Tombstone building permits

Requirements

• Building permit required for new single-family dwelling construction within Tombstone city limits, per Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1 (Adoption of Building Codes)
• Plans reviewed against the City's adopted 2006 IRC/IBC (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1) — an older code cycle than most Arizona peer cities, confirmed via the codified City Code and the AZBO statewide directory
• Minimum one project drawing set at 1/4 inch = 1 foot scale (minimum 8.5x11 sheet), including Plat Plan, Floor Plan, Exterior Elevations, Crosscut Sections, Mechanical Plan, Plumbing Plan, and Electrical Plan (see localAmendments for full detail)
• A.R.S. Title 32 contractor-licensing compliance required: identify as a licensed ROC contractor or claim a specific Owner/Builder exemption (32-1121A.5 or 32-1121A.6); the Handyman Exemption (32-1121A.14) does NOT apply to any project requiring a building permit
• Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District (checkbox on the application itself) require HPC Certificate of Appropriateness approval BEFORE building permit submission/approval
• Permit expires 6 months from issuance; extension of up to 60 additional days available upon application
• 11-stage inspection sequence required, scheduled by calling 520-457-3415, culminating in a Certificate of Occupancy before the structure may be occupied

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Single unified form covering residential and commercial permits, Class of Work (New/Repair-Replace/Sign/Utility/Row/Other), Schieffelin Historic District checkbox, and A.R.S. Title 32 licensing/exemption certification
• RequiredProject Drawing Set (Plat Plan, Floor Plan, Exterior Elevations, Crosscut Sections, Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical Plans)Minimum 1/4 inch = 1 foot scale, 8.5x11 minimum sheet size, consecutively numbered, with title block per the application's Minimum Requirements section
• OptionalHPC Application / Historic District Sign and Construction ApplicationRequired only for properties within the Schieffelin Historic District boundaries, submitted to and approved by the Historic Preservation Commission before the building permit is issued

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for room additions, remodels, and alterations affecting the structure, per Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1
• Use the City's unified Building Permit Application, Class of Work 'Repair/Replace'
• Minor repair/maintenance using replacement materials of the same type/size, without fundamental construction change, is exempt from permit requirements at the Building Inspector's discretion
• Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require HPC Certificate of Appropriateness approval before a permit is issued for exterior alterations (interior-only remodels not visible from a public street/alley are not COA-triggering per the District's own applicability standard)
• Routine maintenance/emergency repairs valued under $1,000 within the Historic District may proceed concurrently with (rather than after) COA application

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Class of Work checked 'Repair/Replace'
• RequiredProject DrawingsScope-appropriate subset of the Plat Plan / Floor Plan / Elevations / Crosscut Sections / Mechanical / Plumbing / Electrical plans, per the application's Minimum Requirements
• OptionalHPC ApplicationRequired only for exterior alterations to properties within the Schieffelin Historic District

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work within Tombstone city limits
• Governed by the 1988 National Electrical Code as adopted by the City of Tombstone (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4) — no more recent NEC adoption ordinance was located as of the last verification
• New electrical work requires inspection before utility connection, per the codified Building Code chapter
• Electrical Plan submittal required showing service entrance/meter/disconnect location, main and subpanel locations, switch/outlet/fixture locations, wiring routing/sizing/circuitry, and a legible panel circuit directory
• Temporary Electric Power is a distinct, separately fee-scheduled permit type

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Unified form used for electrical permits as well; Class of Work 'Utility' or 'New'/'Repair-Replace' as applicable
• RequiredElectrical PlanPer the application's Minimum Requirements: service entrance/meter/disconnect, panel/subpanel locations, outlet/switch/fixture locations, wire sizing/circuitry, exterior lighting fixture data, and legible panel circuit directory

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems, fixtures, water heaters, and gas piping within Tombstone city limits
• Governed by the Uniform Plumbing Code, 1988 edition (IAPMO), as adopted by the City of Tombstone (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-5) — the City's plumbing code adoption is the competing UPC model code, not the ICC's IPC used by most Cochise County peers
• New plumbing work requires inspection before utility connection
• The Building Inspector may authorize deviations from the plumbing code where public health/safety are not compromised
• Plumbing Plan submittal required: service entrance locations (water/sewer/gas), fixture/water-heater layout, water and sanitary sewer pipe routing/sizing, water shutoff valve location, septic system routing (if applicable), and gas piping routing/sizing/shutoff locations

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Unified form used for plumbing permits as well
• RequiredPlumbing PlanPer the application's Minimum Requirements: service entrances, fixture/water-heater layout, pipe routing/sizing, shutoff valve locations, septic routing, gas piping routing/sizing/shutoffs

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for installation, replacement, or relocation of HVAC equipment within Tombstone city limits
• No standalone International Mechanical Code (IMC) adoption was located in Tombstone City Code Title 3 — mechanical work is governed via the mechanical chapters embedded in the City's adopted 2006 IBC/IRC ('Uniform Building Code' as referenced throughout the Building Permit Application)
• Mechanical Plan submittal required: heating/cooling means, passive solar systems (if any), equipment closet/outside-equipment locations, duct layout/sizing, register locations/sizing, and refrigerant piping routing

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Unified form used for mechanical permits as well
• RequiredMechanical PlanPer the application's Minimum Requirements: heating/cooling means, passive solar systems, equipment locations, duct layout/sizing, register locations, refrigerant piping routing

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Manufactured Building Permit required for placement of a manufactured/mobile home within Tombstone city limits, using the City's dedicated Manufactured Building Permit Application form
• Construction/factory-build 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.); the City's permit addresses local placement/site compliance
• Failure to obtain the permit before placement can be cause for revocation of a City of Tombstone Business License, a $300.00 fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or a combination, per the general Building Permit Application's permit-requirement notice

Required documents

• RequiredManufactured Building Permit ApplicationCity of Tombstone's dedicated form for manufactured/mobile home placement, distinct from the general Building Permit Application

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required before demolishing a building, utility, or structure within Tombstone city limits, per Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1 ('Construct, Enlarge, Alter, Repair, Improve, Move, Convert, Demolish any building, utilities, or structure')
• Within the Schieffelin Historic District, demolition or removal of a landmark structure requires Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness approval before the demolition permit may be issued (Tombstone City Code Section 10-19-4)
• All utilities should be properly terminated as part of standard demolition practice

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Unified form; Class of Work 'Other' with 'Demolition' specified
• OptionalHPC ApplicationRequired for demolition of a landmark structure within the Schieffelin Historic District

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Required for: exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, removal, or demolition of a landmark structure; exterior alteration or new construction of non-historic structures within the District; and any material change in exterior appearance (including signs, light fixtures, fences, steps, sidewalks, paving, landscaping, or other exterior elements visible from a public street or alley) — Tombstone City Code Section 10-19-4
• Exempt: minor alterations as determined by the Building Inspector; routine maintenance or emergency repairs under $1,000 in value (may proceed concurrently with COA application rather than waiting for prior approval); work the Building Inspector certifies in writing as required by public safety due to an unsafe/dangerous condition
• Design criteria (Section 10-19-7): contributing properties must be retained with historic features altered minimally; alterations must conform to the unique character of the original structure; new construction must be consistent with surrounding historic architecture
• Once the HPC issues notice of a PROPOSED new landmark/district designation, no building permits may be issued for the subject structure/area until the HPC makes its designation decision (Section 2-1-8)
• No permits shall be issued if the COA application is denied

Required documents

• RequiredHPC ApplicationStandard Historic Preservation Commission application form for Certificate of Appropriateness review
• OptionalHistoric District Sign and Construction ApplicationCity of Tombstone form specifically for signage and construction proposals within the Schieffelin Historic District, available through the Forms & Permits page

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A building permit is required for every sign and advertising structure regulated by Chapter 14 of the zoning title (Tombstone City Code Section 10-14-6); the City building inspector is authorized to cause removal of any sign erected in violation, with removal costs recoverable from the owner
• Two (2) copies of plans and specifications must be submitted with the sign permit application; one copy is returned to the applicant when the permit is granted (Section 10-14-7)
• Plans must show complete details, size of the sign, method of attachment or support, location, materials to be used, and the name, address and profession of the person who designed the plans and specifications (Section 10-14-7)
• For roof signs and other signs subject to excessive stresses, plans for supports must show that the supporting surfaces and other members of the existing building are in good condition and adequately strong to support the load (Section 10-14-7)
• Signs visible within the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District additionally require Historic Preservation Commission review and approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness — no sign may be erected in the district without an approved Standard Application Form issued through the HPC (Section 10-19-8)
• Signs must conform to all requirements of the City Zoning Ordinance in addition to the historic-district design criteria (Section 10-19-8)
• Within the historic district, signs must either follow verifiable historic precedent for the specific property (content, color, wording, lettering, size and location), with the burden of proof on the owner, or meet the Chapter 19 size and design standards (Section 10-19-8)
• Historic-district sign area limits: a sign hanging over the boardwalk may not exceed eight (8) square feet and no hanging sign may be more than two (2) feet high; projecting signs above porches (or where no porches exist) may extend no more than four (4) feet from the building front; no more than three (3) hanging signs per business or residence, with an additional one or two allowed on a street-corner building (Section 10-19-8)
• Historic-district lettering, logos, pictures, sketches and characters must be consistent with nineteenth-century signage, style and taste as delineated by the Design Guidelines, and colors must be those used in the period of historic significance (Section 10-19-8)
• HPC applications and all material samples must be submitted ten (10) working days before the regular Historic Preservation Commission meeting to be placed on the agenda, and sixty (60) days before work begins (City of Tombstone HPC Certificate of Appropriateness Application Check List, Rev. 3/3/2026)
• HPC approval does not include approval for a building permit — a separate building permit must be obtained if required by the City Building Code or the 2006 International Building Code (HPC Application Check List, Rev. 3/3/2026)
• Signs requiring a permit are subject to inspection under Section 10-14-17

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (sign)City of Tombstone Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024), submitted in person or by mail to the Building Department; the City does not publish an online e-permitting portal
• RequiredTwo (2) Copies of Sign Plans and SpecificationsRequired by Tombstone City Code Section 10-14-7. Must show complete details, sign size, method of attachment or support, location, materials, and the name, address and profession of the designer. One copy is returned to the applicant at permit issuance.
• OptionalHistoric District Sign and Construction Application (HPC Certificate of Appropriateness)City of Tombstone Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness Application (Rev. 3/3/2026). Section 4 'Type of Application' includes Sign; Section 8 collects sign height, length, square feet, material, font style, colors, and location (over boardwalk, on front of building, or other). Required for any sign visible within the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District.
• OptionalSign Renderings, Font Samples and Sign DimensionsListed in Section 11 (Materials included with Application) of the HPC application packet; the packet states applications will be returned until complete if images, renderings, colors, fonts, sizes and descriptions are not submitted
• OptionalStructural Support DocumentationFor roof signs and other signs subject to excessive stresses, documentation that supporting surfaces and members of the existing building are in good condition and adequately strong to support the load (Section 10-14-7)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building/electrical permit required for solar PV installation within Tombstone city limits, submitted via the City's unified Building Permit Application (Class of Work 'New' or 'Utility' as applicable)
• Governed by the City's adopted 2006 IBC/IRC (structural mounting) and 1988 National Electrical Code (electrical interconnection) — see codesAdopted; confirm the currently enforced NEC edition directly with the Building Official given the discrepancy already flagged elsewhere in this file between the codified 1988 text and the AZBO directory's listed 2005 figure
• Per A.R.S. § 9-468(A), the City may not require a professional engineer's stamp on a standard residential rooftop PV system absent a written, installation-specific finding of necessity
• Per A.R.S. § 9-468(D), any fee the City assesses for a solar PV permit 'shall not exceed the actual cost of issuing the permit' — an independent statewide statutory ceiling that applies on top of the City's general valuation-based fee table
• Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require a Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness BEFORE the building permit may be submitted/approved, since a visible rooftop or ground-mounted array is a 'material change in the exterior appearance of such property... visible from a public street or alley' under Tombstone City Code Section 10-19-4
• A.R.S. Title 32 contractor-licensing compliance is required on the application, per the same requirement documented in this file's Residential Building Permit entry

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Single unified form covering residential and commercial permits, including electrical/solar scope; no standalone solar-specific form is published
• RequiredElectrical PlanPer the application's Minimum Requirements: array location, service entrance/disconnect location, wiring routing/sizing, and panel circuit directory
• OptionalHPC ApplicationRequired only for properties within the Schieffelin Historic District, since a visible rooftop or ground-mounted array is a material change in exterior appearance under Section 10-19-4

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for EV charger installation, alteration, or repair work within Tombstone city limits, per the same process documented in this file's Electrical Permit entry
• Governed by the 1988 National Electrical Code as adopted by the City of Tombstone (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-4) — an unusually old NEC edition that predates NEC Article 625's modern Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System provisions; no more recent NEC adoption ordinance was located as of the last verification
• Electrical Plan submittal required showing service entrance/meter/disconnect location, main and subpanel locations, circuit routing/sizing, and a legible panel circuit directory, per the same Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024) used for other electrical work
• No City of Tombstone-specific EV charger application, checklist, or fee line distinct from the general valuation-based Electrical Permit mechanism was found published as of 2026-07-20 — a genuine documentation gap, not an inferred figure

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Unified form used for electrical permits including EV charger circuits; Class of Work 'New' or 'Repair-Replace' as applicable
• RequiredElectrical PlanPer the application's Minimum Requirements: service entrance/meter/disconnect, panel/subpanel locations, wire sizing/circuitry for the EV charger circuit, and legible panel circuit directory

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required to 'Construct, Enlarge, Alter, Repair, Improve, Move, Convert, Demolish any building, utilities, or structure,' per Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1 as restated on the Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024), page 3
• Use the City's single unified Building Permit Application with the 'Commercial' Permit Type checkbox — no commercial-specific application form exists (confirmed live 2026-08-01: the Forms & Permits page lists 33 forms and only one generic 'Building Permit Application'; no commercial or tenant-improvement form)
• 'Commercial Projects may require a Professional Architect and/or Engineer' — verbatim, bolded/underlined, on page 4 of the Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024); whether a stamp is required for a given project is at the Building Official's determination, and the official may also require engineering data or product information when requested
• Reviewed against the City's adopted 2006 IBC (Tombstone City Code Section 3-1-1), 1988 NEC (Section 3-1-4), and 1988 UPC (Section 3-1-5) — see codesAdopted for the full vintage discussion
• Full project drawing set required per the application's Minimum Requirements: Plat Plan, Floor Plan, Exterior Elevations, Crosscut Sections, Mechanical Plan, Plumbing Plan, and Electrical Plan (minimum 1/4 inch = 1 foot scale, 8.5x11 minimum sheets, consecutively numbered with title block)
• A.R.S. Title 32 contractor licensing required: for commercial work the Owner/Builder exemption under A.R.S. 32-1121A.5 is effectively unavailable, since the form's own text limits it to property 'intended for sole occupancy by the owner, not intended for occupancy of member of the public, owner's employees or business visitors' — a commercial building fails that test; the practical alternatives are a licensed ROC contractor or the 32-1121A.6 Owner/Developer route (which itself requires contracting a licensed General Contractor and listing all contractors' ROC numbers on the application)
• The application's Official Use Only block records Occupancy Group, Building Type, and Building Area (under roof) — IBC occupancy classification is assigned by the Building Official at issuance
• Properties within the Schieffelin Historic District require a Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness BEFORE building permit submission/approval, per the application's own bolded header notice — for exterior work, new construction, signs, and any material change in exterior appearance visible from a public street or alley (Tombstone City Code Section 10-19-4); see this file's historic-district-certificate-of-appropriateness entry for the full COA process, 21-day report timeline, and 90/180-day completion deadlines
• Permit expires 6 months from issuance; extension of up to 60 additional days available upon application (Tombstone City Code, Title 3)
• Certificate of Occupancy required before any new construction may be occupied or used — 'You must obtain a certificate of occupancy before you can occupy or use any new construction' (Building Permit Application, page 4)

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City of Tombstone, Rev. 1/2024)Single unified form; check Permit Type 'Commercial' and the applicable Class of Work (New / Repair-Replace / Sign / Utility / Row / Other); includes the Schieffelin Historic District Yes/No checkbox and A.R.S. Title 32 licensing certification
• RequiredProject Drawing Set (Plat Plan, Floor Plan, Exterior Elevations, Crosscut Sections, Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical Plans)Minimum 1/4 inch = 1 foot scale, 8.5x11 minimum sheet size, consecutively numbered with title block, per the application's Minimum Requirements section
• OptionalArchitect- and/or Engineer-prepared plans'Commercial Projects may require a Professional Architect and/or Engineer' per the application itself; requirement is project-specific at the Building Official's determination rather than automatic — confirm scope with the Building Official (520-457-3415) before contracting design work
• OptionalHPC Application / Historic District Sign and Construction ApplicationRequired for properties within the Schieffelin Historic District before the building permit may be submitted/approved; the current HPC Review Application Packet (20260303 revision) is linked from the City's Forms & Permits page

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No land or building may be occupied or used, and no building may be changed in use, until a temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued by the City building inspector (Tombstone City Code Section 10-17-3(A))
• The certificate must state that the building or premises, or the part of it in question, and the proposed use are in conformity with the provisions of Title 10 (Zoning Regulations) (Section 10-17-3(A))
• The building inspector issues a final certificate of occupancy after the change in use has been completed, provided the building or premises and the proposed use conform with all requirements of the chapter (Section 10-17-3(A))
• The building inspector may issue a temporary certificate of occupancy for a part of a building under rules and regulations established by the inspector (Section 10-17-3(B))
• For an existing building, the owner or tenant may request a certificate of occupancy in writing; the inspector issues it after inspection, certifying the extent and kind of use and whether that use conforms to the chapter (Section 10-17-3(C))
• The building inspector may not issue a permit for excavations for foundation or construction of any sort before the applicable certificate of occupancy has been issued (Section 10-17-3(A))
• Where the proposed new use is not permitted by right in the zoning district, a Conditional Use Permit application must be filed (City of Tombstone Application for Conditional Use Permit); where the use cannot meet a zoning standard, a Variance application applies
• Construction work associated with the change of use is permitted separately under Tombstone City Code Title 3, Chapter 1, which adopts the 2006 International Residential Code and 2006 International Building Code (Section 3-1-1)
• If the property is inside the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District, exterior work associated with the change of use additionally requires a Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness before the building permit is approved

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationCity of Tombstone Building Permit Application (Rev. 1/2024) — the City's single permit form, submitted in person or by mail to the Building Department (P.O. Box 339, Tombstone, AZ 85638). The City publishes no separate change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy application form.
• OptionalWritten Request for Certificate of Occupancy (existing building)Tombstone City Code Section 10-17-3(C) allows an owner or tenant to request a certificate of occupancy for an existing building by written request; the inspector certifies the extent and kind of use after inspection
• OptionalApplication for Conditional Use PermitRequired when the proposed new use is not permitted by right in the zoning district (City of Tombstone Forms & Permits page)
• OptionalVariance ApplicationRequired where the new use cannot meet an applicable zoning standard (City of Tombstone Forms & Permits page)
• OptionalHistoric Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness ApplicationRequired for exterior work in the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District associated with the change of use (HPC Application Packet, Rev. 3/3/2026)

Fee schedule