Building Permits in Phoenix

Phoenix 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 Phoenix Planning & Development Department (PDD), which also administers the zoning ordinance, plan review, and field inspections.

Phoenix has adopted the 2018 Phoenix Building Construction Code — a locally amended version of the 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC).

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a Phoenix 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/door openings in exterior walls
• Swimming pools, spas, and most retaining walls above a height threshold
• Demolition of any habitable structure

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

SHAPE PHX — The Online Portal

SHAPE PHX is the City of Phoenix's unified Planning & Development customer portal. It consolidates residential plan review, commercial plan review and permits, photovoltaic (solar) projects, permitting and inspections, planning and zoning, and historic preservation into a single secure system.

Through SHAPE PHX you can:

• Create a personal or business account (businesses with multiple users can request setup by emailing [email protected])
• Submit new commercial and residential applications
• Upload plans for electronic plan review
• Respond to correction comments without a trip to the Development Center
• Pay fees
• Request and track inspections

The portal is available 24/7. For phone-based inspection requests, Phoenix also operates the Automated Inspection Request System (AIRS) at (602) 495-0800.

Permit Costs

Phoenix permit fees are established in the PDD Fee Schedule published by the Planning & Development Department. 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, parks, streets, fire, police, libraries)
• Civil / site plan review fees — based on acreage, square footage, or dwelling units
• Utility and trade permit fees — electrical, plumbing, mechanical

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

Typical Timeline

Phoenix publishes monthly Plan Review Turnaround Time reports showing average calendar days to complete initial plan reviews for each permit type. Actual timelines fluctuate with workload and project complexity.

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

The Process

1. Pre-submittal: Confirm zoning, overlays, and applicable codes for your parcel
2. Plans: Prepare drawings stamped by a licensed Arizona architect or engineer where required
3. Submit via SHAPE PHX: Upload documents for electronic plan review
4. Plan review: PDD disciplines (building, structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, zoning, fire, civil) review the plans
5. Corrections: Respond to review comments in SHAPE PHX and resubmit
6. Permit issuance: Pay remaining fees and download the approved permit
7. Inspections: Schedule inspections at each construction phase
8. Final: Pass final inspection and, where applicable, receive a Certificate of Occupancy

Inspections

Typical inspection stages for a residential project include:

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

Schedule through SHAPE PHX or by calling AIRS at (602) 495-0800. Inspection requests made before 9 p.m. are generally scheduled for the next business day.

Common Reasons for Denial or Corrections

• Plans don't meet the 2018 Phoenix Building Construction Code or Phoenix amendments
• Missing structural calculations, energy compliance forms, or design-professional stamps
• Zoning conflicts (setbacks, height, lot coverage, use)
• Missing civil / site review items (drainage, right-of-way, water/sewer)
• Historic Preservation, overlay district, or Village Planning Committee review not completed
• Incomplete submittal or missing documents in SHAPE PHX

Official Sources

Always verify current requirements with the City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department and the SHAPE PHX portal before starting your project. See the sources listed in the frontmatter for direct links to PDD, SHAPE PHX, the Phoenix Building Construction Code, and the PDD Fee Schedule.

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official City of Phoenix 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 Phoenix Planning & Development Department before submitting plans or starting construction.