Mesa building department

The City of Mesa Development Services Department issues building permits, reviews plans, and performs construction inspections for property inside Mesa city limits. Mesa is in Maricopa County; unincorporated county islands and parcels outside the city use Maricopa County Planning and Development instead. Even inside Mesa, Maricopa County Flood Control permitting may apply in flood control areas, and Maricopa County regulates dust control for excavation.

Applying through DIMES

All Mesa permit applications, plan review, documents, and approvals are electronic, through the city’s Accela-based DIMES portal. The city’s Residential Construction Homeowners Guide (03-2025) lists the steps:

1. Create a DIMES account and start the application.
2. Upload construction plans.
3. Upload a completed Contractor Licensure Verification Form (or the exemption).
4. Pay the non-refundable deposit and submit.
5. Track progress under Record Info > Progress Status and watch for status emails.

Residential plan review takes 10 working days (Monday–Thursday, excluding holidays); expedited review in 5 working days is available for an added fee. The permit balance is calculated after plan approval and must be paid in full before issuance. Permits are valid for 180 days after issuance, and reactivating an expired permit carries a fee.

For additions, accessory buildings, and room additions, the city asks you to check zoning, setbacks, and lot coverage with the Planning Division’s Planner of the Day at (480) 644-4276 or [email protected] before applying. If you have an HOA, get its approval first; the city does not enforce HOA rules.

What needs a permit and what doesn’t

Mesa requires permits for additions and casitas, carport conversions, new or modified patios, structural or load-bearing changes, new electrical panels or subpanels, relocated drains, window replacements that enlarge an opening, new pools and pool or spa fill-ins, mobile home sets, demolition, and any detached building over 200 sq ft or with plumbing or electrical connections.

The homeowners guide lists these exemptions:

Work	No permit required when
Shed, playhouse, detached accessory structure	Under 200 sq ft with no electrical, mechanical, or plumbing connections (zoning setbacks still apply)
Fence	Up to 6 ft in the rear yard; up to 3 ft in front and side yards
Retaining wall	Under 4 ft from bottom of footing to top, with no surcharge
Re-roof	Replacement covering of equal or better classification (historic homes may need a Certificate of Appropriateness)
Patio covers, awnings, shade structures	Light-gauge pre-manufactured metal or metal-frame fabric, outside RV parks
Windows	Same-size opening, equal or better energy rating
A/C replacement	Same or lower electrical load, same connections
Solar PV	Under 10,000 sq ft, listed and labeled, installed by an Arizona-licensed contractor

Fences over 6 ft, retaining walls over 4 ft, and fences on top of retaining walls need a permit plus zoning clearance. Fences must be at least 3 ft from fire hydrants and utilities. Emergency equipment repairs can go ahead, but the application is due the next business day.

Fees

Mesa calculates building permit fees from construction valuation. The Schedule of Fees and Charges (updated July 2026) includes:

Item	Fee
Residential permit, valuation $0–$8,333	$220
Valuation $8,334–$16,667	$330
Valuation $16,668–$24,999	$440
Valuation $25,000–$200,000	$500 + $6 per $1,000 over $25,000
Residential deposit, valuation under $25,000	$170
Residential pool or in-ground spa (all-inclusive)	$330
Re-inspection	$120 per trip
After-hours inspection (2-hour minimum)	$120 per hour
Expedited review premium	100% of total permit fee

The residential rate covers plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work in the valuation. A 4% technology fee (capped at $800) is added to every permit. Work started without a permit pays an unauthorized-construction fee, which is 50% of the permit fee for non-licensed homeowners working on their own property.

Codes in effect

Mesa adopted the 2024 International Codes (IBC, IRC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IEBC, IECC, ISPSC) and the 2023 National Electrical Code, effective January 8, 2026, for permit applications submitted on or after that date. Projects submitted earlier stay under the prior codes. Single-family standard plans approved under the 2018 IRC can be updated with an addendum cover sheet. Mesa’s amendments are in Title 4 of the Mesa City Code.

Inspections

Schedule inspections in DIMES, or call or text the 24-hour automated line at (480) 644-2428. The text format is S PMT-XXXX Code MM/DD/YYYY, using codes from the city’s inspection codes list. Inspections normally happen the following day between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday, excluding holidays. You can’t book a specific time. Night and weekend inspections are by appointment and cost extra. Keep a printed copy of the approved plans on site. The Building Inspection Area Map shows which inspector covers your address if you want a pre-construction meeting.

Mesa issues the certificate of occupancy automatically when the permit is finaled with all inspections, conditions, and holds cleared. You can download it from the record’s Attachments tab in DIMES.

Office hours and licensing

The Development Services counter at 55 N. Center St. is open Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. On Fridays only the Essential Service Call Center operates, 8:00 a.m.–noon. Contractors must hold an Arizona Registrar of Contractors license. Owner-occupants may be exempt under A.R.S. 32-1121, and the licensure verification form (or exemption) is required before permit issuance.