Show Low building permits

Building department

Address

180 N. 9th Street, Show Low, AZ 85901

Phone

928-532-4053

Email

jwilhelm@showlowaz.gov

Office hours

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (or by appointment), per the City of Show Low Building Safety page. The general Permits & Applications page separately lists City Hall hours as Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (excluding holidays), and appointments are recommended (928-532-4050). The Inspection Line (928-532-4055) requires inspections to be called in 24 hours in advance; as of October 1, 2024, the cutoff for next-day inspections is 3:00 p.m. (previously 5:00 p.m.) — requests after 3:00 p.m. are scheduled two business days out.

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Show Low's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Show Low — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Arizona has no statewide building code for non-state buildings; codes are adopted locally. According to the International Code Council, codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are predominantly the I-codes, with different cities and counties choosing their own editions and local amendments. The Arizona State Fire Code (adopting the 2018 IFC) applies only to state and county buildings, public and private schools, and non-residential occupancies in areas without a locally adopted fire code — it does not establish a statewide residential or commercial building code floor. Each city and county adopts its own code editions independently, resulting in different I-Code years and amendment sets across jurisdictions. There is no state-mandated minimum edition; enforcement is entirely local. Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.

• Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9). The City of Show Low independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Building Safety Department; it does not defer permitting to Navajo County. Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code Title 18, Chapter 18.05 (Building Codes), showlow.municipal.codes/Code/18.05.040.
• 2018 International Building Code (IBC), together with its appendices and supplements, published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference, with Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) specifically excluded from adoption (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040; confirmed current on the City's live 'Show Low Codes & Standards' page (showlowaz.gov, page last updated 7/8/2021) and on the City's 2025/2026 permit application cover sheets (Residential, Commercial, Solar, Addition applications).
• 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference (Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040) — one edition behind the 2018 ICC family set. Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040; confirmed current on the City's live 'Show Low Codes & Standards' page and 2025/2026 permit application cover sheets.
• Fire Code: Show Low does not administer its own fire code — fire code jurisdiction and inspections are handled by Timber Mesa Fire & Medical District (928-537-5100), per every current City of Show Low building permit application cover sheet (Residential, Commercial, Solar, Addition). Source: City of Show Low permit application cover sheets, current as of 2025-2026 revisions.
• ADA Accessibility: American National Standard ADA Accessibility Guidelines (2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design) are adopted and required for new construction and alterations. Arizonans with Disabilities Act standards (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and implementing rules, declared a public record by City of Show Low Resolution No. 772, are adopted as an amendment to the IBC for both public entities and public accommodations/commercial facilities (applying to new construction and alterations commenced after September 3, 1996). Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• Future code editions: when the City Council adopts a newer edition of the International Codes by resolution, either the most recent or the immediately previous edition may be used for building design for 12 months after adoption; the two editions' provisions may not be intermingled in a single building's design, and after 12 months only the newest adopted edition applies. Source: City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.040.
• Manufactured/mobile homes: as of March 28, 2025, the City of Show Low no longer issues manufactured home or factory-built building placement permits; both a City of Show Low Building Permit and a State of Arizona Manufactured Home Installation Permit (Arizona Department of Housing, Office of Manufactured Housing) are required for any manufactured home work still processed by the City. Manufactured/mobile homes must display a HUD compliance decal dated within 10 years of the building-permit application (or successor HUD standard), per City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.050. Source: City of Show Low City Permits & Applications page (showlowaz.gov/o/cosl/page/city-permits-and-applications); City of Show Low Municipal Code § 18.05.050.

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

  Required for new single-family, multi-family, and recreational-vehicle dwelling-unit construction in the City of Show Low. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC/IBC and City of Show Low amendments (Show Low Municipal Code Title 18). Applications are submitted in person at City Hall, 180 N. 9th Street.

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• Residential Addition / Remodel Permit

  Required for room additions, remodels, and alterations to existing residential structures in the City of Show Low, using the City's Building Addition Permit Application. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC/IBC and City of Show Low amendments.

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• Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical Like-for-Like Replacement Permit

  Flat-fee permit covering routine like-for-like replacement of hardwired electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems and appliances (e.g., water heaters, panels, HVAC equipment) in single-family and two-family residential dwellings in Show Low, where no other system modification occurs.

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• Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

  Required for installation of residential solar photovoltaic systems in the City of Show Low, using the City's dedicated Solar Permit Application. Governed by the 2017 NEC as adopted and amended by the City of Show Low.

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• EV Charger / EVSE Permit

  The City of Show Low has no dedicated EV charger/EVSE permit application or fee line — confirmed by reviewing the City's Fee Schedules page and City Permits & Applications page, which list a dedicated Solar Permit Application but nothing for EV chargers. An EV charging station (Level 2 or DC fast charger) installation does NOT qualify for the City's $30 flat-fee Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical Like-for-Like Replacement Permit, since that category is expressly limited to routine LIKE-for-like replacement of existing hardwired systems with no other modification — a new dedicated EV charger circuit is new electrical work, not a replacement. It is instead processed under the standard valuation-based Building Permit Fee (1997 UBC schedule) plus Plan Review Fee, the same fee mechanism this file's solar-pv-permit entry documents for the electrical scope of a PV installation.

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• Commercial Building Permit

  Required for new commercial construction and commercial tenant improvements in the City of Show Low. A pre-application/pre-submittal meeting is mandatory for all new commercial construction and substantial commercial remodels or additions. Reviewed against the 2018 IBC and City of Show Low amendments.

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• Complimentary Fence Permit

  A free, no-fee permit required for construction or installation of fencing in the City of Show Low, per Show Low Municipal Code Title 19.25.090(A). Staff plan review confirms zoning/setback compliance even though no fee is charged.

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• Shed / Accessory Structure Permit

  A free 'Complimentary Shed Permit' covers detached accessory structures (sheds, greenhouses, barns) up to 200 square feet under roof in the City of Show Low, per Show Low Municipal Code Title 19.25.060(F). Structures over 200 square feet, or any shed with electricity/plumbing or direct attachment to another building, require a full fee-bearing Building Permit instead.

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• Sign Permit

  Required for installation of signage in the City of Show Low, administered by the Planning & Zoning Department under Title 19.100 of the Show Low Zoning Ordinance, with its own dedicated flat fee table separate from the Building Safety Department's valuation-based fee model.

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