Town of Payson building permits

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Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Town of Payson, Arizona.

Last verified 2026-08-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history

Building department

Address: 303C N. Beeline Highway, Payson, AZ 85541
Phone: 928-472-5030
Email: building@paysonaz.us
Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (closed Fridays and Holidays); TDD Phone 928-472-6449. Building permit applications may be submitted at the Building Division counter; electronic/digital submittals are preferred for solar and other checklist-based permits.
Website: Official site
Permit portal: Apply online at Town of Payson's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Town of Payson — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Arizona has no statewide building code for non-state buildings; codes are adopted locally. According to the International Code Council, codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are predominantly the I-codes, with different cities and counties choosing their own editions and local amendments. The Arizona State Fire Code (adopting the 2018 IFC) applies only to state and county buildings, public and private schools, and non-residential occupancies in areas without a locally adopted fire code — it does not establish a statewide residential or commercial building code floor. Each city and county adopts its own code editions independently, resulting in different I-Code years and amendment sets across jurisdictions. There is no state-mandated minimum edition; enforcement is entirely local. Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.

Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code for general construction — code adoption is a per-jurisdiction (city/town/county) authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Show full textShow less
Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code for general construction — code adoption is a per-jurisdiction (city/town/county) authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The Town of Payson independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Community Development Department / Building Division; it does NOT defer to Gila County for permitting within town limits. Gila County (which covers unincorporated areas around Payson) separately runs its own, older code cycle (2012 I-Codes / 2011 NEC per Gila County Building Safety) — the two are distinct code regimes. Source: Town of Payson Code of Ordinances, Chapter 150 (Standardized Building and Construction Codes), via American Legal Publishing code library; Gila County Building Safety 'Adopted Building Code' page.
2018 International Building Code (IBC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.21), with Town of Payson local amendments… Show full textShow less
2018 International Building Code (IBC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.21), with Town of Payson local amendments including: Section 101.4 revised so referenced codes mean only codes specifically adopted by the Town; Section 104.10.1 (flood hazard areas) not adopted; new § 105.8 requiring construction sites be kept reasonably clear of debris; Section 107.2.6.1 (flood hazard documentation) revised to route through the Town Engineering Department prior to Certificate of Occupancy; Section 109.4 work-commencing-before-permit adds a minimum $70 investigation fee; Section 412.4.5 (residential aircraft hangar height/area limits) not adopted; Section 903.2.8 sprinkler trigger exempts single-family detached and duplex structures under 4,800 sq ft livable area; Table 2902.1 adds a drinking-fountain footnote for occupant loads over 99; IBC Appendix chapters not specifically adopted. Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.21, International Building Code (amlegal.com); Town of Payson 'Amendments-2018' Building Department document.
2018 International Residential Code (IRC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20), with extensive Town of Payson local… Show full textShow less
2018 International Residential Code (IRC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20), with extensive Town of Payson local amendments — see Local Amendments below for the Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (Table R301.2(1)) and fire-sprinkler provisions. IRC Appendix M (Home Day Care - R3 Occupancy), Appendix Q (Tiny Houses), Appendix R (Light Straw Clay Construction), and Appendix S (Straw Bale Construction) are specifically adopted. Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20, International Residential Code (amlegal.com).
2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), as adopted by the Town of Payson (one edition behind the 2018 ICC set, consistent with the standard ICC/NEC publication offset). Source: Town of Payson Building Division / Residential Permit Application program materials (via web search of paysonaz.gov Building Division and Residential Permit Application pages, confirming 2017 NEC alongside the 2018 IBC/IRC).
Current Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, and Electric Code 'as adopted by the town' are cross-referenced generally in the Unified Development Code's building-permit application requirements (Payson Code of… Show full textShow less
Current Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, and Electric Code 'as adopted by the town' are cross-referenced generally in the Unified Development Code's building-permit application requirements (Payson Code of Ordinances § 154-09-003(C)(4): 'all required structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, civil engineering and other drawings and documents necessary to meet the requirements of the current Building Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, Fire Code, Electric Code and other codes adopted by the town'). The 2018 IBC/IRC and 2017 NEC editions are confirmed. The specific edition years for the standalone Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, and Fire Code sections of Chapter 150 — which follow the same numbering pattern as § 150.20 IRC and § 150.21 IBC — are not established here; open those sections of the amlegal.com code library in an ordinary web browser to read the edition years. Because the Town's Chapter 150 adopts the IBC/IRC as a matched 2018-cycle ICC set, the companion IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC sections would very likely also be the 2018 ICC editions, but treat that as an inference rather than an established edition — see the confidence notes on individual permit types below.
Manufactured homes, mobile homes, factory-built buildings, and Park Model living units are subject to a Town of Payson building permit for placement per IRC § 105.1 as locally amended: approved hold-down anchors are… Show full textShow less
Manufactured homes, mobile homes, factory-built buildings, and Park Model living units are subject to a Town of Payson building permit for placement per IRC § 105.1 as locally amended: approved hold-down anchors are required at building corners, and hard-wired/exterior electrical and mechanical equipment requires a separate permit. Park Model Living Unit is separately defined in IRC § 202 as amended (factory-assembled portable unit with an Arizona RV seal, chassis-mounted, not more than 12 ft wide, not more than 400 sq ft, not less than 320 sq ft, permanently connected to utilities, no holding tank other than an approved water heater). Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20 IRC amendments (1)-(2), (8).

Permit types & fees

Town of Payson's permit history isn't searchable here yet

This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Town of Payson yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.

Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Town of Payson lands. Privacy.

New residential construction activity

New privately-owned residential construction only

Housing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).

Latest month (2026-07)

4units

4 buildings · $2.4M valuation

Trailing 12 months

56units

12 of 12 months reported · #48 in Arizona coverage by units

Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)

29units

29 buildings · $14.8M valuation

7 month(s) reported to Census

Full year 2025

69units

69 buildings · $33.3M valuation

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Arizona building activity

Tips & gotchas

Arizona has no statewide mandatory building code — the Town of Payson independently adopts and amends its own construction codes (2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, 2017 NEC) and runs its own Community Development / Building Division program; it does not defer to Gila County, which separately runs an older code cycle (2012 I-Codes / 2011 NEC) for unincorporated county areas.
Fire sprinklers are NOT mandatory for single-family homes in Payson under 4,800 sq ft of livable area — the Town specifically struck the model code's blanket sprinkler-installation requirement (IRC §313.2.1) and ties sprinkler triggers to the 4,800 sq ft threshold or specific group-home occupancy conditions instead.
Payson's amended IRC Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria: 48 lbs/sq ft ground snow load, 115/89 mph wind (Exposure B), Seismic Design Category B, 18-inch frost depth, negligible weathering, no ice barrier required — meaningfully different from lower-elevation Arizona desert cities (e.g., Buckeye has no snow load and 115 mph Exposure C).
A minimum $70 investigation fee applies whenever work commences before permit issuance, under both the amended IBC and IRC — separate from and in addition to the permit fee itself, per Payson Code of Ordinances §§ 150.20 and 150.21. The FY2026-2027 Fee Schedule states this line only as 'Investigation Fee Equal to Project Permit Fee' and does not restate the $70 floor; the codified ordinance does.
Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, and Fire Alarm/Sprinkler trade permits share ONE combined 'Supplemental Permit Application' form, rather than four separate applications as in some other jurisdictions.
Residential fences up to 6 ft (rear) / 4 ft (front) are exempt from a permit; retaining walls of 4 feet or more always require structural engineering and a permit — there is no general blanket fence-height exemption matching other Arizona cities' 7-foot thresholds.
No architect/engineer is required for single- or two-family residential work of any kind in Payson (new construction, additions, or alterations) — only for larger commercial buildings, high-occupancy buildings, or long structural spans.
The Town's own published review-timeframe figures (satisfying A.R.S. § 9-835) are 10 working days for single-family/duplex projects and approximately 20 working days for initial commercial plan review comments, per the Building Division FAQs.
Construction/repair work hours are Town-wide restricted by Ordinance #421 (seasonal start times of 5-6 a.m., stop by 10 p.m. daily; weekends/holidays start no earlier than 6 a.m. year-round) and Ordinance #450 requires toilet facilities on all worksites.
Demolition permits are a flat $50.00 fee (unchanged FY2021-2022 through FY2026-2027). The '30 days from issuance' validity qualifier that used to accompany this line appeared only in the FY2021-2022 schedule and is not printed in the current FY2026-2027 schedule — do not rely on a 30-day window without confirming with the Building Division.
Park Model living units (factory-built RV-sealed units under 400 sq ft) require a building permit for placement in Payson, with specific hold-down anchor and separate hard-wired-equipment permit requirements under the Town's amended IRC §105.1.
The Town's 'Building Fees and Charges' and 'Town Fees and Charges' web pages (paysonaz.gov) reference a current Fee Schedule under Resolution 3438, effective July 1, 2025, but the underlying PDF exhibit is not directly retrievable online. All dollar figures in these entries are sourced from the FY2021-2022 Fees and Charges Schedule (the most recent full copy publicly available, via egovlink.com's public document library), which uses the same Chapter 150 Table 3-A through 3-E structure the Town has used for years; the STRUCTURE is very likely still current, but individual dollar amounts should be reconfirmed against the live Resolution 3438 exhibit or by calling the Building Division (928-472-5030) for precision-critical use cases.
The edition years for Payson's standalone Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, and Existing Building Code sections of Chapter 150 (§150.22-150.28) are an inference, not a confirmed citation. The 2018 IBC/IRC (§150.21, §150.20) and 2017 NEC editions are confirmed from multiple sources, and because Chapter 150 adopts a matched 2018-cycle ICC set for IBC/IRC, the companion Mechanical/Plumbing/Fuel Gas/Existing Building codes would very likely also be 2018-cycle ICC editions. The codesAdopted array flags them as inferred — read those sections on the amlegal.com code library yourself before designing to a specific edition year.
NEW FEE, FY2026-2027: a Technology Improvement Fee of 4% is added to the total of all fees in Exhibits B, C and E (permits, plan review and inspections) plus Water Plan Review and Development fees, capped at $900.00 per fee transaction. Every fee figure recorded elsewhere in this record is therefore a pre-technology-fee amount; add 4% (up to the $900.00 cap) to estimate the amount actually payable. Source: Town of Payson Fees and Charges Schedule FY2026-2027 (Resolution No. 2026-020, effective July 1, 2026), Exhibit C, 'TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT FEES', printed p.17.
Trade permit issuance fees jumped sharply in the FY2026-2027 schedule: the Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing permit issuance fee each went from $24.00 to $109.00, and the Supplemental Permit fee from $8.00 to $24.00. The per-unit fees underneath those tables (fixtures, water heaters, furnaces, air handlers, receptacles, services) did not change, so small jobs are now dominated by the issuance fee rather than the unit fees.
The Town's adopted fee schedule is published at https://www.paysonaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4897/639144421133370000, which the Town's Fees and Charges page labels "Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027 (Res. 2026-020)". Two traps sit alongside it: (1) a separate "Notice of Intent and Proposed Fee Schedule FY2026-2027" (document 4648) is published directly beside the adopted schedule — do not cite it; and (2) the Building Division fees page links the current schedule as document 4896, which returns a 404 — the Town's own primary link is broken. An older "Fee-Schedule-FY2021-2022-Proposed.pdf" hosted on egovlink is a proposal, five fiscal years stale, and should not be used.