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Sign Permit in Unincorporated Maricopa County, Arizona

Signs in the unincorporated areas of Maricopa County are regulated by Chapter 11 (Sign Regulations) of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance and are permitted by the Planning and Development Department as a construction permit plus a separate Zoning Clearance. The county publishes no flat or per-square-foot sign fee: the sign is valued as a structure and billed on the standard Table 1-A valuation schedule in the Local Additions and Addenda, with a 65% plan review fee and the Zoning Clearance flat fee on top. Roof signs are prohibited in every zoning district.

Verified 2026-08-15 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Permanent signs, other than Residence Identification signs, in Rural and Residential Zoning Districts require a construction permit AND a zoning clearance (Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1101.3.9, page 11-3)
  • Any sign pertaining to the sale or lease of land in excess of thirty-two (32) square feet in area requires a construction permit and zoning clearance (MCZO Article 1101.4.6.1.D, page 11-8)
  • It is unlawful to commence the creation, construction or alteration of a building, structure or use without first filing an application for, and obtaining, a Zoning Clearance from the Zoning Inspector (MCZO Article 1204.4, page 12-6); the Zoning Inspector is the Director of Planning and Development
  • Roof signs are not permitted in any zoning district (MCZO Article 1101.3.7); no movable, animated or audible signs are permitted (Article 1101.3.6); no sign may be placed within the street right of way, clear zone distance or sight visibility triangle (Article 1101.3.5)
  • A-frame signs in commercial zoning districts require a zoning clearance, must be non-illuminated, may not exceed twelve (12) square feet, and must be removed at the close of business (MCZO Article 1103.2, page 11-17)
  • Static and digital billboards are permitted uses only in the C-2 and C-3 zoning districts and are subject to the radial separation, setback and illumination conditions of MCZO Article 1103.3
  • Apply online through Permit Center (https://maricopacountyaz-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice) — paper submittals are no longer accepted

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign construction permit fee — valuation-based (Table 1-A)Maricopa County Local Additions and Addenda (TA2022001), Section 404 Fees, 'TABLE 1-A — BUILDING CODE/PERMIT FEES' — read visually from a 170 dpi render of pages 40 and 41 of 45 of https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5808. The county publishes no flat or per-square-foot sign fee anywhere in the Summary of the Fee Schedule or the Local Additions and Addenda; a sign is permitted and priced as a structure at its construction valuation.
$1 to $500: $23.50; $501 to $2,000: $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 for each additional $100, or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000; $2,001 to $25,000: $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000; $25,001 to $50,000: $391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000; $50,001 to $100,000: $643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7.00 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000; $100,001 to $500,000: $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 for each $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000; $500,001 to $1,000,000: $3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, and including $1,000,000; $1,000,001 and up: $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.65 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof
Zoning Clearance (required alongside the sign construction permit)Maricopa County Summary of the Fee Schedule, June 2024, Zoning Ordinance Chapter 16 fee table (Article 1602.1), printed page 6 of 33 — read visually from a 170 dpi render of https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/94568. The row is not struck through. Text extraction of this page detached the amounts from their labels entirely, so the render is the authority.
Residential — $100; Commercial — $250
Plan review feeLocal Additions and Addenda, Section 404 Fees, 'Processing' paragraph: 'All plan review fees (65 percent of calculated permit fee) required to be paid shall entitle the applicant to three submissions and reviews of documents submitted.' Read visually from a 170 dpi render of page 40 of 45.
65% of the calculated permit fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Maricopa County?

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

Inspection process

    See the full Unincorporated Maricopa County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

    Tips

    • Budget for two separate fees, not one: the valuation-based construction permit fee under Table 1-A plus a flat Zoning Clearance ($100 residential / $250 commercial). The 65% plan review fee is charged on top of the permit fee, not included in it.
    • Roof signs are prohibited outright in every Maricopa County zoning district (Zoning Ordinance Article 1101.3.7) — confirm your sign type is permitted before designing it.
    • In Rural and Residential zoning districts the permit trigger is the sign being permanent, not its size; in the sale/lease-of-land category the trigger is exceeding 32 square feet. Check which article your sign falls under before assuming a small sign is exempt.
    • The operative Zoning Ordinance is the December 10, 2025 edition — the county reviews applications against it as of January 9, 2026 and publishes the November 15, 2023 edition only as a superseded copy. Make sure you are reading the current PDF.

    Frequently asked questions

    Usually yes. Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1101.3.9 requires a construction permit and a zoning clearance for permanent signs other than Residence Identification signs in Rural and Residential Zoning Districts, and Article 1101.4.6.1.D requires the same for any sale-or-lease-of-land sign larger than thirty-two square feet. Article 1204.4 separately requires a Zoning Clearance before creating or altering any building, structure or use. Certain signs are exempt from Chapter 11 entirely under Article 1101.2, including mailbox signs, bulletin boards, and small public-service window signs. Source: https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4785/Maricopa-County-Zoning-Ordinance-PDF

    There is no flat sign fee. The sign is valued as a structure and billed on Table 1-A of the Local Additions and Addenda, which starts at $23.50 for a valuation of $1 to $500 and rises through the valuation tiers, plus a plan review fee of 65 percent of the calculated permit fee and a separate Zoning Clearance fee of $100 residential or $250 commercial. Sources: Local Additions and Addenda (https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5808) and Summary of the Fee Schedule, June 2024 (https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/94568).

    Unincorporated Maricopa County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Maricopa County Planning and Development Department at 602-506-3301 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Permit Center Application; Site Plan (per the Department's Site Plan Checklist). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through Maricopa County Planning and Development Department at 301 W. Jefferson, Suite 170, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Phone: 602-506-3301. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.maricopa.gov/797/Planning-Development.

    Unincorporated Maricopa County, Arizona has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 17 August 2022 (with AZBO/MAG amendments); Local Additions and Addenda TA2022001 dated 19 September 2022; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments and Local Additions and Addenda); 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments); 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) — adopted 17 August 2022, optional use; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted 17 August 2022, optional use; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted 17 August 2022 (BOS vote, with AZBO/MAG amendments). Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Maricopa County overview page for the full list.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-15.

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

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