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Commercial Building Permit in Cave Creek, Arizona

Required for new commercial building construction, additions, and alterations/tenant improvements to existing commercial (non-residential) buildings in Cave Creek. Reviewed against the 2024 IBC and Town of Cave Creek amendments (effective January 1, 2026, Ordinance No. 2025-08), plus the 2025 IEBC for work to existing buildings, 2024 IECC (commercial energy baseline — unlike the Town's residential carve-out, commercial energy compliance runs on the current 2024 IECC, not the 2018 edition), 2024 IMC, 2025 IPC, 2023 NEC, 2025 IFC, and ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standards. All submittals follow the Town's Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines (rev. 6/15/2026), which require complete plan sets across nine disciplines (Cover Sheet, Site Plan, Architectural, Structural, Energy, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Fire Protection). Tenant improvement work to existing commercial space is NOT a separately named or separately fee'd permit product in Cave Creek — it is submitted and priced through this SAME Commercial Building Permit process (the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee table), scoped to whichever plan-set disciplines the TI actually touches; verified by reviewing the Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines and the full Comprehensive Fee Schedule, neither of which lists a distinct 'tenant improvement permit' line item or process. Fire protection (automatic sprinkler systems) is excluded from this permit — it is issued under a SEPARATE permit required prior to the rough frame inspection (see this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry).

Verified 2026-07-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for new commercial building construction, additions, alterations, and tenant improvements to existing commercial/non-residential buildings within Cave Creek town limits
  • Plans reviewed against the 2024 IBC and Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026 (Ordinance No. 2025-08), plus the 2025 IEBC for alterations/change of occupancy to existing buildings, the 2024 IECC commercial energy baseline, 2024 IMC, 2025 IPC, 2023 NEC, 2025 IFC, and ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standards
  • Complete sets of plans required per the Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines across nine disciplines: Cover Sheet (code summary, occupancy classification, occupant load, construction type, risk category, drawing index, vicinity map), Site Plan (grading/drainage, topography, utility plan), Architectural (floor plan, elevations, means of egress/accessibility per IBC Chapters 10-11 and ICC A117.1), Structural, Energy, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, and Fire Protection
  • Tenant improvement work to existing commercial space is submitted and fee'd through this SAME Commercial Building Permit process — Cave Creek does not operate a separately named or separately fee'd 'tenant improvement permit'; the required plan-set disciplines narrow to whatever trades/systems the TI scope actually touches
  • Fire protection (automatic sprinkler systems) is NOT part of this permit — it is issued under a SEPARATE permit required prior to the rough frame inspection, per the Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines Section IX
  • Energy compliance demonstrated via prescriptive compliance, total building performance (IECC Section C401.2.1), or compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1; CommCheck Certification required for mechanical systems; additions/alterations/repairs/changes of occupancy follow IECC Section C501
  • Mechanical design loads and calculations per ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 183; plumbing fixture-unit schedules per IPC Section 403 and drainage fixture-unit schedules per IPC Section 710
  • Electrical submittal must include site plan, building electrical (power and lighting) plans, one-line diagram, feeder schedule, panel schedules, and fire alarm system/emergency lights/exit signs (fire alarm is reviewed within the Electrical plan set, not as its own permit product)
  • Apply via the Town's SmartGov Community Platform online portal (twn-cavecreek-az.smartgovcommunity.com)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Commercial Building Permit Fee — Based on ValuationTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule (As of February 5, 2026, unchanged from the 2/1/2025 schedule), Development Services, Building Permit Fees. There is no separate commercial-specific valuation table — the same table applies to residential and commercial work alike; new construction valuation is based on the most recently adopted ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) table. This SAME table also covers tenant improvement work, since Cave Creek has no distinct TI fee line item.
$47.74 (valuation $1-$500); $47.74 + $7.23 per additional $100 to $2,000; $140.33 + $20.25 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $788.44 + $20.25 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $1,297.67 + $13.02 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $2,002.20 + $11.57 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $6,514.38 + $10.13 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $11,297.09 + $7.23 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000
Plan Review Fee, StandardTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Plan Review Fees
65% of the permit fee (minimum $50); if the permit is a flat fee, the plan review fee is $0
Plan Reviews Including Use of Outside ConsultantsTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Plan Review Fees — relevant to larger/more complex commercial submittals requiring outside plan-review consultants
Actual consultant costs plus the Town's standard permit and plan review fees
Additional Plan Reviews (changes, lost plans, or comment sheets)Town of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule
$123.00 per hour
Commercial Demolition (where applicable prior to new construction/TI build-out)Town of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Other Permit Fees, Demolitions — Commercial; distinct from this file's separate demolition-permit entry, listed here because commercial demolition is often a preliminary step before a commercial build-out or tenant improvement
$307.00
Inspections or services with no specifically indicated feeTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Inspection Fees
$150.00 per hour ($150.00 per hour, minimum 2 hours, for inspections outside normal building hours)
Reinspection (after first and one subsequent failed inspection)Town of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule; requires a 24-hour waiting period after each failed subsequent inspection
$100.00 per reinspection

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Cave Creek?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing/Foundation

    Before concrete pour; verifies footing depth/size, reinforcing steel, foundation connections per approved structural plans

  2. 2

    Underslab / Underfloor Plumbing

    Underground plumbing, waste/vent piping, and underfloor space before slab or floor closure

  3. 3

    Framing / Structural

    Structural framing, shear wall, connections, and fire-resistance rated assemblies per approved plans; sprinkler rough-in occurs prior to this inspection under its own separate fire protection permit

  4. 4

    Mechanical / Plumbing / Electrical Rough-In

    Rough-in HVAC ductwork/equipment, plumbing and gas piping, and electrical wiring/panel connections before walls are closed

  5. 5

    Fire Barrier Penetration Protection

    Verifies fire barrier/fire-resistance rated assembly penetrations (mechanical, plumbing, electrical) are properly protected per the approved fire-resistance rated assembly schedule

  6. 6

    Final

    All trades and final building inspection complete per approved plans; required before Certificate of Occupancy is issued

See the full Cave Creek inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • As of July 2026, the Town of Cave Creek does not appear to publish permit-specific plan review turnaround times for commercial building permits (including tenant improvements) on its public website. Call the Building and Fire Safety Department directly at 480-488-6622 or 480-488-1400 for a current estimate.
  • Tenant improvement projects are NOT a separate permit type in Cave Creek — budget and submit them as a scoped-down Commercial Building Permit, following whichever of the nine Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines disciplines your project actually touches (e.g., a simple interior TI with no structural or MEP changes will need far less than the full nine-discipline set required for new construction).
  • Fire protection (automatic sprinkler systems) is always a SEPARATE permit from the Commercial Building Permit, required prior to the rough frame inspection — do not bundle sprinkler plans into the main commercial submittal (see this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry).
  • Commercial energy compliance runs on the current 2024 IECC — this is a notable contrast with Cave Creek's residential energy carve-out, which instead uses the 2018 IECC/IRC Chapter 11 provisions. Don't assume the residential energy exception applies to commercial work.
  • A Certificate of Occupancy for a straightforward change of use WITHOUT construction is a separate, much cheaper $61 flat-fee product (see this file's certificate-of-occupancy-permit entry) — only use the full Commercial Building Permit process when actual construction/alteration work is involved.
  • The Comprehensive Fee Schedule's commercial-specific Demolition fee ($307, vs. $184 for residential/accessory demolitions) is relevant when a TI or new commercial build-out requires demolishing existing improvements first.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Per the Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines, automatic fire sprinkler systems are issued under a permit separate from the Commercial Building Permit, required prior to the rough frame inspection.

In Cave Creek, the published Commercial Building Permit Fee — Based on Valuation is: $47.74 (valuation $1-$500); $47.74 + $7.23 per additional $100 to $2,000; $140.33 + $20.25 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $788.44 + $20.25 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $1,297.67 + $13.02 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $2,002.20 + $11.57 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $6,514.38 + $10.13 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $11,297.09 + $7.23 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee, Standard — 65% of the permit fee (minimum $50); if the permit is a flat fee, the plan review fee is $0; Plan Reviews Including Use of Outside Consultants — Actual consultant costs plus the Town's standard permit and plan review fees; Additional Plan Reviews (changes, lost plans, or comment sheets) — $123.00 per hour; Commercial Demolition (where applicable prior to new construction/TI build-out) — $307.00; Inspections or services with no specifically indicated fee — $150.00 per hour ($150.00 per hour, minimum 2 hours, for inspections outside normal building hours); Reinspection (after first and one subsequent failed inspection) — $100.00 per reinspection. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

As of July 2026, the Town does not publish a plan-review turnaround guideline for commercial building permits or tenant improvements. Call the Building and Fire Safety Department directly at 480-488-6622 for a current estimate before planning around a specific timeline.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application; Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines Checklist (rev. 6/15/2026); Site Plan; Architectural Plans; Structural Plans and Calculations; Energy Compliance Documentation (CommCheck); Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Plan Sets. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cave Creek requires 6 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit, in order: Footing/Foundation, Underslab / Underfloor Plumbing, Framing / Structural, Mechanical / Plumbing / Electrical Rough-In, Fire Barrier Penetration Protection, Final. Schedule each through Town of Cave Creek Building and Fire Safety Department (480-488-1400 (Main); 480-488-6637 / 480-488-6622 (Building Official / Building Department); 480-488-6631 (Plans Examiner)).

Apply through Town of Cave Creek Building and Fire Safety Department at 37622 N. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331. Phone: 480-488-1400 (Main); 480-488-6637 / 480-488-6622 (Building Official / Building Department); 480-488-6631 (Plans Examiner), email: ahicks@cavecreekaz.gov (Adam Hicks, Building Official/Fire Marshal); jlombardo@cavecreekaz.gov (Jenifer Lombardo, Plans Examiner/Building Inspector); twilgus@cavecreekaz.gov (Tracie Wilgus, Sr. Permit Tech). Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. All permit applications, plan reviews, inspection requests, and payments must be submitted through the Town's online portal, the SmartGov Community Platform (twn-cavecreek-az.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home) — effective as the Town's exclusive permitting channel per the Town's Online Permitting and Inspection Service notice.. Official information: https://www.cavecreekaz.gov/577/Building-Fire-Code-Compliance.

Cave Creek, 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 (A.R.S. § 9-802 authorizes municipalities to adopt codes or public records by reference without setting forth their provisions in full, provided the adopting ordinance is published in full). The Town of Cave Creek independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Building and Fire Safety Department; it does not defer permitting to Maricopa County. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08 (adopted November 18, 2025, effective January 1, 2026).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference (Town Code Title XV, Chapter 151, § 151.01), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Exhibit A.1 and A.2, Section 1.; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference (§ 151.02), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) of the 2024 IRC is deleted in its entirety and replaced with Chapter 11 of the 2018 IRC. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 2.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference (§ 151.03), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 3.; 2025 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference (§ 151.04), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026 (the Town's Building & Fire Code Compliance summary page separately lists this as the '2024 International Plumbing Code' — the governing Ordinance No. 2025-08 text itself specifies the 2025 edition; treat the Ordinance as authoritative). Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 4.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70), adopted by reference (§ 151.05), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 5.; 2025 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference (§ 151.06) as the Town's uniform fire code, with Town of Cave Creek amendments; administered by the Building and Fire Safety Department under the Chief Building and Fire Code Official. Appendix B (Fire Flow Requirements for Buildings) and Appendix D (Fire Apparatus Access Roads) are adopted, with Appendix D.102.1 amended to require an approved fire apparatus access road capable of supporting an imposed load of fire apparatus weighing up to 50,000 pounds. Annual fire and life safety inspections are required for all occupancies and buildings except one- and two-family dwellings. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 6.; Town of Cave Creek Sprinkler Code (§ 151.07), originally adopted from Chapter 9 of the 2003 International Fire Code in July 2004 and unchanged since; automatic fire sprinkler systems in new and existing buildings are governed by this Town-specific sprinkler code rather than the IFC's own Section 903 (which is deleted and replaced by reference to § 151.07). Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 6(2)-(3) and Section 7.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference (§ 151.08), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 8.; 2025 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference (§ 151.09), with Town of Cave Creek amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 9.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference (§ 151.10), effective January 1, 2026, EXCEPT that Chapters R1 through R5 of the IECC's residential section are deleted in their entirety and replaced with Chapters R1 through R5 of the 2018 IECC — so residential energy compliance in Cave Creek runs on the 2018 IECC residential provisions even though the commercial IECC baseline is 2024. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 10.; 2024 International Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), adopted by reference (§ 151.11 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code), effective January 1, 2026; all swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs must comply with this code, and pool/spa/hot-tub enclosures must comply with A.R.S. § 36-1681 (Arizona's pool barrier statute). Swimming pools and spas are issued under a separate permit from the building permit. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Section 11; Town of Cave Creek Residential Plan Review Check List (rev. 6/15/2026).; ICC A117.1-2017 (Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities), adopted as part of the Town's code suite alongside the 2024 IBC. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08 (preamble); Town of Cave Creek Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines.; All prior versions of Chapter 151 (Building Code § 151.01, Residential Code § 151.02, Mechanical Code § 151.03, Plumbing Code § 151.04, Electrical Code § 151.05, Fire Code § 151.06, Fuel Gas Code § 151.08, Existing Building Code § 151.09, and Energy Conservation Code § 151.10) were repealed in their entirety and replaced by Ordinance No. 2025-08, effective January 1, 2026; all former conflicting ordinances were repealed as of that date. Source: Town of Cave Creek Ordinance No. 2025-08, Sections 1-2 (Repeal, Effective Date).. Local amendments apply — see the Cave Creek overview page for the full list.

No. Cave Creek does not have a separately named or separately fee'd tenant improvement permit — TI work is submitted and priced through the same Commercial Building Permit process (the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee table), scoped to whichever plan-set disciplines the project actually touches. This was confirmed by reviewing both the Commercial Plan Submittal Guidelines and the full Comprehensive Fee Schedule, neither of which lists a distinct TI product.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-29.

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

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