Arizona Building Departments

How permitting works in Arizona

Local codes and permits. Arizona has no statewide building code for private construction. The city or town issues permits inside its limits; outside them, the county does only where it has adopted zoning and a building code, and rural-zoned areas may be exempt.

A county name is only a geographic starting point. Depending on the address, a city, town, borough, township, or county office may issue your permit. How to check who issues your permit.

Arizona building codes and licensing

Residential code: No statewide residential code; cities, towns, and counties adopt their own building codes
Commercial code: No statewide commercial building code; local codes apply, and public buildings in areas without local codes follow the codes of the county's largest city
Outside city limits: A county that has adopted zoning may adopt and enforce a building code for its unincorporated zoned areas, and may exempt areas zoned rural or unclassified.
Contractor licensing: Residential and commercial contractors are licensed separately by the state. Unlicensed work is limited to casual or minor jobs under $1,000 in total (labor and materials) that don't need a local building permit and aren't part of a larger job. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (opens in a new tab)

What is different in Arizona

Cities and counties may not require fire sprinklers in single-family homes or buildings with two or fewer dwelling units, unless the requirement was adopted before December 31, 2009.
Owner-builders are exempt from licensing only if the structure is for their own occupancy and not for sale or rent. A sale or rental within one year of completion is treated as evidence the work was done for sale.
Counties may adopt only nationally published codes or the code of the largest city in the county. A county that adopts a city's code must adopt that city's later changes within 90 days or drop the code.