Benson building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Benson, Arizona.
Last verified 2026-07-06 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 120 W. 6th Street, Benson, AZ 85602 (City Hall / general administration: 101 E. 6th Street, Benson, AZ 85602)
- Phone
- 520-720-6328
- permits@bensonaz.gov
- Office hours
- City Hall general office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM MST; Wednesday 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM MST (Source: City of Benson Contact Us page). Building permit applications are submitted online via the City's iWorQ citizen portal (bensonbuilding.portal.iworq.net); all plan documents, calculations, drawings, and spec sheets must be uploaded in PDF format (image files such as JPEG/TIFF/GIF are not accepted). Plan reviews are performed on a first-come, first-served basis; emergency repairs such as utility or structural failures may take precedence. To request an inspection, email permits@bensonaz.gov at least 24 hours in advance with name, contact number, requested date, permit number, project address, and inspection type.
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at Benson's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Benson — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Arizona has no statewide building code for non-state buildings; codes are adopted locally. According to the International Code Council, codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are predominantly the I-codes, with different cities and counties choosing their own editions and local amendments. The Arizona State Fire Code (adopting the 2018 IFC) applies only to state and county buildings, public and private schools, and non-residential occupancies in areas without a locally adopted fire code — it does not establish a statewide residential or commercial building code floor. Each city and county adopts its own code editions independently, resulting in different I-Code years and amendment sets across jurisdictions. There is no state-mandated minimum edition; enforcement is entirely local. Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.
- Arizona has no statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (Arizona Revised Statutes Title 9). The City of Benson independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Building Department. Source: Ordinance 645 (City of Benson, adopted April 13, 2026), whereas clause citing A.R.S. Title 9.
- 2024 International Building Code (IBC), as amended by Exhibit A to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference in Benson City Code Chapter 7, Section 7-1-2 ('Building Codes Adopted'). Per Ordinance 645, all new permit applications received after May 13, 2026 (30 days after the April 13, 2026 adoption date) must comply with this code; plans already in review or approved before that date may remain on the previously adopted 2015 IBC cycle. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson (passed and adopted April 13, 2026).
- 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), as amended by Exhibit B to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference in Benson City Code Chapter 7, effective for new applications received on/after May 13, 2026. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), as amended by Exhibit D to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), as amended by Exhibit E to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), as amended by Exhibit F to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), as amended by Exhibit G to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), as amended by Exhibit H to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), as amended by Exhibit I to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference as the City's uniform fire code. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), as amended by Exhibit J to Resolution 11-2026, adopted by reference. Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference as amended by Exhibit C to Resolution 11-2026 (one edition behind the 2024 ICC set, consistent with the standard NFPA/ICC release-cycle offset). Source: Ordinance 645, City of Benson.
- Immediately prior to Ordinance 645 (i.e., for plans submitted and approved before May 13, 2026), the City had adopted the 2015 editions of the International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Swimming Pool and Spa, and Property Maintenance Codes, plus the 2015 International Fire Code and 2014 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, per the former Benson City Code Chapter 7, Section 7-1-1 (Resolution 36-2017). Source: City of Benson Building Department page (Wayback Machine capture, November 24, 2025) and City Code of the City of Benson, Arizona (posting updated April 2023).
- Manufactured homes, mobile homes, and factory-built buildings: the City of Benson has an Inspection Services Agreement with the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH), effective May 3, 2021 for a five-year term, under which the City (as ADOH's local enforcement agency) monitors and enforces ADOH's installation standards (A.R.S. § 41-4004(A)(4); A.A.C. R4-34-102, R4-34-204, R4-34-606, R4-34-801) for manufactured home, mobile home, and factory-built building installations within city limits, including setback and tie-down inspections. Source: Resolution 11-2021 and attached Inspection Services Agreement Between Arizona Department of Housing and City of Benson.
- ICC A117.1-2017 Standard and Commentary (Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities) is referenced by the City as its accessibility standard, in addition to the federal ADA framework. Source: City of Benson Building Department page.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family / Duplex / Multi-Family Construction)
Required for new single-family, duplex, and multi-family residential construction in the City of Benson. Reviewed against the 2024 IRC and 2024 IBC as adopted by Ordinance 645 (effective for applications received on/after May 13, 2026; earlier submittals remain on the 2015 IRC/IBC cycle). Applications are submitted through the City's online iWorQ Building/Demolition Permit Application portal.
Residential Addition / Remodel / Accessory Structure Permit
Required for room additions, remodels, and accessory structures (stick-built or pre-built) to existing one- and two-family dwellings in Benson. Reviewed against the 2024 IRC as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 IRC for applications filed before May 13, 2026).
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work in Benson, governed by the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2014 NEC for applications filed before May 13, 2026).
EV Charger / EVSE Installation Permit
Benson has no separate EV charger/EVSE permit category or fee line. Installing a new dedicated 120V or 240V circuit for an EV charger is billed as a standard Electrical Permit under the same valuation-based Building Division fee schedule used for all other electrical work, governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted by Ordinance 645.
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installation, alteration, or repair work in Benson, governed by the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 IPC for applications filed before May 13, 2026).
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in Benson, governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 IMC for applications filed before May 13, 2026).
Re-Roofing Permit
Required for residential and commercial re-roofing in the City of Benson. Reviewed against the 2024 IBC/IRC roofing provisions as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 editions for applications filed before May 13, 2026).
Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installation of rooftop residential solar photovoltaic systems in the City of Benson. Governed by the 2024 IRC and 2023 NEC as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 IRC / 2014 NEC for applications filed before May 13, 2026). Solar has its own dedicated inspection category on the City's Required Inspections List.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any structure in Benson. Applications are submitted through the same online iWorQ portal used for building permits, and require a signed A.R.S. Title 32 form and an ADEQ Asbestos NESHAP form where applicable.
Manufactured Home / Factory-Built Building Installation Permit
Required for installation of manufactured homes, mobile homes, and factory-built buildings in Benson. The City acts as the local enforcement agency for the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) under a five-year Inspection Services Agreement (effective May 3, 2021), enforcing ADOH's installation standards rather than a separately city-authored code.
Sign Permit (Commercial / Business Signage)
Required to erect, re-erect, construct, alter, relocate, or maintain most commercial/business signs in the City of Benson, per the City's Zoning Regulations, Section Fifteen (Sign Regulations), originally adopted by Ordinance 330 (12/18/1989) and subsequently amended (most recently by Ordinance 449, 8/19/2002); the currently posted Zoning Regulations document (fetched directly from bensonaz.gov) carries a cover-page revision date of 01/13/2025 but a filename indicating a further update via Ordinance 647 (6/8/2026). Signage has its own dedicated inspection category (Signage: Setbacks, Electrical if applicable, Final) on the City's Required Inspections List.
Fire Sprinkler System & Fire Alarm System Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or repair of automatic fire sprinkler (fire suppression) systems and fire alarm/detection systems in Benson, reviewed under the 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) as adopted by Ordinance 645 (2015 IFC for applications filed before May 13, 2026). The City of Benson operates its own municipal Fire Department (a combination full-time-Chief/volunteer department historically chartered as 'Benson Volunteer Fire Department Inc.') that performs its own fire-plan review, inspections, and annual business walk-throughs — confirmed NOT dependent on a separate Cochise County rural fire protection district for these functions within city limits.
Occupancy Permit / Zoning Compliance Certificate (Change of Use)
Benson's local equivalent of a change-of-use / Certificate of Occupancy process, established in the City's Zoning Regulations, Section Twenty (Administration and Enforcement). A Zoning Compliance Certificate must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator before any change or extension of use of a lot, or any change in the use or occupancy type of a building or structure; an Occupancy Permit (or Temporary Occupancy Permit) is then issued by the Building Inspector following a final inspection confirming compliance. This is a genuinely distinct, separately named local process rather than a single 'change of use permit' product.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- 50units
7 of 12 months reported · #49 in Arizona coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD)
- No data reported
- Full year 2025
- 84units
72 buildings · $11.6M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Arizona building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Arizona has no statewide mandatory building code — the City of Benson independently adopts and amends its own construction codes through its Building Department, which is organized under the City's Community Development function.
- As of April 13, 2026, the City of Benson adopted the full 2024 ICC code suite (IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, IEBC, ISPSC, IFC, IPMC) via Ordinance 645, effective for new applications received on/after May 13, 2026 (30 days after adoption); plans already in review or approved before that date remain on the prior 2015 code cycle. The National Electrical Code is one edition behind at 2023 NEC (2014 NEC previously).
- Unlike some Arizona cities (e.g., Buckeye), Benson does NOT publish a granular, itemized permit fee table by trade/scope — nearly all permit types (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, solar, demolition) are billed under the same general valuation-based Building Permit Fee schedule in City Code Chapter 16 (adopted by Resolution 16-2011), with plan review at 65 percent of the calculated permit fee. Only manufactured homes/factory-built buildings and a handful of administrative/RV-space items have dedicated flat fees.
- The City of Benson does not publish a numeric, category-specific plan review turnaround time (e.g., 'X business days') anywhere on its official website, fee schedule, or code-adoption ordinance as of July 2026 — the only published guidance is that 'Plan reviews are performed on a first come, first served basis... emergency repairs, such as utility or structural failures, may take precedence.' This is why every permit type in this file has reviewTimelineVerified: false with null min/max — it is a genuine, confirmed gap in the City's public disclosures, not an extraction failure. Call the Building Department at 520-720-6328 for a current estimate on any specific project.
- All permit applications (building, demolition, grubbing/grading, right-of-way) go through a single online iWorQ citizen portal (bensonbuilding.portal.iworq.net) rather than a jurisdiction-specific EnerGov/CSS system; documents must be PDF (image formats like JPEG/TIFF/GIF are rejected), and every application requires a signed A.R.S. Title 32 form.
- Building permits are valid 180 days from issue date and expire after 6 consecutive months without inspection progress; one no-charge 6-month extension is available within the initial 12-month period if significant progress (generally past framing) has been documented.
- Manufactured homes and factory-built buildings are NOT governed by a City-authored installation code — Benson enforces the Arizona Department of Housing's (ADOH) statewide installation standards directly, under a 5-year Inspection Services Agreement (effective May 3, 2021, Resolution 11-2021).
- The Building Department page and Building Department Staff page live at bensonaz.gov are served by a legacy Revize CMS template that returns thin/near-empty content to plain automated fetches on several sub-pages (e.g., the current 'Building Permits' page under Community Development returns only navigation with no body text to a direct fetch); recovering the real content required Wayback Machine snapshots of the same URLs (dated as recently as April-December 2025 and April 2026) plus direct retrieval of PDFs from the City's underlying Revize file host (webgen1files1.revize.com) — a working example of the JS/CMS-thin-page workaround.
- Current Building Department staff as of the April 2026 staff-page snapshot: Evan Bowen, Building Official (ebowen@bensonaz.gov, 520-720-6344); Amy Blandi, Code Enforcement (ablandi@bensonaz.gov, 520-720-6346); Bradley Hamilton P.E., Public Works Director (bhamilton@bensonaz.gov, 520-720-6325); Curtis Skaggs, Building Inspector (cskaggs@bensonaz.gov, 520-720-6353). Note: the 2025 AZBO Directory listed the Building Official as 'Vacant' — that entry is stale; the position is currently filled by Evan Bowen per the City's own live staff page.