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Electrical Permit in Tempe, Arizona

Electrical work in Tempe is governed by the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Tempe amendments, adopted in Tempe City Code Chapter 8, Article VIII. Electrical permits are applied for through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal. A flat-rate fee applies for residential electrical service replacements or upgrades under 300 amps (Table 2-A); all other electrical work uses the valuation-based Table 1-A building permit fee, plus a 65% plan review fee where plan review is required.

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Electrical work must comply with the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Tempe amendments (Tempe City Code Ch. 8, Art. VIII)
  • Apply electronically through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal (epermits.tempe.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx)
  • Contractor Affidavit required (State of AZ requirement per AZ Department of Revenue)
  • Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)-licensed electrical contractor generally required; owner-builder exemptions may apply under ARS 32-1121 Owner-builderContractor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Replace/Upgrade Residential Electrical Service < 300 Amp — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025)Table 2-A — Building Permit Flat Fees, effective July 1, 2025: 'REPLACE/UPGRADE RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL SERVICE < 300 AMP — $195 *Includes Plan Review fee.' Source: Table 2-A (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA2UIPEFLFE).
$195 (includes plan review)
Temporary Power Pole or Pedestal — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025)Table 2-A — Building Permit Flat Fees: 'TEMPORARY POWER POLE OR PEDESTAL — $97 *Includes Plan Review fee.' Source: Table 2-A (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA2UIPEFLFE).
$97 (includes plan review)
Other electrical work — valuation-based (Table 1-A, effective July 1, 2025)For electrical work not covered by a Table 2-A flat rate, the valuation-based Table 1-A applies. Source: Table 1-A (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA1UIPEFE).
Per Table 1-A tiers. Plan Review Fee is 65% of the building permit fee, collected separately at application.

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Tempe building department
~1–10 business days

How long did your Electrical Permit permit actually take in Tempe?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough electrical (before covering)

    Rough wiring, conduit, and electrical rough-in inspected before walls are closed; all work must be approved by the inspector before proceeding.

  2. 2

    Final electrical

    Final inspection of all completed electrical work per approved plans and the 2017 NEC with Tempe amendments; scheduled through the Citizen Access Portal or 24-hour IVR.

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

Tips

  • Tempe adopted the 2017 NEC with Tempe amendments — not the 2020 or 2023 NEC; verify work is designed to the 2017 edition.
  • A flat $195 fee (Table 2-A, includes plan review) applies to replacement or upgrade of residential electrical service under 300 amps — no separate plan review fee.
  • All permit applications must be submitted electronically through the Citizen Access Portal.

Frequently asked questions

Tempe requires an electrical permit for: Electrical work must comply with the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Tempe amendments (Tempe City Code Ch. 8, Art. VIII); Apply electronically through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal (epermits.tempe.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx); Contractor Affidavit required (State of AZ requirement per AZ Department of Revenue); Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)-licensed electrical contractor generally required; owner-builder exemptions may apply under ARS 32-1121. 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.

In Tempe, the published Replace/Upgrade Residential Electrical Service < 300 Amp — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025) is: $195 (includes plan review). Additional published fees: Temporary Power Pole or Pedestal — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025) — $97 (includes plan review); Other electrical work — valuation-based (Table 1-A, effective July 1, 2025) — Per Table 1-A tiers. Plan Review Fee is 65% of the building permit fee, collected separately at application.. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for an electrical permit in Tempe typically runs 1–10 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Tempe Community Development Department — Building Safety Division / Permit Center at 480-350-4311.

You'll need: Contractor Affidavit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tempe requires 2 inspection(s) for an electrical permit, in order: Rough electrical (before covering), Final electrical. 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 adopted the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Tempe amendments, codified in Tempe City Code Chapter 8, Article VIII. Source: Tempe Building Codes and Amendments page (tempe.gov/businesses/building-code) and Tempe City Code (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=CH8BUBURE_ARTVIII2017NAELCO).

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

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