Clifton building permits

Requirements

• Building permit required for construction, alteration, repair, moving, or a certificate of occupancy for a structure within Clifton town limits, per Code of Ordinances Chapter 151
• Work must conform to the 2009 IBC, 2009 IRC (R-3 occupancies), 2009 IPC, 2009 IMC, 2009 IEBC, and the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings (1997) as adopted by Chapter 151
• Whenever a building permit is issued and a building inspection performed, the building must also conform to the Town's Zoning Ordinance (§ 151.02) — reviewed and signed off by the Planning and Zoning Administrator against the Official Zoning Map
• If the property/structure is within the 100-year flood plain, the application routes to the Flood Plain Administrator and a Flood Plain Development Permit section of the same form (required for substantial repairs/improvements — cost equal to or exceeding 50% of the structure's market value)
• If the property is located in the Clifton Townsite Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness must first be granted by the Town's Historic Preservation Commission before a building permit can be issued (Town Manager sign-off block on the application)
• If the project is $50,000 or more in value and involves an out-of-state contractor, a certificate of compliance with A.R.S. § 42-5007 (Department of Revenue bonding certificate) must be obtained prior to permit issuance
• If the property/structure is new with no existing address plaque, the owner must obtain a Town-supplied address plaque ($110.00) and file a new sewer-tap application tying the line into the main sewer line (Code Enforcement Officer sign-off)
• Applicant provides a Contractor's Estimate or itemized Cost of Materials plus Estimated Labor Cost; the total of materials and labor determines the permit fee (no separately published valuation-based fee table)
• Submitted by emailing codeenforcement@cliftonaz.gov or bringing the completed application to the Code Enforcement Officer at Clifton Town Hall; no online permitting portal is published
• Residential submittals should follow the Town's Residential Permit Checklist (site plan, footing/foundation plan, floor plan, floor framing plan for 2-story dwellings, roof framing plan with truss calculations, exterior elevations with attic ventilation calculations, electrical plans)

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit/Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationTown of Clifton's combined application form covering property/owner/applicant information, proposed use and zoning district, Planning and Zoning Administrator review, cost breakdown (materials/labor) that determines the permit fee, Flood Plain Administrator review and Flood Plain Development Permit section (for substantial improvements), Historic District review by the Town Manager, and Code Enforcement Officer review for address-plaque/sewer-tap requirements
• RequiredBuilding Permit Residential ChecklistTown of Clifton checklist of required scaled drawings for residential submittals: site plan, footing and foundation plan, floor plan, floor framing plan (2-story), roof framing plan with manufacturer truss calculations, exterior elevations with attic ventilation calculations, and electrical plans; separate sub-checklists for additions/remodels, footing/foundation details, exterior elevations, sections, and plumbing plans
• OptionalCertificate of compliance with A.R.S. § 42-5007Required only if the project is valued at $50,000 or more and involves an out-of-state contractor — a Department of Revenue certificate confirming the contractor bonding requirement has been met

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building demolition permit required before demolishing a structure within Clifton town limits
• Application must state purpose for demolition, existing zoning district (per the Official Zoning Map), and a detailed description of the work
• Planning and Zoning Administrator reviews and approves/denies before the demolition permit can proceed
• If the structure is in the 100-year flood plain and the work constitutes a 'substantial improvement' (cost equal to or exceeding 50% of the structure's market value), a Flood Plain Development Permit section of the same form must be completed, including market-value determination and any prior repair/improvement costs under earlier permits
• Final approval issued by the Building Official

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Demolition ApplicationTown of Clifton's dedicated demolition permit application — property/owner/applicant information, purpose for demolition, existing zoning district, Planning and Zoning Administrator review block, Flood Plain Development Permit section (for substantial improvements), Code Enforcement Officer review, and Building Official final approval

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy Application required for both the racking/structural mounting AND the electrical interconnection, since Clifton's Building Inspector holds combined building/plumbing/electrical inspection authority under Code of Ordinances § 151.04 -- there is no separate standalone electrical permit track
• Work must conform to the Town's adopted 2009 IBC/IRC (racking/structural) as well as applicable electrical provisions administered by the same Building Inspector function
• Applicant provides a Contractor's Estimate or itemized Cost of Materials plus Estimated Labor Cost; the total determines the permit fee, per the same mechanism used for any other Clifton building permit
• If the property is within the 100-year flood plain or the Clifton Townsite Historic District, the same Flood Plain Development Permit or Historic Preservation Commission Certificate of Appropriateness review tracks apply as for any other building permit
• Submitted by emailing codeenforcement@cliftonaz.gov or bringing the completed application to the Code Enforcement Officer at Clifton Town Hall; no online permitting portal is published

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit/Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationTown of Clifton's combined application form, covering both the structural/racking and electrical-interconnection scope of a solar PV installation under the single Building Inspector's combined jurisdiction
• RequiredBuilding Permit Residential ChecklistTown of Clifton checklist of required scaled drawings; a solar installation would follow the site plan and electrical plans sub-checklist items, no dedicated solar-specific checklist item was found

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Development permit required before construction or development begins, including placement of manufactured homes, within any special flood hazard area (§ 154.037(A))
• Application must include plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions and elevation of the area in question; existing/proposed structures; fill; storage of materials; and drainage facilities
• Must show proposed elevation (relative to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures; in Zone AO, elevation of existing highest adjacent grade and proposed elevation of lowest floor
• For non-residential structures, must show proposed elevation to which the structure will be floodproofed, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect meeting the floodproofing criteria in § 154.050(C)
• Base flood elevation data required for subdivision proposals or other development greater than 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is lesser
• Description required of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed development
• For substantial improvements/repairs (cost equal to or exceeding 50% of the structure's market value), the Building Permit/Demolition Application's Flood Plain Development Permit section requires market-value determination and accounting for costs of any prior repairs/improvements under earlier permits
• The Floodplain Administrator reviews every permit to confirm ordinance requirements are met, other required state/federal permits obtained, the site is reasonably safe from flooding, and the development does not adversely affect (raise base flood elevation by more than one foot at any point) the carrying capacity of areas where Base Flood Elevations have been determined

Required documents

• RequiredFlood Plain Development Permit section (within Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy Application or Building Demolition Application)Market value of structure, less cost of previous repairs/improvements under prior permits, and certifications required by § 154.037(B) for substantial improvements/repairs in the flood plain
• RequiredDevelopment Permit plan setPlans in duplicate, drawn to scale, per § 154.037(A)-(B) requirements (site elevations, structures, fill, drainage, floodproofing certification where applicable)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Certificate of Appropriateness required before any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction, or moving of a landmark or property within a Historic District, or any material change to its light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving, or other exterior elements visible from a public street or alley (§ 152.06)
• Owner must file an application with the Historic Preservation Commission prior to commencing any work requiring a certificate
• Application must include applicant name/address/phone, location and photographs of the property, elevation drawings of proposed changes (if available), perspective drawings showing relationship to adjacent properties (if available), and — for signage — a scale drawing of lettering, dimensions, colors, materials, illumination method, and sign location
• No building permit shall be issued for the proposed work until the Certificate of Appropriateness has first been issued by the Historic Preservation Commission
• The Commission may hold a public hearing on the application, giving proponents and opponents an opportunity to present their views
• All Commission decisions are in writing, sent to the applicant by registered mail, and filed with the Town Clerk's Office for public inspection, stating reasons for any denial or modification

Required documents

• RequiredCertificate of Appropriateness ApplicationFiled directly with the Historic Preservation Commission — property photographs, elevation/perspective drawings if available, and sign details where applicable

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building Permit / Certificate of Occupancy application required for EVSE circuit installation within Town limits -- Clifton does not maintain a separate stand-alone electrical permit type in its published materials
• Reviewed against the 2009 International Building Code, International Residential Code (R-3 occupancies), and related 2009-edition ICC codes (Chapter 151) by the Building Official function housed in the Code Enforcement/Building Department
• No EV-charger-specific application, checklist, or fee line item was located

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit / Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationTown of Clifton's general-purpose permit application; EVSE circuit work would be submitted under this same application, as Clifton has no separate electrical permit application in its published materials

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Advertising signs are regulated by Zoning Ordinance Section 1.12.270: no advertising signs of any kind are permitted in residential zones except signs for the sale or lease of residential property (temporary, not exceeding 36 square feet) and name plates/home-occupation signs (not exceeding 226 square inches)
• All signs or parts thereof must be set back from public streets at least as far as the building setback required in the zone where the sign is located (Section 1.12.270(B))
• Free-standing and accessory signs not attached to a main building must be maintained in accordance with Town standards (Section 1.12.270(C))
• Any nonaccessory sign located within 660 feet of the right-of-way of a federal or state highway must first be approved by the State Highway Department before the Town's zoning administrator may issue a permit for it (Section 1.12.270(D)) -- the only place Clifton's code names an explicit sign 'permit'
• A sign physically attached to a building is additionally reviewed under the Town's general Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy Application (Planning and Zoning Administrator zoning-conformance review)
• A sign on a property within the Clifton Townsite Historic District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness first, including a scale drawing of lettering, dimensions, colors, materials, illumination method, and sign location (Code of Ordinances Section 152.06)
• No dedicated sign-permit application form, checklist, or fee schedule line item was located on the Town's website, Code Enforcement/Building page, or its Rates and Fees / FY2026 proposed misc-fee schedules

Required documents

• OptionalBuilding Permit/Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationUsed for any sign physically attached to a building structure, via the same Planning and Zoning Administrator zoning-conformance sign-off used for any other building permit; no sign-specific line item exists on the form
• OptionalCertificate of Appropriateness ApplicationRequired in addition to any other permit if the sign is located within the Clifton Townsite Historic District; must include a scale drawing of lettering, dimensions, colors, materials, illumination method, and sign location

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone fire sprinkler or fire alarm permit, application, or checklist exists in Clifton's published materials; a fire suppression or alarm system would be submitted under the Town's general Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy Application
• Clifton has not adopted a separate Fire Code (International Fire Code or NFPA) -- its adopted-codes list is limited to the 2009 IBC/IRC/IPC/IMC/IEBC, the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, and ADA/Arizonans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards
• Fire protection is provided by the Town of Clifton's own Volunteer Fire Department (not a Greenlee County rural fire district), headed by Fire Chief Richard Varela; Fire Dispatch is 928-865-4145
• Businesses needing a fire inspection contact the Code Enforcement Officer at 928-322-7913, who coordinates scheduling directly with the Fire Chief -- this is an informal request process with no published fee or standard turnaround time
• Work must otherwise conform to the Town's adopted 2009-edition ICC codes (Chapter 151) as reviewed by the Building Official function

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit/Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationTown of Clifton's general-purpose permit application; a fire sprinkler or alarm system would be submitted under this same application, as Clifton has no separate fire-suppression permit application in its published materials
• OptionalFire Department Request FormGeneral-purpose request form addressed to the Fire Chief, used for burn permits, business fire inspections, and other Fire Department requests; not a dedicated sprinkler/alarm plan-review submission and carries no published fee

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy application exists; both are processed on the Town's single 'Building Permit/Certificate of Occupancy Application,' which explicitly supports a certificate-of-occupancy-only submission (marking the permit-scope field 'NOT APPLICABLE')
• A change of occupancy in an existing building is reviewed under the 2009 International Existing Building Code, adopted by reference at Code of Ordinances Section 151.10, governing repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition, and relocation of existing buildings including historic buildings
• The same sequential review blocks used for any other Clifton building permit apply: Planning and Zoning Administrator (zoning-district/use conformance), Flood Plain Administrator (if applicable), Town Manager (if within the Clifton Townsite Historic District, requiring a prior Certificate of Appropriateness), and Code Enforcement Officer
• Fee is determined the same way as any other Clifton building permit: applicant's own Contractor's Estimate or itemized Cost of Materials plus Estimated Labor Cost total -- no separately published change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy-specific fee line item exists
• Submitted by emailing codeenforcement@cliftonaz.gov or bringing the completed application to the Code Enforcement Officer at Clifton Town Hall; no online permitting portal is published

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit/Certificate of Occupancy ApplicationTown of Clifton's single combined application form; includes an explicit 'certificate of occupancy only' scope option on the same form used for any other building or change-of-use permit

Fee schedule