Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) in Snowflake, Arizona

Snowflake requires a residential building permit (new construction, additions, remodels) for: Building permit required before construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, or occupancy change of any building or structure within Town limits (Snowflake Town Code § 9-1-2(A)); Permit shall not be issued until satisfactory evidence is provided that proposed construction conforms to all applicable zoning requirements (§ 9-1-2(B)); Two (2) sets of plans compliant with the 2018 International Residential Code required; plans smaller than 18"x24" will not be accepted; Plan sheets must include a legend, foundation/footers/walls/framing/shear-wall details, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, truss or rafter details, floor plan, stairs, handrails/guardrails, attic/floor ventilation methods and calculations, and elevations showing floor/wall/roof heights, with square footage listed separately for each floor living area, bonus rooms, garage, porches, and patios; Site plan required showing Assessor's Parcel Number, specific location/address, accurate lot size, location of existing and proposed structures, accurate yard setbacks, north arrow, and existing streets/nearest cross streets; If Town sewer is not available, a copy of the Navajo County Sanitary System Permit must be provided with the application; Plans must reflect the Town's Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria: 20 PSF ground snow load, 20 PSF roof snow load, 115 MPH wind speed, Seismic Design Category D for footings; On graded sites, finished floor must be a minimum of 6 inches above the crown of the road, or 12 inches above the gutter flow line where a gutter is present (§ 9-1-1(D)(1)); Property lines or survey markers must be clearly visible prior to any construction; A newly constructed building may not be occupied until a final inspection is passed and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Building Official, with no exceptions; Permit becomes void if construction is not commenced within 180 days, or if work is suspended/abandoned for 180 days at any point after commencement; Any person or business conducting business within Town limits must have a current business license on file with the Town. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Snowflake Building Safety Department at 928-536-7103 ext. 232 before starting work.

In Snowflake, the published Minimum Building Permit Fee is: $50. Additional published fees: Building Permit Plan Review — $300; Reinspection Fee — $75; Weekend/Holiday Inspection Fee — $100. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

The Town of Snowflake has not published a dedicated building-permit plan-review time frame distinct from its general zoning Development Review process. Snowflake Town Code § 10-6-4 sets a 30-day plan-review clock, but that provision applies to zoning/planning Development Review in specific commercial and multi-family zoning districts (MF, RT, NC, GC, LI, HI), not to the Building Safety Department's building-permit review generally. No comparable published building-permit-specific timeframe was found after an exhaustive search of the Town Code, fee schedules, and all published permit-requirement handouts.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Building Permit Requirements Checklist; Two (2) Sets of Construction Plans (2018 IRC-compliant); Site Plan. Depending on your project, Snowflake may also ask for: Navajo County Sanitary System Permit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Snowflake requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction, additions, remodels), in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing, Rough Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through Town of Snowflake Building Safety Department (928-536-7103 ext. 232).

Apply through Town of Snowflake Building Safety Department at 81 West 1st South, Snowflake, Arizona 85937. Phone: 928-536-7103 ext. 232, email: frontdesk@snowflakeaz.gov. Office hours: Town Hall business hours (928-536-7103); Building Official Scott Allen reachable at ext. 232. Inspection requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance by calling Town Hall, the Building Official, or by emailing the Building Official; inspections are conducted Monday through Friday, per the current Building Permit Requirements and Demolition Permit Requirements handouts.. Official information: https://www.snowflakeaz.gov/departments/building-safety-department/.

Snowflake, 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 (A.R.S. Title 9). The Town of Snowflake runs its own independent Building Safety Department and adopts and administers its own construction codes; it does NOT share a building department with the adjacent Town of Taylor or defer to Navajo County. The Town's own 'Attention Builders!' handout explicitly states: 'Navajo County and the Town of Taylor have similar building permit requirements. If your project is located in a County area or in the Town of Taylor, please contact their respective Building Permit Departments' — confirming Snowflake's building-permit jurisdiction and department are distinct from both. Source: Town of Snowflake Building Safety Department page (snowflakeaz.gov/departments/building-safety-department/); Town of Snowflake 'Attention Builders!' handout.; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), published by the International Code Council, adopted by the Town of Snowflake as its uniform building code standard for all permitted construction and remodeling, effective October 7, 2021 (approved by Town Council September 7, 2021, per Ordinance 2021-08). Design criteria published alongside the adoption: Ground Snow Load 20 PSF; Roof Snow Load 20 PSF; Wind Speed 115 MPH; Seismic Design Category D for footings. Source: Town of Snowflake Building Safety Department page (snowflakeaz.gov/departments/building-safety-department/).; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), referenced directly on the Town's current published Building Permit Requirements and Demolition Permit Requirements handouts as the plan-compliance standard for building and demolition permit submittals ('Two (2) sets of plans compliant with the 2018 International Residential Code'). Source: Town of Snowflake Building Permit Requirements (rev. 2024) and Demolition Permit Requirements handouts.; Snowflake Town Code Title 9, Chapter 1 (Building Code; Permits) codifies the Town's building-permit authority: § 9-1-1 (Building Code) vests the Building Official function in the Town Manager or a Town Manager appointee (subject to Town Council approval) and requires all construction to meet or exceed the adopted uniform building code; § 9-1-2 (Building Permit) requires a permit before any construction, prohibits issuance until zoning compliance is demonstrated, and provides the permit fee is set by Town Council resolution; § 9-1-3 (Manufactured Home Permit) requires a separate manufactured home permit, also fee-set by resolution; § 9-1-4 (Building Codes Adopted By Reference) formally adopted the 2018 code suite by text amendment dated September 7, 2021 pursuant to A.R.S. § 9-802, declared a public record by Resolution 2021-04; § 9-1-5 (Amendments) sets out the adopted code suite's violation/penalty clauses (referencing IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IEBC, IFC sections) pursuant to A.R.S. § 9-803, and specifically calls out that penalty provisions apply to the referenced 2018 National Electric Code. Source: Snowflake, AZ Code of Ordinances, Title 9, Chapter 1, §§ 9-1-1 through 9-1-5 (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/snowflakeaz).; Local amendment to IBC/IRC foundation-elevation provisions (Snowflake Town Code § 9-1-1(D)(1), Ord. 07-302, 9-11-2007): on graded sites, the finished floor must be a minimum of 6 inches above the crown of the road, or 12 inches above the flow line of a gutter where a gutter is present; the Public Works Director may approve alternate elevations if required drainage away from the structure and to the point of discharge is demonstrated without adversely affecting neighboring properties. This replaces the model code's default Exception 1 under Section 1806.5.5 (Foundation Elevations). Source: Snowflake, AZ Code of Ordinances § 9-1-1.; Efficiency Dwelling Unit / 'Tiny House' standard (Town of Snowflake Tiny House Minimum Requirements handout, citing model-code Section 1208.4): an efficiency living unit must have a living room of at least 220 sq ft, plus an additional 100 sq ft for each occupant beyond two; a separate closet; a kitchen with sink, cooking appliance, and refrigeration facilities each with 30 inches of clear working space in front, meeting code light/ventilation; and a separate bathroom with water closet, lavatory, and bathtub or shower. Moved-in buildings generally sold on sales lots do NOT meet Town building-code requirements and cannot be used as 'Tiny Homes'; buildings on wheels must meet Arizona Office of Manufactured Housing minimum standards, bear a compliance placard, and be installed by an AZ-licensed installer; cargo containers may be used as a construction basis only with plans, foundation designs, and calculations sealed by an AZ-licensed registrant. Source: Town of Snowflake Tiny House Minimum Requirements handout.; Manufactured/mobile homes are regulated at the state level for construction/installation standards by the Arizona Department of Housing, Office of Manufactured Housing (per Tiny House handout cross-reference); the Town separately requires its own Manufactured Home Permit under Snowflake Town Code § 9-1-3 for on-site placement/zoning compliance, fee set by Town Council resolution. Source: Snowflake, AZ Code of Ordinances § 9-1-3; Town of Snowflake Tiny House Minimum Requirements handout.. Local amendments apply — see the Snowflake overview page for the full list.

No. Snowflake operates its own independent Building Safety Department, separate from the Town of Taylor's building department. The Town's own 'Attention Builders!' handout directs applicants with projects in Taylor or unincorporated Navajo County to contact those jurisdictions' own respective building permit departments.