Unincorporated Apache County building permits

Requirements

• Building permit issuance is contingent on a permit from the Apache County Health Department or a letter from an applicable sanitary district — every residence must be connected to a sanitary district or have an approved on-site wastewater disposal system
• Provide TWO complete sets of plans, minimum 11"x17", drawn to scale
• Specify location by parcel number (format 000-00-000), subdivision and lot number, or physical location, plus a detailed driving-directions map to the property
• If the property was acquired within 120 days of application, provide a copy of the recorded deed or sales transaction
• Plans not within the scope of the 2015 IRC (e.g. log homes, cobb, cordwood, earthbag, or other alternate/unconventional construction) must be prepared by an Arizona-licensed Architect or Engineer
• Submit site/plot plan, foundation plan, floor plan, electrical plan (with load calculations if service exceeds 400 amps), roof framing plan (engineered truss drawings if applicable), floor framing plan, elevations, and framing cross-section
• Obtain a 911 address from Apache County Engineering (928-337-7528) before or during application
• Show proof of septic system or obtain a Septic Construction Authorization from the Apache County Health Department

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationCounty building permit application form; available at https://www.apachecountyaz.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/107/Building-Permit-Application.pdf (linked from apachecountyaz.gov/building-safety)
• RequiredRequirements for One- and Two-Family DwellingsFull plan-content checklist and required-inspections list for residential submittals; county-published PDF linked from the Building Safety and Community Development pages
• RequiredSample Plot PlanCounty example of an acceptable site/plot plan submittal
• OptionalAffidavit of Agricultural UseOnly required if claiming the A.R.S. §11-865(1) agricultural exemption from the building code; otherwise not applicable to this permit type

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit issuance is contingent on a permit from the Apache County Health Department or a letter from an applicable sanitary district
• Provide TWO complete sets of plans, minimum 18"x24" paper, minimum 1/8" per foot scale
• Plans not exempt under A.R.S. §32-144 must be designed and scaled by an Arizona-licensed Architect/Engineer, including all calculations and drawings
• Specify location by parcel number, subdivision and lot number, or physical location, plus a detailed driving-directions map
• If the property was acquired within 120 days of application, provide a copy of the recorded deed or sales transaction
• Submit site/grading plan, architectural plans (egress, occupancy load, fire separations), structural plans (including engineered truss packages with calculations), electrical plan (with load calcs, panel schedules, one-line diagram, fault current calcs), mechanical plan, and plumbing plan (fixture counts, isometric waste/vent/gas)
• Accessibility must be addressed on architectural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and site plans as applicable

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationCounty building permit application form
• RequiredRequirements for Commercial and Multi FamilyFull plan-content checklist and required-inspections list for commercial/multi-family submittals; county-published PDF

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Manufactured home must be 15 years old or newer as of installation; mobile homes are prohibited in ALL zoning districts
• No commercial use is permitted in a manufactured home
• Connecting two individual/stand-alone units together is prohibited
• Unit must meet the minimum roof snow load requirement for its specific area of Apache County; homes built after January 1, 2009 that cannot meet the local requirement must file a completed 'Release of Responsibility' form
• Must be installed by an Arizona-licensed installer — self-installation is not permitted under Arizona state law
• Show proof of septic system or obtain a Septic Construction Authorization from the Apache County Health Department before or during application
• Obtain a 911 address from Apache County Engineering (928-337-7528)
• Submit Manufactured Home Permit Application including unit manufacturer, HUD number, serial numbers A and B, dimensions, installer name/license number, and dealer information
• Post the address and a copy of the building permit at the entrance to the property; keep the HUD manual/building plans on-site; do not cover any installed work until it passes inspection

Required documents

• RequiredManufactured Home Permit Application (Fillable)County application form requiring owner, unit (manufacturer/serial/HUD number), installer, and dealer information
• OptionalManufactured Home Subcontractor Supplement FormSupplemental form for subcontractors on a manufactured home installation
• RequiredRequirements for Manufactured Housing Permits in Apache CountyFull Zoning Ordinance Section 730 requirements including snow-load tables (pages 5–6) and Release of Responsibility form (page 7)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• An electrical permit MUST be issued by Apache County before energizing a new or replacement service
• Over-current protection devices must be properly sized for the conductors
• Conductors must be landed and secured in the proper locations; correctly sized feeder conductors must be in place
• Permanent labeling of circuits must be completed
• Permanent physical address must be posted on the service entrance system
• System grounding electrode conductor(s) must be installed
• Minor listed work (temporary decorative lighting, reinstalling attachment-plug receptacles, replacing branch-circuit overcurrent devices of the same capacity in the same location, low-voltage <25V/50W equipment, and minor repairs/lamp replacement) is exempt from permit per adopted 2015 IRC §R105.2

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame general county application form is used for electrical permits (checkbox for 'Electrical' permit type)
• RequiredMinimum Requirements for Electrical Service Replacement and New Service EnergizingCounty-published checklist of minimum requirements Building Safety verifies before issuing a green tag / clearance to energize

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Submit a one-line electrical diagram
• Submit a site plan showing array location
• Submit product submittals and cut sheets for modules, inverters, and mounting/racking system
• System must be installed according to the safety standards of Apache County's adopted electrical code
• Owner-installation is permitted for solar (unlike manufactured homes) provided code compliance is met
• Any field changes (module type/count, wiring layout, inverter/module voltage) must be reflected in as-built drawings compared against the original permitted drawing

Required documents

• RequiredRequirements for Solar Permit and InspectionCounty-published checklist of required submittals and field-inspection criteria for solar PV
• RequiredFillable Building Permit ApplicationGeneral county building permit application, used with the 'Solar' checkbox

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Apply for an Electrical Permit through the Building Safety Division (same general Building Permit Application form, 'Electrical' checkbox) before installing a new circuit or service equipment for an EV charger
• Over-current protection devices, conductors, and grounding must meet the requirements in the county's Minimum Requirements for Electrical Service Replacement and New Service Energizing checklist if the charger installation involves a new or upgraded service
• System must comply with the county's adopted electrical code (see codesAdopted — county Building Safety Ordinances page names '2014 International Electric Code'; county's own Building Safety FAQ Q11 states 2011 NEC governs non-residential/general construction electrical work)
• Minor listed/plug-in work exempt under 2015 IRC §R105.2 does not require a permit, but a dedicated EVSE branch circuit or new electrical service is not within that exemption and requires a permit

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame general county application form is used for electrical permits (checkbox for 'Electrical' permit type); no separate EV-charger-specific application exists
• OptionalMinimum Requirements for Electrical Service Replacement and New Service EnergizingCounty-published checklist Building Safety verifies before issuing a green tag / clearance to energize; applicable to EV charger circuits tied to new/upgraded service

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Structure must be constructed and used for farming, dairying, agriculture, viticulture, horticulture, or stock/poultry raising to qualify under A.R.S. §11-865(1)
• Affidavit must be notarized and filed with the Apache County Recorder to notify future buyers that no building permit was obtained
• Owner must notify the Community Development Department if the use of the improvement later changes, and may then be required to obtain a standard building permit and comply with the building codes
• Submit signed affidavit, proof of ownership, and a site map/site plan showing all structures and setbacks from property lines and other structures

Required documents

• RequiredAffidavit of Agricultural UseNotarized affidavit form (revised October 22, 2019) filed with the Apache County Recorder; requires parcel number and improvement type
• RequiredSite Map / Site PlanShowing all structures and setbacks from property lines and other structures
• RequiredProof of OwnershipRequired submittal alongside the affidavit and site plan

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A permit is required for all new signs except the exempt categories listed in Zoning Ordinance Section 703 (Section 705.1); altering a sign face by painting or overlay counts as constructing a new sign
• Maintenance, touch-up, repainting or repair of a legal sign does not require a sign permit (Section 705.2)
• All signs must be located on the same lot as the use they are associated with, unless they qualify as off-premise signs (Section 705.3)
• All exterior signs must be engineered to withstand a minimum wind load of thirty (30) pounds per square foot (Section 705.5)
• Each sign requiring a permit that is erected or remodeled must bear, in a permanent position, an identification plate stating the date the sign was erected and the name of the person, firm or entity responsible for its construction and erection (Section 705.9)
• Illumination must be shaded, shielded and directed so light intensity does not generate glare onto nearby residential areas between sun-up and sun-down; neither direct nor reflected light may create a traffic hazard as determined by the Apache County Engineering Department; no exposed reflective bulbs or incandescent lamps exceeding 36 watts on the exterior surface of a sign (Section 705.8)
• Commercial and Industrial zones: no single sign may be larger than 300 square feet; up to two square feet of sign area per linear foot of building facade for wall signs; no more than one free-standing sign per parcel per street frontage; electrical service to free-standing signs must be underground (Sections 707.2 through 707.5)
• Residential zones: freestanding sign height may not exceed ten (10) feet or the height of the building being advertised; building-mounted signs must be flush mounted and may not be roof mounted or project above the roofline; only indirect or internal illumination for letter faces and logos (Sections 706.3 and 706.4)
• Off-premises signs in the Sign Overlay zone require a sign use permit granted by the Board of Supervisors after review and recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission (Article 26, Section 2608)
• Off-premises sign applications must include a site plan drawn to scale showing structures, property lines, adjacent roads, yards, parking and traffic flow, drainage, proposed sign location and design, and location of leach fields or sewers (Article 26, Section 2609.1)
• Off-premises signs (other than billboards) may not exceed eight (8) feet from grade to the highest point, may not exceed 100 square feet of advertising sign face, must be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from every property boundary, and must leave a minimum of 25 percent of the lot as open space (Article 26, Sections 2609.7 through 2609.10)
• Off-premises signs must be a minimum of 500 feet from any other sign or structure, must be constructed to prevent collapse or wind damage from 80-mile-per-hour winds, and must be freestanding with guy wires and similar appurtenances not exposed (Article 26, Section 2610)
• Billboards are prohibited in all Sign Overlay areas except on property immediately adjacent to Interstate 40 from the west county line to the east county line (Article 26, Section 2606.2)
• Signs on properties in an approved PUD district, Master Planned Community, or covered by an approved Conditional Use Permit are reviewed and approved as part of the development plan (Section 708)

Required documents

• RequiredSign Permit ApplicationFiled with the Apache County Community Development Department. Article 26, Section 2609 states that applications for a sign permit shall be filed with the Director on a form provided by the Director. The county does not publish a downloadable sign permit form on its Building Safety or Document Directory pages; contact Community Development at 928-337-7526.
• OptionalSite PlanRequired for all proposed off-premises signs (Article 26, Section 2609.1). Must be drawn to scale and show structures, property lines, adjacent roads, yards, parking and traffic flow, drainage, proposed sign location and design, location of leach fields or sewers, and any other information requested by the Director to evaluate the application.
• OptionalEngineering / Wind Load DocumentationAll exterior signs must be engineered to withstand a minimum wind load of thirty (30) pounds per square foot (Section 705.5); off-premises signs must be constructed to prevent wind damage from 80-mile-per-hour winds (Article 26, Section 2610.1)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A permit must be obtained from the building official before changing the occupancy of a building or structure (Apache County Zoning Ordinance Article 13, Section 1304); see IRC Section R105.2 for exemptions
• The Community Development Director reviews all building permits for compliance with zones, setbacks, and flood plain determinations (Article 9, Section 901.4(a))
• If the proposed use is not allowed by right in the zone, a Conditional Use Permit is required; if the zone itself must change, a Zone Change is required (Apache County Community Development New Fee Schedule; Zoning Ordinance Article 11)
• The Director may permit in a zone any use not described in the Ordinance but deemed to be of the same character and in general keeping with the uses authorized in that zone, but no permit may issue until adjacent property owners are notified by mail of the intent to issue a permit and are given the opportunity to request reconsideration (Article 9, Section 901.6)
• Building permits are issued contingent upon receipt of a permit from the County Health Department or a letter from an applicable sanitary district (Requirements for Building Permits; Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• Two (2) complete sets of plans must be provided; commercial and multi-family plans must be on a minimum of 18" x 24" paper at a minimum scale of 1/4" per foot, and plans that do not meet the exemption requirements of A.R.S. Section 32-144 must be designed and sealed by an architect or engineer licensed in Arizona (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• Commercial architectural plans must include a floor plan for each story with architectural details for fire resistive construction and penetrations, an exiting plan including all components of egress, window/door schedules, firewall locations and types, and proposed uses, plus a legend breaking down square footage, allowable area calculations, occupancy, building type, occupant load calculations, and required versus provided plumbing fixture calculations (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• Accessibility must be addressed on the architectural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and site plans as appropriate, including maximum slopes and cross slopes of accessible routes and disabled parking (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• If the property was acquired within one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the building permit application, a copy of the recorded deed or sales transaction is required
• Inspections are required for all phases of any construction accompanying the change of use; at least two (2) working days' notice is required for commercial inspections (one working day for residential)
• No occupancy is allowed prior to approved completion — the Certificate of Occupancy is issued on approval of the final inspection (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• Where a fire district serves the property, the county's own guidance directs applicants to obtain the fire district's letter of approval and submit it with the permit application (Greer Fire Department Requirements, published by Apache County on its Building Safety page)

Required documents

• RequiredApache County Building Permit ApplicationThe county's single permit form (Apache County Building Department, 75 W. Cleveland, PO Box 238, St. Johns, AZ 85936). Permit approval categories printed on the form are New Const., Remodel, Solar, Addition, Manu.Hm, Gas, Electrical, Plumbing, Demo. and Other (write-in); a change of occupancy is filed under Remodel or Other. The form carries an OCC (occupancy) field, and when validated it becomes the Certificate of Occupancy/Completion.
• RequiredTwo (2) Complete Sets of PlansMinimum 18" x 24" paper at a minimum scale of 1/4" per foot for commercial and multi-family; sealed by an Arizona-licensed architect or engineer unless exempt under A.R.S. Section 32-144. On approval one set is returned and must be kept on site for inspections.
• RequiredCode Analysis LegendBreakdown of building square footage, allowable area calculations, occupancy, building type, occupant load calculations, and required versus provided plumbing fixture calculations — the core of a change-of-occupancy review (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• RequiredExiting / Egress Plan and Fire-Resistive Construction DetailsArchitectural plans must show all components of egress, firewall locations and types, and details for fire resistive construction and penetrations (Requirements for Commercial/Multi Family Plan)
• RequiredCounty Health Department Permit or Sanitary District LetterBuilding permits are issued contingent upon receipt of a permit from the County Health Department (928-337-7607) or a letter from an applicable sanitary district
• OptionalFire District Letter of ApprovalWhere an independent fire district serves the property, Apache County's published guidance directs the applicant to obtain the fire district's letter of approval and submit it with the permit application to the Apache County Building Department
• OptionalConditional Use Permit ApplicationRequired where the new use is not permitted by right in the zoning district (Apache County Community Development, 928-337-7526)
• OptionalRecorded Deed or Sales TransactionRequired if the property was acquired within 120 days prior to the building permit application

Fee schedule