Building Permits in Mesa

Mesa requires a building permit for most construction, alteration, and repair work that affects structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems. Permits are issued by the City of Mesa Development Services Department, which also handles zoning clearances, plan review, and field inspections.

Mesa is located in Maricopa County and is the third-largest city in Arizona. Arizona has no mandatory statewide building code — Mesa enforces its own locally adopted codes. Mesa has adopted the 2018 International Codes (IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFC, IFGC, IECC) and the National Electrical Code (NEC), each with local Mesa amendments.

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a Mesa building permit for:

• New construction, additions, and accessory structures including ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units)
• Structural alterations, load-bearing wall changes, and foundation work
• Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC) changes
• Reroofing and window or door openings in exterior walls
• Swimming pools, spas, and retaining walls above applicable height thresholds
• Demolition of any habitable structure

Minor cosmetic work (painting, floor coverings, cabinetry without plumbing or electrical changes) is typically exempt. When in doubt, contact Mesa Development Services before starting work.

ACA Mesa — The Online Portal

ACA Mesa (Accela Citizen Access) at aca-prod.accela.com/MESA is the City of Mesa's online permitting portal. Through ACA Mesa you can:

• Create a personal or contractor account
• Submit new residential and commercial permit applications
• Upload plans for electronic plan review
• Respond to correction comments without visiting the Development Services office
• Pay permit fees online
• Request and track inspections

The portal is available 24/7 for permit submissions and inspection requests.

Permit Costs

Mesa permit fees are established in the Development Services Fee Schedule published by the City of Mesa. Fees are typically calculated based on:

• Building permit fee — scales with project valuation
• Plan review fee — a percentage of the building permit fee
• Impact fees — for new construction or added square footage (water, sewer, transportation, parks)
• Trade permit fees — separate fees for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work

Do not rely on third-party fee estimates. Always check the current Mesa Development Services Fee Schedule linked in the sources above for exact amounts.

Typical Timeline

Second and subsequent correction cycles are typically shorter than the initial review if the applicant fully addresses all review comments.

The Process

1. Pre-submittal: Verify zoning and applicable codes for your parcel on the Mesa zoning map
2. Plans: Prepare drawings stamped by a licensed Arizona architect or engineer where required
3. Submit via ACA Mesa: Upload documents and application for electronic plan review
4. Plan review: Mesa Development Services reviews plans for building code, zoning, fire, and engineering compliance
5. Corrections: Respond to review comments in ACA Mesa and resubmit revised plans
6. Permit issuance: Pay remaining fees and download or receive the approved permit
7. Inspections: Schedule required inspections at each construction phase through ACA Mesa
8. Final: Pass final inspection and receive a Certificate of Occupancy where applicable

Inspections

Typical inspection stages for a residential project include:

• Footing and foundation
• Underground plumbing and electrical
• Framing
• Rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical
• Insulation
• Drywall
• Final building and trade inspections

Schedule inspections through the ACA Mesa portal or by contacting Mesa Development Services by phone. Submit inspection requests at least one business day in advance.

Common Reasons for Denial or Corrections

• Plans don't meet the 2018 International Codes as locally amended by Mesa
• Missing structural calculations, energy compliance documentation, or design-professional stamps
• Zoning conflicts (setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, permitted use)
• Missing site or civil review items (drainage, right-of-way, water or sewer clearances)
• Incomplete submittal or missing documents in ACA Mesa
• HOA or private covenant review not completed (note: the City does not enforce private CC&Rs)

Official Sources

Always verify current requirements with the City of Mesa Development Services Department and the ACA Mesa portal before starting your project. See the sources listed in the frontmatter for direct links to Mesa Development Services, the ACA Mesa portal, adopted building codes, and the fee schedule.

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official City of Mesa sources and is provided for general orientation only. It does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Building code and permitting requirements change — always confirm current rules with the City of Mesa Development Services Department before submitting plans or starting construction.