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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in Tempe, Arizona

Tempe regulates change of occupancy but does not publish a separately named 'change of use' permit. A change in the building occupancy classification of an existing space is permitted as a commercial building permit, submitted on the Building Permit [BP] Application under 'TENANT IMPROVEMENT - COMMERCIAL' or 'ADDITION / ALTERATION - COMMERCIAL', and results in the issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy. The City's Certificate of Occupancy page states that 'a change in the building occupancy class of an existing space' is one of the instances that will result in the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, and that buildings or structures shall not be used or occupied until the building inspector approves the final inspection and approves the building for occupancy. Tempe's adopted 2018 International Existing Building Code governs the change-of-occupancy work itself. Projects whose new use results in a change of occupancy for an existing building may also qualify for Tempe's Adaptive Reuse program.

Reviewed 2026-08-15 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Submit as a commercial building permit on the Building Permit [BP] Application, checking 'TENANT IMPROVEMENT - COMMERCIAL' or 'ADDITION / ALTERATION - COMMERCIAL' in the APPLICATIONS list
  • The application requires the Occupancy Group, Occupancy Area and Occupancy Load for the project, plus an estimated construction valuation at the time of initial application (Tempe City Code Sec. 8-109.3, printed on the application form)
  • Plans must be submitted electronically in accordance with the Electronic Plan (E-Plan) Review Submittal Guidelines
  • Commercial Plan Review verifies compliance with Tempe's adopted building codes, safety regulations and zoning requirements, and reviews for structural integrity, fire safety, accessibility and energy efficiency before permits are issued
  • A new Certificate of Occupancy is issued after all required inspections have been requested and approved; the certificate must be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises and may not be removed except by the building official
  • Buildings or structures shall not be used or occupied until the building inspector approves the final inspection and approves the building for occupancy
  • Optional Adaptive Reuse program eligibility: the building must have been constructed more than 20 years ago and be within city limits, be located within 100 feet of an arterial street, not exceed 5,000 square feet including proposed additions, and the new use must result in a change of occupancy for the existing building. The Community Development Director may approve projects meeting the intent of the program and two of the four criteria.

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building permit fee, Table 1-A (valuation based, effective July 1, 2026)Read from TABLE 1-A, BUILDING PERMIT FEES in Appendix A of the Tempe City Code (Municode). The table's citation line ends 'Ord. of 7-1-26(1)', and the City's Fees page publishes the 2026-2027 fees as effective July 1, 2026.
$1.00 to $500.00 valuation: $100.00. $501.00 to $2,000.00: $100.43 for the first $500.00 plus $6.87 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof. $2,001.00 to $25,000.00: $202.96 for the first $2,000.00 plus $31.52 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof. $25,001.00 to $50,000.00: $927.29 for the first $25,000.00 plus $22.72 for each additional $1,000.00. $50,001.00 to $100,000.00: $1,496.04 for the first $50,000.00 plus $15.77 for each additional $1,000.00. $100,001.00 to $500,000.00: $2,283.69 for the first $100,000.00 plus $12.58 for each additional $1,000.00. $500,001.00 to $1,000,000.00: $7,323.16 for the first $500,000.00 plus $10.71 for each additional $1,000.00. $1,000,001.00 and up: $12,665.30 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $8.25 for each additional $1,000.00.
Planning plan review fee, Table 2-A Building Permit Flat Fees (effective 07/01/2026)Read from TABLE 2-A in Appendix A of the Tempe City Code (Municode), whose citation line ends 'Ord. of 7-1-26(2)' and whose footnote reads '* Includes Plan Review fee 07/01/2026'. Note this supersedes the $143 figure recorded on Tempe's sign-permit entry from the 2025-2026 schedule; that entry has not been re-grounded in this pass.
$147.00
Plan review feeCollected separately at application submission, per the City's Community Development Service Fees documentation already recorded in this file's localAmendments. Not re-verified in this pass.
65% of the building permit fee
Temporary certificate of occupancy, first 30 days or each 30 day extension, up to 90 days (Table 2-A)The only occupancy-named line item anywhere in Table 2-A. There is no change-of-occupancy flat fee in the adopted schedule. Read from TABLE 1-A, BUILDING PERMIT FEES in Appendix A of the Tempe City Code (Municode). The table's citation line ends 'Ord. of 7-1-26(1)', and the City's Fees page publishes the 2026-2027 fees as effective July 1, 2026.
$1,006.00
Re-inspection fees assessed under provisions of Sec. 108.8; inspections for which no fee is specifically indicatedListed under 'Other fees' immediately following Table 1-A. Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated carry a one-hour minimum with half-hour increments thereafter. Read from TABLE 1-A, BUILDING PERMIT FEES in Appendix A of the Tempe City Code (Municode). The table's citation line ends 'Ord. of 7-1-26(1)', and the City's Fees page publishes the 2026-2027 fees as effective July 1, 2026.
$162.00 per hour

Review timeline

Plan reviewTempe’s published plan-review target
5–25 business days

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Tempe?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Commercial construction inspections

    Inspections required by the issued building permit for the change-of-occupancy work, scheduled through the Citizen Access Portal or the 24-hour IVR system. Inspections are conducted Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

  2. 2

    Final inspection and issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy

    After all required inspections have been requested and approved, the building inspector may deliver a Certificate of Occupancy to the job site. A change in the building occupancy class of an existing space is one of the instances that results in issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

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

Tips

  • There is no permit record type, application form or fee line in Tempe called 'change of use'. Ask the Permit Center (480-350-4311 / permitcenter@tempe.gov) which record type to open before submitting; in practice a change of occupancy goes in as TENANT IMPROVEMENT - COMMERCIAL or ADDITION / ALTERATION - COMMERCIAL on the Building Permit [BP] Application.
  • A change in the building occupancy class of an existing space triggers issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy, as does the first tenant build-out in a new shell building and a change in square footage of an existing space.
  • If the new use changes the occupancy of a building older than 20 years, under 5,000 square feet and within 100 feet of an arterial street, ask about the Adaptive Reuse program before designing. It provides a single point of contact and modified landscape, parking, lighting, mechanical-screening, on-site retention, restroom-facility and water-supply/sprinkler-detail standards.
  • A change of occupancy almost always drags fire along with it. Tempe's amended IFC Section 903.2 requires sprinklers throughout Group A, B, E, F-1, M, R, S-1 and S-2 parking garage occupancies with no area or occupant-load threshold, so a change into one of those groups can trigger a separate fire construction permit on the Fire Department's own clock.
  • Occupancy before completion is possible but expensive: a temporary or partial certificate of occupancy costs $1,006.00 for the first 30 days and for each 30 day extension, up to 90 days.
  • Tempe's fee schedule rolled over on July 1, 2026. Use the 2026-2027 Table 1-A and Table 2-A figures, not the 2025-2026 ones; fees are CPI-adjusted every July 1.

Frequently asked questions

Tempe requires a change of use / change of occupancy permit for: Submit as a commercial building permit on the Building Permit [BP] Application, checking 'TENANT IMPROVEMENT - COMMERCIAL' or 'ADDITION / ALTERATION - COMMERCIAL' in the APPLICATIONS list; The application requires the Occupancy Group, Occupancy Area and Occupancy Load for the project, plus an estimated construction valuation at the time of initial application (Tempe City Code Sec. 8-109.3, printed on the application form); Plans must be submitted electronically in accordance with the Electronic Plan (E-Plan) Review Submittal Guidelines; Commercial Plan Review verifies compliance with Tempe's adopted building codes, safety regulations and zoning requirements, and reviews for structural integrity, fire safety, accessibility and energy efficiency before permits are issued; A new Certificate of Occupancy is issued after all required inspections have been requested and approved; the certificate must be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises and may not be removed except by the building official; Buildings or structures shall not be used or occupied until the building inspector approves the final inspection and approves the building for occupancy; Optional Adaptive Reuse program eligibility: the building must have been constructed more than 20 years ago and be within city limits, be located within 100 feet of an arterial street, not exceed 5,000 square feet including proposed additions, and the new use must result in a change of occupancy for the existing building. The Community Development Director may approve projects meeting the intent of the program and two of the four criteria.. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at 480-350-4311 before starting work.

The cost is the ordinary valuation-based commercial building permit fee from Table 1-A of the adopted fee schedule (for example $2,283.69 for the first $100,000.00 of valuation plus $12.58 for each additional $1,000.00), plus a plan review fee equal to 65% of the building permit fee and the $147.00 planning plan review flat fee from Table 2-A. There is no separate change-of-occupancy fee line in the adopted schedule.

Tempe Building Safety's Target Turn-Around Times sheet, revised 8/26/2025, targets 5 to 10 working days for the initial review of a tenant improvement under $500,000, 10 to 15 working days over $500,000, 15 to 20 over $5 million and 15 to 25 over $10 million. Resubmittals run 6 to 16 working days depending on tier. The statutory A.R.S. Sec. 9-835 frames are 15 calendar days for administrative completeness and 350 calendar days for substantive review.

You'll need: Building Permit [BP] Application; Commercial plan set (E-Plan electronic submittal). Depending on your project, Tempe may also ask for: Partial or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Checklist. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tempe requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Commercial construction inspections, Final inspection and issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center (480-350-4311).

Apply through City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at City of Tempe City Hall, 31 E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281. Phone: 480-350-4311, email: permitcenter@tempe.gov. Office hours: Contact the Permit Center at 480-350-4311 or permitcenter@tempe.gov for current hours; inspections are conducted Monday–Friday 6:30 AM–3:30 PM (inspection requests received before midnight are inspected the following business day). Official information: https://www.tempe.gov/government/community-development/building-safety/permit-center.

Tempe, Arizona has adopted: 2018 Tempe Building Safety Administrative Code (local administrative provisions) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEMC2018P2); 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEBC2018P1); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPERC2018P11); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEMC2018P11); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEFGC2018P11); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEECC2018P1); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEEBC2018P22); 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEPC2018P11); 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPESPSC2018P1); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (codes.iccsafe.org/content/AZTEMPEFC2018P1); 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published on the ICC Safe platform (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=CH8BUBURE_ARTXIINGRCOCO); 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted with Tempe amendments; published in the Tempe City Code (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=CH8BUBURE_ARTVIII2017NAELCO). Local amendments apply — see the Tempe overview page for the full list.

Tempe regulates change of occupancy but issues no permit by that name. A change in the building occupancy classification of an existing space is submitted as a commercial building permit on the Building Permit [BP] Application (TENANT IMPROVEMENT - COMMERCIAL or ADDITION / ALTERATION - COMMERCIAL) and results in the issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy. The City's Certificate of Occupancy page lists 'a change in the building occupancy class of an existing space' as one of the instances that results in a certificate being issued.

Other permits in Tempe

Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family / Duplex / Townhome)Commercial / Multifamily Building Permit (Tenant Improvement, New Commercial, Mixed-Use)Electrical PermitPlumbing Permit (incl. Water/Sewer Line Replacement)Mechanical / HVAC PermitResidential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit — SolarAPP+ eligibleResidential Swimming Pool / Spa PermitAccessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) PermitPatio Cover Permit (Single-Family Residence Addition)Demolition PermitSign Permit (Building / Wall-Mounted, Monument, Banner)Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station PermitFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit (Fire Construction Permit)

Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in other cities

Apache Junction, ArizonaBuckeye, ArizonaCamp Verde, ArizonaCocopah Indian Tribe, ArizonaDewey-Humboldt, ArizonaDuncan, ArizonaEagar, ArizonaFort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona

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