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Commercial / Multifamily Building Permit in Surprise, Arizona

Required for non-residential construction, tenant improvements, additions, remodels, and multifamily residential construction in Surprise. All commercial projects must comply with the 2024 International Building Code (IBC) with Surprise local amendments (Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026). Under Arizona law (ARS § 9-462.13) and Surprise's local amendment to IBC 101.2, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes that are prohibited by state law from being required to comply with a commercial building code may instead comply with the 2024 IRC as adopted and amended by Surprise. Applications are submitted online through the Permits & Applications Portal (Clariti/Oncamino) with plans uploaded via ProjectDox.

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Submit permit through Permits & Applications Portal at app.oncamino.com/surprise-az with plans uploaded via ProjectDox
  • All work must comply with the 2024 IBC and Surprise local amendments (Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026)
  • Triplexes and fourplexes protected by ARS § 9-462.13 may comply with the 2024 IRC rather than IBC
  • Commercial projects designed under the 2018 codes that cannot be submitted before January 1, 2026 may file a code modification request for up to 90 days after the effective date of the new codes

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building/Fire Permit Fee — valuation-basedCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
Base: $100 per permit. Valuation $1.00–$999,999.99: $6.00 per each $1,000 of valuation. Valuation $1,000,000+: $5.00 per each $1,000 beyond the first $1,000,000.
Building Permit Administrative Processing FeeCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
0.50% of valuation (up to $999,999.99); 0.052% of valuation beyond the first $1,000,000.
Plan Review FeeCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
65% of the permit fee
Deferred Permit SubmittalCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
$165.00 per deferral
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO)Citywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026. Excludes phased multifamily projects when approved by the Community Development Director.
$500 for first 30 days; $1,000 for each subsequent 30-day period. Issued in 30-day increments only.
Print/Reproduction of Certificate of Occupancy OnlyCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
$75.00 per address

Review timeline

Plan reviewSurprise’s published plan-review target
16–40 business days

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation / Structural

    Structural, foundation, and underground inspections per approved plans.

  2. 2

    Rough Trades

    Rough electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and framing inspected before walls are closed.

  3. 3

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    All code-required work complete per approved plans; Certificate of Occupancy issued at conclusion.

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

Tips

  • The first plan review for commercial new construction and tenant improvements takes 16 working days per the Standard Development Review Timelines; additional reviews take 8 days.
  • Commercial solar photovoltaic projects use the residential addition/alteration review time (8 days first review) per the Standard Development Review Timelines.
  • Commercial projects in the 2018 code that cannot be submitted before January 1, 2026 may file a code modification request for up to 90 days after the effective date.

Frequently asked questions

Surprise requires a commercial / multifamily building permit for: Submit permit through Permits & Applications Portal at app.oncamino.com/surprise-az with plans uploaded via ProjectDox; All work must comply with the 2024 IBC and Surprise local amendments (Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026); Triplexes and fourplexes protected by ARS § 9-462.13 may comply with the 2024 IRC rather than IBC; Commercial projects designed under the 2018 codes that cannot be submitted before January 1, 2026 may file a code modification request for up to 90 days after the effective date of the new codes. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Surprise Community Development Department — Building Safety Division at 623-222-3000 before starting work.

In Surprise, the published Building/Fire Permit Fee — valuation-based is: Base: $100 per permit. Valuation $1.00–$999,999.99: $6.00 per each $1,000 of valuation. Valuation $1,000,000+: $5.00 per each $1,000 beyond the first $1,000,000.. Additional published fees: Building Permit Administrative Processing Fee — 0.50% of valuation (up to $999,999.99); 0.052% of valuation beyond the first $1,000,000.; Plan Review Fee — 65% of the permit fee; Deferred Permit Submittal — $165.00 per deferral; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) — $500 for first 30 days; $1,000 for each subsequent 30-day period. Issued in 30-day increments only.; Print/Reproduction of Certificate of Occupancy Only — $75.00 per address. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Surprise's published plan-review target for a commercial / multifamily building permit is 16–40 business days.

You'll need: Permits & Applications Portal submission (Clariti/Oncamino); Construction documents via ProjectDox. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Surprise requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial / multifamily building permit, in order: Foundation / Structural, Rough Trades, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Surprise Community Development Department — Building Safety Division (623-222-3000).

Apply through City of Surprise Community Development Department — Building Safety Division at 16000 N. Civic Center Plz., Surprise, AZ 85374. Phone: 623-222-3000, email: Community.Development@surpriseaz.gov. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding City-observed holidays. Official information: https://surpriseaz.gov/community-development.

Surprise, Arizona has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) with Appendices C, H, and O, and City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) with Appendices AC, BA, BB, BF, BG, BI, BJ, BL, BM, BO, CA, CB, CD, CE, CF, and CH, and City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities with City of Surprise local amendments — adopted by Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026. Local amendments apply — see the Surprise overview page for the full list.

Triplexes and fourplexes protected by Arizona state law (ARS § 9-462.13) from being required to comply with a commercial building code may comply with the 2024 International Residential Code as adopted and amended by Surprise, rather than the IBC. Contact Community Development at 623-222-3000 to confirm the applicable code for your project. Source: City of Surprise Local Amendments to the 2024 IBC, Ordinance 2025-14.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-29.

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

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