Skip to main content
PermitBase

Electrical Permit in Bisbee, Arizona

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.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Electrical permit required for service upgrades/replacements, panel work, and other electrical installations
  • Governed by the 2017 NEC as adopted by the City of Bisbee, with local amendments (e.g., recessed service entries prohibited — service disconnects and risers must be surface-mounted; accessory structures with a poured foundation require a concrete-encased electrode)
  • Subpanels and low-voltage boxes may not be located in a firewall, fire barrier, fire partition, or the garage-side of a wall separating a dwelling from a garage/carport
  • Smoke alarms must originate from a general-purpose branch circuit, not a dedicated circuit
  • Electrical service upgrade/replacement and electrical/gas water heater permits are billed at flat rates and are NOT subject to the additional 65% plan review fee (City Code Section 7.1.3(f))

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet0 of 1 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our paid checklist will assemble all of them, from $29

Fee schedule

Electrical Service Upgrade or Replacement — ResidentialCity of Bisbee Fee Schedule (Effective 05/07/2020, Updated 06/15/2026); flat rate, not subject to the 65% plan review fee per City Code Section 7.1.3(f)(1).
$75.00
Electrical Service Upgrade or Replacement — CommercialCity of Bisbee Fee Schedule.
$80.00
Electrical or Gas Water Heater — ResidentialCity of Bisbee Fee Schedule; flat rate per City Code Section 7.1.3(f)(2).
$55.00
Electrical or Gas Water Heater — CommercialCity of Bisbee Fee Schedule.
$60.00
Utility Clearance Inspection (Green Tag)City of Bisbee Fee Schedule; flat rate per City Code Section 7.1.3(f)(3).
$55.00
Other Electrical Work (Based on Valuation)City Code Section 7.1.3; applies to electrical work not covered by the specific flat-rate categories above.
Same valuation table as new construction ($78 to $20,730+ scaling by valuation tier), plus 65% Plan Review Fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Electrical Permit 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

    Rough-In

    Wiring, box placement, and panel connections before walls are closed

  2. 2

    Final / Utility Clearance (Green Tag)

    Devices installed and verified per 2017 NEC as amended; Utility Clearance Inspection required for utility company meter release

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

Tips

  • Electrical service upgrades/replacements, water heaters, and the Utility Clearance (Green Tag) inspection are flat-fee permits exempt from the 65% plan review fee that applies to valuation-based permits.
  • As of July 2026, the City of Bisbee does not appear to publish permit-specific plan review turnaround times for electrical permits on its public website. There is no verifiable online source for this — call the Building Inspector's office directly at 520-432-6000.

Frequently asked questions

Bisbee requires an electrical permit for: Electrical permit required for service upgrades/replacements, panel work, and other electrical installations; Governed by the 2017 NEC as adopted by the City of Bisbee, with local amendments (e.g., recessed service entries prohibited — service disconnects and risers must be surface-mounted; accessory structures with a poured foundation require a concrete-encased electrode); Subpanels and low-voltage boxes may not be located in a firewall, fire barrier, fire partition, or the garage-side of a wall separating a dwelling from a garage/carport; Smoke alarms must originate from a general-purpose branch circuit, not a dedicated circuit; Electrical service upgrade/replacement and electrical/gas water heater permits are billed at flat rates and are NOT subject to the additional 65% plan review fee (City Code Section 7.1.3(f)). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Bisbee Community Development Department — Building Safety / Building Inspector at 520-432-6000 before starting work.

$75.00 for residential, $80.00 for commercial, per the City of Bisbee Fee Schedule — a flat rate not subject to the additional 65% plan review fee.

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: Building Permit Application (Bisbee, Fillable). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Bisbee requires 2 inspection(s) for an electrical permit, in order: Rough-In, Final / Utility Clearance (Green Tag). 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.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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.