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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use in Bisbee, Arizona

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.

Reviewed 2026-07-23 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No City Code article, Fee Schedule line, or published application form titled 'Certificate of Occupancy' or 'Change of Use Permit' exists for Bisbee — confirmed by full-text search of the City Code, Fee Schedule, Zoning Code, and Documents & Forms listing
  • For NEW CONSTRUCTION, ADDITIONS, OR ALTERATIONS: occupancy approval is finalized as part of the standard Building Permit process (see this file's Residential Building Permit and Residential Addition/Remodel Permit entries) under the 2018 IBC Section 111 (Certificate of Occupancy), adopted by reference with no City-specific amendment or separate fee
  • Existing buildings undergoing a change of occupancy (with or without construction work) may elect to comply with the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) in lieu of full IBC compliance, per City Code Article 7.1, Sections 7.1.1.B(1) and 7.1.1.C
  • For a CHANGE OF USE / NEW TENANT in an existing commercial building involving NO construction work: City Code Section 8.2.3(C) requires the Building Inspector and Fire Inspector to confirm the proposed occupancy is consistent with applicable codes before a business license can be issued and used; Section 8.2.3(D) separately requires Zoning Administrator verification that the business is in the appropriate zoning district (a license may still issue before repairs are fully complete if the Building Inspector confirms arrangements are in place to finish required work within a reasonable time)
  • Within the Old Bisbee Historic District (HP Overlay Zone), Design Review Board review is triggered only where a change of use is accompanied by exterior construction, alteration, or similar physical work to the building — a pure change of use/tenant change with no exterior work does not independently trigger DRB review under the Development Standards for the Bisbee Historic District
  • A nonconforming use may only be changed to another nonconforming use of the same or a more restricted classification if approved via a Special Use Permit (Zoning Code Section 1.5.2) — this is a narrower zoning-specific scenario, not a general change-of-use requirement

Required documents

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Fee schedule

New Business License / Business License Renewal (tiered by employee count)City of Bisbee Fee Schedule (Effective 05/07/2020, Updated 06/15/2026), Finance section; this is the fee actually charged for the change-of-use/new-tenant scenario, since no separate 'change of use' or 'certificate of occupancy' fee is published anywhere in the Fee Schedule (confirmed by full-text search for 'occupanc' across the entire document — zero matches).
$49.37 (1 employee) to $757.01 (41+ employees); see City Fee Schedule for the full per-employee-count tier table
Building Permit Fee (if construction/alteration work is required)City Code Section 7.1.3; applies only when the change of use is accompanied by construction, alteration, or systems work, plus the 65% Plan Review Fee where applicable.
Same valuation-based table used across all Bisbee trade permits — see this file's Residential Building Permit entry

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use permit actually take in Bisbee?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Occupancy Code Compliance Inspection

    Building Inspector and Fire Inspector confirm the proposed occupancy is consistent with applicable codes, required before a business license may be issued or used (City Code Section 8.2.3.C) — the closest Bisbee equivalent to a change-of-use/occupancy inspection

See the full Bisbee inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • There is no 'Certificate of Occupancy application' or 'Change of Use permit application' to look for on Bisbee's Documents & Forms page — a search of every published form confirmed none exists. If you're opening a business in an existing space with no construction planned, the Business License Application is the actual document that triggers the City's occupancy/zoning sign-off.
  • If your change of use requires any construction, alteration, or systems work, use the standard Building Permit process instead (or in addition) — that process, not a separate CO permit, is where occupancy approval under IBC Section 111 is finalized.
  • A change of use in the Old Bisbee Historic District only requires Design Review Board review if it comes with exterior building work; a pure tenant/use change with no exterior alteration does not by itself trigger DRB review.
  • This entry documents a genuine absence of a distinct permit product after exhausting the City Code, Zoning Code, Fee Schedule, and Documents & Forms listing — it is not an unchased gap.

Frequently asked questions

A Business License Application submitted to the City, which triggers a Building Inspector/Fire Inspector code-compliance check on the proposed occupancy and a Zoning Administrator zoning-district verification (City Code Section 8.2.3) before the license — and therefore the right to operate — is issued.

In Bisbee, the published New Business License / Business License Renewal (tiered by employee count) is: $49.37 (1 employee) to $757.01 (41+ employees); see City Fee Schedule for the full per-employee-count tier table. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee (if construction/alteration work is required) — Same valuation-based table used across all Bisbee trade permits — see this file's Residential Building Permit entry. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Bisbee does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Bisbee Community Development Department — Building Safety / Building Inspector at 520-432-6000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Business License Application (Bisbee, Fillable). Depending on your project, Bisbee may also ask for: Building Permit Application (Bisbee, Fillable); Design Review Board Application Packet. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Bisbee requires 1 inspection(s) for a certificate of occupancy / change of use permit, in order: Occupancy Code Compliance Inspection. Schedule each through City of Bisbee Community Development Department — Building Safety / Building Inspector (520-432-6000).

Apply through City of Bisbee Community Development Department — Building Safety / Building Inspector at 118 Arizona Street, Bisbee, AZ 85603. Phone: 520-432-6000, email: 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.. Official information: https://web.archive.org/web/20251028012416/https://www.bisbeeaz.gov/2545/30202/Building-Permits-Code-Enforcement.

Bisbee, Arizona has adopted: 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.).. Local amendments apply — see the Bisbee overview page for the full list.

Not as a standalone, separately-fee'd permit product. For new construction/additions/alterations, occupancy sign-off is part of the standard Building Permit's final inspection (2018 IBC Section 111, adopted without a City-specific fee or process amendment). For a change of use or new tenant in an existing building with no construction involved, the applicable mechanism is the Business License process: City Code Section 8.2.3 requires the Building Inspector and Fire Inspector to confirm the proposed occupancy meets applicable codes, and the Zoning Administrator to confirm proper zoning, before a business license issues.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-23.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Bisbee building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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