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Swimming Pool / Spa Permit in El Mirage, Arizona

Required for new swimming pools and spas with a depth of 18 inches or more in the City of El Mirage. Requires an engineer-stamped pool design, a notarized Pool Affidavit, and compliance with Arizona pool barrier requirements.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Applies to all new swimming pools and spas with a depth of 18 inches or more
  • Site Plan with dimensions indicating the location of the pool, including setback dimensions, required
  • Engineer-stamped set of pool standards or design plans required
  • Notarized Pool Affidavit required with all pool submittals
  • Must comply with ARS Title 36 (§ 36-1681 et seq.) pool barrier requirements
  • Fees for pools and spas are flat fees per the fee schedule; a non-refundable $150.00 application fee applies

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Swimming Pool / Spa (flat fee per fee schedule)City's Residential Property Improvements page confirms 'Fees for pool and spas are flat. See fee schedule.' — specific dollar figure was not separately legible as an itemized pool/spa line in the extracted Building Safety fee table; confirm exact flat amount with Development Services at 623-972-8116 before applying
Flat fee — see FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule
Permit Application DepositCity of El Mirage FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$150, non-refundable, due at submittal

Review timeline

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

How long did your Swimming Pool / Spa Permit permit actually take in El Mirage?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Pre-Gunite

    Excavation, steel/rebar, and plumbing verified before shotcrete/gunite application — see Pool Inspections Checklist

  2. 2

    Pre-Plaster

    Verified before interior finish is applied — see Pool Inspections Checklist

  3. 3

    Final

    Barrier/fencing compliance and equipment verified

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

Tips

  • A notarized Pool Affidavit is required with EVERY pool submittal in El Mirage — this is a hard submittal requirement, not optional.
  • Prefabricated above-ground pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 18 inches deep and no more than 5,000 gallons are exempt from a building permit (per the City's IBC 105.2 amendment); anything 18 inches deep or more requires a full permit.
  • See the City's Pool Inspections Checklist handout for exact pre-gunite and pre-plaster inspection expectations.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, for any new swimming pool or spa 18 inches deep or more. A notarized Pool Affidavit, engineer-stamped design plans, and a Site Plan with setback dimensions are required, along with compliance with Arizona statutory pool barrier requirements.

In El Mirage, the published Swimming Pool / Spa (flat fee per fee schedule) is: Flat fee — see FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule. Additional published fees: Permit Application Deposit — $150, non-refundable, due at submittal. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

El Mirage's published plan-review target for a swimming pool / spa permit is 10–15 business days.

You'll need: Pool Affidavit; ARS Pool Barrier Requirements Reference; Engineer-Stamped Pool Design Plans. Depending on your project, El Mirage may also ask for: Pool Inspections Checklist. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

El Mirage requires 3 inspection(s) for a swimming pool / spa permit, in order: Pre-Gunite, Pre-Plaster, Final. Schedule each through City of El Mirage Development Services Department — Building Safety / Permit Center (623-972-8116).

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.

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