Skip to main content
PermitBase

Residential Remodel Permit in Fountain Hills, Arizona

Required for remodels and alterations to existing one- and two-family dwellings in Fountain Hills that are not full additions with new foundation. Reviewed against the 2024 IRC as adopted and amended by the Town (Ordinance No. 25-06).

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 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

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet0 of 3 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our paid checklist will assemble all of them, from $29

Fee schedule

Single Family RemodelIncludes Permit and Plan Review. Town of Fountain Hills Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027, Building Fees section.
$0.24 per square foot
Single Family Remodel, non-A/C areaTown of Fountain Hills Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027.
$0.15 per square foot
Miscellaneous Plan Review or Inspection (1-hour minimum)Town of Fountain Hills Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027.
$115.00 per hour
Permit Extension — Residential remodel onlyIf Town has all records and project is within current code cycle. Town of Fountain Hills Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027.
$120.00 per extension
Refund for cancelled Building PermitRequest must be made in writing within 180 days of original payment. Town of Fountain Hills Comprehensive Fee Schedule FY2026-2027.
35% of building permit fee paid

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Residential Remodel Permit permit actually take in Fountain Hills?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Framing/Plumbing/Electrical/Mechanical

    Structural connections to existing structure, per the Town's 2024 Required Inspections list

  2. 2

    Insulation / Drywall

    Before and after drywall per approved plans

  3. 3

    Final Building

    Completed work verified against approved plans

See the full Fountain Hills inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Fountain Hills bills full additions with new foundation under the Residential Building Permit's per-square-foot livable/covered rates ($0.73/$0.55), while remodels without new foundation use the lower Single Family Remodel rate ($0.24/$0.15).
  • Detached one-story accessory structures 120 sq ft or less do not need a building permit under the Town's amended IBC/IRC 105.2 — a notably smaller no-permit threshold than some neighboring Maricopa County cities.
  • The Town's published A.R.S. §9-835 timeframe policy (Resolution 2013-48) covers only commercial/platting categories (Commercial Building Permit, New Commercial Construction, Tenant Improvements, etc.) — it does not list a residential remodel line item, so no verified review-timeframe applies here; call Building Safety at 480-816-5123.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if the work affects structural or life-safety elements (walls, electrical, plumbing, mechanical). The fee is $0.24 per square foot for A/C area and $0.15 per square foot for non-A/C area, per the Town's Comprehensive Fee Schedule.

In Fountain Hills, the published Single Family Remodel is: $0.24 per square foot. Additional published fees: Single Family Remodel, non-A/C area — $0.15 per square foot; Miscellaneous Plan Review or Inspection (1-hour minimum) — $115.00 per hour; Permit Extension — Residential remodel only — $120.00 per extension; Refund for cancelled Building Permit — 35% of building permit fee paid. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Fountain Hills does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) at 480-816-5123 for current turnaround.

You'll need: T.O.P.P.S. Application; Town of Fountain Hills One and Two Family Residential 2024 IRC Plan Submittal Checklist; Site/Plot Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Fountain Hills requires 3 inspection(s) for a residential remodel permit, in order: Rough Framing/Plumbing/Electrical/Mechanical, Insulation / Drywall, Final Building. Schedule each through Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) (480-816-5123).

Apply through Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) at Town Hall, 16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. Phone: 480-816-5123, email: pjohnson@fountainhillsaz.gov. Office hours: Building Safety office hours for plan review, phone calls, front counter assistance and building code questions: Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Inspections are conducted 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Town of Fountain Hills only accepts permit applications online through T.O.P.P.S. (Town's Online Permitting and Planning System), a Citizenserve-hosted portal; there is no walk-in/paper submittal option. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety page (fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety) and Building Permit Forms & Checklists page (fountainhillsaz.gov/502/Building-Permit-Forms-Checklists).. Official information: https://www.fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety.

Fountain Hills, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-municipality authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9). The Town of Fountain Hills independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Building Safety Division, a work unit within the Planning and Zoning Department; it does not defer permitting to Maricopa County. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety page (fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with Town of Fountain Hills amendments (Ordinance No. 25-06, repealing and replacing Town Code Chapter 7, Buildings and Building Regulations). Effective for all building permit applications received on or after September 1, 2025. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Adopted Codes page (fountainhillsaz.gov/208/Adopted-Codes); Ordinance No. 25-06 (fountainhillsaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12020).; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, with Appendix G, adopted by reference with Town amendments, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference (one edition behind the 2024 ICC set, consistent with the statewide pattern of NEC lagging one cycle). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference with Town amendments (IRC Section N1103.10.3 / R403.10.3 'Covers' deleted). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference as the Town of Fountain Hills Fire Code, with extensive Town amendments including Appendix P (Control and Suppression of Hazardous Fire Areas) and Appendix Q (Fountain Hills Fire-Related Incidents Citation Program) added; administered by the Fire Marshal / Fire Code Official. Note: the Town's residential fire-sprinkler requirement is preserved from the 2006 IFC as amended and adopted April 17, 2008, regardless of which edition of the Fire Code is otherwise in force. Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (ISPSC), adopted by reference with Town amendments (barrier height/clearance provisions amended). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 1997 Uniform Administrative Code, amended to adopt in part only — Section 304 and the referenced Tables 3-A through 3-H — solely for the purpose of determining fees. Source: Adopted Codes page.; 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, as published by the International Conference of Building Officials, adopted by reference with a Town amendment adding a definition for structures with construction cessation exceeding one year. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Standard Specifications and Uniform Details for Public Works Construction, adopted by reference for engineering/public-works construction. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; Removing Solar Equipment procedure/amendment, published separately by Building Safety. Source: fountainhillsaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12635.; NOTE: A prior 2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC adoption cycle (as reflected in older third-party directories) has been superseded — the Town Council adopted the 2024 code suite effective September 1, 2025 per Ordinance No. 25-06. Plans submitted on or after that date must use the 2024-cycle codes. Source: Adopted Codes page (fountainhillsaz.gov/208/Adopted-Codes), which explicitly states this notice.. Local amendments apply — see the Fountain Hills 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 Fountain Hills building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.