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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy in Tucson, Arizona

Tucson administers a change of use through its Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) process rather than a separately named change-of-use permit. PDSD states that a Certificate of Occupancy is required for, among other things, 'tenant improvement or renovations involving a change in the occupancy type, occupancy classification, or requires a greater degree of safety.' Because a CofO is granted to a space rather than to a business, a new tenant occupying a space with the same intended use as the existing certificate, and making no changes, does not need a new one — the previous CofO remains valid and PDSD does not put tenant names on the certificate, only the type of business. Where a CofO does not exist for a building or is unavailable on public record, PDSD directs applicants to request a new one through TDC Online by applying for a Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit with architect- or engineer-stamped documents. The zoning side of a use change is handled separately through Zoning Compliance Review and, for nonconforming uses, through the Substitution of Non-conforming Use (SNU) process.

Verified 2026-08-15 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A Certificate of Occupancy is required for tenant improvement or renovations involving a change in the occupancy type, occupancy classification, or that require a greater degree of safety; also for new commercial and residential buildings, tenant improvement of a newly occupied space, tenant improvements resulting in a change of square footage, and other projects as determined by the Building Official (City of Tucson PDSD Occupancy Certificates page)
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is NOT required and will not be issued for minor improvements such as flooring or paint that do not include a change in layout or square footage, do not change the occupancy type or classification, and do not impact accessibility or egress (PDSD Occupancy Certificates page)
  • A certificate of occupancy is granted to a space, not a business — if the new occupant's intended use matches the use specified on the existing Certificate of Occupancy from the previous tenant and no changes are being made to the space, no new certificate is needed and the previous CofO remains valid (PDSD Occupancy Certificates page)
  • Where a CofO does not exist for a building, or is unavailable on public record, a new one is requested through TDC Online by applying for a Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit (PDSD Occupancy Certificates page)
  • The documents submitted with that application must be prepared and stamped by a registered Arizona architect or engineer: a complete code analysis for the proposed use of the building, a complete site plan, a complete floor plan, and a complete egress plan; additional information may be required as determined by the Building Official (PDSD Occupancy Certificates page)
  • Existing certificates of occupancy for a building may be on public record and are searchable by address through Property Research Online (pro.tucsonaz.gov); CofOs are issued upon completion of a building permit and are attached to a specific permit record, and the most current CofO typically invalidates any previous certificates issued for the building
  • If a CofO is not available through Property Research Online, a records request may be submitted from that portal or from a Tucson Development Center Online account
  • Tucson Fire Department review applies to commercial alterations at 2.5% of the building permit fee and fire inspection at 2% of the building permit fee (FY27 Fee Schedule Sections 4-06.3.2 and 4-06.3.3)
  • Where the new use is a substitution of a nonconforming use, the FY27 fee schedule distinguishes SNU within the Same Land Use Class (charged as a Research, Analysis and Interpretation Fee) from SNU to a Different Land Use Class (referred to the Special Exceptions section) (FY27 Fee Schedule Sections 4-05.8.5 and 4-05.8.6)
  • Confirmation of a nonconforming use, a Zoning Administrator Determination, and Certification of Zoning are each charged as a Research, Analysis and Interpretation Fee (FY27 Fee Schedule Sections 4-05.8.1 through 4-05.8.3)
  • Alteration work accompanying the change of use is valued from the signed contract between contractor and client, or, absent that documentation, assigned a percentage of total building valuation by International Existing Building Code alteration level (FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.8)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Certificate of Occupancy for an address without a permit issued in the prior 360 daysFY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-02.10.1 (Certificate of Occupancy and Other Miscellaneous Fees), effective July 1, 2026. Read from a rendered page image of the adopted PDF (page 9 of 21). The schedule's comment column states that a staff review fee will be charged at the standard hourly rate, as necessary.
$150.00
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-02.10.2 (read from render). Valid for 30 days.
$730.28
TCO RenewalFY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-02.10.3 (read from render). Valid for 30 days.
$280.88
Standard Hourly Rate (applied to staff review on a CofO and to hour-priced zoning fees)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Sections 4-01.6.1 and 4-01.6.2 (read from a rendered page image, page 3 of 21)
$100.00 per hour; Overtime Hourly Rate $200.00 per hour
Research, Analysis and/or Interpretation Fee (nonconforming use confirmation, zoning determination, SNU same land use class)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-01.5.5 (read from a rendered page image, page 2 of 21). Sections 4-05.8.1 (Zoning Administrator Determination), 4-05.8.2 (Certification of Zoning), 4-05.8.3 (Confirmation of Non-conforming Use) and 4-05.8.5 (SNU — Same Land Use Class) all refer to this fee. Section 4-05.8.6 (SNU — Different Land Use Class) refers instead to the Special Exceptions section.
Per hour, minimum 2 hours, at the Standard Hourly Rate of $100.00
Building Permit Fee for accompanying alteration work — by valuationFY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Sections 4-02.4 and 4-02.8. Valuation is the value of all work in the contract signed by contractor and client; without that documentation, valuation is assigned as a percentage of total building valuation by IEBC alteration level (commercial Level 1: 5%, Level 2: 20%, Level 3: 35% under Sections 4-02.8.5 through 4-02.8.7; residential Level 1: 5%, Level 2: 15%, Level 3: 30% under Sections 4-02.8.2 through 4-02.8.4).
Charged from the FY27 Construction Valuation Table against the project valuation
Building Staff Review Fee (plan review) — CommercialFY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-02.2.2
65% of the building permit fee
Fire Review Fee — Commercial Alterations (Tucson Fire Department)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-06.3.2 (read from a rendered page image, page 19 of 21)
2.5% of the building permit fee
Fire Inspection Fee — Commercial Alterations (Tucson Fire Department)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-06.3.3 (read from a rendered page image, page 20 of 21)
2% of the building permit fee
Digital Filing FeeFY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-01.5.1 (read from a rendered page image, page 2 of 21)
1% of the total fee, minimum $18.54
Administrative Review (for reviews not otherwise specified in the fee schedule)FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Section 4-01.5.2 (read from render)
$100.00 per hour

Review timeline

Plan reviewTucson’s published plan-review target
20–20 business days

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy permit actually take in Tucson?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough-in / Cover-up Inspections (if alteration work is performed)

    All permitted work must be inspected prior to being covered up. For a change of use involving construction, wall, ceiling and trade rough-in work must be inspected before drywall or ceiling closure.

  2. 2

    Fire Inspection (Tucson Fire Department)

    TFD inspection of fire and life-safety work in commercial alterations, funded by the 2% fire inspection fee (FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-06.3.3). Where the change of use triggers new or modified sprinkler or alarm systems, those are separately permitted and inspected by TFD as Fire Construction Permits.

  3. 3

    Final Inspection and Certificate of Occupancy

    PDSD issues the Certificate of Occupancy after all of the work specified on the City-approved construction documents has been completed. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy valid for 30 days is available while punch-list items are completed, and may be renewed for a further 30 days.

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

Tips

  • Check whether you need anything at all first. PDSD states that a certificate of occupancy is granted to a space, not a business: if your intended use matches the use on the existing CofO from the previous tenant and you are making no changes to the space, the previous certificate is still valid and should be used for the new tenant. PDSD does not put tenant names on certificates, only the type of business.
  • Search Property Research Online (pro.tucsonaz.gov) by address before you file anything. CofOs are issued on completion of a building permit and attach to that permit record, so a building may carry more than one at the same address — the most current one typically invalidates the earlier ones.
  • There is no standalone change-of-use application in Tucson. PDSD's published route where no CofO exists or none is on record is to apply for a Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit through TDC Online, which is why this permit runs on the Standard Lane 20-business-day clock.
  • The four stamped documents are the whole gate: a complete code analysis for the proposed use, a complete site plan, a complete floor plan and a complete egress plan, all prepared and sealed by a registered Arizona architect or engineer. Submitting without the stamped code analysis is the fastest way to a rejected submittal.
  • The $150.00 line in the fee schedule is narrower than it looks — Section 4-02.10.1 is specifically a CofO for an address without a permit issued in the prior 360 days, and its comment column adds that staff review is charged at the standard hourly rate of $100.00 as necessary. If your change of use involves construction, the building permit fee and the 65% plan review fee dominate the cost, not the CofO line.
  • Provide the signed contractor-client contract. Without documentation of the value of all work, PDSD assigns a valuation as a percentage of the whole building's standard valuation by IEBC alteration level — 5%, 20% or 35% for commercial — which can be far higher than the actual job cost for a small suite in a large building.
  • If the space is a legal nonconforming use, the substitution track matters: FY27 Section 4-05.8.5 treats a Substitution of Non-conforming Use within the Same Land Use Class as a Research, Analysis and Interpretation Fee (per hour, two-hour minimum at $100.00), while Section 4-05.8.6 sends an SNU to a Different Land Use Class to the Special Exceptions section — a materially heavier and slower process.
  • A change of occupancy classification usually pulls fire in: TFD charges 2.5% of the building permit fee for commercial alteration review and 2% for inspections, and any new or modified sprinkler or alarm work is a separate Fire Construction Permit priced in staff hours.

Frequently asked questions

Tucson handles a change of use through its Certificate of Occupancy. PDSD states that a Certificate of Occupancy is required for tenant improvement or renovations involving a change in the occupancy type, occupancy classification, or that require a greater degree of safety. Where no CofO exists for the building or none is available on public record, PDSD directs you to request one through Tucson Development Center Online by applying for a Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit. Source: City of Tucson PDSD Occupancy Certificates page.

Under the FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026, a Certificate of Occupancy for an address without a permit issued in the prior 360 days is $150.00, with staff review charged at the standard hourly rate of $100.00 as necessary. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is $730.28 valid for 30 days, and a TCO renewal is $280.88. Where construction accompanies the change, the building permit is charged from the valuation table plus a 65% building staff review fee, a 2.5% Tucson Fire Department review fee and a 2% fire inspection fee, and a digital filing fee of 1% of the total with a minimum of $18.54. Sources: FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule, Sections 4-01.5.1, 4-01.6.1, 4-02.2.2, 4-02.10 and 4-06.3.

PDSD directs change-of-use applicants to file a Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit, which its Permit Review Lanes page places in the Standard Lane with a 20-business-day performance goal. Review timelines begin when staff initializes the submittal, and initialization may take up to 3 business days depending on volume; review time frames exclude weekends and holidays. A limited-scope commercial tenant improvement may qualify for the Fast Lane 10-business-day goal, but PDSD does not publish the criteria for that designation. Sources: City of Tucson PDSD Occupancy Certificates page and Permit Review Lanes page.

You'll need: Commercial Addition/Alteration Permit Application (TDC Online); Complete Code Analysis for the Proposed Use of the Building; Complete Site Plan; Complete Floor Plan; Complete Egress Plan. Depending on your project, Tucson may also ask for: Existing Certificate of Occupancy (if any); Signed Construction Contract. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tucson requires 3 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Rough-in / Cover-up Inspections (if alteration work is performed), Fire Inspection (Tucson Fire Department), Final Inspection and Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Tucson Planning & Development Services Department (PDSD) ((520) 791-5550).

Apply through City of Tucson Planning & Development Services Department (PDSD) at Tucson Development Center, 201 N. Stone Avenue, 1st Floor, Tucson, AZ 85701. Phone: (520) 791-5550, email: PDSDinquiries@tucsonaz.gov. Office hours: Tucson Development Center, 201 N. Stone Avenue, 1st Floor: Mon.-Thur. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed Fridays). Staff available by email/phone Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.. Official information: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Planning-Development-Services.

Tucson, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has no mandatory statewide building code — code adoption is entirely a local (city/county) decision. The City of Tucson adopts its own model building codes, published by the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), on a six-year cycle, with local amendments authorized by Ordinance #12171. Source: City of Tucson Planning & Development Services, Building Codes page (tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Planning-Development-Services/Codes/Building-Codes).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — effective January 1, 2026, as adopted by the City of Tucson with local amendments; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — effective January 1, 2026, as adopted by the City of Tucson with local amendments; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — effective January 1, 2026 (Tucson/Pima County use the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code); 2024 International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC) — effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — effective July 1, 2026 (the energy code follows the other 2024 model codes on a delayed effective date); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — effective January 1, 2026; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — current adopted edition per City of Tucson Building Codes page; All permit applications and related submittals received on or after July 1, 2026 must comply with the 2024 International Codes and amendments as adopted by the City of Tucson and in effect as of that date, including the 2023 NEC where applicable. Applications submitted before July 1, 2026 continue to be reviewed under the code editions in effect at the time of submittal, unless approved by the Building Official. Source: City of Tucson Building Codes page.; Other adopted building regulations (updated less frequently than the six-year model code cycle): Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 5 (Public and Semi-Public Swimming Pools); 2012 City of Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code; ICC A117.1-2017 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (effective 1/1/26); Inclusive Home Design Ordinance. Source: City of Tucson Building Codes page.; Previously adopted (superseded) editions include the 2018 International Building/Residential/Mechanical/Plumbing/Fuel Gas/Existing Building/Swimming Pool & Spa Codes, 2017 NEC, and 2012-cycle International Codes with 2011 NEC. Source: City of Tucson Building Codes page.; Sustainability and related codes: City of Tucson Riparian Vegetation Preservation; Commercial Rainwater Harvesting (Engineering Code); EV Charging - Commercial and Multifamily (Zoning Code); Landfill Development Ordinance (Engineering Code); Native Plant Preservation Ordinance (Landscaping Code); Prohibition on Ornamental Turf (Zoning Code, UDC 7.6.4.D); WaterSense Plumbing Fixtures (Building Code). Source: City of Tucson Building Codes page.. Local amendments apply — see the Tucson overview page for the full list.

Yes, if nothing changes. PDSD states that a certificate of occupancy is granted to a space, not a business, and that if you are occupying a space with the same intended use as specified on the existing Certificate of Occupancy from the previous tenant and are not making any changes to the space, you do not need a new certificate — the previous CofO is still valid and should be used for the new tenant. PDSD does not use tenant names on the certificate, only the type of business. Source: City of Tucson PDSD Occupancy Certificates page.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-15.

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

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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy in other cities

Apache Junction, ArizonaBuckeye, ArizonaCamp Verde, ArizonaCocopah Indian Tribe, ArizonaDewey-Humboldt, ArizonaDuncan, ArizonaEagar, ArizonaFort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona

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