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Sign Permit in Tombstone, Arizona

Required for every sign and advertising structure in the City of Tombstone. Tombstone City Code Section 10-14-6 states plainly that 'a building permit shall be required for every sign and advertising structure regulated by this chapter' (Title 10, Chapter 14, Billboards and Signs). Tombstone runs a two-track process: the ordinary sign permit issued by the Building Department, and — because essentially the whole commercial core lies inside the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District — a Certificate of Appropriateness reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation Commission before the sign may be erected. Code Section 10-19-8 is explicit that 'building permits for signs visible within the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District shall be subject to review and approval by the Historic Preservation Commission' and that 'no sign shall be erected within Schieffelin Historic Preservation District boundaries which has not received an approved Standard Application Form from the City through the Historic Preservation Commission.' The City's own HPC form is titled the Historic District Sign and Construction Application and carries a dedicated Section 8 for signs.

Verified 2026-08-15 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 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

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Fee schedule

Sign Permit — one signCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, 'Planning and Zoning Application and Plan Review' table (read from a 200 dpi page render, page 3 of 3). The schedule states this fee 'includes plan review, intial [sic] inspection & 1 additional inspection.'
$100.00
Each additional signCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, Planning and Zoning table, page 3 of 3 (read from render)
$25.00
Comprehensive Sign Package ReviewCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, Planning and Zoning table, page 3 of 3 (read from render)
$200.00
Grand Openings, Banners, DisplaysCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, Planning and Zoning table, page 3 of 3 (read from render)
$25.00 per event
Additional Sign InspectionsCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, Planning and Zoning table, page 3 of 3 (read from render). Charged beyond the initial inspection and one additional inspection already covered by the $100.00 one-sign fee.
$50.00
Expedited permits, investigations, reviewsCity of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025, 'Other Fees' table, page 3 of 3 (read from render)
Double the rate
Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of AppropriatenessThe City of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025 was rendered and read in full (all three pages) and contains no line item for a Historic Preservation Commission review, Certificate of Appropriateness, or historic-district design review. No HPC fee is recorded here rather than guessed. Confirm with the Building Department at 520-457-3415 before budgeting.
Not published

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Tombstone?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Sign Inspection

    All signs existing at the time of passage of Chapter 14, and any signs erected in the future that require a permit, are subject to inspection (Tombstone City Code Section 10-14-17). The $100.00 one-sign fee covers the initial inspection plus one additional inspection; further inspections are $50.00 each (Fee Schedule effective 11/14/2025).

  2. 2

    Historic Preservation Inspector Sign-off

    The HPC Certificate of Appropriateness application carries a 'For Office Use Only' block with a Building Official Recommendation (Recommended / Not Recommended for Approval) and a signature line for the Historic Preservation Inspector (HPC Application, Rev. 3/3/2026)

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

Tips

  • Sequence matters in Tombstone: Section 10-19-8 bars erecting any sign inside the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District without an approved Standard Application Form issued through the Historic Preservation Commission, and the City's HPC packet says outright that HPC approval does not include a building permit. Budget for both tracks — HPC first, building permit second.
  • The HPC meets only once a month (first Monday, Schieffelin Hall) and requires submittal ten working days before the meeting and sixty days before work begins. Missing an agenda deadline costs a full month, which is the single largest schedule risk on a Tombstone sign.
  • Repainting or repair of a legal sign is cheaper than it looks statewide, but Tombstone is stricter than most: Section 10-14-6 attaches the permit requirement to every regulated sign, and the historic-district design criteria govern lettering, logos and colors, which must match the period of historic significance and be verifiable against paint chip cards or the Design Guidelines.
  • Hanging signs over the boardwalk are capped at eight square feet and two feet in height, with no more than three hanging signs per business (an extra one or two on a corner building). A variance on the number of signs may be sought under extraordinary circumstances.
  • The one-sign fee of $100.00 already buys plan review, the initial inspection and one additional inspection. Every inspection after that is $50.00, so getting the install right the first time is worth more than the fee difference suggests.
  • The City publishes no Certificate of Appropriateness fee anywhere in its November 14, 2025 fee schedule. That is a disclosed gap, not a $0 finding — ask the Building Department (520-457-3415, buildingofficial@cityoftombstoneaz.gov) what the HPC review costs before you price the job.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Tombstone City Code Section 10-14-6 states that a building permit is required for every sign and advertising structure regulated by Chapter 14 of the zoning title. If the sign is visible within the Schieffelin Historic Preservation District you also need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before the sign is erected — Section 10-19-8 provides that no sign may be erected within the district boundaries without an approved Standard Application Form issued through the HPC. Sources: Tombstone City Code Sections 10-14-6 and 10-19-8.

The City of Tombstone Fee Schedule effective November 14, 2025 charges $100.00 for one sign (including plan review, the initial inspection and one additional inspection) and $25.00 for each additional sign. A Comprehensive Sign Package Review is $200.00, grand openings, banners and displays are $25.00 per event, and additional sign inspections are $50.00. Expedited handling doubles the rate. No separate Historic Preservation Commission review fee appears anywhere in the three-page schedule. Source: City of Tombstone Fee Schedule, effective 11/14/2025, Planning and Zoning Application and Plan Review table.

The City does not publish a review turnaround for sign permits, so no figure is recorded here. What is published is the historic-district calendar: the Historic Preservation Commission meets the first Monday of each month at Schieffelin Hall, and the Certificate of Appropriateness application with all material samples must be submitted ten working days before the meeting to reach the agenda and sixty days before work begins. Source: City of Tombstone HPC Certificate of Appropriateness Application Check List, Rev. 3/3/2026.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (sign); Two (2) Copies of Sign Plans and Specifications. Depending on your project, Tombstone may also ask for: Historic District Sign and Construction Application (HPC Certificate of Appropriateness); Sign Renderings, Font Samples and Sign Dimensions; Structural Support Documentation. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tombstone requires 2 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Sign Inspection, Historic Preservation Inspector Sign-off. Schedule each through City of Tombstone Building Department (520-457-3415).

Apply through City of Tombstone Building Department at 611 E. Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638 (City Hall: 613 E. Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638). Phone: 520-457-3415, email: buildingofficial@cityoftombstoneaz.gov. 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.. Official information: https://cityoftombstoneaz.gov/building-inspector/.

Tombstone, 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 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).. Local amendments apply — see the Tombstone overview page for the full list.

Other permits in Tombstone

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)Residential Addition / Remodel PermitElectrical PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitManufactured Building / Manufactured Home Installation PermitDemolition PermitSchieffelin Historic District Certificate of Appropriateness (HPC Review)Residential/Commercial Solar Photovoltaic (PV) PermitElectric Vehicle (EV) Charger / Charging Station PermitCommercial Building PermitChange of Use / Certificate of Occupancy

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