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Demolition Permit in South Tucson, Arizona

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.

Verified 2026-07-07 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required before demolishing a commercial or residential structure within South Tucson city limits
  • IBC Amendment Section 3303.1.1: at least fifteen (15) days prior to the start of demolition, the applicant must provide notice to adjacent property owners of the proposed demolition; confirmation of the notice may be submitted with the application
  • Reviews required: Zoning, Engineering (as needed), Building Safety; possible concurrent Fire, Electrical, Mechanical, and/or Plumbing review
  • Completed Contractor Form required, providing the contractor's/subcontractor's license number and South Tucson business license number Contractor
  • 2 copies of a site plan required, showing the existing structure to be removed, existing utilities to be capped, and noting the square footage of the structure to be removed
  • All utilities must be terminated/capped at the property line before demolition; an inspection is required to verify utilities have been capped off
  • Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) Air Quality/asbestos (NESHAP) permit may be required (contact PDEQ at 740-3340 or per the demolition/renovation asbestos NESHAP exemption form)
  • For closure of septic systems, PDEQ must be contacted separately
  • Demolition permits are reported to the Pima County Assessor's office and may affect property taxes

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Demolition Permit Fee (valuation-based)City of South Tucson Demolitions page states the permit fee is calculated off valuation, with no linked numeric table; a City of South Tucson business license ($40.00/year plus quarterly occupational fees) is also required for any contractor doing work in the City
Not published -- calculated based on the valuation of the work (cost of labor and materials); see the residential-building-permit type's fee entry for the full chase-trail documentation of this confirmed gap

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Demolition Permit 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

    Pre-Demolition Utility Verification

    Verifies electrical, fuel, water, and waste connections are capped/disconnected at the property line before demolition proceeds

  2. 2

    Final

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

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

Tips

  • CONFIRMED GAP -- review timeline: see the identical chase-trail note under the residential-building-permit type; no published time frame exists specifically for demolition permits.
  • The 15-day adjacent-owner notice requirement (City of South Tucson's own amendment to IBC Section 3303.1.1) is a prerequisite BEFORE demolition may start, separate from and in addition to however long City plan review itself takes -- factor this into project scheduling.
  • Contact Pima County DEQ (520-740-3340) regarding both the asbestos NESHAP exemption/permit and any septic closure requirements -- these are county-administered but must be coordinated with the City's demolition permit.
  • Remember that demolition permits are reported to the Pima County Assessor and may affect the property's tax assessment.

Frequently asked questions

At least fifteen (15) days before the start of demolition, per the City of South Tucson's amendment to IBC Section 3303.1.1. Confirmation of this notice may be submitted along with the demolition permit application. Source: City of South Tucson Demolitions page.

In South Tucson, the published Demolition Permit Fee (valuation-based) is: Not published -- calculated based on the valuation of the work (cost of labor and materials); see the residential-building-permit type's fee entry for the full chase-trail documentation of this confirmed gap. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

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 (Demolition); Site Plan (2 copies); Completed Contractor Form. Depending on your project, South Tucson may also ask for: Confirmation of Notice of Demolition; PDEQ Demolition/Renovation Asbestos NESHAP Exemption form. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

South Tucson requires 2 inspection(s) for a demolition permit, in order: Pre-Demolition Utility Verification, Final. 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.

South Tucson, Arizona has adopted: 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. 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 meaningfully older than the 2024-cycle codes/2023 NEC already adopted by the neighboring, separately-verified City of Tucson and unincorporated Pima County jurisdictions in this dataset -- South Tucson has not yet moved to the 2024 ICC cycle as of this review. 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 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.. Local amendments apply — see the South Tucson overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

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

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.