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Mechanical / HVAC Permit in Cave Creek, Arizona

Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in Cave Creek, governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted and amended by the Town. Given the Town's mandatory residential cooling requirement (IRC R325.8.2), HVAC/AC work is a common permit type.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Mechanical permit required for installation, replacement, or relocation of HVAC equipment, furnaces, and ventilation systems
  • Governed by the 2024 IMC as adopted by the Town of Cave Creek (Town Code § 151.03)
  • Every dwelling is required to maintain cooling capable of 85°F or below in habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms per IRC R325.8.2 (as amended)
  • Combustion air required for all liquid/solid fuel-burning appliances; clothes dryer exhaust ducts limited to 35 feet with reductions for bends
  • Apply via the Town's SmartGov Community Platform online portal

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Mechanical/HVAC work not otherwise separately classifiedTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule does not list a separately itemized flat HVAC/AC-replacement fee line (unlike some neighboring cities) — mechanical scope, including AC unit replacement, is priced through the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee
Based on Valuation — see Building Permit Fee valuation table
Plan Review Fee, StandardTown of Cave Creek Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Plan Review Fees
65% of the permit fee (minimum $50)

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Mechanical / HVAC 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

    Mechanical Rough-In

    Ductwork and equipment placement before walls closed

  2. 2

    Final

    Equipment operational, clearances and combustion air verified

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 mechanical/HVAC permits on its public website. There is no verifiable online source for this — call the Town of Cave Creek Building and Fire Safety Department directly at 480-488-6622.
  • Unlike its neighbor Buckeye (flat $75 AC replacement fee), Cave Creek's Comprehensive Fee Schedule has no dedicated flat fee for AC unit replacement — it is priced under the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee.
  • Cave Creek's mandatory cooling threshold is 85°F (IRC R325.8.2, based on a 107°F summer design temperature per IPC Appendix D) — stricter than some jurisdictions' 90°F standard.

Frequently asked questions

Cave Creek requires a mechanical / hvac permit for: Mechanical permit required for installation, replacement, or relocation of HVAC equipment, furnaces, and ventilation systems; Governed by the 2024 IMC as adopted by the Town of Cave Creek (Town Code § 151.03); Every dwelling is required to maintain cooling capable of 85°F or below in habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms per IRC R325.8.2 (as amended); Combustion air required for all liquid/solid fuel-burning appliances; clothes dryer exhaust ducts limited to 35 feet with reductions for bends; Apply via the Town's SmartGov Community Platform online portal. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Cave Creek Building and Fire Safety Department at 480-488-1400 (Main); 480-488-6637 / 480-488-6622 (Building Official / Building Department); 480-488-6631 (Plans Examiner) before starting work.

In Cave Creek, the published Mechanical/HVAC work not otherwise separately classified is: Based on Valuation — see Building Permit Fee valuation table. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee, Standard — 65% of the permit fee (minimum $50). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Cave Creek does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Cave Creek Building and Fire Safety Department at 480-488-1400 (Main); 480-488-6637 / 480-488-6622 (Building Official / Building Department); 480-488-6631 (Plans Examiner) for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building/Mechanical Permit Application; Mechanical section of the Residential Plan Review Check List (rev. 6/15/2026). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cave Creek requires 2 inspection(s) for a mechanical / hvac permit, in order: Mechanical Rough-In, 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.

Yes. IRC R325.8.2, as amended by the Town, requires cooling facilities capable of maintaining habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms at 85°F or below, based on a 107°F summer design temperature per IPC Appendix D. Cooling is not required for interior spaces not associated with human comfort.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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.