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Rural Residential Owner-Builder Permit in Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona

A reduced-cost, reduced-inspection residential permitting option for property owners building their own homes on eligible rural parcels in unincorporated Cochise County (minimum 4-acre parcel and zoning-district minimum). Two paths: Option 1 (limited plan review and key trade inspections, may qualify for a conditioned Certificate of Occupancy) or Option 2 (no plan review, no Building Safety inspections, not eligible for a Certificate of Occupancy). Limited to once every five years per owner-builder.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Property owner (or authorized agent) must act as owner-builder, not a commercial builder Owner-builder
  • Project must be residential, on a parcel in a zoning district with a minimum density of one dwelling per four acres (or larger) — e.g., RU-4 qualifies; RU-2 does not, even if the specific parcel exceeds 4 acres
  • Choose Option 1 (full construction plan review; only Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Prevention inspections required; may qualify for conditioned Certificate of Occupancy) or Option 2 (no plan review, no Building Safety inspections; zoning/floodplain/septic/well/other non-building approvals still apply; NOT eligible for Certificate of Occupancy)
  • Septic permits are still required (septic permits expire after 2 years); right-of-way permit and floodplain use permit may also be required
  • Limited to once every five years on any property owned by that individual owner-builder in unincorporated Cochise County (does not limit accessory structures or additions on the same property) Owner-builder
  • Sign an owner/builder affidavit affirming the property is intended for the owner's sole occupancy and will not be sold or rented within one year of completion, per A.R.S. §32-1121.A.5 Owner-builder

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Limited Inspection with Plan Review Option — Single-Family Dwelling
Cochise County Code §14.09 (Rural Residential Owner/Builder), part of the codified Development Services Fee Schedule (effective 2022-07-01, amended by Res. Show full citationCochise County Code §14.09 (Rural Residential Owner/Builder), part of the codified Development Services Fee Schedule (effective 2022-07-01, amended by Res. 24-14 effective 2024-10-01), https://cochisecounty.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=14_DEVELOPMENT_SERVICES_FEE_SCHEDULE. The $825 figure bundles plan review into a single flat fee, with no separate unquantified 'plan review fee' add-on; it supersedes the prior $325-plus-unquantified-plan-review figure from the 2009 Fee Ordinance 037-09. Residential Accessory Buildings: $200 flat (single tier, superseding the prior $50/$100 sq-ft-tiered figures).
$825 (includes plan review)
No Inspection – No Plan Review Option — Single-Family Dwelling (includes one residential accessory structure)
Cochise County Code §14.09, current per Res. Show full citationCochise County Code §14.09, current per Res. 24-14 (effective 2024-10-01). Supersedes the prior $75 figure from the 2009 Fee Ordinance 037-09; now bundles one residential accessory structure into the flat fee. Additional Residential Accessory Buildings: $147 flat (single tier, supersedes the prior $25/$35 value-tiered figures).
$350

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated Cochise County’s published plan-review target
40–105 business days

How long did your Rural Residential Owner-Builder Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Cochise County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Mechanical

    Required under Option 1 (Limited Inspection with Plan Review)

  2. 2

    Electrical

    Required under Option 1

  3. 3

    Plumbing

    Required under Option 1

  4. 4

    Fire Prevention

    Required under Option 1

  5. 5

    Final / Administrative Site Visit

    A final inspection is required for all Owner-Builder permits. Option 1 final inspection may result in a conditioned Certificate of Occupancy. Option 2 final is an administrative record-only site visit, NOT a code-compliance inspection.

See the full Unincorporated Cochise County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Option 2 (no plan review, no inspections) is significantly cheaper but is NOT eligible for a Certificate of Occupancy — this can create problems later with lenders, insurers, or a future sale, since a conditioned CO under Option 1 only confirms minimum life-safety elements, not full code compliance.
  • Minimum parcel size AND the zoning district's own minimum site-area requirement must both be 4 acres or larger — a large parcel in a smaller-minimum zoning district does not qualify.
  • The five-year participation limit is per owner-builder across all their unincorporated Cochise County properties, not per parcel; it does not restrict accessory structures or additions on the same property. Owner-builder

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Cochise County requires a rural residential owner-builder permit for: Property owner (or authorized agent) must act as owner-builder, not a commercial builder; Project must be residential, on a parcel in a zoning district with a minimum density of one dwelling per four acres (or larger) — e.g., RU-4 qualifies; RU-2 does not, even if the specific parcel exceeds 4 acres; Choose Option 1 (full construction plan review; only Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Prevention inspections required; may qualify for conditioned Certificate of Occupancy) or Option 2 (no plan review, no Building Safety inspections; zoning/floodplain/septic/well/other non-building approvals still apply; NOT eligible for Certificate of Occupancy); Septic permits are still required (septic permits expire after 2 years); right-of-way permit and floodplain use permit may also be required; Limited to once every five years on any property owned by that individual owner-builder in unincorporated Cochise County (does not limit accessory structures or additions on the same property); Sign an owner/builder affidavit affirming the property is intended for the owner's sole occupancy and will not be sold or rented within one year of completion, per A.R.S. §32-1121.A.5. 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 Limited Inspection with Plan Review Option — Single-Family Dwelling is: $825 (includes plan review). Additional published fees: No Inspection – No Plan Review Option — Single-Family Dwelling (includes one residential accessory structure) — $350. 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 rural residential owner-builder permit is 40–105 business days.

You'll need: Owner-Builder Amendment Application (Citizenserve portal); Owner-Builder Disclosure Forms; Site Plan and Floor Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Cochise County requires 5 inspection(s) for a rural residential owner-builder permit, in order: Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Prevention, Final / Administrative Site Visit. Schedule each through Cochise County Development Services Department — Building Safety Division (520-432-9300).

Apply through Cochise County Development Services Department — Building Safety Division at 1415 Melody Lane, Building F, Bisbee, AZ 85603. Phone: 520-432-9300, email: developmentservices@cochise.az.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.cochise.az.gov/202/Development-Services.

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 the lastVerified date — no new edition has been adopted yet.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Cochise County overview page for the full list.

Minimum parcel size of 4 acres, and the zoning district's own minimum site area must also be at least 4 acres. Septic permits are still required (expire after 2 years); right-of-way and floodplain use permits may also apply. Limited to once every five years per owner-builder. Source: https://www.cochise.az.gov/212/Owner-Builder-Amendment

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-23.

Fee schedules

Checklists & handouts

Codes & ordinances

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 Unincorporated Cochise County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Other permits in Unincorporated Cochise County

Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Accessory Structure)Commercial / Non-Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Multi-Family, Tenant Improvement)Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) PermitTrade Permit (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire — Residential & Commercial)Manufactured / Mobile Home Installation PermitSolar Energy System PermitEV Charger / EVSE Permit

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