Tombstone building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Tombstone, Arizona.
Last verified 2026-07-07 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 611 E. Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638 (City Hall: 613 E. Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638)
- Phone
- 520-457-3415
- Office hours
- Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (City of Tombstone Building Inspector page and Building Permit Application, Rev. 1/2024). Building Official/Inspector: Robert Hendrickson. Applications are submitted in person or by mail to the Building Department (P.O. Box 339, Tombstone, AZ 85638); the City does not appear to offer an online e-permitting portal as of this review — all forms found are static PDFs requiring paper/email submittal. Inspections are scheduled by calling 520-457-3415. Projects within the Schieffelin Historic District require Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approval BEFORE building permit submission/approval, per the Building Permit Application's own header notice.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Tombstone — 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 Tombstone is a home-rule city that independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its own Building Department; it does not defer building permitting to Cochise County despite its small size (2020 Census population 1,307). Source: Tombstone City Code, Title 3 (Building Regulations), Chapter 1 (Building Code), codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tombstoneaz (current through Ord. 2025-06, passed 10-14-2025).
- 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2006 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by reference as 'the Uniform Building Code' of the City, per Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1 (Adoption of Building Codes). NOTE: this is a genuinely old code cycle (2006, not a current ICC edition) — confirmed independently via two sources: (1) the codified City Code text itself (accessed via r.jina.ai proxy of codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tombstoneaz/latest/tombstone_az/0-0-0-1834, since amlegal.com returns HTTP 403 to a plain fetch), and (2) the Arizona Building Officials (AZBO) statewide directories, which as of the most recent editions searched (2018/2021) listed Tombstone's adopted codes as 2006 IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC and 2005 NEC. The current Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024) also cites 'Tombstone City Code, 3-1-1: Adoption of the Uniform Building Code' and references 'Uniform Building Code Permit Requirements' by name, consistent with the 2006-cycle adoption never having been updated to a current ICC edition. Source: Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1; AZBO Directory (2018, 2021 editions); City of Tombstone Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024).
- National Electrical Code of 1988, as copyrighted by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4, Electrical Code). This is a very old NEC edition (1988) relative to current AZ municipal practice (most Cochise County peers are on 2017 or 2020 NEC) — confirmed via direct code-section fetch; no more recent NEC adoption ordinance was located despite a search for 'building code' + ordinance amendments through the current Ord. 2025-06 code-currency marker. Source: Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4.
- Uniform Plumbing Code, 1988 edition, as copyrighted by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, adopted by reference (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-5, Plumbing Code) — notably NOT an ICC/IPC adoption but the IAPMO's competing UPC model code, at its 1988 edition. Source: Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-5.
- No IMC (mechanical), IFGC (fuel gas), IFC (fire), or IEBC (existing building) adoption was located anywhere in the codified Tombstone City Code Title 3 chapters reviewed, in the current Building Permit Application, or in the AZBO directory search results for Tombstone. This appears to be a genuine gap in the City's own published code structure (mechanical and gas work is folded into the 2006 IBC/IRC's own built-in mechanical/fuel-gas chapters rather than a standalone locally-adopted IMC/IFGC) rather than an extraction failure — the Building Permit Application's own 'Mechanical Plan' and 'Plumbing Plan' submittal-requirement sections cite no separate code title beyond the 'Uniform Building Code' umbrella term used throughout the form. Source: Tombstone City Code Title 3; City of Tombstone Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024).
- Terminology construction: wherever 'a municipality' appears in the adopted building code, it is held to mean the City of Tombstone; 'corporation counsel' means the city attorney/legal advisor (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-2, Construction of Terms). Source: Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-2.
- Building Official / administrative authority is vested in the office of the City Clerk under the codified ordinance structure, with authority to designate deputies for inspections and other required duties (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-6); in current practice, the City separately staffs a dedicated Building Official/Inspector position (Robert Hendrickson) rather than routing this through the Clerk's office day-to-day. Source: Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-6 (codified structure); City of Tombstone Building Inspector page (current practice).
- Manufactured homes, mobile homes, and factory-built buildings: construction/installation standards for the home itself are regulated directly by the State of Arizona (Department of Fire, Building and Life Safety / Office of Manufactured Housing, A.R.S. Title 41-4001 et seq.), consistent with statewide practice; the City separately issues its own Manufactured Building Permit (flat fee $300.00, including 2 inspections, per the City's November 14, 2025 Fee Schedule) for local placement/site compliance, using its own dedicated Manufactured Building Permit Application form. Source: City of Tombstone Fee Schedule (effective 11/14/2025); Manufactured Building Permit Application (City of Tombstone).
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family residential construction within Tombstone city limits. Reviewed against the City's own 2006 IRC/IBC adoption (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1). Applications use the City's single unified Building Permit Application (covering residential and commercial work alike) and are submitted in person or by mail to the Building Department. Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Certificate of Appropriateness approval BEFORE the building permit may be submitted/approved.
Residential Addition / Remodel Permit
Required for room additions, remodels, and alterations to existing residential structures in Tombstone, using the City's same unified Building Permit Application ('Repair/Replace' class of work) and valuation-based fee table. Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require HPC Certificate of Appropriateness approval for exterior alterations before a permit is issued.
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work in Tombstone, governed by the National Electrical Code of 1988 as adopted by the City (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4) — a notably old NEC edition relative to Cochise County peers.
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installation, alteration, or repair work in Tombstone, governed by the 1988 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) as adopted by the City (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-5) — notably an IAPMO UPC adoption rather than an ICC/IPC adoption, at a very old edition.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in Tombstone. The City has no standalone locally-adopted IMC — mechanical work is reviewed under the mechanical provisions built into the City's adopted 2006 IBC/IRC, using the application's own 'Mechanical Plan' submittal category.
Manufactured Building / Manufactured Home Installation Permit
Required for placement of manufactured/mobile homes within Tombstone city limits, using the City's own dedicated Manufactured Building Permit Application separate from the general Building Permit Application. Billed as a flat fee including two inspections.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any structure in Tombstone. Demolition within the Schieffelin Historic District is subject to Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness review, since 'removal, or demolition of a landmark structure' is an explicitly enumerated COA trigger.
Schieffelin Historic District Certificate of Appropriateness (HPC Review)
A distinct, mandatory overlay-review process for any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, removal, demolition, new construction, or material exterior change within the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District (or to any individually designated landmark), administered by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and required BEFORE a building permit may be issued for covered work. This is the one Tombstone permit type with a genuinely published, governing review timeline.
Residential/Commercial Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installation of a rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system in Tombstone. The City has no dedicated solar application, checklist, or fee line published anywhere in its current November 14, 2025 Fee Schedule, its Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024), or its codified Title 3 Building Code chapter — a PV system is billed under the same general Building Permit valuation-based fee table already documented in this file's Electrical Permit entry. Arizona statute A.R.S. § 9-468 independently caps whatever fee is actually charged at the City's actual cost of issuing the permit, and properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness approval before the permit may be submitted, since a visible rooftop array constitutes a material change in exterior appearance.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger / Charging Station Permit
The City of Tombstone's Fee Schedule (effective 11/14/2025) has no dedicated EV charger/EVSE line item. Installing an EV charging station is electrical work, governed by the 1988 National Electrical Code as adopted by the City (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4) and billed on the same general valuation-based Building Permit fee chart documented in this file's Electrical Permit entry, using the same 'Electrical (Includes 1st and 2nd review)' plan-review line (65% of the Building Permit Fee).
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
- 29units
17 buildings · $1.8M 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 Tombstone independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its own Building Department (Building Official/Inspector Robert Hendrickson), rather than deferring to Cochise County, despite a small population (2020 Census: 1,307).
- Tombstone's adopted code cycle is genuinely old: 2006 IBC/IRC (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1), 1988 National Electrical Code (Section 3-1-4), and the 1988 Uniform Plumbing Code — an IAPMO model code rather than the ICC's IPC (Section 3-1-5). This was independently corroborated via two separate source families: the codified City Code text itself (fetched via r.jina.ai proxy since codelibrary.amlegal.com returns HTTP 403 to plain automated fetches) and the Arizona Building Officials (AZBO) statewide directory search results, which listed Tombstone's codes as 2006 IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC and 2005 NEC in the 2018/2021 editions searched — meaning even the AZBO-listed NEC figure (2005) differs from the codified 1988 text, a discrepancy that is flagged rather than resolved, since no bridging ordinance was located. No standalone IMC, IFGC, IFC, or IEBC adoption was found in the codified Title 3 at all — mechanical/fuel-gas work is reviewed under the mechanical/gas provisions embedded in the adopted 2006 IBC/IRC.
- GENUINE, EXHAUSTIVELY-CHASED CONFIRMED GAP: no permit type in this file (other than the Historic Preservation Commission's own 21-day report-forwarding step) has a published plan-review turnaround time. Chase trail spanned: the current Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024), the November 14, 2025 Fee Schedule (Resolution No. 10-2025), the codified Title 3 Building Code chapter (fetched via r.jina.ai proxy after amlegal.com 403'd plain fetches), the Planning & Zoning and Building Inspector pages, and a targeted search for the City's A.R.S. Section 9-835 licensing-time-frame posting (a state statute requiring municipalities to establish AND POST their own per-permit-type time frame on their own website — note the statute itself supplies NO default/backstop number if a municipality hasn't posted one). No dedicated Tombstone time-frame chart was located anywhere. This is a real, documented absence in the City's own public disclosures, not an extraction failure — call the Building Official (Robert Hendrickson, 520-457-3415, buildingofficial@cityoftombstoneaz.gov) for a current estimate on any specific project.
- The Schieffelin Historic Preservation District (named for city founder Ed Schieffelin) is the one governing, published-timeline overlay in this file: a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Historic Preservation Commission is required BEFORE a building permit may be submitted/approved for exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, removal, demolition, new construction, or material exterior change within the District or to any individually designated landmark (Tombstone City Code Sections 10-19-1, 10-19-4, 10-19-5, 10-19-7). The City's own current Building Permit Application flags this with a bolded, underlined header notice and its own Yes/No checkbox field. The published process: HPC Inspector forwards a report to the Commission within 21 days of submittal; the Commission votes at a public meeting; owners have 10 days to sign/appeal after approval; completed work has 90 days (minor) or 180 days (major) to finish before re-approval is required.
- Tombstone's November 14, 2025 Fee Schedule (adopted by Resolution No. 10-2025, passed October 14, 2025, effective 30 days later) is unusually thorough and itemizes distinct 65%-of-permit-fee plan review lines for General, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, Combination, Swimming Pool, and Demolition categories, plus a flat $50 'Standard Plan' review fee and $100/hour rates for additional/hourly reviews — but the source PDF (fetched by reading its raw bytes with the Read tool since both plain WebFetch and the r.jina.ai proxy failed to parse it as text) contains an apparent internal transcription inconsistency in four of its valuation-fee tiers, where the 'for the first $X' base amount is printed as 'for the first $2,000.00' in rows that (by bracket-boundary context) should read the tier's own starting threshold (e.g., $50,000, $100,000, $500,000, $1,000,000). This is reproduced exactly as published in the fees field rather than silently corrected, since no amended/corrected version of the fee schedule was located.
- Manufactured/mobile home placement uses a separate, dedicated Manufactured Building Permit Application (distinct from the general Building Permit Application) and a flat $300 fee inclusive of two inspections — construction/factory standards for the home itself remain a State of Arizona (ADOH-equivalent) responsibility, consistent with statewide practice.
- The City of Tombstone's official code library (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tombstoneaz) returns HTTP 403 Forbidden to a plain automated fetch — every codified City Code citation in this file was recovered via the r.jina.ai read-proxy (r.jina.ai/<url>) rather than a direct fetch, consistent with the known WAF/bot-blocking behavior documented for other government sites in this project.
- The City does not appear to offer an online e-permitting portal (no EnerGov/CloudPermit/iWorQ system was found, unlike Buckeye, Bisbee, or Benson respectively) — all forms located are static PDFs intended for paper/email submittal to the Building Department at P.O. Box 339, Tombstone, AZ 85638 or 611 E. Allen Street.