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Residential Addition / Remodel / Garage / Patio Cover Permit in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Required for room additions, remodels, garages/sheds, and patio covers/carports on existing one- and two-family dwellings in Lake Havasu City. Reviewed against the 2024 IRC as adopted and amended (Exhibit B, Ordinance No. 25-1370).

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for room additions, remodels, garages/sheds, and patio covers/carports
  • One-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq ft do not require a permit (IRC R105.2(1) amendment), but zoning/setback rules still apply
  • Residential Additions, Room Additions and Detached Structures Checklist applies; separate handouts exist for Garage/Additions, Garage/RV, Ledger Design, Outdoor Seasonal Room, and Patio (Attached Covered Patio / Patio Conversion to Living Area)
  • Plans must comply with City Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (99 mph ultimate wind design, Seismic Design Category D) and the City's Brace Wall Policy for wall bracing

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential Addition Plan-Review Retainer, by added dwelling areaCity of Lake Havasu City Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout (rev. 01/03/22)
$100 (up to 1,200 sq ft); $500 (1,201-1,400 sq ft); $550 (1,401-1,600 sq ft); $650 or as determined by the Building Official (over 1,600 sq ft); $50 for subsequent standard plan submittal
Garages / Sheds Plan-Review Retainer, by areaCity of Lake Havasu City Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout
$50 (up to 600 sq ft); $180 (601-1,000 sq ft); $270 (1,001-1,400 sq ft); $340 (over 1,400 sq ft); $75 for subsequent standard plan submittal
Patio Covers / Carports Plan-Review Retainer, by areaCity of Lake Havasu City Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout
$60 (up to 500 sq ft); $120 (over 500 sq ft); $50 for subsequent standard plan submittal
Garage/Patio Conversion or Patio Enclosure — Miscellaneous Plan-Review RetainerCity of Lake Havasu City Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout, Miscellaneous section
$50
Building Permit Fee — Based on ValuationCity of Lake Havasu City Master Fee Schedule, Service No. S-034 (additions are explicitly listed as valuation-based, alongside new buildings, pools, and retaining walls)
Valuation-based per the fee schedule referenced in the Uniform Building Code

Review timeline

Plan reviewLake Havasu City’s published plan-review target
20–20 business days

How long did your Residential Addition / Remodel / Garage / Patio Cover Permit permit actually take in Lake Havasu City?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation/Footing

    Required before concrete pour for additions

  2. 2

    Framing

    Structural connections to the existing structure, brace-wall requirements per City Brace Wall Policy

  3. 3

    Final

    Completed work verified against approved plans

See the full Lake Havasu City inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • The City's published plan-review timeframes list 'Residential Single Family Additions' at 20 business days — faster than the 30-business-day full single-family-dwelling track, but slower than the 10-business-day miscellaneous track for garages/carports/patio covers under the timeframes page grouping.
  • Plan-review retainer fees scale by area in defined bands (e.g., garages: up to 600 sq ft, 601-1,000, 1,001-1,400, over 1,400) rather than a single flat fee — check which band your project falls into.
  • One-story detached accessory structures 200 sq ft or less are exempt from a building permit under the City's IRC R105.2(1) amendment, but zoning/Planning setback review may still apply.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, a building permit is required for room additions and remodels affecting structural or life-safety elements, reviewed against the 2024 IRC as adopted by Lake Havasu City. Use the Residential Additions, Room Additions and Detached Structures Checklist for submittal requirements.

In Lake Havasu City, the published Residential Addition Plan-Review Retainer, by added dwelling area is: $100 (up to 1,200 sq ft); $500 (1,201-1,400 sq ft); $550 (1,401-1,600 sq ft); $650 or as determined by the Building Official (over 1,600 sq ft); $50 for subsequent standard plan submittal. Additional published fees: Garages / Sheds Plan-Review Retainer, by area — $50 (up to 600 sq ft); $180 (601-1,000 sq ft); $270 (1,001-1,400 sq ft); $340 (over 1,400 sq ft); $75 for subsequent standard plan submittal; Patio Covers / Carports Plan-Review Retainer, by area — $60 (up to 500 sq ft); $120 (over 500 sq ft); $50 for subsequent standard plan submittal; Garage/Patio Conversion or Patio Enclosure — Miscellaneous Plan-Review Retainer — $50; Building Permit Fee — Based on Valuation — Valuation-based per the fee schedule referenced in the Uniform Building Code. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Lake Havasu City's published plan-review target for a residential addition / remodel / garage / patio cover permit is 20–20 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Residential Additions, Room Additions and Detached Structures Checklist; Site/Plot Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Lake Havasu City requires 3 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel / garage / patio cover permit, in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing, Final. Schedule each through Lake Havasu City Development Services Department — Building Division (928-453-4148).

Apply through Lake Havasu City Development Services Department — Building Division at 2330 McCulloch Boulevard N, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403. Phone: 928-453-4148, email: builderinfo@lhcaz.gov. Office hours: Building Official: Steve Blake (928-854-0716, blakesm@lhcaz.gov). Plans Examiners: Jerry Amann (928-854-0746, Amannj@lhcaz.gov) and Sylvia Butch. Combo Building Inspector/Plans Examiners: Chris Hayes, George Langley. Building Inspectors: Josh Boothe, Brian Drosselmeyer. Permit Technician Lead: Kristin Warren (buildingpermits@lhcaz.gov). Applications are submitted through the City's online MaintStar Customer Self Service portal (h2.maintstar.co/lakehavasu/Portal) or in person at the Development Services Department front counter, 2330 McCulloch Blvd N. Plan review does not begin until the City has verified the application submittal is complete; completeness review itself takes 7-10 business days before the formal plan-review clock starts. Source: City of Lake Havasu City Building Permits page (lhcaz.gov/229/Building-Permits and lhcaz.gov/development-permitting/building) and 2024 Code Letter to Contractors (Steven Blake, LHC Building Official, rev. 09-08-2025).. Official information: https://www.lhcaz.gov/229/Building-Permits.

Lake Havasu City, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). Lake Havasu City independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Development Services Department / Building Division; it does not defer permitting to Mohave County. Source: Lake Havasu City Building Permits page (lhcaz.gov/229/Building-Permits) and Lake Havasu City Code Chapter 12.08 (Building Codes), codelibrary.amlegal.com.; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments (Exhibit A), effective February 1, 2026, replacing the prior 2018 edition. Source: Lake Havasu City Amendments to the 2024 Edition of the International Building Code (Exhibit A, Ordinance No. 25-1370).; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments (Exhibit B), effective February 1, 2026. Source: Lake Havasu City Amendments to the 2024 Edition of the International Residential Code (Exhibit B, Ordinance No. 25-1370).; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments (Exhibit C), effective February 1, 2026. Source: Lake Havasu City Amendments to the 2024 Edition of the International Mechanical Code (Exhibit C, Ordinance No. 25-1370).; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments (Exhibit E), effective February 1, 2026. Source: Lake Havasu City Amendments to the 2024 Edition of the International Plumbing Code (Exhibit E, Ordinance No. 25-1370).; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments, effective February 1, 2026. Source: 2024 Code Letter to Contractors (rev. 09-08-2025), which lists the IFGC among the codes adopted with the 2024 suite; document list on lhcaz.gov/development-permitting/building includes 'Amendments To 2024 Intl Fuel Gas Code'.; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted with the 2024 code suite effective February 1, 2026. Source: 2024 Code Letter to Contractors (rev. 09-08-2025); 'Amendments To 2024 Intl Property Maint Code' document on lhcaz.gov.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted with Lake Havasu City local amendments. Source: 'Amendments To 2024 Intl Existing Building Code' document, lhcaz.gov/development-permitting/building, and Lake Havasu City Code § 12.08.085 (International Existing Building Code), codelibrary.amlegal.com.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1370 with Lake Havasu City local amendments (Exhibit F), effective February 1, 2026 (one edition behind the 2024 ICC suite, consistent with the NEC's own 3-year cycle). Source: Lake Havasu City Amendments to the 2023 Edition of the National Electrical Code (Exhibit F, Ordinance No. 25-1370).; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by Ordinance No. 25-1371, amending City Code Chapter 12.12.010 (Adoption of International Fire Code); administered by the Lake Havasu City Fire Department / Fire Marshal's office. Source: Lake Havasu City Legistar record (File ID 25-4963/ordinance 25-1371) and Lake Havasu City Code Chapter 12.12 (International Fire Code), codelibrary.amlegal.com.; Transition/effective-date rule: the 2024 Codes and 2023 NEC took effect February 1, 2026 and apply to applications submitted on or after that date; they do NOT affect permits already submitted, in review, or under construction. Standard Plans previously approved under the 2018 Codes remain valid through August 1, 2026 (180 days from the new code effective date) and may be updated via an abbreviated cover-sheet process rather than a full plan resubmittal. Commercial/residential projects already in design under the 2018 Codes were allowed to submit under the 2018 Codes up to May 1, 2026 (90 days after the effective date). Source: Lake Havasu City 2024 Building Code Implementation Standards (rev. 09-23-2025).; Manufactured/mobile homes are addressed via a dedicated Mobile/Manufactured Home Building Permit Application, separate from the standard residential building permit track. Source: Lake Havasu City 'Mobile - Manufactured Home Building Permit Application' (lhcaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1153).; Building permit and plan-review fees are NOT set as flat dollar amounts within the adopted ICC codes themselves — the Master Fee Schedule (Development and Right-of-Way Services, Service Nos. S-033/S-034) states plan-check and permit fees for new buildings, additions, pools, and retaining walls are valuation-based, per 'Fee Schedule in Uniform Building Code' (i.e., the standard published ICC/Building Standards construction-cost valuation table), with a plan-check deposit/retainer of 5% of value collected up front and applied toward the actual cost. Separate itemized flat plan-review retainer fees by structure type are published in the Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout. Source: City of Lake Havasu City Master Fee Schedule (effective 02-01-2026, Rev. 12/10/2025) and Building Permit Retainers/Fees handout (Development Services Department, rev. 01/03/22).. Local amendments apply — see the Lake Havasu City overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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

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