Fence, Wall, and Retaining Wall Permit in Unincorporated Pima County, Arizona
VerifiedFences and masonry walls in unincorporated Pima County are regulated by height, with separate zoning-review and building-review thresholds. Governed by Pima County's published 4-, 6-, and 8-inch Masonry Wall Detail standard drawings and the 'Do I Need a Permit?' Building table.
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source
When you need this permit
- Walls/fences not over 4 feet: no permit required, but must comply with all applicable building and zoning requirements
- Walls/fences over 4 feet: require zoning review and approval
- Walls/fences not over 7 feet: do not require a building (structural) review and approval; non-retaining walls/fences 7 feet or less are listed as not requiring a permit on the Building 'Do I Need a Permit?' table
- Retaining walls: engineering required for retaining walls over 4 feet high measured from the bottom of the footing, or for any retaining wall with applied surcharge loads (e.g., driveways, slopes)
- Separate approval from the Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) is required if applicable
- Owner/applicant/builder is responsible for verifying soil bearing conditions at the footing, verifying property line locations, and for Arizona Blue Stake utility locate before excavation (per A.R.S. 40-360.22)
- Construction must comply with the currently adopted International Building Code (2024 IBC with Pima County amendments)
Required documents
- Required
Development Services Permit Gateway Application
Electronic submittal through permits.pima.gov for walls/fences exceeding the no-permit and zoning-only thresholds
- Required
Site Plan
Showing wall/fence location, height, length, type, and property lines for zoning review (over 4 ft) or building review (over 7 ft)
- Optional
Engineer-Stamped Structural Design
Required for retaining walls over 4 feet high (from bottom of footing) or with applied surcharge loads
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walls/fences (per lineal foot) | $0.25 per lineal foot | Pima County Development Services Department Fees schedule, effective July 1, 2026, Table 3, item 22 |
| Base fee for all permits requiring an inspection | $69 | Table 3, item 1 |
| Native plant preservation review for single lots | $83 | Table 3, item 32, if the wall/fence project disturbs 14,000 sq ft or more or otherwise triggers NPPO review |
Review timeline
5–5 business days
Unincorporated Pima County’s published plan-review target
Inspection process
- 1
Footing
Footing depth, reinforcement, and dowel placement verified before backfill, per Pima County's Masonry Wall Detail standard drawings
- 2
Final
Completed wall/fence verified against approved plans
Tips
- Pima County publishes standard 4-inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch CMU masonry wall detail drawings (with wind load, mortar, reinforcing, and concrete specifications) that can be used in lieu of a project-specific engineered design for qualifying walls.
- The 4-foot zoning-review threshold and 7-foot building-review threshold are independent triggers — a 5-foot wall needs zoning review but not a building permit, while a wall over 7 feet needs both.
- State law (A.R.S. 40-360.22) requires underground utilities to be located via Arizona Blue Stake before excavation for footings.
- A wall/fence building (structural) permit is reviewed as a 'building project up to 20,000 square feet,' carrying the county's published 5-business-day operational review turn-around goal per the A.R.S. 11-1606 Review Turn-Around Times table; walls/fences that only trigger zoning review (over 4 feet, not over 7 feet) are handled through the same building-permit review pipeline.
Frequently asked questions
- At what height does a fence or wall need a permit in unincorporated Pima County?
- Fences/walls up to 4 feet need no permit (but must still meet building/zoning requirements). Over 4 feet requires zoning review and approval. Only walls over 7 feet require a building (structural) permit review. Retaining walls over 4 feet (from the footing bottom) or carrying surcharge loads require engineering regardless of overall wall height. Source: Pima County Development Services '4-, 6-, and 8-Masonry Wall Detail' standard detail sheet and 'Do I Need a Permit?' Building table.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.
- Pima County Development Services Department — official building department
- 4-, 6-, and 8-Masonry Wall Detail (Site Walls, PDF) | Pima County Development Services
- Do I Need a Permit? (Building table, item 19) | Pima County
- Review Turn-Around Times (Operational Review Turn-Around Times for Building Permits table, A.R.S. 11-1606 compliance) | Pima County
- Development Services Fees (Table 3, effective July 1, 2026) | Pima County
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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