Fountain Hills building permits

Requirements

• Building permit required for new single-family/two-family dwelling construction and additions within Town limits
• Plans must comply with the 2024 IRC and Town of Fountain Hills amendments (Ordinance No. 25-06), including Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (105 mph wind; Seismic Design Category B; 34°F winter design temperature; 0 psf ground snow load; moderate-to-heavy termite potential)
• Automatic fire sprinklers are required throughout the entire new dwelling, including garages and carports, per the Town's amended IFC Section 903.2 (Ordinance No. 25-06) — plans must be submitted separately for the fire sprinkler system and noted on the house plans
• Engineering (lateral analysis for shear, retaining and gravity where required) must be sealed, signed and dated by an architect or engineer registered in the State of Arizona
• Submittal exclusively via T.O.P.P.S. (Town's Online Permitting and Planning System), a Citizenserve-hosted portal — no paper/walk-in applications accepted
• Full square-footage summary required (livable, garage, covered patios/porches, storage, mechanical), plus site plan, floor plan, foundation/floor/wall/roof framing details, and an energy-code compliance path (prescriptive, performance, or full RES-Check)

Required documents

• RequiredTown of Fountain Hills One and Two Family Residential 2024 IRC Plan Submittal ChecklistOfficial Town checklist covering site plan, square footage summary, engineering, foundations, floor/wall/roof framing, energy efficiency (IECC Table), mechanical (Manual J), fuel gas, plumbing, and electrical submittal requirements
• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal
• RequiredSite/Plot PlanLot dimensions, easements, setbacks, structure locations, and correct/complete address and legal description
• RequiredConstruction Drawings and Structural CalculationsSealed, signed and dated by an Arizona-registered architect or engineer where lateral, retaining, or gravity engineering is required
• RequiredFire Sprinkler PlansSubmitted separately from the building plan set per Town Fire Code amendment; house plans must note that fire sprinklers are required

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for remodels and alterations affecting structural or life-safety elements
• Additions with new foundation are billed under the Residential Building Permit livable/covered-area rates rather than the remodel rate
• Detached accessory structures one-story and 120 sq ft or less do not require a permit (Ordinance No. 25-06 amendment to IRC/IBC 105.2), but zoning/setback rules still apply
• Plans must comply with Town of Fountain Hills Design Criteria (105 mph wind, Exposure per Table R301.2(1); Seismic Design Category B)
• Submittal exclusively via T.O.P.P.S. online portal

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal
• RequiredTown of Fountain Hills One and Two Family Residential 2024 IRC Plan Submittal ChecklistApplies to remodel scope affecting structural, mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems
• RequiredSite/Plot PlanShowing existing structure and remodel/alteration footprint

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for panel repair and other standalone hard-wired electrical work not part of a larger building permit
• Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted by the Town of Fountain Hills
• One-Discipline Permit classification applies to standalone building, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work; a Combination Permit applies where multiple disciplines are involved in one minor scope
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal
• OptionalElectrical Load Calculation / One-Line DiagramRequired for service upgrades and panel work per Town electrical submittal practice

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for water heater replacement/solar (minor) and other standalone plumbing work
• Governed by the 2024 IPC as adopted by the Town of Fountain Hills
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for HVAC replacement (minor) and other standalone mechanical work
• Governed by the 2024 IMC as adopted by the Town of Fountain Hills
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal

Fee schedule

Requirements

• System must comply with NEC 2023 Article 690 (solar PV) and Article 706 (energy storage) as adopted by the Town of Fountain Hills
• Roof access/pathway requirements per IFC 1205: not fewer than two 36-inch-wide pathways from lowest roof edge to ridge on separate roof planes (or one on the street/driveway side), plus a ridge setback of 18 inches (arrays ≤33% of roof area) or 36 inches (arrays >33% of roof area)
• Rapid shutdown compliance required for rooftop systems per NEC 690.12
• One-line (single-line) diagram required showing PV array to battery storage, inverters, and main service panel; three-line diagram required if wire sizes/conduit/overcurrent protection/disconnects/grounding are not shown on the one-line
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS) restricted to specific locations under IRC R330 — detached garages/accessory structures, attached garages separated from living space, outdoors 3+ ft from doors/windows, or fire-rated enclosed utility/storage spaces — and prohibited in sleeping rooms or closets/spaces opening into sleeping rooms
• Individual ESS units capped at 20 kWh; aggregate ESS capped at 40 kWh (utility closets/basements/storage), 80 kWh (attached/detached garages), or 80 kWh (exterior walls or outdoors on the ground)
• Structural load calculations (engineer-certified) required for roof-mounted systems; wind load compliance for attachment methods per local design criteria
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredSolar Photovoltaic & Energy Storage Submittal Checklist (NEC 2023)Official Town checklist covering site plan, system description, equipment cut sheets, one-line/three-line diagrams, array requirements (NEC Article 690), inverter/interconnection details, grounding/bonding, labeling, structural considerations, and battery/ESS requirements (NEC Article 706, IRC R330)
• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal
• RequiredEquipment Cut Sheets & Manufacturer SpecificationsData sheets for solar panels, inverters, charge controllers, and batteries

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for EVSE/charging equipment installation as standalone electrical work not part of a larger building permit
• Governed by the 2023 NEC as adopted by the Town of Fountain Hills
• One-Discipline Permit classification applies to standalone electrical work such as an EVSE circuit; larger scope bundled with new construction or a remodel is billed under that permit type instead
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only — the Town accepts no walk-in/paper submittal

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal; no EV-specific application form was found published separately from the standard electrical permit application.
• OptionalElectrical Load Calculation / One-Line DiagramMay be required if the EVSE installation also involves a panel or service upgrade, per Town electrical submittal practice

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for any structure intended for swimming, recreational bathing, or wading that contains water more than 18 inches deep and/or more than 8 feet across
• Barrier top must be not less than 60 inches (Pool Checklist: 60 in. min / 72 in. max) above grade around the entire perimeter and 3 feet horizontally from the barrier
• Vertical clearance between grade and bottom of barrier not to exceed 2 inches (non-solid surfaces, e.g. grass/gravel) or 4 inches (solid surfaces, e.g. concrete)
• Barrier openings shall not allow passage of a 4-inch-diameter sphere; horizontal/vertical member spacing rules apply where barrier members are spaced less than 54 inches apart
• Pedestrian access gates must swing away from the pool, be self-closing, and self-latching, with specific release-mechanism height/setback rules
• All pumps, motors, drains, grates, return and suction fittings must comply with VGBA (Virginia Graeme Baker Act) anti-entrapment standards, with manufacturer cut sheets required
• Pool electrical panel location/ampacity, one-line drawing, and load calculations required; lighting cut sheets required to verify Dark Sky ordinance compliance
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredFountain Hills Pool Requirements & Pool ChecklistOfficial Town checklist covering site plan, barrier details/layout, engineering, electrical one-line/calculations/panel schedules, heater/pump/drain cut sheets, and VGBA compliance method
• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Fences not over 30 inches high do NOT require a building permit (Ordinance No. 25-06 amendment to IRC/IBC 105.2) — this is a materially lower no-permit threshold than many neighboring Maricopa County cities
• Retaining walls not over 2 feet in height (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) do NOT require a permit, UNLESS the wall supports a surcharge (or, under the IBC amendment, impounds Class I/II/IIIA liquids)
• Retaining walls above the 2-foot threshold require structural calculations and a building permit
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal
• RequiredSite Plan and Structural CalculationsRequired for retaining walls exceeding the Town's 2-foot no-permit threshold or supporting a surcharge

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Unlawful to erect, install, and/or modify any permanent sign within the Town without first applying for and obtaining a building permit from the Development Services Department (Zoning Ordinance § 6.03); 'modify' includes any change to a sign's size/shape, electrical components, design, or supporting structure
• No building permit required for: address numbers required by the Fire Code; any sign 4 square feet or less in area (not otherwise prohibited); repainting; minor nonstructural repairs to a sign or its supports; temporary signs; window signs; and changes to sign panel/copy on an existing sign — all remain subject to the chapter's other provisions, including Zoning Administrator approval where required (§ 6.03)
• A sign permit does NOT include electrical work — illuminated signs require a separate electrical permit application (§ 6.03)
• Building Wall Sign: 1.5 sq ft of sign area per lineal foot of occupancy frontage along a street (minimum 24 sq ft per occupancy with an exterior wall; maximum 100 sq ft per individual sign); corner buildings between 45° and 90° may transfer up to 25% of sign area from one frontage to the other; one sign per 50 ft of occupancy street frontage; signs may project no more than 12 inches from the wall (§ 6.08(A)(5))
• Monument Sign: maximum size/height by zoning district — Single Residential 32 sq ft/6 ft, Multiresidential 32 sq ft/8 ft, Commercial/Industrial 50 sq ft (individual sign)/12 ft; one monument sign per lot/parcel for each full 300 ft of street frontage, separated from any other monument sign on the same property by at least 150 ft (§ 6.08(A)(10))
• Banner signs require their own permit from Development Services (separate from a permanent-sign building permit): maximum 32 sq ft, one per occupancy, maximum 30 days per permit up to 150 days per calendar year (new businesses may qualify for up to 1 year via business-license documentation) (§ 6.08(A)(4))
• Multi-tenant commercial developments typically require a Comprehensive (Master) Sign Plan reviewed by the Planning Division, a separate fee product from the Building Safety sign-installation permit
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only — the Town accepts no walk-in/paper submittal

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal; no sign-specific standalone application form was found published separately from the general building permit application
• RequiredSign Plan / Elevation DrawingPer Zoning Ordinance § 6.03: sufficient information on property/building/tenant occupancy size, sign dimensions and size, sign height and location, lighting information (for Chapter 8 Outdoor Lighting Control compliance), and materials used
• OptionalComprehensive (Master) Sign PlanRequired for qualifying multi-tenant commercial/PAD developments; reviewed by the Planning Division separately from the individual sign building permit

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Fire sprinkler and fire alarm system plans are reviewed and permitted in-house by the Fountain Hills Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau (Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Mike Winters, 480-816-5114) — not a contracted fire district; the Town ended its Rural/Metro Corporation services contract at the close of 2023 and has run its own municipal department since 2024
• Governed by the Town-amended 2024 International Fire Code (Ordinance No. 25-06) and, for one- and two-family dwelling sprinkler systems specifically, the Town's own 'Interpretations and Applications of NFPA 13D' (2022 ed.), effective September 1, 2025
• Fountain Hills requires automatic fire sprinklers throughout essentially all new occupancies without a general size threshold (IFC §§ 903.2.2–903.2.10 as Town-amended), including garages, carports, and all Group R, M, S-1, and S-2 occupancies
• Town-amended IFC § 903.2.13 'Change of occupancy' independently requires an automatic sprinkler system for an EXISTING building or portion thereof undergoing a change of occupancy, whenever the change moves the building to a higher hazard level, or occurs within Hazard Level 1, per the ordinance's 5-tier hazard table (Level 1/highest: H, I, R-1, R-2, R-4; Level 2: A-2, A-5; Level 3: A-1, A-3, A-4; Level 4: E, F-1, M, S-1; Level 5/lowest: B, F-2, R-3, S-2, U)
• Residential (NFPA 13D) fire sprinkler submittals must be digital PDF only, include hydraulic calculations per NFPA 13-28.4 and product data sheets, and be signed/sealed by a minimum Level III NICET Certified Engineering Technician (automatic sprinkler systems) or an Arizona-registered Professional Engineer — with a narrow exception for adding/altering five or fewer sprinklers to an existing approved system
• A dedicated fire service line for a residential sprinkler system is not permitted — water supply must come from the domestic service line via a combination pump system where required, per the Town's NFPA 13D interpretations
• Rough inspection (all system components in place, connected to permanent water supply, cold-water tested at a minimum 200 psi for 2 hours with no visible leakage) and a final inspection (system flowed to verify flow-switch/alarm-bell activation, hydraulic design placard in place) are both witnessed by the Fountain Hills Fire Department before a system is placed in service
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only — no dedicated fire-sprinkler/alarm application form separate from the Town's general permit system was found published

Required documents

• RequiredT.O.P.P.S. ApplicationFiled through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal; no dedicated fire sprinkler/alarm application form distinct from the general permit application was found published on the Town's site
• RequiredFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Plans and Hydraulic CalculationsFor residential (NFPA 13D) systems: digital PDF only, signed/sealed by a NICET III CET or Arizona PE, including a scaled working plan (address, water meter size, static pressure, sprinkler model/manufacturer/temperature/orifice size, riser detail, hydraulic calculations, and more per the Town's Interpretations and Applications of NFPA 13D)
• OptionalInterpretations and Applications of NFPA 13D (2022 ed., eff. 9/1/2025)Fountain Hills Fire Department's local additions/amendments to NFPA 13D governing residential fire sprinkler submittal requirements, water supply, installation, sprinkler position, and system acceptance

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No standalone 'Change of Use Permit' or dedicated Certificate of Occupancy fee line item was found published in the Town's Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027 or on the Building Permit Forms & Checklists page — confirmed after checking both documents directly; the only Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) reference in the fee schedule is the condition attached to the $2,500 refundable Landscape Deposit (required at C of O if landscaping is not yet installed)
• Ordinance No. 25-06 adopts the 2024 IBC by reference with numerous Town amendments, but does not include a local amendment to IBC Chapter 1, Section 111 (Certificate of Occupancy) — meaning the standard, unmodified 2024 IBC Certificate of Occupancy provisions govern in Fountain Hills
• The Town's amended Fire Code § 903.2.13 ('Change of occupancy,' Ordinance No. 25-06) independently requires an automatic fire sprinkler system for an existing building or portion thereof undergoing a change of occupancy, when the change moves the building to a higher hazard level as defined in the ordinance's 5-tier hazard table, or occurs within Hazard Level 1 (H, I, R-1, R-2, R-4)
• A change of use accompanied by any physical/construction work is processed as a Commercial Remodel (Existing) or Tenant Improvement building permit via T.O.P.P.S, billed at the Town's per-square-foot commercial remodel rate rather than a change-of-use-specific fee
• A Zoning Verification Letter is available as a separate Development Services product to confirm a property's zoning district and permitted-use status, typically used where no construction permit is otherwise required
• Apply via T.O.P.P.S. online portal only for any permit-triggering scope of work

Required documents

• OptionalT.O.P.P.S. Application (Commercial Remodel / Tenant Improvement)Filed through the Citizenserve-hosted Town's Online Permitting and Planning System portal when a change of use involves construction work; no distinct 'Change of Use' application or checklist separate from the standard commercial building permit was found published
• OptionalZoning Verification Letter RequestSeparate Development Services product confirming a property's zoning district and use status; the applicable fee and process were not found published in detail beyond the Comprehensive Fee Schedule's line-item price

Fee schedule