Bisbee building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Bisbee, Arizona.
Last verified 2026-07-06 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 118 Arizona Street, Bisbee, AZ 85603
- Phone
- 520-432-6000
- jward@bisbeeaz.gov
- Office hours
- Monday - Friday. Applications are submitted using the City's own single-page Building Permit application (covering building, sign, and solar permits alike) either in person at 118 Arizona Street or through the City's CloudPermit online e-permitting portal; permits within the Old Bisbee Historic District (HP Overlay Zone) additionally require Design Review Board approval before a building permit may be issued.
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at Bisbee's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Bisbee — 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 (A.R.S. Title 9). The City of Bisbee is a home-rule city that independently codifies and administers its own construction codes through its Community Development Department / Building Inspector (Building Codes page, bisbeeaz.gov/2449/Building-Codes; City of Bisbee City Code, Chapter 7, Updated 05/22/2024).
- 2018 International Building Code (IBC), including all tables and appendices (Appendices C, E, F, G adopted; A, B, D, H, I, J, K, L, M not adopted), adopted by reference with City of Bisbee amendments (City Code Article 7.1, Section 7.1.1, Updated 05/22/2024).
- 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference with City amendments; existing buildings undergoing repair, alteration, addition, or change of occupancy are permitted to comply with the IEBC in lieu of full IBC compliance (City Code Article 7.1, Section 7.1.1.B(1) and 7.1.1.C).
- 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted by reference with City of Bisbee amendments (City Code Article 7.1, Section 7.1.1.D).
- 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference with City amendments, including Appendix B (adopted at a 3 inch/hour rainfall rate) and Appendices C, D, F as informational resources; Appendix A not adopted (City Code Article 7.2).
- 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference with City of Bisbee amendments (City Code Article 7.3, Section 7.3.1) — one edition behind the 2018 ICC set, consistent with typical AZ municipal practice.
- 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference with City amendments; administered with references to the Bisbee Fire Department (City Code Article 7.4).
- 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference with City amendments; Appendix A adopted, Appendix B not adopted (City Code Article 7.5).
- 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted by reference with City amendments, including a fence/barrier height amendment raising all referenced heights from 48 inches to 60 inches (City Code Article 7.6).
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) and 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference with City amendments; City of Bisbee is designated Climate Zone 2 or stricter for all IECC purposes (City Code Article 7.7, Sections 7.7.1-7.7.3).
- Arizonans with Disabilities Act standards (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and implementing rules, including the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (Resolution R-96-46), adopted as an amendment applying to new construction and alterations of public entities (City Code Article 7.1, Section 7.1.4).
- Manufactured home installation is permitted via a dedicated Manufactured Home Installation Permit (flat fee $350.00 per the City Fee Schedule); construction/installation standards for the home itself are regulated by the State of Arizona Department of Fire, Building and Life Safety / Office of Manufactured Housing, consistent with statewide practice (A.R.S. Title 41-4001 et seq.).
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family and two-family dwelling construction within Bisbee city limits. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC and City of Bisbee amendments. Applications use the City's single unified Building Permit Application form (covering building/sign/solar work) and may be submitted in person at 118 Arizona Street or via the CloudPermit online portal. Projects within the Old Bisbee Historic District additionally require Design Review Board approval before a building permit can be issued.
Residential Addition / Remodel Permit
Required for room additions, remodels, and alterations to existing one- and two-family dwellings in Bisbee, valued at total contract cost or builder's estimate rather than a per-square-foot new-construction rate. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC as adopted and amended by the City of Bisbee.
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work in Bisbee, governed by the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted and amended by the City of Bisbee. Electrical service upgrades/replacements and water heaters are billed at flat rates rather than valuation.
EV Charger / EVSE Installation Permit
Bisbee has no separate EV charger/EVSE permit category or flat-fee line. A dedicated circuit for an EV charging station falls under the City Code's residual 'Other Electrical Work' category, billed on the same valuation table as new construction, plus the 65% Plan Review Fee (unlike the City's flat-fee electrical categories for service upgrades and water heaters, which are exempt from that fee).
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installation, alteration, or repair work in Bisbee, governed by the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted and amended by the City of Bisbee, including Bisbee's dedicated water-conservation fixture standards.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in Bisbee, governed by the 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted and amended by the City of Bisbee. Bisbee also caps evaporative cooler water use for single-family residences.
Residential/Commercial Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Water Heater Permit
Required for installation of photovoltaic solar systems, solar hot water heaters, and other similar solar-energy-conversion devices in Bisbee. The City's codified ordinance grants a fee exemption for the solar-device-specific portion of these permits, though the City's separately published Fee Schedule lists specific dollar figures for these categories — an unresolved discrepancy documented below. Properties within the Old Bisbee Historic District have a dedicated Administrative Approval Checklist for Solar Devices.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any structure in Bisbee. Demolition within the Old Bisbee Historic District is subject to a distinct, stringent Design Review Board review requiring proof that preservation is not physically or economically feasible, and requires 30 calendar days' advance notice rather than the standard 15.
Manufactured Home Installation Permit
Required for placement and installation of manufactured/mobile homes within Bisbee city limits. Billed as a flat fee distinct from the standard valuation-based Building Permit fee. The home's own construction/factory standards are regulated by the State of Arizona; the City permit covers on-site placement, foundation/tie-down, and site compliance.
Sign Permit
Required for installation of new signage in Bisbee, billed on a square-footage tier schedule. Signs within the Old Bisbee Historic District additionally require Design Review Board approval, including detailed submittal of wording, font, dimensions, materials, and mounting detail.
Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm System Permit
Required for installation or alteration of fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and related fixed fire-protection equipment in Bisbee. Unlike the Building Inspector's trades (electrical, plumbing, mechanical), this permit is reviewed and fee-collected by the City's own Bisbee Fire & Ambulance Department under its dedicated Fire Marshal, applying the 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) as adopted and amended by the City. Bisbee has its own municipal fire department (two stations, career staff including a Fire Chief and Fire Marshal) — fire-plan review is not outsourced to a rural or county fire district.
Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use
Bisbee has no standalone, separately-fee'd 'Certificate of Occupancy' or 'Change of Use' permit product — this is a genuine, actively-researched finding, not an unchased gap. Occupancy verification instead happens through two existing City mechanisms depending on the scenario: (1) for new construction, additions, or alterations, occupancy sign-off is folded into the standard Building Permit's final inspection under the unamended 2018 IBC Section 111 (adopted by reference; the City's Article 7.1 IBC amendment list does not touch Section 111 or add a distinct fee for it); and (2) for a change of use or new tenant in an existing commercial building not involving construction work, City Code Article 8.2 (Business License Tax) requires the Building Inspector AND Fire Inspector to confirm the proposed occupancy meets applicable codes, and the Zoning Administrator to confirm the correct zoning district, before a business license may be issued or used.
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
- No data reported
- Year to date (2026 YTD)
- No data reported
- Full year 2025
- No data reported
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 Bisbee independently codifies and amends its own construction codes (2018 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IPMC/IFC + 2017 NEC) through its own Community Development Department / Building Inspector, per City Code Chapter 7 (Updated 05/22/2024).
- Bisbee's Building Permit Application is a single unified form covering building, sign, and solar permits alike (Parts A-D: property description, project scope/valuation, owner/builder/contractor licensing under A.R.S. Title 32, and certification) — there is no separate application form per permit type.
- The Old Bisbee Historic District (HP Overlay Zone) imposes a genuinely distinct, well-documented review layer: no building permit may issue for exterior construction, alteration, new construction, relocation, or demolition within the District until the 7-member Historic District Design Review Board (or Building Official/DRB Liaison Administrative Approval for qualifying minor repair work) approves the project. Standard DRB applications need 15 calendar days' advance submittal; higher-impact work (new construction, demolition, substantial modification of a contributing structure) needs 30 days plus 300-foot neighbor notice. Most DRB decisions issue within 45 days of submittal. DRB approval is valid 6 months (1 year for new construction) before a separate building permit must still be obtained.
- A genuine, documented conflict exists between Bisbee's codified fee exemption for solar-device permits (City Code Section 7.1.3 — 'the City shall not charge any fee' for the solar-conversion portion of any related building permit/plan review/inspection) and the City's separately published Fee Schedule, which lists specific dollar fees ($325 residential PV, $375 commercial PV, $75 solar hot water). This file flags the conflict rather than resolving it — verify with the Building Inspector (520-432-6000) before assuming either source controls.
- Fire sprinklers are NOT mandatory for one- and two-family dwellings in Bisbee — IRC R309.5 is deleted and R313's mandatory language is replaced with permissive ('may be an appropriate form of optional protection') language, consistent with Arizona state law restricting municipal sprinkler mandates for detached one/two-family homes.
- Garage/carport fire separation is upgraded beyond the model-code baseline throughout Bisbee's IBC and IRC amendments: 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board (not 1/2-inch) is required in separation walls/ceilings, with two layers where habitable rooms sit above a garage, and windows are prohibited in the separation wall.
- Bisbee raises the model-code pool-barrier/fence height from 4 feet (48 inches) to 5 feet (60 inches) in both the IBC (Section 3109) and the International Property Maintenance Code (Section 303) amendments.
- Bisbee has its own water-conservation code layer (City Code Section 7.2.3) independent of the IPC baseline: max 1.28 gpf toilets, 1.5 gpm bathroom faucets, 2.2 gpm kitchen faucets, 2.0 gpm showerheads, mandatory greywater-ready plumbing in new single-family construction, a 60 psi cap on residential water pressure, and a 3.5 gal/ton-hour cap on evaporative cooler water use.
- Permit Fees include one initial inspection plus up to two re-inspections per project stage at no extra cost; additional re-inspections cost $47.00 (Building Code) — a different figure from the Fee Schedule's separately listed general 'Re Inspection Fee' ($75-$100 depending on document version), which appears to apply to a broader zoning/code-enforcement re-inspection context rather than the Building Code's own per-stage construction re-inspection allowance.
- Manufactured home installation is a flat $350 permit, distinct from the standard valuation-based building permit fee table; the manufactured home's own factory-build standards are regulated by the State of Arizona, not the City.
- As of July 2026, no genuine plan-review-turnaround SLA (in business or calendar days) for any Bisbee building-permit type was found published on the City's website, in its codified City Code, in its Fee Schedule, or in its Building Permit Application/instructions — unlike larger Arizona cities (e.g., Buckeye, Flagstaff) that publish an A.R.S. § 9-835-compliant timeframe chart. The City instead publishes administrative-completeness deadlines (2 weeks to submit additional requested info; 30-day closure of stalled applications; 7 days to pay before permit issuance). Every permit type in this file reflects that honest gap (reviewTimelineVerified: false, reviewTimelineDays: null/null) rather than inferring or estimating a number. Workarounds attempted before concluding this: live-fetched the Building Permits & Code Enforcement and Community Development pages (both returned genuine content, not thin/JS-blocked pages); targeted site:bisbeeaz.gov searches for 'business days'/'plan review'/A.R.S. 9-835 combinations; checked Wayback Machine snapshots of both pages; reviewed the Historic District DRB's own separate, real 45-day decision benchmark (which governs DRB review, not building-plan review, and is documented separately in the localAmendments and demolition-permit tips).