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Residential Swimming Pool / Spa Permit in Tempe, Arizona

A permit is required for new residential swimming pools and spas in Tempe under the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) with Tempe amendments. The flat fee for a new residential swimming pool is $489 (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025), which includes the plan review fee. All applications are submitted through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal.

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New residential swimming pool permit required; comply with 2018 ISPSC with Tempe amendments
  • Apply electronically through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal (epermits.tempe.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx)
  • Contractor Affidavit required
  • A Pool Elevation Waiver is available for applicable projects (see Inspections page)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

New Residential Swimming Pool Permit — flat fee (Table 2-A, effective July 1, 2025)Table 2-A — Building Permit Flat Fees: 'NEW RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL PERMIT — $489 *Includes Plan Review fee.' Effective July 1, 2025. Source: Table 2-A (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA2UIPEFLFE).
$489 (includes plan review)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Tempe building department
~3–15 business days

How long did your Residential Swimming Pool / Spa 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

    Pre-deck / structural (before covering)

    Pool shell, bonding/grounding, and plumbing inspected before the deck is poured; must be approved by the inspector before proceeding.

  2. 2

    Final / barrier

    Final pool inspection including pool barrier/enclosure compliance per 2018 ISPSC with Tempe amendments.

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

Tips

  • The flat $489 Table 2-A fee covers both the permit and plan review for a new residential pool.
  • A Pool Elevation Waiver is available for applicable projects — see the Tempe Inspections page.
  • Pool barrier requirements apply per the 2018 ISPSC with Tempe amendments.

Frequently asked questions

Tempe requires a residential swimming pool / spa permit for: New residential swimming pool permit required; comply with 2018 ISPSC with Tempe amendments; Apply electronically through the Tempe Citizen Access Portal (epermits.tempe.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx); Contractor Affidavit required; A Pool Elevation Waiver is available for applicable projects (see Inspections page). 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 Table 2-A flat fee for a new residential swimming pool permit is $489 (includes plan review), effective July 1, 2025. Source: Table 2-A — Building Permit Flat Fees (library.municode.com/az/tempe/codes/city_code?nodeId=APXASCFECH_TA2UIPEFLFE).

Plan review for a residential swimming pool / spa permit in Tempe typically runs 3–15 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. Depending on your project, Tempe may also ask for: Pool Elevation Waiver. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tempe requires 2 inspection(s) for a residential swimming pool / spa permit, in order: Pre-deck / structural (before covering), Final / barrier. 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.

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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