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Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Custom Home) in Surprise, Arizona

Required for new single-family dwellings and custom residences in Surprise. Applications are submitted online through the Permits & Applications Portal (Clariti/Oncamino); after initial approval, plans are uploaded and reviewed via ProjectDox. Permit fees are valuation-based: a flat $100 base fee plus $6 per each $1,000 of valuation up to $999,999.99 (then $5 per $1,000 beyond the first $1 million), plus an administrative processing fee of 0.50% of valuation (for the first $1 million). Plan review is 65% of the permit fee. Custom homes submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2024 I-Codes as locally amended.

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Submit the permit request online through the Permits & Applications Portal at app.oncamino.com/surprise-az; after approval, upload construction documents via ProjectDox
  • Plans must comply with the 2024 International Residential Code (for one- and two-family dwellings) or 2024 IBC (for commercial/multifamily), with Surprise local amendments adopted under Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026
  • A licensed Arizona contractor is generally required; property owners building their own primary residence may qualify for an owner-builder permit under applicable Arizona law Owner-builder
  • Permit is valid for 24 months from issuance; work must commence within 180 days of issuance; more than 180 days between inspections will void the permit

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building/Fire Permit Fee — base + valuation tiersCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026. Valuation is determined by the City based on ICC Building Valuation Data.
Base: $100 per permit (Fee 1 of 3). Valuation $1.00–$999,999.99: $6.00 per each $1,000 of valuation (Fee 2 of 3). Valuation $1,000,000+: $5.00 per each $1,000 beyond the first $1,000,000 (Fee 3 of 3).
Building Permit Administrative Processing FeeCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
0.50% of valuation (for first $999,999.99); 0.052% of valuation beyond the first $1,000,000.
Building/Fire/Landscape Plan Review FeeCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026. Applied per permit.
65% of the permit fee
Re-inspectionCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026.
$100 per hour ($200.00 minimum)
After-hours inspectionCitywide Fee Schedule, Resolution #2026-16, effective 5/19/2026. Subject to availability; requires After Hours Inspection Form submitted to Development Center and fee paid prior to appointment.
$100 per hour ($200.00 minimum); weekends/holidays/3rd shift: $100 per hour ($300.00 minimum)

Review timeline

Plan reviewSurprise’s published plan-review target
15–30 business days

How long did your Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Custom Home) 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 / Pre-pour

    Underground plumbing, electrical, rebar, and footings inspected before concrete is poured.

  2. 2

    Rough Framing and Trades

    Rough framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspected before insulation and drywall.

  3. 3

    Insulation

    Insulation inspected before drywall installation where required by energy code.

  4. 4

    Final

    All work complete per approved plans; all fixtures, devices, and systems inspected at final before Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

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

Tips

  • Custom home plans submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2024 I-Codes (Ordinance 2025-14); plans designed to the 2018 codes will not be accepted for new submittals after that date.
  • Submit through the Clariti/Oncamino Portal first; plans are uploaded separately in ProjectDox only after the Portal submission is approved and login credentials are provided.
  • The permit fee is valuation-based: for a $300,000 home, example fee = $100 + ($300 × $6) = $1,900 permit fee + $1,235 plan review (65%) + $1,500 admin processing (0.50%) = approximately $4,635 total.
  • Permit validity is 24 months from issuance — all required inspections including final must occur before expiration.

Frequently asked questions

Surprise requires a residential building permit (new construction / custom home) for: Submit the permit request online through the Permits & Applications Portal at app.oncamino.com/surprise-az; after approval, upload construction documents via ProjectDox; Plans must comply with the 2024 International Residential Code (for one- and two-family dwellings) or 2024 IBC (for commercial/multifamily), with Surprise local amendments adopted under Ordinance 2025-14, effective January 1, 2026; A licensed Arizona contractor is generally required; property owners building their own primary residence may qualify for an owner-builder permit under applicable Arizona law; Permit is valid for 24 months from issuance; work must commence within 180 days of issuance; more than 180 days between inspections will void the permit. 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 — base + valuation tiers is: Base: $100 per permit (Fee 1 of 3). Valuation $1.00–$999,999.99: $6.00 per each $1,000 of valuation (Fee 2 of 3). Valuation $1,000,000+: $5.00 per each $1,000 beyond the first $1,000,000 (Fee 3 of 3).. Additional published fees: Building Permit Administrative Processing Fee — 0.50% of valuation (for first $999,999.99); 0.052% of valuation beyond the first $1,000,000.; Building/Fire/Landscape Plan Review Fee — 65% of the permit fee; Re-inspection — $100 per hour ($200.00 minimum); After-hours inspection — $100 per hour ($200.00 minimum); weekends/holidays/3rd shift: $100 per hour ($300.00 minimum). 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 residential building permit (new construction / custom home) is 15–30 business days.

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

Surprise requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction / custom home), in order: Foundation / Pre-pour, Rough Framing and Trades, Insulation, Final. 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.

Submit your permit request online through the Permits & Applications Portal at app.oncamino.com/surprise-az. Once the submission is approved, you will receive login credentials to upload your construction documents via ProjectDox, where City staff will conduct the plan review. Source: City of Surprise Building Inspections & Plan Review page and Permits & Applications page, surpriseaz.gov.

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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