South Tucson building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for South Tucson, Arizona.
Last verified 2026-08-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- South Tucson City Hall, 1601 S. 6th Ave., South Tucson, AZ 85713
- Phone
- 520-792-2424
- Office hours
- Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Permit applications are submitted through the City's Online Permit Portal (live effective March 2, 2026), in person, or by mail/shipment to City Hall; applications require 2 digital copies of a site plan and a floor plan. Inspections are conducted Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 a.m., with requests submitted the business day before.
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at South Tucson's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in South Tucson — 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.
South Tucson is a separately incorporated city (population roughly 5,000, land area approximately 1 square mile) that is entirely surrounded by, but administratively and legally independent of, the City of Tucson -- it… Show full textShow less
South Tucson is a separately incorporated city (population roughly 5,000, land area approximately 1 square mile) that is entirely surrounded by, but administratively and legally independent of, the City of Tucson -- it is sometimes called 'The Pueblo within a City.' South Tucson runs its own Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department, which independently reviews building plans and issues its own building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, sign, demolition, and remodel permits; it does NOT contract building-permit administration to the City of Tucson or to Pima County. Source: City of South Tucson Development Services and Permits page (southtucsonaz.gov/devservices) and City of South Tucson Permits page (southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits), both confirming an independent Development Services Division that 'reviews and conducts all inspections related to construction and enforcement within the City.'
Arizona has no mandatory statewide building code floor -- code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Show full textShow less
Arizona has no mandatory statewide building code floor -- code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9). The City of South Tucson's currently adopted codes (per 'City of South Tucson Adopted Building Codes, Ordinance No. 25-01') are: 2018 International Building Code (IBC); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC); 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) (one edition behind the 2018-cycle ICC set); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC); 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC); the 2012 City of Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code; Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 5, Article 2 (Public and Semipublic Swimming Pools and Spas); and ICC A117.1-2009 (Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities). Source: 'CITY OF SOUTH TUCSON ADOPTED BUILDING CODES, ORDINANCE NO: 25-01' (southtucsonaz.gov/media/10481) and southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits.
- These 2018-cycle codes and the 2017 NEC are older than the 2024-cycle codes and 2023 NEC adopted in the neighbouring City of Tucson and unincorporated Pima County, so requirements can differ across the city line. South Tucson has not moved to the 2024 ICC cycle. Source: Ordinance No. 25-01 (southtucsonaz.gov/media/10486) and the individual 'ST 2018 [Code] AMENDMENTS' documents published on the Permits page.
- Each adopted code carries City of South Tucson local amendments published as standalone PDFs per code (e.g., 'ST 2018 International Building Code AMENDMENTS', 'ST 2017 National Electrical Code AMENDMENTS', etc.), all linked from the Permits page. Source: southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits.
New construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures require construction plans drawn by a professional licensed and registered with the Arizona Board of Technical… Show full textShow less
New construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures require construction plans drawn by a professional licensed and registered with the Arizona Board of Technical Registration (architect, mechanical engineer, plumbing engineer, or electrical engineer as applicable to the scope); all such registered professionals conducting business within City limits must also hold an active City of South Tucson business license. Source: southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits.
- All contractors, whether working on residential or commercial properties, must be licensed through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors in the applicable classification, and must hold an active City of South Tucson business license to conduct business within city limits. Source: southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels)
Required for construction of new residential buildings, porches, additions, garages, and remodeling of existing structures in South Tucson. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC and 2018 IBC (for applicable non-residential elements) as adopted and amended by the City of South Tucson under Ordinance No. 25-01. Applications are submitted through the City's Online Permit Portal (live since March 2, 2026), in person, or by mail to City Hall.
From$1.00valuation-basedElectrical Permit (including Reconnect)
Required for electrical service reconnections, service upgrades, panel replacements/repairs, and new circuit/fixture work in South Tucson, governed by the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted and amended by the City of South Tucson under Ordinance No. 25-01.
From$28.60Plumbing Permit
Required for gas line pressure tests and water heater installation/replacement in South Tucson, governed by the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as adopted and amended by the City of South Tucson under Ordinance No. 25-01.
From$28.00Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for furnace, heat pump, air conditioner (new or replacement), and new evaporative cooler installations in South Tucson, governed by the 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted and amended by the City of South Tucson under Ordinance No. 25-01.
From$28.00Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any commercial or residential structure regulated by the Building Code in South Tucson. Requires 15-day advance notice to adjacent property owners (City of South Tucson IBC amendment, Section 3303.1.1) and coordination with Pima County Department of Environmental Quality for asbestos (NESHAP) and, if applicable, septic closure.
See fee scheduleSolar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installing a rooftop or ground-mount photovoltaic system within City of South Tucson limits. The City publishes no separate solar application form and no solar-specific dollar amount, but a dedicated fee line does exist: City Code Section 4-63 "Solar permit fees" prices a solar permit at "Same as building permit". 25-01) and an Electrical Permit (PV electrical connection, 2017 NEC as adopted under the same ordinance), both valuation-based with no numeric fee schedule published by the City.
See fee scheduleEV Charger / EVSE Permit
No dedicated electric-vehicle-charging-station permit, application, or fee line is published by the City of South Tucson. An EV charger installation is permitted as an Electrical Permit under the City's existing general process (2017 NEC as adopted and amended under Ordinance No. 25-01) — the same valuation-based mechanism as the City's Electrical Permit and Solar PV Permit. If the installation also involves structural/mounting work, a separate Building Permit (2018 IBC/IRC as adopted) would apply. Neither the City's Development Services/Permits pages, Ordinance No. 25-01, nor the City's Online Permit and Code Complaint Portal (effective 3/2/2026) publishes an EV-specific fee line. Cost is valuation-dependent and quoted at application time by Development Services (520-792-2424).
$28.60Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Alterations, Tenant Improvements)
Required for new construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures in South Tucson. Administered entirely by the City of South Tucson's own Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department (NOT contracted to the City of Tucson or Pima County, despite South Tucson being geographically enclosed by Tucson). Reviewed against the 2018 IBC and related 2018-cycle codes (2017 NEC) as adopted and amended under Ordinance No. 25-01. Tenant improvements are NOT a separate permit type -- the City's Permits page lists 'new construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures' as one combined category under the same permit process, with no TI-specific application, fee line, or timeline published anywhere on the City's site. Applications are submitted through the City's Online Permit Portal (live since March 2, 2026), in person, or by mail to City Hall.
From$1.00valuation-basedSign Permit
Required before any sign is erected, relocated, posted, painted or maintained, and before any advertising structure is erected, relocated or maintained, anywhere in the City of South Tucson. Sign regulation is codified separately from zoning, in City Code Chapter 19 (SIGNS), which contains its own definitions, its own administration and enforcement article with a designated sign inspector, its own permit division, and its own codified fee schedule at Sec. 19-68. 'Sign' is one of the permit types the City's Online Permit Portal (live since March 2, 2026) lists by name, alongside Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical/HVAC, Demolition and Remodel. Electrical signs additionally require an electrical permit.
From$25.00Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit
Covers installation or modification of automatic fire sprinkler systems and fire alarm and detection systems in the City of South Tucson. South Tucson is not served by an independent fire district: City Code Sec. 6-16 establishes a City fire department under the supervision and control of the city fire chief, and the City's FY2026-2027 Annual Budget carries a Fire Department as a General Fund department at $2,261,375.93. The City adopts its own fire code — Ordinance No. 25-01, adopted April 15, 2025, adopts the 2018 International Fire Code with the City's own local amendments (Ordinance 25-01, Exhibit J) — and the City Code sets fire sprinkler and fire alarm permit fees directly: Sec. 4-64 and Sec. 4-66 each read, in full, 'Same as building permit.' There is no separate fire permit application form and no fire-specific entry on the City's Online Permit Portal; the work is permitted and priced on the City's building permit track.
See fee scheduleChange of Use / Certificate of Occupancy
Covers a change in the occupancy type or occupancy classification of an existing building or space in the City of South Tucson. The City has no application named 'Change of Use'; the governing instrument is the Certificate of Occupancy, and the City publishes a dedicated Occupancy Certificate page setting out exactly when one is and is not required. A Certificate of Occupancy is expressly required for 'tenant improvement or renovations involving a change in the occupancy type, occupancy classification, or requires a greater degree of safety', and the application must be accompanied by a complete code analysis for the proposed use of the building, a complete site plan, a complete floor plan and a complete egress plan, each prepared and stamped by a registered Arizona architect or engineer. The certificate attaches to the space, not to the business. City Code Sec. 4-68(c) sets the Certificate of Occupancy fee at $66.00, and City Code Sec. 4-19 requires that all additions, alterations, repairs and 'character of use or occupancy' in buildings or structures conform to the adopted building code.
From$66.00
South Tucson's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for South Tucson yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.
Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when South Tucson lands. Privacy.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-07)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- 0units
1 of 12 months reported · #78 in Arizona coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)
- 2units
2 buildings · $85,000 valuation
4 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- No data reported
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Arizona building activity
Tips & gotchas
- South Tucson is a genuinely separate, independently incorporated city entirely surrounded by the City of Tucson -- do not confuse it with a Tucson neighborhood. It runs its own Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department and issues its own building permits; it does not defer to the City of Tucson PDSD or to Pima County Development Services. Its city limits are only about one square mile (roughly bounded by the alley between W. 26th/25th Streets on the north, I-10 on the south, the railroad tracks on the east, and the east side of S. 12th Ave. on the west).
- South Tucson launched its first-ever Online Permit Portal and Online Code Complaint Portal on March 2, 2026 -- prior to that date, all permit processing was paper-based/in-person/mail only. This is a very recent modernization for a small city.
- South Tucson's adopted codes are the 2018 IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, IPMC, ISPSC and IFC plus the 2017 NEC, per Ordinance No. 25-01 — one full ICC cycle behind the 2024-cycle codes and 2023 NEC used by the City of Tucson and unincorporated Pima County. Design to South Tucson's editions for work inside city limits; drawings prepared to the newer codes may need adjustment.
- The building permit fee schedule IS published: it is codified at City Code Ch. 4, Art. II, Div. 3, Sections 4-56 through 4-68 (Ord. No. 15-01 Section 2, 1-12-15; Ord. No. 19-06 Section 1, 8-19-19), and includes a full valuation table, 65 percent commercial / 50 percent residential plan review, electrical, mechanical and plumbing unit-fee schedules, a grading table, manufactured-home hook-up at $120.00, a tent and canopy valuation table, a certificate of occupancy fee of $66.00, and appeal fees of $132.00 and $264.00. Demolition, solar, fire sprinkler, wall and fence, and fire alarm permits are each priced "Same as building permit". The City's amendment deletes the ICC model fee table (IBC Section 109.3) and defers to "the fee schedules adopted by the jurisdiction by separate ordinance" - that separate ordinance is Ordinance 15-01, and its numeric content is exactly what Division 3 carries. The City publishes no numeric A.R.S. Section 9-835 review-timeframe table; applicants should call Development Services at 520-792-2424 or email submittals@southtucsonaz.gov for a review-time estimate.
- Inspections are only conducted Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 a.m., and requests must be submitted the business day before -- plan any time-sensitive project (e.g., an electrical reconnect to restore power) around this narrow, twice-weekly inspection window.
- All contractors (residential or commercial) need both an Arizona Registrar of Contractors license in the applicable classification AND an active City of South Tucson business license to legally perform work within city limits -- this dual-licensing requirement is stricter than a simple state-license-only rule.