Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in Safford, Arizona

Safford requires a residential building permit (new construction) for: Building permit required for new single-family and two-family dwelling construction within Safford city limits; Plans must comply with the 2015 IRC and City of Safford Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (115 mph wind, Exposure C; Seismic Design Category C; 32°F winter design temperature; moderate-to-heavy termite potential; no ground snow load); Residential Building Inspection Checklist submittal set required (2 scaled copies): Site Plan, Footing and Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Floor Framing Plan (if 2-story), Roof Framing Plan with truss calculations, Exterior Elevations with attic ventilation calculations, and Electrical Plans; Building Permit Application (Residential or Commercial) — select 'Residential' and 'New,' with 'Building' (and Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical as applicable) checked under Permit Type; Tax Parcel Number, valuation of work, and subdivision/lot number required on the application; An inspection must occur at least once every 180 days from permit issuance to keep the permit active. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Safford Planning & Community Development Department — Building Division at 928-432-4140 before starting work.

In Safford, the published Building Permit Fee — Based on Total Valuation is: $15 (valuation $1-$500); $15 + $2 per additional $100 to $2,000; $45 + $9 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $252 + $6.50 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $414.50 + $4.50 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $639.50 + $3.50 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $2,039.50 + $3 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $3,539.50 + $2 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000. Additional published fees: Per-Utility/Trade Add-On (Mechanical, Electrical, Sewer, Plumbing) — +$5.00 per utility/trade. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Per the City's own Building Permit Application, review 'may take up to two to four weeks' (approximately 10-20 business days) after a complete submittal to the Planning & Community Development Department.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Residential or Commercial); Residential Building Inspection Checklist; Site/Plot Plan; Construction Drawings, Truss Calculations, and Structural Details. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Safford requires 5 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction), in order: Foundation, Concrete Slab or Under-Floor, Frame, Lath or Gypsum Board, Final. Schedule each through City of Safford Planning & Community Development Department — Building Division (928-432-4140).

Apply through City of Safford Planning & Community Development Department — Building Division at 808 S. 8th Avenue, PO Box 272, Safford, AZ 85546. Phone: 928-432-4140, email: jholguin@saffordaz.gov. Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; closed Fridays (City Hall 4/10 schedule). Building Permit Applications (Residential or Commercial) are submitted in person or by mail to the Planning & Community Development Department; a complete set of adopted building code books is available to view in the Building Inspector's office by appointment (call 928-432-4140 to schedule).. Official information: https://www.cityofsafford.us/148/Building-Development-Permits-Codes.

Safford, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The City of Safford independently recognizes and administers its own construction codes through the Planning & Community Development Department / Building Division. Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page (cityofsafford.us/148/Building-Development-Permits-Codes).; 2015 International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council. Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page.; 2015 International Residential Code (IRC). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; 2015 International Plumbing Code (IPC). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; 2015 International Mechanical Code (IMC). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; 2015 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; 2015 International Fire Code (IFC), administered as the City's fire code. Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page.; 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association (one edition behind the 2015 ICC set; also referred to as the '2014 International Electrical Code' on the City's own Residential Building Inspection Checklist, though NEC is an NFPA, not ICC, publication). Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page; City of Safford Residential Building Inspection Checklist.; ADA Standards for Accessible Design (2010), Americans with Disabilities Act. Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page (links directly to ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards).; Swimming Pool Safety Code, A.R.S. § 36-1681 (Arizona state statute governing residential swimming pool enclosures/barriers), adopted/cross-referenced by the City. Source: City of Safford Building / Development Permits & Codes page (links directly to azleg.gov ARS 36-1681).; As of July 2026, the City of Safford's own public-facing codes page still lists the 2015 ICC family / 2014 NEC as current, with no published edition-update ordinance found on the City's website, Forms page, or Wayback Machine snapshots as of this review — unlike many Phoenix-metro cities that have since moved to 2018/2021/2024 ICC cycles, Safford's own published materials indicate the 2015/2014 cycle remains in effect. Call the Building Division at 928-432-4140 to confirm before relying on this for a specific project if code-cycle precision is critical.; Effective July 1, 2026, the City of Safford must offer a Standard Preapproved Housing Design Plan Program for single-family homes (800-2,000 sq ft, minimum 3 designs with minimum 3 elevation options each), reviewed through an administrative, non-discretionary process, per the statewide mandate A.R.S. § 9-461.20. This is a design-preapproval pathway layered on top of — not a replacement for — the standard Building Permit Application/review process described in this record. Source: City of Safford Press Release, 'State-Mandated Preapproved Housing Design Plan Program' (cityofsafford.us/m/newsflash/home/detail/780).. Local amendments apply — see the Safford overview page for the full list.

The 2015 International Residential Code and 2015 International Building Code (for non-residential portions), plus the 2014 National Electrical Code, as recognized and administered by the City of Safford Planning & Community Development Department / Building Division.