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Demolition Permit in Unincorporated Pima County, Arizona

Required for demolition of any structure regulated by the Building Code in unincorporated Pima County, per Development Services Standard Operating Procedure 230.7 (effective February 25, 2008; last revised December 19, 2017 to include pool demolitions). May be issued as a dedicated 'Demo' permit or incorporated into a general remodel permit containing 'demo' in the permit description.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Verification that the demolition will not adversely affect other structures
  • Verification that all utilities (electrical, fuel, water, waste) are secured/disconnected prior to demolition
  • If the structure is on septic: the system may remain capped, or be abandoned by pumping, crushing the tank, and filling with sand
  • PDEQ asbestos (NESHAP) permit required if the building has more than 4 dwelling units, or is commercial and demolition includes load-bearing members
  • PDEQ fugitive dust permit required if more than 1 acre of surface is stripped, more than 300 linear feet of trench is cut, or blasting is conducted
  • Floodplain sites require Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) review
  • Pool demolition: pool equipment and service connections removed, pool drained, pool drains broken out, and a 4-inch hole drilled/jackhammered at the lowest point (typically at the drains)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Demolition permit feePima County Development Services Standard Operating Procedure 230.7, Section 7.1; pool demolitions are fee-only and do not carry the added reinspection hour
Base building permit fee (Table 3, valuation/scope-based) plus one hour of reinspection fee ('9050 Investigative Inspections')
Reinspection fee (added for non-pool demolitions)Pima County Development Services Department Fees schedule, effective July 1, 2026, Table 3, item 4, applied per SOP 230.7
$69 per hour
Base fee for all permits requiring an inspectionTable 3, item 1
$69

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated Pima County’s published plan-review target
5–5 business days

How long did your Demolition Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Pima County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Pre-Demolition Utility Verification

    Inspector verifies electrical, fuel, water, and waste connections are disconnected and secured before demolition proceeds; partial approval recorded, with a note to recall the inspection once the structure is demolished and the site cleaned

  2. 2

    Septic Compliance (if applicable)

    If the permit requires septic tank pumping/crushing/sand fill, compliance is confirmed in the field

  3. 3

    Final

    Structure removed, utilities remain secured, site left safe and clean; permit closed

  4. 3

    Pool Demolition Final (if applicable)

    Called after pool equipment removed and drainage holes created; approved and permit closed upon verification

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

Tips

  • A dedicated 'Demo' permit is not always required — demolition scope can be incorporated into a general remodel permit if the word 'demo' appears in the permit description.
  • Contact Pima County DEQ regarding asbestos (NESHAP) and fugitive dust permit thresholds before starting demolition work, since both are county-administered but separate from the Development Services building demolition permit.
  • Pool demolitions are charged permit fees only, without the added one-hour reinspection fee that applies to standard structure demolitions.
  • A building demolition permit is reviewed as a 'building project up to 20,000 square feet,' which carries the county's published 5-business-day operational review turn-around goal per the A.R.S. 11-1606 Review Turn-Around Times table; floodplain sites are instead subject to Regional Flood Control District timelines.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, pool demolition requires a permit and a specific inspection sequence (equipment removal, drain verification, and a drilled/jackhammered drainage hole), but pool demolitions are fee-only and are not assessed the additional one-hour reinspection fee that applies to standard building demolitions. Source: Pima County Development Services Standard Operating Procedure 230.7.

In Unincorporated Pima County, the published Demolition permit fee is: Base building permit fee (Table 3, valuation/scope-based) plus one hour of reinspection fee ('9050 Investigative Inspections'). Additional published fees: Reinspection fee (added for non-pool demolitions) — $69 per hour; Base fee for all permits requiring an inspection — $69. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Pima County's published plan-review target for a demolition permit is 5–5 business days.

You'll need: Development Services Permit Gateway Application (Demolition). Depending on your project, Unincorporated Pima County may also ask for: PDEQ Asbestos (NESHAP) Permit; PDEQ Fugitive Dust Permit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Pima County requires 4 inspection(s) for a demolition permit, in order: Pre-Demolition Utility Verification, Septic Compliance (if applicable), Final, Pool Demolition Final (if applicable). Schedule each through Pima County Development Services Department (520-724-9000).

Apply through Pima County Development Services Department at Public Works Building, 201 N. Stone Ave., 1st Floor, Tucson, AZ 85701. Phone: 520-724-9000, email: Email Development Services (contact form at pima.gov). Office hours: Lobby hours Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm; closed holidays. Official information: https://www.pima.gov/970/Development-Services.

Unincorporated Pima County, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has no mandatory statewide building code floor for counties; each Arizona county and municipality adopts its own building codes and amendments by ordinance. Pima County Development Services Department administers permitting for unincorporated Pima County (outside the City of Tucson and other incorporated towns) under Pima County Code Title 15 (Buildings and Construction). Source: Pima County Code of Ordinances Title 15, Chapter 15.04 (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/pimacounty); 2024 International Building Code (IBC), published by the International Code Council in 2023, adopted by reference with local amendments attached to and incorporated into Ordinance 2025-15 as Exhibit A. Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), as amended by Exhibit B attached to Ordinance 2025-15. Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(7); 2023 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), as amended by Exhibit C attached to Ordinance 2025-15 (Pima County Code Chapter 15.08). Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(5); 2024 International Mechanical Code, as amended by Exhibit D attached to Ordinance 2025-15 (Pima County Code Chapter 15.16). Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(4); 2024 International Plumbing Code, as amended by Exhibit E attached to Ordinance 2025-15 (Pima County Code Chapter 15.20). Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(3); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code, as amended by Exhibit F attached to Ordinance 2025-15 (Pima County Code Chapter 15.18). Effective January 1, 2026. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(2); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, as amended by Exhibit G attached to Ordinance 2018-30 (Pima County Code Chapter 15.14). Per WebSearch of Pima County Development Services announcements, a 2024 IECC update with local amendments was pending Board of Supervisors approval targeting July 1, 2026; the 2018 IECC was the last-confirmed adopted edition as of this review. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(6); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, as amended by Exhibit H attached to Ordinance 2025-15. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(1); 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as amended by Exhibit I attached to Ordinance 2025-15 (the 2018 edition continues to apply only to areas designated Rural Forest Village under the Pima County Comprehensive Plan and areas encircled thereby). Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(9); 2024 International Existing Building Code, as amended by Exhibit J attached to Ordinance 2025-15. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(10); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, as amended by Exhibit K attached to Ordinance 2025-15. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(11); 1998 American National Standard Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities Code (ICC/ANSI A117.1), specific chapters/sections only, as amended by Ordinance 2002-2 Exhibit A and Ordinances 2002-66 and 2002-72. Source: Pima County Code Sec. 15.04.020(A)(8); The 2024 IRC (including Pima County amendments) and the county's Inclusive Home Design Ordinance requirements apply specifically to new Accessory Dwelling Units per the county's ADU guidance memo (revised 12/30/2025).. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Pima County overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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

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