry requirement. 8-73 does require sanitary disposal: excrement may go in a trash container only in a closed plastic bag or other closed nonporous container, and may not go in storm sewers or street gutters (8-73(b)); 8-73(c) also bars letting excrement accumulate on any property. Service dogs: no exemption in 8-73.
How Denver compares
Denver is the only one of the largest cities in Colorado we checked with a set ticket amount. The others leave the figure to a judge.
In practice
Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.
Elsewhere in Colorado
Colorado dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Colorado Springs dog poop law · Aurora dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the Denver municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
