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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Alterations, Tenant Improvements) in South Tucson, Arizona

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.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Permit required for new construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures (City of South Tucson Permits page)
  • Construction plans must be drawn by professionals licensed and registered with the State of Arizona Board of Technical Registration, in the discipline applicable to the scope (architect, mechanical engineer, plumbing engineer, electrical engineer); the registrant must abide by their license specification
  • All registered professionals conducting business within City limits must hold an active City of South Tucson business license, in addition to their state registration
  • All commercial permits require the involvement of a licensed contractor (Arizona Registrar of Contractors license in the applicable classification PLUS an active City of South Tucson business license); note that rental properties are treated as commercial for this purpose Contractor
  • Permit applications require 2 digital copies of a site plan and a floor plan, submitted via the Online Permit Portal, in person, or by mail/shipment to City Hall, 1601 S 6th Ave, South Tucson, AZ 85713
  • New construction or alterations/expansions/modifications to existing structures on flood-prone properties additionally require submission of a FEMA Elevation Certificate
  • Only submittals found to be complete are accepted into the building review process; incomplete submittals are returned to the applicant (include a completed copy of the City's submittal checklist with the application)
  • Plans are reviewed by staff across various departments for building code, zoning, floodplain, and fire-safety compliance (2018 IBC and companion codes as adopted and amended under Ordinance No. 25-01)
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is required for new commercial buildings, tenant improvement of a newly occupied space, tenant improvements resulting in a change of square footage, and tenant improvements/renovations involving a change in occupancy type, occupancy classification, or requiring a greater degree of safety; fire district/fire department/State Fire Marshal approval (and Pima County Health Department approval for food-related businesses) must be submitted to submittals@southtucsonaz.gov prior to final inspection and at least 48 hours before a CofO is requested
  • No area under an active permit may be occupied (including furniture placement or stocking) without inspector approval; violations may result in enforcement actions and/or removal of contents

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee - valuation-based (City Code Section 4-56(2))
South Tucson City Code Ch. 4 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Art. Show full citationSouth Tucson City Code Ch. 4 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Art. II, Div. 3, Section 4-56(2) "Building permit fees" table (Ord. No. 15-01 Section 2, 1-12-15; Ord. No. 19-08 Section 1, 8-19-19). Read directly from the codified text at library.municode.com; code current through Ordinance No. 22-07, enacted 2022-09-20.
$1.00-$500.00: $28.60; $500.01-$2,000.00: $28.60 for the first $500.00 plus $3.63 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof; $2,000.01-$25,000.00: $83.60 for the first $2,000.00 plus $16.50 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof; $25,000.01-$50,000.00: $467.50 for the first $25,000.00 plus $12.10 for each additional $1,000.00; $50,000.01-$100,000.00: $770.00 for the first $50,000.00 plus $8.80 for each additional $1,000.00; $100,000.01-$500,000.00: $1,210.00 for the first $100,000.00 plus $6.60 for each additional $1,000.00; $500,000.01-$1,000,000.00: $3,850.00 for the first $500,000.00 plus $5.61 for each additional $1,000.00; $1,000,000.01 and above: $6,765.00 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $4.51 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Building plan review fee - commercialCity Code Section 4-56(1)a. The same 65 percent rate applies to deferred submittal fees. No separate electrical, mechanical or plumbing plan review fee is charged when all permits are applied for in one application (Section 4-56(1)d).
65 percent of the building permit fee
Other inspections (outside business hours, reinspection, inspections with no fee specified, additional plan review from changes)City Code Section 4-56(3). Outside normal business hours carries a two-hour minimum; inspections with no specified fee and additional plan review carry a one-half-hour minimum. Housing code compliance inspections are $95.70 each.
$59.40 each, or the total hourly cost to the jurisdiction if greater

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Alterations, Tenant Improvements) permit actually take in South Tucson?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation/Footing

    Before concrete pour, per approved plans and adopted 2018 IBC

  2. 2

    Framing

    Structural framing and connections per approved plans; applicable construction documentation (evaluation reports, manufacturer specs, truss profiles/layout) must be on site

  3. 3

    Rough Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing

    Rough-in of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems before concealment (2018 IMC/IPC/IFGC, 2017 NEC as adopted); temporary power and underground water/sewer inspections should be combined with other inspections to avoid an additional-inspection charge

  4. 4

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy Clearance

    All work complete per approved plans and all permit conditions satisfied; fire district/fire department/State Fire Marshal approval (and Pima County Health Department approval for food businesses) must be submitted at least 48 hours before a CofO is requested; no occupancy, furniture placement, or stocking is permitted before inspector approval

See the full South Tucson inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Tenant improvements are NOT a distinct permit type in South Tucson: the City's Permits page groups 'new construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures' into one category under the same general permit process, and no TI-specific application form, fee line, or review timeline is published anywhere on the City's site.
  • The Certificate of Occupancy rules are where TI distinctions actually matter here: a new CofO is required for a TI of a newly occupied space, a TI changing square footage, or a TI changing occupancy type/classification or requiring a greater degree of safety -- but NOT for minor improvements like flooring or paint with no layout/square-footage/occupancy/accessibility/egress change, and NOT for a new tenant occupying a space with the same use as the previous tenant's existing CofO (the certificate attaches to the space and use, not the business name).
  • Every commercial job -- including modest TIs -- needs plans drawn by an Arizona Board of Technical Registration registrant in the applicable discipline AND a licensed contractor; both the design professional and the contractor must also carry an active City of South Tucson business license ($40/year plus quarterly occupational fees, per the City's Finance pages). Budget for this dual-licensing requirement, which is stricter than state-license-only jurisdictions. Contractor
  • Fees and review timeline: South Tucson publishes neither a numeric valuation-based commercial fee table on its own website nor an A.R.S. Section 9-835 review-timeframe document, and the March 2026 Online Permit Portal launch did not bring a published fee schedule with it. Call Development Services at 520-792-2424 or email submittals@southtucsonaz.gov for a case-specific fee quote and review-time estimate.
  • Despite being fully surrounded by the City of Tucson, South Tucson reviews and inspects its own commercial projects through its own Development Services Division -- do not submit to Tucson PDSD or Pima County. The one county touchpoint in a standard commercial flow is Pima County Health Department approval for food-related businesses (a pre-CofO requirement).
  • South Tucson's adopted codes (2018 IBC/2017 NEC per Ordinance No. 25-01) are a full ICC cycle behind neighboring Tucson and Pima County (2024 codes/2023 NEC) -- design teams working across jurisdictional lines should not assume code parity across the boundary.
  • Inspections run only Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 a.m., requests due the business day before; the standard permit fee covers a fixed number of inspections, so group partial inspections (e.g., temporary power with underground water/sewer) to avoid extra-inspection charges, and note custom field inspections carry extra charges.

Frequently asked questions

South Tucson requires a commercial building permit (new construction, alterations, tenant improvements) for: Permit required for new construction, alterations, modifications, or tenant improvements to commercial properties/structures (City of South Tucson Permits page); Construction plans must be drawn by professionals licensed and registered with the State of Arizona Board of Technical Registration, in the discipline applicable to the scope (architect, mechanical engineer, plumbing engineer, electrical engineer); the registrant must abide by their license specification; All registered professionals conducting business within City limits must hold an active City of South Tucson business license, in addition to their state registration; All commercial permits require the involvement of a licensed contractor (Arizona Registrar of Contractors license in the applicable classification PLUS an active City of South Tucson business license); note that rental properties are treated as commercial for this purpose; Permit applications require 2 digital copies of a site plan and a floor plan, submitted via the Online Permit Portal, in person, or by mail/shipment to City Hall, 1601 S 6th Ave, South Tucson, AZ 85713; New construction or alterations/expansions/modifications to existing structures on flood-prone properties additionally require submission of a FEMA Elevation Certificate; Only submittals found to be complete are accepted into the building review process; incomplete submittals are returned to the applicant (include a completed copy of the City's submittal checklist with the application); Plans are reviewed by staff across various departments for building code, zoning, floodplain, and fire-safety compliance (2018 IBC and companion codes as adopted and amended under Ordinance No. 25-01); A Certificate of Occupancy is required for new commercial buildings, tenant improvement of a newly occupied space, tenant improvements resulting in a change of square footage, and tenant improvements/renovations involving a change in occupancy type, occupancy classification, or requiring a greater degree of safety; fire district/fire department/State Fire Marshal approval (and Pima County Health Department approval for food-related businesses) must be submitted to submittals@southtucsonaz.gov prior to final inspection and at least 48 hours before a CofO is requested; No area under an active permit may be occupied (including furniture placement or stocking) without inspector approval; violations may result in enforcement actions and/or removal of contents. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of South Tucson Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department (Development Services Division) at 520-792-2424 before starting work.

Neither figure is published. Permit cost is valuation-based (cost of labor and materials) and calculated at application via the Online Permit Portal; no numeric fee table or A.R.S. Section 9-835 review-timeframe document exists anywhere on the City's website. Contact Development Services at 520-792-2424 for a case-specific quote and estimate.

South Tucson does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of South Tucson Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department (Development Services Division) at 520-792-2424 for current turnaround.

You'll need: City of South Tucson Permit Application (Online Permit Portal); Site Plan (2 digital copies); Floor Plan (2 digital copies); Construction Plans by an Arizona BTR-Registered Professional; Completed Submittal Checklist. Depending on your project, South Tucson may also ask for: FEMA Elevation Certificate; Certificate of Occupancy Application Package (when a new CofO is required). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

South Tucson requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction, alterations, tenant improvements), in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing, Rough Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing, Final / Certificate of Occupancy Clearance. Schedule each through City of South Tucson Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department (Development Services Division) (520-792-2424).

Apply through City of South Tucson Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department (Development Services Division) at South Tucson City Hall, 1601 S. 6th Ave., South Tucson, AZ 85713. Phone: 520-792-2424, email: submittals@southtucsonaz.gov. 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.. Official information: https://www.southtucsonaz.gov/devservices/page/permits.

No. The City's Permits page treats new construction, alterations, modifications, and tenant improvements to commercial properties as one category under the same building-permit process, with no TI-specific application, fee, or timeline published. What changes for a TI is the Certificate of Occupancy: a new CofO is required if the TI is in a newly occupied space, changes square footage, or changes the occupancy type/classification (or requires a greater degree of safety), while minor flooring/paint work and same-use tenant turnover need no new CofO. Source: City of South Tucson Permits and Occupancy Certificate pages.

Neither. South Tucson is a separately incorporated city with its own Planning, Zoning and Development Services Department that independently reviews plans, issues permits, and conducts inspections for commercial projects within its roughly one-square-mile limits. Pima County's only routine role in a commercial project is Health Department approval for food-related businesses before a Certificate of Occupancy. Source: City of South Tucson Development Services pages.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-01.

Applications & forms

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

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

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