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Commercial / Multifamily Building Permit in Phoenix, Arizona

A commercial building permit is required for residential construction involving multi-family projects of three or more units, condominiums, and apartment buildings, as well as non-residential construction including new construction, remodels, additions, tenant improvements, and changes of use. The permit is issued when structures are designed in accordance with the building codes and all other applicable codes and ordinances. Commercial plan review, permitting, and inspections are handled through the SHAPE PHX portal (commercial functions available in SHAPE PHX effective April 27, 2026) and the Electronic Plan Review (EPR) program.

Verified 2026-07-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Required for multi-family projects of three or more units, condominiums, and apartment buildings, plus all non-residential new construction, remodels, additions, tenant improvements, and changes of use
  • Structures must be designed in accordance with the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code and all other applicable codes and ordinances
  • Submit through the SHAPE PHX portal / Electronic Plan Review (EPR); see Commercial Applications and Checklists for required forms
  • A change-in-use Certificate of Occupancy without construction requires both a plan review and a field inspection step

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building permit — valuation-based (Table A)PDD Fee Schedule, Table A (Ordinance G-7465, effective 1/20/2026, Appendix A.2). Project valuation = building square footage times the per-occupancy square-foot construction cost from the ICC Building Valuation Data (August 2025) national table.
Same Table A as residential: $50,001–$200,000 = $703 on first $50,000 plus $9 per additional $1,000; $200,001–$1,000,000 = $2,053 on first $200,000 plus $9 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001–$10,000,000 = $9,253 on first $1,000,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000.
Plan review — General Plan Review (commercial)PDD Fee Schedule — Building Safety Plan Review Fees (Ordinance G-7465). Fire Life Safety Plan Review is $195/hour, minimum $1,170 (6-hours) where applicable.
Commercial with project valuations of $50K or less: 100% of the permit fee, minimum $195 (1-hour). Commercial over $50K: 80% of the permit fee, minimum $195 (1-hour).
Temporary / Partial Certificate of OccupancyPDD Fee Schedule — Building Safety Inspection Fees, Certificate of Occupancy (Ordinance G-7465). A CofO issued at the conclusion of all code-required construction has no additional charge.
$780 per request (Temporary CofO valid up to 180 days, not to exceed permit expiration; Partial CofO $780 per request)
Expedited Plan ReviewPDD Fee Schedule — Optional Plan Review Services (Ordinance G-7465)
Initial review: 3 times the basic plan review fee; 2nd review only: 1 time the basic plan review fee (subject to Director's approval; availability limited)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Phoenix building department
~15–40 business days

How long did your Commercial / Multifamily Building Permit permit actually take in Phoenix?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation / Structural

    Foundation, structural, and rough-trade inspections during construction per the approved plans and the 2024 PBCC

  2. 2

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    Final inspection of all code-required construction; Certificate of Occupancy issued at conclusion (Temporary or Partial CofO available for a fee)

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

Tips

  • Multi-family of three or more units (condos, apartments) is permitted as commercial, not residential, in Phoenix.
  • Commercial plan review, permitting, and inspections moved into the SHAPE PHX portal effective April 27, 2026; the Electronic Plan Review (EPR) program supports digital submittal.
  • Phased, partial, and deferred submittal permits are charged at 200% of the permit fee based on the valuation of the permitted work.
  • Self-Certification is available to qualified firms (Self-Certification Class is $1,950, valid 3 years) with a 10% program administration surcharge (minimum $195).

Frequently asked questions

Phoenix requires a commercial / multifamily building permit for: Required for multi-family projects of three or more units, condominiums, and apartment buildings, plus all non-residential new construction, remodels, additions, tenant improvements, and changes of use; Structures must be designed in accordance with the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code and all other applicable codes and ordinances; Submit through the SHAPE PHX portal / Electronic Plan Review (EPR); see Commercial Applications and Checklists for required forms; A change-in-use Certificate of Occupancy without construction requires both a plan review and a field inspection step. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department at 602-262-7811 before starting work.

In Phoenix, the published Building permit — valuation-based (Table A) is: Same Table A as residential: $50,001–$200,000 = $703 on first $50,000 plus $9 per additional $1,000; $200,001–$1,000,000 = $2,053 on first $200,000 plus $9 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001–$10,000,000 = $9,253 on first $1,000,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000.. Additional published fees: Plan review — General Plan Review (commercial) — Commercial with project valuations of $50K or less: 100% of the permit fee, minimum $195 (1-hour). Commercial over $50K: 80% of the permit fee, minimum $195 (1-hour).; Temporary / Partial Certificate of Occupancy — $780 per request (Temporary CofO valid up to 180 days, not to exceed permit expiration; Partial CofO $780 per request); Expedited Plan Review — Initial review: 3 times the basic plan review fee; 2nd review only: 1 time the basic plan review fee (subject to Director's approval; availability limited). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a commercial / multifamily building permit in Phoenix typically runs 15–40 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department at 602-262-7811.

You'll need: Commercial Applications and Checklists. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Phoenix requires 2 inspection(s) for a commercial / multifamily building permit, in order: Foundation / Structural, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department (602-262-7811).

Apply through City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department at 200 West Washington Street, 2nd/3rd Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Phone: 602-262-7811, email: pdd@phoenix.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (City business hours), except major holidays. Official information: https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd.html.

Phoenix, Arizona has adopted: 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code (PBCC) — adopted by Phoenix City Council June 18, 2025, effective August 1, 2025 (Ordinance G-7397); 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendix E, with Phoenix amendments (IBC Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions adopted); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendices BA, BB, BF, BG, BI, BJ, BO, CA, CB, CD, CE, CF, NB, and NE, with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), including Appendices C and E, with Phoenix amendments; 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), including Appendices A, B, C, I and M, with Phoenix amendments; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), with Phoenix amendments; 2024 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — optional; 2022 ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators; 2023 ASME A17.3; 2022 ASME A17.6; 2023 ASME A18.1; ADA: referenced ICC A117.1-2017 as scoped in the amended 2024 IBC, plus the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Local amendments apply — see the Phoenix overview page for the full list.

A commercial building permit is required for multi-family residential of three or more units (condos, apartments) and all non-residential construction — new construction, remodels, additions, tenant improvements, and changes of use. Submit through the SHAPE PHX portal / Electronic Plan Review. Source: City of Phoenix Commercial and Multifamily Building page, phoenix.gov.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-16.

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

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