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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Shell/Grey Buildings, Additions & Alterations) in El Mirage, Arizona

Required for new commercial building construction, shell/grey (core-and-shell) buildings, additions, and alterations to existing commercial structures in the City of El Mirage. Plans are reviewed against the 2018 IBC (and 2018 IEBC for work in existing buildings), as adopted with City of El Mirage local amendments per Resolution R23-05-10 (effective July 1, 2023). Applications are submitted electronically through the ELM Online Permits portal (ci-elmirage-az.smartgovcommunity.com); as of January 2, 2024, all plans must be submitted electronically. Tenant Improvement work is tracked by the City as its own distinct 'Project Type' category — it has its own row in the City's Plan Review Turnaround Times table (with the same 10-business-day first review / 5-business-day resubmittal timelines as general Commercial Permits) and its own Certificate of Occupancy Sign-Off Sheet variant — but no separate Tenant-Improvement-specific fee line was found in the City's Comprehensive Fee Schedule; TI construction fees appear to follow the same Based-on-Value (BOV) schedule as general commercial construction. Because a genuinely distinct TI *fee* structure could not be confirmed, a standalone commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry was not added — see this jurisdiction's certificate-of-occupancy-permit entry for the separate CO/Certificate-of-Completion step, including its dedicated Tenant Improvement CO variant.

Verified 2026-07-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A commercial building permit is required for new commercial building construction, shell/grey (core-and-shell) buildings, additions, and alterations or tenant improvements to existing commercial structures, per the City of El Mirage Building Safety fee schedule's 'Commercial Construction' (New Construction and Shell/Grey Building) line items
  • Plans must comply with the 2018 IBC and, for work in existing buildings, the 2018 IEBC, both adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments per Resolution R23-05-10 (effective July 1, 2023)
  • The contractor must hold a current City of El Mirage Business License ($100 annual fee per the Comprehensive Fee Schedule); the City's Demolition Permit Requirements document confirms a City of El Mirage Business License number is required contractor information on permit applications generally
  • All permit applications for commercial and tenant-improvement projects must include a recorded deed or other suitable evidence of ownership; for tenant improvements specifically, either a recorded deed or a copy of the lease agreement is accepted instead (per the City's Demolition Permit Requirements document, which states this ownership-evidence requirement applies to 'commercial, tenant improvement, residential and factory built structures' permit applications generally, not only demolition)
  • Submittal is electronic-only via the ELM Online Permits portal (ci-elmirage-az.smartgovcommunity.com) — as of January 2, 2024 all plans must be submitted electronically, all documents must be scanned (photos of documents are not accepted), and an email address is required to create a submitter account
  • A non-refundable $150 permit application deposit is due at submittal for Commercial (and Residential) permits, separate from the permit and plan review fees themselves
  • Before occupancy, a Certificate of Occupancy requires sign-off from Building Inspection, Business License, Engineering Inspection, Fire Inspection, and Planning Inspection (Tenant Improvement CO sign-off omits the Engineering and Planning lines) — see this jurisdiction's certificate-of-occupancy-permit entry for the full CO process and fees

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,000 or lessCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section; applies to Commercial Construction (New Construction and Shell/Grey Building are billed 'Based On Value' against this same table); final valuation set by the Building Official per the most current ICC Building Valuation Data or approved cost documentation
$75 flat
Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,001 to $999,999City of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$100 base fee plus $6 per additional $1,000 of valuation
Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,000,000 and aboveCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$100 base fee plus $5 per additional $1,000 of valuation
Shell/Grey (core-and-shell) BuildingCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety — Commercial Construction section
80% of the calculated (BOV) value
Permit Application Deposit (Commercial and Residential)City of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$150, non-refundable, due at submittal
Building Plan ReviewCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
65% of permit fee
Deferred Submittals — CommercialCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section (residential deferred submittals are a flat $100 per submittal instead)
$100/hour, minimum 2.5 hours
Engineering — Commercial Permit Application DepositCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Engineering — Commercial section
$150, non-refundable, due at submittal
Engineering — Commercial Plan ReviewCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Engineering — Commercial section
$325 per sheet
Planning & Zoning — Site Plan ReviewCity of El Mirage FY26-27 Adopted Fee Schedule, Planning & Zoning (P&Z) section; applies to new commercial development requiring formal Site Plan Review, not necessarily to every tenant-improvement or minor alteration project
$1,450 per request

Review timeline

Plan reviewEl Mirage’s published plan-review target
10–15 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Shell/Grey Buildings, Additions & Alterations) permit actually take in El Mirage?

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Inspection process

    See the full El Mirage inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

    Tips

    • Per the City of El Mirage Plan Review Turnaround Times document, Building Safety, Engineering, Fire, and Planning and Zoning review for Commercial Permits each allot 10 City business days for the first review and 5 City business days for each subsequent (resubmitted) review — the same figures as Residential Permits — preceded by a 10-business-day completeness check (5 business days for resubmittals); the clock does not start until all documents are uploaded and fees are paid.
    • Tenant Improvements are listed as their own 'Project Type' category in the Plan Review Turnaround Times table (with identical 10/5-business-day timelines) and have a dedicated Certificate of Occupancy Sign-Off Sheet variant, but no distinct TI fee line was found — budget using the same Based-on-Value schedule as general commercial construction.
    • Deferred submittals are billed differently for commercial projects ($100/hour, 2.5-hour minimum) than for residential ($100 flat per submittal) — factor this into budgeting for phased commercial permit packages.
    • A non-refundable $150 application deposit is due at submittal, separate from the Building Safety plan review/permit fee and the separate $150 Engineering deposit that applies specifically to Commercial Engineering permits.
    • Confirm ownership documentation before submitting: a recorded deed is required for commercial projects, while tenant-improvement projects may submit a copy of the lease agreement instead.

    Frequently asked questions

    El Mirage requires a commercial building permit (new construction, shell/grey buildings, additions & alterations) for: A commercial building permit is required for new commercial building construction, shell/grey (core-and-shell) buildings, additions, and alterations or tenant improvements to existing commercial structures, per the City of El Mirage Building Safety fee schedule's 'Commercial Construction' (New Construction and Shell/Grey Building) line items; Plans must comply with the 2018 IBC and, for work in existing buildings, the 2018 IEBC, both adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments per Resolution R23-05-10 (effective July 1, 2023); The contractor must hold a current City of El Mirage Business License ($100 annual fee per the Comprehensive Fee Schedule); the City's Demolition Permit Requirements document confirms a City of El Mirage Business License number is required contractor information on permit applications generally; All permit applications for commercial and tenant-improvement projects must include a recorded deed or other suitable evidence of ownership; for tenant improvements specifically, either a recorded deed or a copy of the lease agreement is accepted instead (per the City's Demolition Permit Requirements document, which states this ownership-evidence requirement applies to 'commercial, tenant improvement, residential and factory built structures' permit applications generally, not only demolition); Submittal is electronic-only via the ELM Online Permits portal (ci-elmirage-az.smartgovcommunity.com) — as of January 2, 2024 all plans must be submitted electronically, all documents must be scanned (photos of documents are not accepted), and an email address is required to create a submitter account; A non-refundable $150 permit application deposit is due at submittal for Commercial (and Residential) permits, separate from the permit and plan review fees themselves; Before occupancy, a Certificate of Occupancy requires sign-off from Building Inspection, Business License, Engineering Inspection, Fire Inspection, and Planning Inspection (Tenant Improvement CO sign-off omits the Engineering and Planning lines) — see this jurisdiction's certificate-of-occupancy-permit entry for the full CO process and fees. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of El Mirage Development Services Department — Building Safety / Permit Center at 623-972-8116 before starting work.

    In El Mirage, the published Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,000 or less is: $75 flat. Additional published fees: Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,001 to $999,999 — $100 base fee plus $6 per additional $1,000 of valuation; Fees Based on Value (BOV) — Valuation $1,000,000 and above — $100 base fee plus $5 per additional $1,000 of valuation; Shell/Grey (core-and-shell) Building — 80% of the calculated (BOV) value; Permit Application Deposit (Commercial and Residential) — $150, non-refundable, due at submittal; Building Plan Review — 65% of permit fee; Deferred Submittals — Commercial — $100/hour, minimum 2.5 hours; Engineering — Commercial Permit Application Deposit — $150, non-refundable, due at submittal; Engineering — Commercial Plan Review — $325 per sheet; Planning & Zoning — Site Plan Review — $1,450 per request. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Per the City of El Mirage Plan Review Turnaround Times document, Building Safety, Engineering, Fire, and Planning and Zoning review for Commercial Permits each allot 10 City business days for the first review and 5 City business days for each subsequent review, following a 10-business-day (5-business-day for resubmittals) completeness check.

    You'll need: Building Permit Application (ELM Online Permits); Site Plan and Construction Plans; Recorded Deed or Proof of Ownership (or Lease Agreement for Tenant Improvements); Certificate of Occupancy Sign-Off Sheet (Commercial or Tenant Improvement variant). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of El Mirage Development Services Department — Building Safety / Permit Center at 10000 N El Mirage Road, El Mirage, AZ 85335-3607. Phone: 623-972-8116, email: bgomez@elmirageaz.gov. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays). As of January 2, 2024, all plans must be submitted electronically through the ELM Online Permits portal (ci-elmirage-az.smartgovcommunity.com); the Development Services main line is 623-876-2977, TDD 623-933-3258, Fax 623-876-4605.. Official information: https://www.elmirageaz.gov/712/Permit-Center.

    El Mirage, 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 El Mirage runs its own Development Services / Building Safety Department and independently adopts and administers its own construction codes. Source: City of El Mirage Resolution R23-05-10 (adopted May 16, 2023) and City of El Mirage Permit Center page (elmirageaz.gov/712/Permit-Center).; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10 (A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of El Mirage, Arizona, Adopting the Following 2018 International Codes...), passed and adopted May 16, 2023, effective July 1, 2023. Source: City of El Mirage Resolution R23-05-10 and 'Adopted Codes and Amendments' (PDF), City of El Mirage Building Safety Documents & Quick Links page.; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Local IRC amendments include mandatory heating AND cooling (Section R303.10, capable of maintaining between 68-70°F and 90°F at 3 ft above floor / 2 ft from exterior walls), deletion of R313 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems in its entirety, and Section R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria per Table R301.2(1). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Residential Code.; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments (including Appendix B minimum fire flow amendment, deletion of Appendix M High-Rise retroactive sprinkler requirement, and addition of Appendix O Fire Emergency Access Signage Details), per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023; administered by the El Mirage/Surprise/Youngtown regional Fire Department (El Mirage Fire-Medical Department). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Fire Code.; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 — regulates energy efficiency in design/construction; the code's Chapter 11 residential energy provisions are folded into the IRC (N1101 et seq.) as adopted. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Green Construction Code (IGCC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted by reference, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 — violations may be prosecuted as a civil infraction (fine $50-$1,000 per violation) or a class 1 misdemeanor (up to 180 days imprisonment and/or a fine up to $2,500 per violation, up to $20,000 if the violator is an enterprise). Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, adopted by reference, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023, together with the Arizonans with Disabilities Act (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and the federal ADA. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments (e.g., an amendment to NEC Article E3908.8 Option Four — electrical metallic tubing wiring methods, requiring an additional equipment grounding conductor sized per Table E3908.12), per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 (note: electrical code cycle is one edition behind the 2018 ICC set). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2017 National Electrical Code.; Manufactured housing used as dwellings and private sewage disposal systems are governed directly by the Arizona Department of Housing's Manufactured Housing & Building Division regulations — IRC Appendix E (Manufactured Housing Used as Dwellings) and Appendix I (Private Sewage Disposal) are each deleted in their entirety by City of El Mirage local amendment and replaced with a cross-reference to the state agency's regulations. Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Residential Code, Appendices E and I.. Local amendments apply — see the El Mirage overview page for the full list.

    Tenant Improvements are tracked as their own 'Project Type' category in the City's Plan Review Turnaround Times table and have a dedicated Certificate of Occupancy Sign-Off Sheet variant (routing through Building Inspection, Business License, and Fire Inspection only, without Engineering or Planning). However, no separate published fee schedule for Tenant Improvements was found — the same Based-on-Value fee structure used for general commercial construction appears to apply.

    The City's Demolition Permit Requirements document and Contractor Guidelines for Building Demolition both state a contractor must possess a City of El Mirage Business License. The Comprehensive Fee Schedule lists an annual Business License fee of $100.

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

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