Glendale building permits

Building department

Address

5850 West Glendale Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85301

Phone

623-930-2800

Email

permits@glendaleaz.com

Office hours

Counter assistance hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Development Services Center, per the Building Safety Contact Information page; verified 2026-07-16)

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Glendale's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Glendale — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Arizona has no statewide building code for non-state buildings; codes are adopted locally. According to the International Code Council, codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are predominantly the I-codes, with different cities and counties choosing their own editions and local amendments. The Arizona State Fire Code (adopting the 2018 IFC) applies only to state and county buildings, public and private schools, and non-residential occupancies in areas without a locally adopted fire code — it does not establish a statewide residential or commercial building code floor. Each city and county adopts its own code editions independently, resulting in different I-Code years and amendment sets across jurisdictions. There is no state-mandated minimum edition; enforcement is entirely local. Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.

• 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and I, with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendices BB, BC, BF, BO and CF, with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), including Appendices C and E, with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), including Appendices A and B, with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-52, effective January 9, 2026
• 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), with Glendale amendments — adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026
• 2024 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), as published by ICC — adopted by Ordinance O25-51 (voluntary compliance), effective January 9, 2026
• 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines; Arizonans with Disabilities Act (A.R.S. §§ 41-1492.03)
• ICC A117.1-2009 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
• City of Glendale Revised Sound Attenuation Standards
• Maricopa Association of Governments Fireplace Standard
• Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, March 6, 1991)

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (Single Family / Custom Home)

  Required for new single-family dwellings and custom homes in Glendale. The applicant submits a completed Permit/Plan Review Application (Residential) along with two sets of construction documents to the Development Services Center at 5850 West Glendale Avenue. Plans are reviewed for compliance with the 2024 Glendale building codes (adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026). The permit is issued once plans are approved and permit fees are paid. Inspections are scheduled by calling before 5 a.m. for a same-day inspection.

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• Residential Addition / Remodel Permit

  Required for additions, remodels, room additions, patio enclosures, carport-to-garage conversions, patio covers, and detached structure additions on single-family residential properties in Glendale. The applicant submits a completed Permit/Plan Review Application (Residential 2026) with construction documents to the Development Services Center. Glendale publishes ready-to-use permit packets for common addition types (Patio Enclosure, Residential Addition / Room Addition, Carport to Garage Enclosure, Detached Structure Addition, Patio Cover Addition) on the Permit Packets page. Permit fees are valuation-based per Table 3A.

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• Electrical Permit

  Electrical work in Glendale is governed by the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026. Residential electrical permits are applied for using the Permit/Plan Review Application (Residential 2026). Glendale charges electrical permit fees on a per-item basis (base fee plus individual counts of circuits, fixtures, outlets, appliances, and sub-panels) rather than a valuation-based Table 3A fee. An electrical clearance inspection fee applies when required by the utility company to energize service.

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• Plumbing Permit

  Plumbing work in Glendale is governed by the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC, with Appendices C and E) as adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026. Residential plumbing permits are applied for using the Permit/Plan Review Application (Residential 2026). Glendale charges plumbing permit fees on a per-item basis (base fee plus individual fixture, sewer, water piping, and drainage counts).

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• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Mechanical and HVAC work in Glendale is governed by the 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC, with Appendices A and B) as adopted by Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026. Residential mechanical permits are applied for using the Permit/Plan Review Application (Residential 2026). Glendale charges mechanical permit fees on a per-item basis (base fee plus counts of air handlers, furnaces, evaporative coolers, vents, etc.).

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• Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

  A building permit is required for residential rooftop photovoltaic systems in Glendale. Photovoltaic work must comply with Glendale's currently adopted codes — the 2024 IRC and 2023 NEC (Ordinance O25-51, effective January 9, 2026). The applicant submits two complete sets of plans to the Development Services Center, including a site plan showing all buildings and the PV unit location, a three-line diagram, electrical one-line diagram, roof plan, cut sheets for all equipment, and specifications. The permit fee is valuation-based (Table 3A) calculated on the system's value including installation (before rebates).

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• EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit

  The City of Glendale's Community Development Fee Schedule (effective 5/10/2019, still the current posted schedule) has no dedicated 'EV charger,' 'EVSE,' or 'electric vehicle' line item -- unlike solar PV, which has its own submittal checklist and is billed via the same itemized Electric Permit fee table. Installing a Level 2 (240V) home or commercial EV charging station requires a standard City of Glendale Electric Permit, billed under the fee schedule's per-component residential electrical items (base permit fee plus whichever of sub-panel, service-upgrade, or miscellaneous-circuit fees apply to the specific job), governed by NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) as adopted via the 2023 NEC.

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• Fence / Wall Permit

  A building permit is required for fences and walls in Glendale, except fences other than swimming pool barriers and perimeter subdivision fences that are 7 feet (2134 mm) or less in height, which are exempt from permit requirements per Glendale's amended IBC Section 105.2. For fences/walls requiring a permit (over 7 feet, retaining walls of any height, and swimming pool barriers), the applicant submits a completed permit application. Fence and wall permit fees are charged per square foot of wall face area rather than on valuation.

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• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit

  An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a secondary living unit on the same lot as a single-family detached dwelling, with a kitchenette or kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. Glendale permits one attached ADU and one detached ADU per single-family lot (or up to two detached ADUs on lots one acre or more if one is deed-restricted as affordable housing). ADUs must not exceed 1,000 square feet. A Zoning Clearance Letter from the Planning Division is required before submitting construction documents. All ADUs must have separate utility meters (including a separate city water meter from the main dwelling).

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• Demolition Permit

  A demolition permit is required for the demolition of structures in Glendale. The fee is a flat rate per structure for residential demolition, and a higher flat rate for commercial demolition. The applicant submits a completed permit application to the Development Services Center.

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• Commercial / Multifamily Building Permit

  A commercial building permit is required for new commercial construction, commercial remodels and tenant improvements, and multifamily residential projects. Plans are submitted to the Development Services Center and may be submitted electronically via Glendale's electronic plan submittal system. The permit fee is valuation-based per Table 3A; a minimum commercial permit fee of $114.35 applies. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued upon successful final inspection.

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• Sign Permit

  A sign permit is required for commercial signage in Glendale, including wall signs, monument/freestanding signs, and face changes. Plans are reviewed by the Building Safety Division against the sign requirements in Glendale Municipal Code Section 7.100 (Sign Ordinance). New tenants must have an approved tenant improvement permit or an issued Certificate of Occupancy before a sign permit can be issued. All submittals require landlord approval on company letterhead.

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• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit

  The Glendale Fire Department (established 1912) reviews and permits its own fire protection systems directly, rather than through an outside fire district — it is one of the Arizona municipalities with its own locally-enacted fire code (2024 IFC with Glendale amendments, adopted by Ordinance O25-52 effective January 9, 2026). Automatic fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and fire alarm panels are each selected as distinct line items on the single 'Glendale Fire Department Construction Permits' checklist submitted with plan review, and each carries its own fee schedule. Small tenant-improvement-scale sprinkler and alarm work can qualify for an expedited Over-the-Counter (OTC) permit instead of full plan review.

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• Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy

  Glendale's real local equivalent of a 'change of use' permit is its Certificate of Occupancy (CO) process, issued by the Building Safety Division. All new businesses, and any change of ownership, change of FEIN, or change of business name, require a Certificate of Occupancy in the new business's name. If construction work (fire, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or structural) is involved, a Tenant Improvement permit application and plans must be submitted; if no construction work is anticipated, a 'No Work Certificate of Occupancy' (NWCO) application is submitted instead. A separate Change of Occupancy or Use fee applies when the classification of use changes, per the City's fee schedule (charged hourly, 2-hour minimum, for plan review and inspection). Existing buildings vacant for one year or longer require a new Certificate of Occupancy before occupancy resumes.

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