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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Tenant Improvement) in Unincorporated Graham County, Arizona

Required for commercial construction in unincorporated Graham County. The County does NOT operate a separately-named commercial permit process: its published Fee Schedule (rev. 08/02/2022) and Planning and Zoning Ordinance define a single 'Building Permit — Site permit for residential, commercial and industrial,' with commercial projects distinguished only by (1) a higher valuation rate ($125 per usable square foot vs. $100 residential) fed into the same Total-Valuation fee bracket table (Ordinance Section 5.15), and (2) a commercial-specific plan review fee of 65% of the building permit fee ('Plan Review for Development Plans for Commercial Development,' Ordinance Section 3.8 fee table). Commercial plans are reviewed against the 2003 IBC and 2003 IEBC as adopted (Ordinance Section 5.14.2), with fire apparatus access per the adopted 2003 IFC required before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Applications are submitted through the County's iWorQ online portal.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required before erecting, constructing, reconstructing, altering, placing, or using any structure — including commercial buildings — in unincorporated Graham County (Ordinance Section 5.6.2); the permit must be obtained and paid for PRIOR to any improvement activity (Ordinance Section 5.13.7)
  • Apply through the County's iWorQ online permit portal (https://grahamcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grahamcounty); upload building plans and a plot plan sketch (plus a Special Power of Attorney form if an agent/contractor applies for the owner) or the submission will be rejected
  • Commercial plans are reviewed against the 2003 International Building Code and, for work on existing buildings, the 2003 International Existing Building Code, as adopted in Ordinance Section 5.14.2
  • An approved septic system (required for residential and commercial use) must be in place or assured before occupancy is permitted; septic approval is handled by the Graham County Health Department as a parallel track (Ordinance Section 5.6.2(1))
  • A drainage plan addressing on- and off-site drainage impact must be presented and approved by the County Engineer prior to permit issuance where drainage review applies; required drainage improvements must be completed, inspected, approved, and easements recorded before a Certificate of Occupancy is requested (Ordinance Section 5.13.7)
  • Physical access must be completed and satisfy the fire apparatus access requirements of the International Fire Code adopted by Graham County (2003 IFC) before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued (Ordinance Section 5.13.7(4))
  • The Zoning Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy after inspection before any building may be occupied for commercial or manufacturing purposes (Ordinance Section 5.6.2(1))
  • Commercial use must be allowed in the parcel's land use zone (C-N, C-G, C-RE, C-M, M, or M-X, or via Conditional Use Permit in other zones); zoning approval by the Board of Supervisors, where required, must be obtained prior to builds and can take up to 90 days (Ordinance Sections 4.10-4.15, 5.13.7)
  • Permit is valid for one year from date of issuance to start construction; a renewal permit is handled as a new permit (Ordinance Section 5.6.2)

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Fee schedule

Building Permit — Site permit for commercial (valuation-based)Graham County Fee Schedule (PDF, rev. 08/02/2022) — 'Building Permit – Site permit for residential, commercial and industrial ... Commercial - $125 per sq. ft. value (See Sec. 5.15 for formula)'; bracket table re-confirmed 2026-08-01 in both the standalone Inspection Fees PDF (DocumentCenter View/570) and the current Zoning Ordinance PDF at Section 5.15 (Inspection and Plan Review Fees).
Valuation = $125.00 per usable square foot (commercial rate), run through the Total Valuation fee bracket table of Ordinance Section 5.15: $1-$500: $20; $501-$2,000: $20 for the first $500 plus $1.00 per additional $100 or fraction; $2,001-$25,000: $20 for the first $2,000 plus $4.00 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $25,001-$50,000: $112 for the first $25,000 plus $3.00 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $50,001-$100,000: $187 for the first $50,000 plus $2.00 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $100,001-$500,000: $287 for the first $100,000 plus $1.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $500,001 and up: $887 for the first $500,000 plus $1.00 per additional $1,000 or fraction
Plan Review for Development Plans for Commercial DevelopmentThe standalone Fee Schedule PDF (rev. 08/02/2022) lists this line as 'Plan Review for Development Plans — 65% of building permit'; the fee table embedded in the current Zoning Ordinance (Section 3.8, stated as 'for reference only as of August, 2020') words the same line 'Plan Review for Development Plans for Commercial Development — 65% of building permit,' making explicit that the 65% plan-review fee attaches to commercial development. This is the only commercial-specific fee line beyond the higher $125/sq ft valuation rate. Confirm applicability to a specific project with the Planning and Zoning Department (928-428-0410).
65% of the building permit fee
Administrative fee (added to permit fee)Graham County Fee Schedule (PDF, rev. 08/02/2022) — added to site permits for residential, commercial, and industrial projects.
$100.00 flat
Re-inspection of skipped inspections / building without a permit (late fee)Graham County Fee Schedule (PDF, rev. 08/02/2022).
$50.00 + two (2) business days for a skipped-inspection re-inspect; up to five (5) times the normal permit fee for construction without a permit

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Tenant Improvement) permit actually take in Unincorporated Graham County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Set Back Inspection

    When the building pad is done and concrete forms are set — BEFORE any plumbing goes in (County's published six-stage sequence; the guidance sheet is written for new residential construction but is the County's only published inspection sequence and is cross-applicable to the same trades on commercial work)

  2. 2

    Footings / Stem Wall / Underground Plumbing

    BEFORE concrete is poured; all rebar must be visible

  3. 3

    Sheathing & Framing

    BEFORE any paper goes on the roof

  4. 4

    Rough Electrical / Mechanical / Top-Out Plumbing / Gas Test

    AFTER wiring is run and plumbing is in

  5. 5

    Drywall Nailing

    AFTER drywall is up and BEFORE any tape goes on

  6. 6

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    Everything complete; a failed final costs a $50 re-inspection fee. For commercial occupancy the Zoning Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy after inspection, and fire apparatus access (per the adopted 2003 IFC) and any required drainage improvements must be complete before the C of O is issued (Ordinance Sections 5.6.2(1), 5.13.7)

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

Tips

  • Graham County has NO separately-named commercial building permit or tenant-improvement permit: the Fee Schedule defines one unified 'Building Permit — Site permit for residential, commercial and industrial,' and a full-text search of the current 233-page Zoning Ordinance (2026-08-01) finds no tenant-improvement, remodel, or commercial-alteration permit process anywhere. Interior tenant-improvement/alteration work falls under the same Section 5.6.2 building-permit requirement ('erect, construct, reconstruct, ALTER, place, or use any structure') and would be reviewed under the adopted 2003 International Existing Building Code — how the County values a TI project for fee purposes (the $125/sq ft commercial rate is written for whole-building usable square footage) is not published; confirm valuation of alteration-only work with the Department (928-428-0410) before budgeting.
  • Budget three fee components for commercial work: the valuation-based building permit fee ($125/sq ft usable x the Section 5.15 bracket table), a plan-review fee of 65% of the building permit fee (the ordinance's fee table words this line 'Plan Review for Development Plans for Commercial Development'), and the flat $100 administrative fee. Worked example from the published formula: a 2,000 sq ft commercial building = $250,000 valuation, giving a $512.00 permit fee ($287 + $1.50 x 150), plus $332.80 plan review (65%), plus $100 administrative = $944.80 total.
  • Agricultural exemption (relevant in this heavily agricultural county): Ordinance Section 3.11 (Statutory Exemptions), implementing A.R.S. § 11-830, provides that the Ordinance 'shall not prevent, restrict, or otherwise regulate' the use or occupation of land or improvements for railroad, mining, metallurgical, grazing, or general agricultural purposes if the tract is at least five (5) contiguous commercial acres. A barn or ag-use building on a qualifying tract may therefore sit outside the County's permit reach — but the exemption is statutory and use-specific (a farm STORE or other commercial use does not qualify), so confirm a specific building's status with the Department before skipping the permit; building without a required permit costs up to 5X the normal fee.
  • Commercial use must be allowed in the parcel's zoning (C-N, C-G, C-RE, C-M, M, or M-X, or by Conditional Use Permit — $350 application fee — elsewhere); where Board of Supervisors zoning approval is required first, the Ordinance itself warns it 'can potentially take up to 90 days' (Section 5.13.7). Most unincorporated county land is zoned 'A' (General/Agricultural), which does not permit commercial use outright.
  • The County's adopted commercial codes are the 2003 IBC/IEBC/IFC family — materially older than the 2018-2024 cycles used by many incorporated Arizona cities. The Ordinance is also internally inconsistent on the NEC and mechanical-code editions (see this file's codesAdopted notes); confirm governing editions with the Department before finalizing commercial plans.
  • Zoning-violation penalties are three times higher for commercial/industrial uses than residential ($300 initial / $600 non-compliance / $60 daily, vs. $100/$200/$20 for agricultural-residential) per the Ordinance's enforcement penalty table — another reason not to start commercial work ahead of the permit.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Graham County requires a commercial building permit (new construction, addition, tenant improvement) for: Building permit required before erecting, constructing, reconstructing, altering, placing, or using any structure — including commercial buildings — in unincorporated Graham County (Ordinance Section 5.6.2); the permit must be obtained and paid for PRIOR to any improvement activity (Ordinance Section 5.13.7); Apply through the County's iWorQ online permit portal (https://grahamcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grahamcounty); upload building plans and a plot plan sketch (plus a Special Power of Attorney form if an agent/contractor applies for the owner) or the submission will be rejected; Commercial plans are reviewed against the 2003 International Building Code and, for work on existing buildings, the 2003 International Existing Building Code, as adopted in Ordinance Section 5.14.2; An approved septic system (required for residential and commercial use) must be in place or assured before occupancy is permitted; septic approval is handled by the Graham County Health Department as a parallel track (Ordinance Section 5.6.2(1)); A drainage plan addressing on- and off-site drainage impact must be presented and approved by the County Engineer prior to permit issuance where drainage review applies; required drainage improvements must be completed, inspected, approved, and easements recorded before a Certificate of Occupancy is requested (Ordinance Section 5.13.7); Physical access must be completed and satisfy the fire apparatus access requirements of the International Fire Code adopted by Graham County (2003 IFC) before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued (Ordinance Section 5.13.7(4)); The Zoning Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy after inspection before any building may be occupied for commercial or manufacturing purposes (Ordinance Section 5.6.2(1)); Commercial use must be allowed in the parcel's land use zone (C-N, C-G, C-RE, C-M, M, or M-X, or via Conditional Use Permit in other zones); zoning approval by the Board of Supervisors, where required, must be obtained prior to builds and can take up to 90 days (Ordinance Sections 4.10-4.15, 5.13.7); Permit is valid for one year from date of issuance to start construction; a renewal permit is handled as a new permit (Ordinance Section 5.6.2). If your project isn't listed, confirm with Graham County Planning and Zoning Department at 928-428-0410 before starting work.

Valuation is $125 per usable square foot, run through the bracketed Total Valuation fee table of Ordinance Section 5.15, plus a plan-review fee of 65% of the building permit fee for commercial development plans, plus a flat $100 administrative fee. Example: a 2,000 sq ft commercial building = $250,000 valuation = $512 permit fee + $332.80 plan review + $100 administrative = $944.80. Source: Graham County Fee Schedule (PDF, rev. 08/02/2022), https://www.graham.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/569/Fee-Schedule-PDF

Unincorporated Graham County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Graham County Planning and Zoning Department at 928-428-0410 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building and Installation Permit Application (Online Portal); Building Plans; Plot Plan Sketch. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Graham County may also ask for: Drainage Plan; Special Power of Attorney Form (PDF). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through Graham County Planning and Zoning Department at 921 Thatcher Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Safford, AZ 85546. Phone: 928-428-0410. Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (per the County's Department Directory listing for Planning & Zoning at 921 Thatcher Boulevard). No public-facing department email address was found published on the County's Planning & Zoning page, Permits & Hearing Forms page, or FAQ pages as of this review; contact by phone at 928-428-0410 or in person.. Official information: https://www.graham.az.gov/277/Planning-Zoning.

No. The County's Fee Schedule (rev. 08/02/2022) defines a single 'Building Permit — Site permit for residential, commercial and industrial.' Commercial projects differ only in the valuation rate used to compute the fee ($125 per usable square foot instead of $100 residential), a plan-review fee of 65% of the building permit fee for commercial development plans, and commercial-specific occupancy requirements (Certificate of Occupancy after inspection, fire apparatus access per the 2003 IFC, septic assurance). Applications go through the same iWorQ online portal. Source: Graham County Fee Schedule (PDF, rev. 08/02/2022); Planning and Zoning Ordinance Sections 3.8, 5.6.2, 5.13.7, 5.15.

No. Neither the Fee Schedule nor the full Zoning Ordinance publishes any tenant-improvement, remodel, or commercial-alteration permit type, fee line, or process (full-text verified 2026-08-01). Interior alteration of a commercial space falls under the same general building-permit requirement of Ordinance Section 5.6.2, with the 2003 International Existing Building Code (adopted at Section 5.14.2) as the applicable code for work on existing buildings. How a TI-only project is valued for fee purposes is not published — call the Planning and Zoning Department at 928-428-0410.

Ordinance Section 3.11, implementing A.R.S. § 11-830, exempts the use or occupation of land or improvements for railroad, mining, metallurgical, grazing, or general agricultural purposes from the Ordinance's regulation where the tract is at least five contiguous commercial acres. Whether a specific building qualifies is use- and tract-specific — commercial uses (e.g., a retail farm store) do not — so confirm with the Planning and Zoning Department (928-428-0410) before building without a permit; unpermitted construction can be charged up to 5X the normal permit fee.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-01.

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

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