Commercial / Non-Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Multi-Family, Tenant Improvement) in Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona

Unincorporated Cochise County requires a commercial / non-residential building permit (new construction, multi-family, tenant improvement) for: Required for new non-residential structures (including multi-family buildings), tenant improvements, and remodels in unincorporated Cochise County; Submit the Cochise County joint permit application online, plus an Acknowledgment of Property Ownership or Agent Authorization and a Commercial Contractor Identification Attachment; Provide a commercial site plan meeting the county's Basic Site Plan Requirements (tax parcel ID, north arrow/scale, building footprints with height and square footage, parking, setbacks, drainage ways within 300 feet, septic/well locations, sight-distance triangles, etc.); Construction plans and off-site improvement plans must be stamped by a licensed Arizona engineer or architect; Additional plans/attachments may be required depending on project scope: hazardous material attachment, commercial lighting plan, sign permit application, landscape/irrigation plans (Growth Categories A/B), floodplain use permit and elevation certificate, drainage statement/report, Sierra Vista sub-watershed water conservation attachment, antenna/tower checklist, traffic impact study, SWPPP; Other agency review/approval may be required: Fire District, Arizona Department of Agriculture (Notice of Intent to Clear Land), ADEQ (Notice of Intent / 401 Permit), ADOT Right-of-Way/Encroachment Permit, USACOE 404 Permit. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Cochise County Development Services Department — Building Safety Division at 520-432-9300 before starting work.

In Unincorporated Cochise County, the published Change of Use (when no other permits are required) is: $100. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee Rate Schedule — valuation-based (graduated) — $24.00 for $1–$500 of valuation; $24.00+$3.00/$100 over $500 for $501–$2,000; $69.00+$11.00/$1,000 over $2,000 for $2,001–$40,000; $487.00+$9.00/$1,000 over $40,000 for $40,001–$100,000; $1,027+$7.00/$1,000 over $100,000 for $100,001–$500,000; $3,827.00+$5.00/$1,000 over $500,000 for $500,001–$1,000,000; $6,327.00+$3.00/$1,000 over $1,000,000 for $1,000,001–$5,000,000; $18,327+$1.00/$1,000 over $5,000,000 for $5,000,001 and over; Non-Residential Plan Review Fee (includes three reviews) — 65% of the Building Permit Fee; Commercial Permit Review Fee (non-refundable, applied toward building/use permit fee) — $100; Non-Residential Uses — Accessory Structures — $100; Non-Residential Uses — All Other (0–9,999 sq ft / 10,000 sq ft and greater) — $150 / $300. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Cochise County's published plan-review target for a commercial / non-residential building permit (new construction, multi-family, tenant improvement) is 40–165 business days.

You'll need: Acknowledgment of Property Ownership or Agent Authorization (PDF); Commercial Contractor Identification Attachment (PDF); Commercial Site Plan. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Cochise County may also ask for: Hazardous Material Attachment (PDF); Commercial Lighting Plan Attachment (PDF). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Cochise County requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial / non-residential building permit (new construction, multi-family, tenant improvement), in order: Footing/Foundation, Framing / Structural, Final. Schedule each through Cochise County Development Services Department — Building Safety Division (520-432-9300).

Submit the joint permit application, ownership acknowledgment, contractor identification attachment, processing fee, and a commercial site plan online through the Cochise County Permitting Portal. Additional plans (engineering, drainage, lighting, landscape, etc.) may be required depending on project scope. Source: https://www.cochise.az.gov/812/Commercial-Non-Residential-Projects

Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona has adopted: 2015 International Building Code (IBC), with Cochise County local amendments — current as of building-safety and FAQ pages accessed 2026-07-07; 2015 International Residential Code (IRC), with Cochise County local amendments, plus Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) of the 2018 IRC adopted separately; 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2015 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2015 International Fire Code (IFC); 2015 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2015 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2015 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — inserted in place of IBC Section 3109 per local amendment; NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2014 Edition; Sound Attenuation Ordinance, as mandated by A.R.S. §§28-8481 and 28-8482; NOTE: Cochise County is actively developing a Building Code update (CP2045 implementation) as of mid-2026, with a Builder's Roundtable held May 28, 2026 and a Building Code Advisory and Appeals Board reviewing proposed amendments; the 2015-edition code set above remains the adopted/in-force code as of this file's lastVerified date — no new edition has been adopted yet.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Cochise County overview page for the full list.