Williams building permits

Requirements

• Building permit and an approved plot plan are required prior to construction, remodeling, or placement of any building or accessory building within Williams city limits (Code of Ordinances § 158.126)
• Plot plan/building permit application procedure follows Code of Ordinances § 154.018: plot plan and fees submitted to the City Planner; staff review within six working days; applicant meets with the Chief Building Official; four copies of the approved plot plan submitted; building permit application and two sets of building plans then submitted to the Chief Building Official for review and issuance
• Plans must comply with the City's current Building and Design Criteria (60 PSF ground snow load; 40 PSF roof load design; 105 MPH wind speed, Exposure B or C; Seismic Design Category C; 30-inch frost line; 4°F winter design temperature; ice barrier required) and City of Williams Energy Efficiency Standards (R-38 ceiling, R-19 frame wall, R-19 floors, minimum 90 AFUE heating, minimum 14 SEER/8 HSPF cooling)
• Residential single-family detached structures are exempt from the Arizona Design Professional (architect/engineer stamp) requirement under A.R.S. § 32-121 et seq. unless circumstances dictate otherwise
• Two complete sets of plans required: Plot Plan (survey showing drainage, structure locations/setbacks, utility locations and sizes, easements) and House Plans (foundation, floor, roof framing, four elevations, cross-sections, details), on uniform-sized paper (minimum 8.5"x11", maximum 24"x36"), drawn to scale minimum 3/16"=1 ft per the Residential Required Submittal Documents List (or 1/4" per foot minimum per the older Procedure sheet)
• Manufactured Truss Calculations and wood floor calculations required if applicable; two sets of engineered truss calculations
• Waste water/septic system approval letter from Coconino County Environmental/Health Department required if applicable (not on City sewer)
• Defensible Space / Vegetation Management Plan required if the property is located within the Wildland Urban Interface Zone — relevant given Williams' surrounding Kaibab National Forest / ponderosa pine forest setting
• Flood Management Plan required if the property is determined to be in Flood Zone A (FIRM Community Panel #040027-0001B-4B, effective 12/15/1983, revised 09/03/2010)
• Signed and approved Building Moratorium Exception Form required as part of the standard residential submittal packet
• Builder/Contractor Information Form required
• $500.00 non-refundable Plan Review Deposit due at submittal (new construction), credited toward total permit cost; applicant has 90 days after acceptance notice to resolve issues and pick up the permit or the deposit is forfeited
• Work within the Main Street District (including the Historic Preservation District) requires additional review/approval by the Main Street Design Committee / Historic Commission before permitting

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form (2025 fillable version available) listing owner, contractor, architect/engineer, proposed use, and utility/appliance detail; Building Official Tim Martinez, 928-295-5478, tmartinez@williamsaz.gov
• RequiredResidential Required Submittal Documents ListCity of Williams Building Department checklist covering permit application, moratorium exception form, plan review deposit, plot plan, house plans, defensible space plan (if WUI), septic approval (if needed), and flood management plan (if Flood Zone A)
• RequiredPlot Plan (2 sets)Survey of the lot showing drainage, structure locations relative to property lines and other structures with distances in feet, utility sizes/locations from source to house, and all easements
• RequiredHouse Plans (2 complete sets)Foundation plan, floor plan, roof framing plan, four elevations, cross-sections, and construction details, drawn to scale on paper sized 8.5"x11" minimum to 24"x36" maximum
• RequiredBuilder/Contractor Information FormCity of Williams form listing contractor licensing details
• OptionalDefensible Space / Vegetation Management PlanRequired if the property is located within the Wildland Urban Interface Zone

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit and approved plot plan required prior to remodeling or adding to any building or accessory building within Williams city limits (Code of Ordinances § 158.126)
• Plans must comply with the City's current Building and Design Criteria and City of Williams Energy Efficiency Standards
• Residential additions: plans must show adjacent rooms to the new construction per the 'Procedure to Obtain Building Permit' plan-content requirements
• Two sets of plans required, including plot plan and house/addition plans
• $100.00 non-refundable Plan Review Deposit due at submittal, credited toward total permit cost

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form; select Addition, Alteration, or Remodel under Type of Improvement
• RequiredPlot Plan (2 sets)Showing existing structure, addition footprint, and setbacks
• RequiredConstruction Drawings (2 sets)Foundation, framing, floor plan (showing adjacent existing rooms for additions), electrical, and elevation drawings for the addition/remodel scope

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work, submitted via the same Building Permit Application form (Electrical checkbox under Type of Improvement)
• Governed by the NEC as adopted by the City of Williams (2014 NEC per codified Ordinance No. 956; 2023 NEC per the current Building and Design Criteria sheet)
• Conductors carrying current must be copper only, except aluminum approved for feeders/service-entrance conductors (not branch circuits)
• Overhead service conductors prohibited for new/replacement building service equipment (limited exceptions for sub-1-year-disconnected replacement or where underground is infeasible per the Building Official)
• Grounding electrode conductor minimum #4 solid bare copper; bonding jumpers for metal water/other piping minimum #4 AWG
• Electrical service entrance sections of 600 amps or greater require an Arizona-licensed design professional's stamp on plans

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form listing electrical service type, size, panels/circuits, and appliance detail

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems and fixtures, submitted via the same Building Permit Application form (Plumbing checkbox under Type of Improvement)
• Governed by the IPC as adopted by the City of Williams (2015 IPC per codified Ordinance No. 956; 2024 IPC per the current Building and Design Criteria sheet)
• Sewer lines connecting to the public sanitary system must be installed not less than 12 inches below grade; private sewage disposal systems (septic) are regulated by Coconino County Health Department
• Urinal maximum flow rate is locally amended to 1.0 pint per flushing cycle (IPC Table 604.4)
• Non-metallic building sewer piping must include a plastic-covered #14 AWG type UF 600V green tracer wire taped to the top of the pipe (minimum 10-mil tape)
• Waste water/septic system approval letter from Coconino County Environmental/Health Department required where applicable

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form listing plumbing/water/gas service details
• OptionalSeptic System Approval LetterFrom Coconino County Health Department, required if the property uses a private disposal system rather than public sewer

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for installation, replacement, or relocation of HVAC equipment, furnaces, and ventilation systems, submitted via the same Building Permit Application form (Mechanical checkbox under Type of Improvement)
• Governed by the IMC as adopted by the City of Williams (2015 IMC per codified Ordinance No. 956; 2024 IMC per the current Building and Design Criteria sheet)
• Heating systems (gas or oil fired) must meet a minimum 90 AFUE per the City of Williams Energy Efficiency Standards; cooling systems (HVAC units/split systems, with or without heat pumps) must meet minimum 14 SEER / 8 HSPF
• Elevation of ignition source exception: clothes dryers or manufactured sealed ignition (pilot) systems installed in private garages are not required to be elevated (local amendment to IMC § 1307.3)
• Whole-house mechanical ventilation systems (IMC § 1507.3) are amended to be optional rather than mandatory
• Liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas) is not an allowed fuel source citywide except under three narrow exceptions (natural gas service over 1,000 feet away; temporary construction heat up to 25-gallon storage; exterior recreational use up to 10-gallon storage)

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form listing heating system type, gas service, and appliance detail

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for re-roofing; classified as a 'fixed fee permit' under Ordinance No. 956 alongside plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and fences
• No published like-for-like re-roof permit exemption was found on the City's Building Department page or in Ordinance No. 956's IBC/IRC § 105.2 work-exempt amendments (which instead address accessory structures) — a permit should be assumed necessary for re-roofing scope
• Roof design must account for the City's 40 PSF roof load design and 60 PSF ground snow load (per the current Design Criteria sheet), and ice barrier is required per the Design Criteria table
• Fixed-fee re-roofing permits are valid for a maximum of 180 days per Ordinance No. 956

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form; select Re-Roof under Type of Improvement

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Complete Building Permit Application submitted with solar plans, per the City of Williams Solar Policy
• Solar plans/design must be stamped by a certified electrical engineer or an approved solar design specialist
• Plans are reviewed by APS (the City's contracted operator of its electric distribution system) for approval before the City's Building Department processes the permit and collects fees
• The Solar Policy itself must be signed by the property owner (not just the installer), acknowledging that the City of Williams does NOT participate in any net metering/billing credit program — any electricity produced by the solar system in excess of the owner's use receives no billing credit, and any electricity metered off the City's system is billed accordingly
• The Building Permit itself may be signed by the installer, but the Solar Policy acknowledgment must be signed by the owner
• A schedule of required inspections is noted directly on the issued Building Permit

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form, submitted together with the solar system plans
• RequiredCity of Williams Solar Policy (signed)Owner-signed acknowledgment that the City does not offer a net-metering/billing-credit program; separate from the permit signature, which may be the installer's
• RequiredStamped Solar Plans/DesignStamped by a certified electrical engineer or approved solar design specialist

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Demolition permit required before demolishing a structure within Williams city limits, using the City's dedicated Demolition Permit application form
• Site plan/utility connections must be shown on the application; contractor must contact Arizona Blue Stake (1-800-STAKE-IT) at least 2 days before any digging
• Blue Stake ticket number must be recorded on the permit application
• EPA NESHAP Notification of Demolition and Renovation is referenced directly on the application form as a required consideration/attachment
• Permit requires sign-off from both the Public Works Director and the Building Inspector
• Permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or if construction/work is suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Demolition Permit ApplicationDedicated application form (2025 fillable version available) requiring owner, contractor, parcel, Blue Stake ticket number, and site plan/utility connection information; countersigned by the Public Works Director and Building Inspector

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for all new fences; a fence permit is NOT required to replace an existing fence, but any replacement must still meet current zoning laws
• No fence shall exceed six (6) feet in height, with exceptions per Zoning Ordinance Article V, Section 2, Paragraph 4
• No wall or fence shall be constructed or maintained over three (3) feet in height within the front-yard setbacks of each zone
• Any fence constructed outside the applicant's own property line, without proper approvals/permits, must be immediately removed at the owner's expense
• No more than one fence may be built on a given lot line
• Fences must be constructed with the finished side facing outward (toward neighboring properties/the street)
• A sketch plot plan showing the fence location and indicating materials/style must accompany the application
• Highland Meadows subdivision fence permits do not need to go through standard City review, due to that development's own design review process — bring a copy of the developer's design approval instead
• Final inspection must be requested from the City of Williams Building Department upon job completion

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Fence Permit ApplicationDedicated two-page application form including fence regulations text and a sketch-plot-plan section; Building Official Raul Hatch, 928-295-5478, rhatch@williamsaz.gov
• RequiredSketch Plot PlanShowing fence location and indicating fence material/style
• OptionalHighland Meadows Design Approval CopyRequired in lieu of standard City plot-plan review only for properties within the Highland Meadows subdivision

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Public Works/Engineering Permit required for Engineering Construction, Floodplain Development, Excavation/Grading, or Clean Fill Dumping activity
• Work must conform to City of Williams Engineering Standards and Specifications
• All waterlines, sewer lines, and required drainage must have ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) approval prior to commencement of construction
• All applicable buy-in and tap fees assessed by City Statutes apply in addition to the itemized fees listed on the permit
• Permit requires sign-off from both the Public Works Director and the Building Official
• Permit expires one year from its approval date

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Public Works / Engineering Permit ApplicationDedicated application form with an itemized unit-price fee worksheet, countersigned by the Public Works Director (Aaron Anderson, 928-635-4451 ext. 252, aanderson@williamsaz.gov) and Building Official (Tim Martinez, 928-635-4451 ext. 205, tmartinez@williamsaz.gov)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for the charger circuit and any associated panel/service work, submitted via the same Building Permit Application form (Electrical checkbox under Type of Improvement)
• Governed by the NEC as adopted by the City of Williams (2014 NEC per codified Ordinance No. 956; 2023 NEC per the current Building and Design Criteria sheet)
• Overhead service conductors are prohibited for new/replacement building service equipment — relevant if a charger installation requires a service upgrade
• A building permit is additionally required if the installation includes a new canopy, carport, or other structural mounting component
• Electrical service entrance sections of 600 amps or greater require an Arizona-licensed design professional's stamp on plans

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Williams Building Permit ApplicationOfficial application form; select Electrical under Type of Improvement, listing electrical service type, size, panels/circuits, and appliance detail

Fee schedule