City Building Codes
The adopted building codes, permit requirements, inspections, zoning, and fees for every city and county we build in.
Apache Junction Adopted Building Codes: The 2018 I-Codes That Apply to Your Build
Effective July 18, 2019, the City of Apache Junction builds to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy, Existing Building, and Fire codes, plus the 2017 National Electrical Code. The City Council adopted them on June 18, 2019, written into Chapter 7 of the City Code.
Read the referenceArizona Building Code Editions by City: A Phoenix-Metro Comparison
Arizona has no statewide building code, so each city and county adopts its own I-code edition. Across the Phoenix metro the spread is wide: Phoenix is on the 2024 codes, Scottsdale on 2021, and Maricopa County, Carefree, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction on 2018. This page compares the adopted edition, electrical code, effective date, and adopting ordinance for each.
Read the referenceCarefree Adopted Building Codes: The 2018 I-Codes That Apply to Your Build
Effective January 24, 2023, the Town of Carefree builds to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy, and Fire codes, plus the 2017 National Electrical Code. The Town Council adopted them by reference in Ordinance 2022-02, with local amendments in Town Code Section 10-1-2.
Read the referenceCasa Grande Adopted Building Codes: The 2018 I-Codes That Apply to Your Build
The City of Casa Grande builds to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy, and Fire codes, plus the 2017 National Electrical Code. The City Council adopted them by reference in Title 15 of the City Code, with local amendments made public record by Resolution No. 5170.
Read the referenceCave Creek Adopted Building Codes: The 2024 I-Codes That Apply to Your Build
Effective January 1, 2026, the Town of Cave Creek builds to the 2024 International Residential and Building codes, the 2024 International Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Energy codes, the 2023 National Electrical Code, and the 2025 Plumbing, Fire, and Existing Building codes. The Town Council adopted them by reference through Resolution R2025-01.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Adopted Building Codes: The 2024 I-Codes That Apply to Your Build
For permit applications received on or after September 1, 2025, the Town of Fountain Hills builds to the 2024 International Residential, Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy, Fire, and Swimming Pool and Spa codes, plus the 2023 National Electrical Code. The Town Council adopted them by reference in Ordinance 25-06, with local amendments.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Adopted Building Codes (Unincorporated Areas): The 2018 I-Codes That Apply
Unincorporated Maricopa County builds to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Fuel Gas codes, plus the 2017 National Electrical Code, with the 2018 energy and green codes voluntary. The Board of Supervisors adopted them on August 17, 2022, through the county's Local Additions and Addenda, effective 30 days later with a grace period to December 30, 2022.
Read the referenceMesa Adopted Building Codes: The 2018 I-Code Editions That Apply to Your Build
Mesa builds to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, and Energy codes, plus the 2017 National Electrical Code, all with local amendments. The codes live in Mesa City Code Title 4. Mesa adopted its own Residential Code amendments in 2019.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Adopted Building Codes: The 2015 I-Code Editions That Apply to Your Build
Paradise Valley builds to the 2015 International Residential, Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Property Maintenance, and Energy codes, plus the 2014 National Electrical Code, with the 2021 International Fire Code on top. The Town adopted the 2015 International Codes by Ordinance 2016-02 on May 26, 2016.
Read the referencePhoenix Adopted Building Codes: The 2024 PBCC Editions That Apply to Your Build
Phoenix builds to the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code, which adopts the 2024 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Energy codes plus the 2023 National Electrical Code, with local amendments. The City Council approved it June 18, 2025, by Ordinance G-7397, effective August 1, 2025.
Read the referenceScottsdale Adopted Building Codes: Which I-Code Editions Apply to Your Build
Scottsdale builds to the 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Energy codes, plus the 2020 National Electrical Code. The building and fire codes took effect January 1, 2023, with local City Council amendments layered on top of each model code.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Fire Sprinkler Requirements: Why New Homes Need Sprinklers and What It Costs
Fountain Hills requires an automatic fire-sprinkler system in essentially every new home, reaching all levels plus garages and carports. The Town adopted this rule in 2008, before Arizona's 2009 ban on new home-sprinkler mandates, so it is grandfathered and still enforced. Most neighboring cities do not require sprinklers, so this is a real cost driver.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Hillside Development Requirements: How Slope Limits What You Can Build
Paradise Valley's Hillside Development Regulations (Article XXII) control building on land sloped 10% or steeper. The steeper the lot, the less of it you may disturb, dropping from 60% of the building site at a 10% slope to about 34% at 15% and into single digits on very steep ground. A Hillside Building Committee reviews every hillside home first.
Read the referenceScottsdale Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance (ESL): Desert Preservation Limits on Your Lot
Scottsdale's Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance (ESL) is a zoning overlay covering 134 square miles of north and east Scottsdale desert and mountains. It forces each lot to permanently preserve a share of land as Natural Area Open Space, from about 15% on flat lower desert up to 80% on steep hillside, which shrinks where you can build a custom home.
Read the referenceScottsdale Green Building Program: The Voluntary Green Path for New Homes
Scottsdale's Green Building Program is a voluntary checklist that lets a new single-family home earn a Scottsdale Green Building designation for energy, water, and material efficiency. It is not required for a custom home. The mandatory International Green Construction Code (IgCC) that Scottsdale adopted in 2023 applies only to commercial and multifamily projects, not single-family houses.
Read the referenceApache Junction Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Apache Junction inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered. You schedule inspections by calling 480-474-5101 or through the MyGovernmentOnline portal. After the final passes, the city issues a Certificate of Occupancy that lets you move in.
Read the referenceCarefree Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Carefree inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered up. You request inspections through the Town's Permit and License Portal, and a request must be in by 4 p.m. for the next available day. The final inspection leads to your Certificate of Occupancy.
Read the referenceCasa Grande Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Casa Grande inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered. You schedule through the WebPermits portal, with an 11:59 p.m. cutoff. The Building Final, plus a Planning Final and a DC Engineering Final, generates your Certificate of Occupancy.
Read the referenceCave Creek Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Cave Creek inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered up. You request every inspection through the Town's SmartGov permitting portal. After the final inspection passes, the Town issues a Certificate of Occupancy that lets you legally move in.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Fountain Hills inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered up. You schedule every inspection through the Town's TOPPS portal, and inspections run Monday through Friday. After the final passes, the Town issues a Certificate of Occupancy that lets you move in.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Building Inspections for New Homes: The IRC R109 Sequence and How to Schedule
Unincorporated Maricopa County inspects a new home at fixed points set by IRC Section R109, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered. You schedule through your Permit Center account or the call center, and you reach the assigned inspector only on the day of the inspection.
Read the referenceMesa Building Inspections for New Homes: The IRC R109 Sequence Through Final and CO
Mesa inspects a new home in the order set by the 2018 IRC: foundation before concrete, rough plumbing and electrical, framing, then final. You schedule each one in the DIMES (Mesa E-Permit) portal, by text to 480-644-2428, or by automated phone. The Building Official issues the Certificate of Occupancy after the final passes.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Building Inspections for New Homes: Scheduling, Sequence, and CO
Paradise Valley inspects a new home in stages, from foundation before concrete through framing to final, with each stage passing before the work is covered. You schedule by the Town's interactive phone line at 480-348-3581 (24/7) or online through the Citizen Portal. A final inspection is required on every permit before occupancy.
Read the referencePhoenix Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Phoenix inspects a new home in stages, from before-concrete through framing to final, and each stage must pass before the work is covered up. You request inspections through the AIRS phone line or the online permitting system. After the final inspection passes, the city issues a Certificate of Occupancy that lets you move in.
Read the referenceScottsdale Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO
Scottsdale inspects a new home in stages, from foundation to framing to final, and each stage must pass before the next part of the build is covered up. After the final inspection passes with no code violations, the city issues a Certificate of Occupancy that lets you legally move in.
Read the referenceApache Junction Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: The $6,736 Development Fee
Apache Junction charges a new single-family home a development impact fee of $6,736, made of a $3,250 streets fee, $1,707 parks fee, $1,229 police fee, and $550 library fee, collected at the first building permit. The building permit fee itself runs off the ICC Building Valuation Data table. Confirm the live numbers with the city.
Read the referenceApache Junction Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and Where
A new home in Apache Junction needs a building permit before any work starts. You apply online through MyGovernmentOnline with a site plan, floor plans, and engineered construction documents including truss plans. Review for codes, zoning, and site conditions currently runs about four to six weeks before the permit issues.
Read the referenceArizona Building Permit Fees: Construction Valuation vs Per-Square-Foot Pricing
Arizona cities price a new-home building permit one of two ways. Most (Cave Creek, Casa Grande, Mesa, Maricopa County) charge by construction valuation, run through a tiered table. A few (Scottsdale, Fountain Hills) charge by square foot. The same home can land at very different permit fees depending on the method.
Read the referenceCarefree Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: The Valuation Basis in Table 3-A
Carefree prices a new-home building permit by construction valuation, set from an engineer's certified cost estimate and run through Table 3-A in Town Code Section 10-1-2(G), under Chapter One of the adopted building code. Carefree charges no city water or sewer impact fees, since most lots use a private well and septic.
Read the referenceCarefree Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and the Steps
A new home in the Town of Carefree needs a Town building permit before construction starts. You apply through the Town's online Permit and License Portal with a scaled site plan, construction drawings, and your parcel information. The Building Department, Town Engineer, and Fire Marshal review the plans, and the permit issues after fees are paid.
Read the referenceCasa Grande Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: The ICC Valuation Table and Development Fees
Casa Grande prices a new-home permit by construction valuation, using the latest ICC Building Valuation Table on a tiered fee scale. Building plan review is 65 percent of the permit fee, plus a 5 percent technology recovery fee. Separate development impact fees, set in the city's Infrastructure Improvements Plan, are due before the permit issues.
Read the referenceCasa Grande Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and Where
A new home in Casa Grande needs a building permit before any work starts. You apply through the city's Development Center with a residential site plan, floor plans, and engineered construction documents, then wait for a multi-discipline plan review. Initial review typically runs about 20 days before the permit can issue.
Read the referenceCave Creek Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: How the Valuation Table Works
Cave Creek prices a new-home permit by construction valuation, using the ICC Building Valuation Table set in Town Code Section 151.14. The permit fee climbs with valuation, and plan review is $50 or 65 percent of the permit fee, whichever is greater. The Town's posted table is dated, so confirm the live fee.
Read the referenceCave Creek Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and the Steps
A new home in the Town of Cave Creek needs a Town building permit before construction starts. You submit digitally through the Town's online permitting portal with a site plan, the required documents, and your parcel information. The Building and Fire Code Compliance Division reviews the plans for code and zoning compliance, and the permit issues after fees are paid.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: Permit, Sprinklers, and the $8,816 Impact Fee
Fountain Hills charges a new home three things: a building permit and plan review fee from the Town's fee schedule, a separate fire-sprinkler review fee, and a development impact fee. Under Resolution 2026-01, the impact fee is $8,816 per single-family home, effective April 6, 2026, with a 24-month freeze once you pull a permit.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and the Steps
A new home in the Town of Fountain Hills needs a Town building permit before construction starts. You apply through the Town's online TOPPS system with engineered site plans, two sets of construction drawings, and your parcel information. The Building Safety Division reviews the plans for code and zoning compliance, and the permit issues after fees are paid.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: The Valuation Table
Unincorporated Maricopa County charges new-home permit fees by construction valuation, using Table 1-A, not by square foot. A $500,000 home pays a $3,233.75 permit fee plus a 65 percent plan review fee, about $2,102. The county levies no city-style water, sewer, or parks impact fees, since most lots use private septic and wells.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and the Steps
A new home on unincorporated Maricopa County land needs a county building permit before any construction starts. You apply online through the county Permit Center with a site plan, the required documents, and your parcel and owner information. The decision engine routes you to the right application, staff reviews for code compliance, and the permit issues after fees are paid.
Read the referenceMesa Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: How the Charges Are Built
Mesa charges new-home permit fees from construction valuation run through a residential rate table, with a deposit due at plan submittal and the balance due before the permit issues. Separate water and wastewater capacity charges, set by meter size, act as the impact fees. Confirm the live dollar amounts on the city fee schedule.
Read the referenceMesa Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and How Review Works
A new home in Mesa needs a building permit before any work starts. You apply through Mesa's DIMES online portal with a scaled site plan, floor plans, and engineered construction documents, then pay fees. Mesa runs an all-electronic review and provides written comments or approval within 10 working days on a standard residential review.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: Valuation Plus a 65 Percent Review
Paradise Valley prices a new-home building permit by construction valuation, set from the building valuation data in the Town's Master Fee Schedule. In-house plan review adds 65 percent of the permit fee and covers up to two reviews, with extra reviews at $145 per hour. The Town charges no municipal impact fee.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and How Review Works
A new home in Paradise Valley needs a building permit before any work starts. You apply through the Town's online Citizen Portal with a scaled site plan, floor plans, and engineered construction documents, then pay fees from the Town's Master Fee Schedule. Town staff review every plan against the adopted Town codes before the permit issues.
Read the referencePhoenix Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: The 2025 Numbers
Phoenix charges new-home impact fees by service area, and most apply only in designated growth areas, not the built-out core. A growth-area single-family home pays a fire fee near $1,165 to $1,833, a police fee near $711 to $1,118, a $348 parks fee, and a $70 library fee, plus water and sewer fees.
Read the referencePhoenix Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and the Review Steps
A new home in Phoenix needs a building permit before any work starts. You submit proposed building plans using the Residential Plan Submittal Plan Review Checklist, plus a Construction Permit/Plan Review Application, two sets of plans and calculations, and a plot plan. Staff reviews for code compliance, then issues the permit after fees are paid.
Read the referenceScottsdale Building Permit and Impact Fees for a New Home: What You Actually Pay
Scottsdale charges new-home permit fees by square foot, not by valuation. A custom home pays a $195 base fee, $0.94 per square foot of air-conditioned area, and $0.54 per square foot of covered non-A/C area, plus a $379 Certificate of Occupancy. Water and sewer development fees are billed separately by meter size.
Read the referenceScottsdale Residential Building Permit Requirements: What You File and What It Costs
A new home in Scottsdale needs a building permit before any work starts. You apply through the Scottsdale SPUR portal with a site plan, floor plans, and engineered construction documents, pay plan-review fees based on square footage, and wait for staff review and approval before the permit issues.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Septic and Well Requirements for a New Home
A rural Maricopa County home with no city sewer or water needs two separate approvals: a septic permit from Maricopa County Environmental Services, and a private well authorized by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The septic side starts with a soils evaluation and perc test. The well side starts with a Notice of Intent to Drill filed with ADWR.
Read the referencePinal County Septic and Well Requirements for a New Home
A new home on rural Pinal County land with no city utilities needs two separate approvals: a septic permit from the Pinal County Aquifer Protection Division, which ADEQ delegates to the county, and a private well authorized by the state through an ADWR Notice of Intent to Drill. On lots of 5 acres or fewer, the county reviews the well.
Read the referenceApache Junction Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Where Your New Home Can Sit on the Lot
Apache Junction single-residence zoning runs from RS-GR on 1.25 acre lots to RS-5 on 5,000 square foot lots, and Table 5-2 sets each yard. RS-GR needs a 40 foot front, 20 foot sides, and 40 foot rear. RS-7 needs a 20 foot front, 7 foot sides, and a 20 foot rear.
Read the referenceCarefree Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Big Desert Lots and Where the House Goes
Carefree's residential zones require deep yards and a low 24 foot height cap. Rural-70 needs a 60 foot front and rear yard and 30 foot sides at 13% coverage. Rural-43 drops to a 40 foot front and rear at 17%. The smaller R1-18 needs a 30 foot front and 10 foot sides at 25% coverage.
Read the referenceCasa Grande Residential Zoning and Setbacks: District Yards for a New Home
Casa Grande's R-1 single-family zone needs a 7,000 square foot lot with a 15 foot front yard, a 20 foot setback for a street-facing garage, a 5 to 10 foot side yard, and a 20 foot rear yard. Larger rural zones run deeper. Maximum building height across residential zones is 28 feet.
Read the referenceCave Creek Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Desert Rural Lots and Where the House Goes
Cave Creek's Desert Rural (DR) zones require big yards. DR-190, DR-89, and DR-70 each need a 60 foot front and rear yard and a 30 foot side yard, capped at 10% lot coverage. DR-43 drops to 40 foot front and rear and 20 foot sides at 15%. Building height tops out at 25 feet.
Read the referenceCorner Lot and Double-Frontage Setbacks in Arizona: The Street-Side Yard That Shrinks Your Buildable Area
A corner or through lot in Arizona carries a second front-style setback on its extra street frontage, called a street-side yard. It runs deeper than the interior side yard a mid-block lot uses, so the buildable area is smaller. Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Cave Creek, and Apache Junction each set their own street-side rule.
Read the referenceFountain Hills Residential Zoning and Setbacks: District Yards for a New Home
Fountain Hills single-family zoning runs from R1-6 on small lots to R1-190 on multi-acre lots. R1-43 needs a 40 foot front yard, 30 foot sides, a 40 foot rear yard, and 20% lot coverage. Smaller R1-18 lots need 20, 10, and 30 feet, all under a 30 foot height cap.
Read the referenceMaricopa County Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Rural Lots and Where the House Sits
On unincorporated Maricopa County land, the Rural-43 zone (43,560 square foot lots, serving areas like Rio Verde) requires a 40 foot front and rear yard, 20 foot sides, a 35 foot height limit, and 25% lot coverage. Bigger Rural-70 and Rural-190 zones push the front and rear yards to 60 feet.
Read the referenceMesa Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Where Your New Home Can Sit on the Lot
Mesa single-dwelling zoning runs from RS-6 on 6,000 square foot lots to RS-90 on 90,000 square footers, and Table 11-5-3 sets each yard. RS-6 needs a 10 foot front, 5 foot sides, and 20 foot rear. RS-43 needs a 22 foot front and 10 foot sides, all capped at 30 feet.
Read the referenceParadise Valley Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Estate Lots and Where the House Goes
Paradise Valley is an estate town: the base R-43 district requires a full acre per home, with a 40 foot front and rear yard and 20 foot sides. The larger R-175 needs over four acres and 40 foot yards all around. Most lots cap building height near 24 feet, well below the 30 feet allowed in nearby cities.
Read the referencePhoenix Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Where Your New Home Can Sit on the Lot
Phoenix single-family zoning runs from R1-6 on 6,000 square foot lots to RE-43 on one-acre lots, and each district sets its own setbacks. R1-6 allows a 15 foot front and 10 foot side yard at 30 feet tall. RE-43 needs a 40 foot front and 30 foot sides, also capped near 30 feet.
Read the referenceScottsdale Residential Zoning and Setbacks: Where Your New Home Can Sit on the Lot
Scottsdale single-family zoning runs from R1-7 on small lots to R1-190 on multi-acre lots, and each district sets its own setbacks. R1-7 needs a 20 foot front, 5 foot side, and 25 foot rear yard. R1-43 needs 40, 20, and 35 feet, all under a 30 foot height cap.
Read the reference
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