Unincorporated Gila County building permits

Building department

Address

Globe Office: 745 N. Rose Mofford Way, Globe, AZ 85501; Payson Office: 608 E. Hwy 260, Payson, AZ 85541

Phone

Globe: 928-402-4224 (press option for permitting); Payson: 928-474-7110 (press option for permitting)

Email

Contact via Globe or Payson office phone lines listed above; the county's Building Safety page lists an obfuscated contact-form email rather than a plain address

Office hours

County offices generally Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm (per county-wide footer hours at gilacountyaz.gov). Plans can be submitted EITHER by e-mail as PDF documents to the Building Safety address, OR in person at the Globe or Payson office — the Building Safety page states both routes. Plan review payments accepted by credit/debit card by phone (3% service fee added), cash, or check payable to Gila County. Globe: 45 N. Rose Mofford Way, 928-402-4224. Payson: 608 E. Hwy 260, 928-474-7110. Chief Building Official: Randy Pluimer. NOTE: the County's separate FAQ page still carries older wording stating applications 'must be made IN PERSON' and 'cannot be accepted by fax or mail'; where the two disagree, the Building Safety department's own page (which allows e-mail submittal) is the operative one, and the discrepancy is recorded rather than silently resolved.

Website

Official site

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Unincorporated Gila County — 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. § 11-861 for county adoption by reference). Gila County's Community Development Division / Building Safety Department independently adopts and administers construction codes for all unincorporated areas of the county; incorporated cities and towns within Gila County (Globe, Payson, Winkelman, Miami, Hayden, Star Valley) adopt and enforce their own codes separately and are not covered by this county program. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/index.php

• Building Code of the County of Gila, effective October 2, 2014, adopted by the Gila County Board of Supervisors via Building Code Ordinance No. Show full textShow less

  Building Code of the County of Gila, effective October 2, 2014, adopted by the Gila County Board of Supervisors via Building Code Ordinance No. 2017-02 ('Building Ordinance for Unincorporated Areas in Gila County'), which superseded the prior Building Code Ordinance effective July 28, 2011. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php and ordinance PDF at https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/Docs/Docs/Building%20Ordinance%20for%20Unincorporated%20Areas%20in%20Gila%20County%20-%20Ordinance%20No.%202017-02%20-%20Approved.pdf

• 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, adopted by reference with Gila County amendments (per Building Code Ordinance No. 2017-02). Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• 2012 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with Gila County amendments (barrier height raised from 48 to 60 inches; gate openings 18 to 24… Show full textShow less

  2012 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with Gila County amendments (barrier height raised from 48 to 60 inches; gate openings 18 to 24 inches; latch-release provisions rewritten). Source: Building Code Ordinance No. 2017-02, Section 104(H), page 19 of 25 (a scanned recorded ordinance). NOTE: TWO OFFICIAL COUNTY SOURCES DISAGREE on this code's name, and the disagreement is recorded rather than resolved by preference: the County's Adopted Building Code web page (gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php) calls it the "2012 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Code" — a summary listing — while Ordinance No. 2017-02 is the adopting instrument and says "International Swimming Pool and Spa Code". The ordinance governs. Note the localAmendments already recorded the ordinance's Section 104 list correctly, so codesAdopted was contradicting another field in the same record.

• 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference as an OPTIONAL, NON-REQUIRED standard — not a mandatory code. Show full textShow less

  2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference as an OPTIONAL, NON-REQUIRED standard — not a mandatory code. Ordinance No. 2017-02, Section 104(I), page 19 of 25, read from a page render: the IECC "is adopted as an optional/non required standard" available to an applicant who requests to follow it. Added 2026-08-17; codesAdopted previously carried no IECC entry at all, which left the impression the County had adopted no energy code rather than an expressly optional one.

• 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference with Gila County amendments. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• ICC A117.1-2009 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (ADA accessibility standard), adopted by reference. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/adopted_building_code.php
• Manufactured homes and factory-built buildings: installed per the latest Arizona Office of Manufactured Housing (Arizona Department of Housing Manufactured Housing Division) publication standards; Gila County holds a… Show full textShow less

  Manufactured homes and factory-built buildings: installed per the latest Arizona Office of Manufactured Housing (Arizona Department of Housing Manufactured Housing Division) publication standards; Gila County holds a direct contract with the state to perform manufactured-home and factory-built-building permitting/inspection in the unincorporated county. Only HUD-approved manufactured homes have been permitted in unincorporated Gila County since March 22, 2007. Source: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/community_development/building_safety/manufactured_home_permits.php

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel, Accessory Structure)

  Required for new single-family dwellings, additions, remodels, and larger accessory structures in the unincorporated areas of Gila County. The Gila County Community Development Division's Building Safety Department administers construction permitting outside the incorporated cities/towns of Globe, Payson, Winkelman, Miami, Hayden, and Star Valley. Applications must be submitted in person at either the Globe or Payson Building Safety office — the county does not accept applications by fax, mail, or (as of research date) a public online portal.

  From$1valuation-based→

• Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Tenant Improvement, Remodel)

  Required for new commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings, tenant improvements, and remodels in the unincorporated areas of Gila County. The Building Safety Department applies its adopted 2012 IBC with local amendments. Applications are submitted in person at either the Globe or Payson office, using the Commercial Construction Permit Requirements checklist.

  From$1valuation-based→

• Electrical Permit

  Required for standalone electrical work in unincorporated Gila County, under the county's adopted 2011 NEC. Electrical work performed as part of a permitted building project is included in the building permit fee at no extra charge; standalone/individual electrical permits are billed per the county's unit fee schedule.

  From$25.00→

• Plumbing Permit

  Required for standalone plumbing work in unincorporated Gila County, under the county's adopted 2012 IPC. Plumbing work performed as part of a permitted residential building project is included in the building permit fee at no extra charge; standalone/individual plumbing permits and all commercial/multi-family plumbing are billed per the county's unit fee schedule.

  From$25.00→

• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for standalone mechanical/HVAC work in unincorporated Gila County, under the county's adopted 2012 IMC. Mechanical work performed as part of a permitted residential building project is included in the building permit fee at no extra charge; standalone/individual mechanical permits and all commercial/multi-family mechanical work are billed per the county's unit fee schedule.

  From$25.00→

• Pool / Spa / Hot Tub Permit

  Required for swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs in the unincorporated areas of Gila County, under the county's adopted 2012 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Code. The fee covers plan review and inspections for pool, plumbing, electric, mechanical, and barrier requirements combined, as a minimum flat fee (private or public), rather than a separate valuation-based building permit fee.

  From$350.00→

• Manufactured Home / Factory Built Building Permit

  Required for installing a manufactured home or factory-built building in the unincorporated areas of Gila County. Gila County holds a direct contract with the Arizona Department of Housing Manufactured Housing Division to perform this permitting and inspection on the state's behalf. Only HUD-approved manufactured homes have been permitted in unincorporated Gila County since March 22, 2007.

  From$450.00→

• Solar PV Permit

  Gila County's published Fee Schedule (rev. 12-2019) has no dedicated solar/photovoltaic fee line item — a rooftop or ground-mounted residential PV installation in unincorporated Gila County is processed as a standard Electrical Permit under the county's adopted 2011 NEC, billed via the same Unit Fee Schedule used for other electrical alterations to existing buildings (the System Fee Schedule's per-square-foot rate applies only to new residential building wiring, not retrofits). A building permit for the racking/mounting itself is typically not required unless the installation involves a structural (weight-bearing/roof-truss) alteration.

  From$25.00→

• EV Charger / EVSE Permit

  Gila County's published Fee Schedule (rev. 12-2019) has no dedicated EV-charger/EVSE fee line item. Installing a Level 2 or DC fast EV charger's dedicated circuit or new service in unincorporated Gila County is processed as a standard Electrical Permit under the county's adopted 2011 NEC, billed via the same Unit Fee Schedule used for other electrical alterations to an existing building (the System Fee Schedule's per-square-foot rate applies only to new residential building wiring, not retrofits). The Gila County Community Development Fee Schedule PDF (rev. 12-2019, cms3.revize.com/revize/gilacounty/.../FEESCHEDULE%2012-2019.pdf) remains the county's real, current, published fee mechanism. No EV-specific line item exists, but the $25.00 Electrical Permit issuance fee is a genuine, citable, currently-applicable governing figure.

  From$25.00→

• Sign Permit

  Gila County has no dedicated sign-permit application or sign-permit fee line, but signs ARE permitted work in the unincorporated county: the County's Building Code Ordinance adopts the 2012 International Building Code INCLUDING Appendix H (Signs), and the Zoning Ordinance's definition of 'structure' expressly includes signs — so the adopted code's permit trigger for erecting a structure reaches them. The permit is billed as an ordinary valuation-based building permit; illuminated signs carry their own electrical unit fee.

  See fee schedule→

• Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit

  Required when the occupancy of an existing building or structure changes in unincorporated Gila County. The County's own Building Code Handbook republishes the adopted code's permit trigger, which names 'change the occupancy of a building or structure' explicitly. The technical requirements come from the 2012 International Existing Building Code, adopted with only three administrative amendments. Gila County publishes no dedicated change-of-use fee line or application form.

  See fee schedule→

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