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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) in Tucson, Arizona

Required for construction of new commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings and additions in Tucson. Reviewed against the 2024 International Building Code (effective 1/1/2026; mandatory for all applications received on or after 7/1/2026) as adopted and amended by the City of Tucson, plus zoning, fire (Tucson Fire Department), accessibility (ICC A117.1-2017), energy (COMcheck), and the Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code. All commercial structural permits require plans prepared by a licensed architect or engineer, and a licensed contractor must perform all commercial construction work. Applications are submitted through Tucson Development Center (TDC) Online and reviewed in the Standard Lane (20-business-day performance goal).

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Commercial permits are required for new commercial buildings, tenant improvements, and certificates of occupancy (City of Tucson Commercial Permits page)
  • All commercial structural permits require plans prepared by a licensed architect or engineer, sealed and signed by a registrant of the State of Arizona; all plans require a minimum of 3/32-inch type
  • A licensed contractor must perform all commercial construction work (A.R.S. Section 32-1121); owner/builder exemptions do not apply to commercial property Owner-builderContractor
  • Application submitted online through Tucson Development Center (TDC) Online; only submittals found complete are accepted into building review — incomplete submittals are returned
  • Prerequisites before submittal per the Commercial Submittal Requirements checklist: any associated PDSD Development Package must be approved or already in review (building permits will not issue before Development Package approval), and City of Tucson Right of Way (Department of Transportation and Mobility), Tucson Water, and Pima County Wastewater must have been consulted
  • If construction valuation exceeds $50,000, a contractor's bond exemption certificate from the Arizona Department of Revenue must be provided Contractor
  • Multi-department plan review: building staff review (structural, architectural, energy, mechanical, plumbing, electrical), zoning/site compliance with approved entitlements, and Tucson Fire Department review (charged as a percentage of the building permit fee)
  • Cover sheet must include a complete code analysis: construction type, occupancy classification(s), occupant loads, exiting requirements, fire sprinklers and fire alarms
  • Electronic drawing standards: PDF format, black and white only, flattened/unlocked, constant title block, and a reserved minimum 3" x 5" space on all sheets for City stamps; each document type (plans, calculations, specifications, application) submitted as a separate PDF
  • Falls under the Standard Lane permit review track (20-business-day performance goal); review begins when staff initializes the submittal, which may take up to 3 business days
  • Phased construction is available for commercial buildings in up to four phases (Phase 1 Foundation Only, Phase 2 Superstructure, Phase 3 Building Shell & Core, Phase 4 Interior Fit-out), identified prior to submission of the first plan package; a Letter of Completion may be obtained for initial phases and a Certificate of Occupancy for the final phase
  • Third-party plan review is available with PDSD approval, using a City of Tucson approved plan review agency under contract 222849-01

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation $1 to $2,000City of Tucson FY27 Planning and Permitting Fee Schedule (Section 4-02.4 Construction Valuation Table), effective 7/1/2026; valuation per the ICC Building Valuation Data table
$89.45 base fee
Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,000.01 to $25,000FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$89.45 base fee + $22.95 per additional $1,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $25,000.01 to $50,000FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$617.30 base fee + $16.83 per additional $1,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $50,000.01 to $100,000FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$1,038.05 base fee + $9.64 per additional $1,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,000.01 to $500,000FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$1,520.05 base fee + $8.25 per additional $1,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,000.01 to $1,000,000FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$4,800.05 base fee + $7.45 per additional $1,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,000.01 and aboveFY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.4
$8,525.05 base fee + $5.45 per additional $1,000
Building Staff Review Fee (plan review) — CommercialFY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-02.2.2 (Building Staff Review and Deferred Submittal, per IBC as amended — Commercial); third-party review services are charged 25% of the building staff review fee (Section 4-02.2.3), and staff review fees may be reduced no more than 60%
65% of the building permit fee
Fire Review Fee — New Commercial and Commercial Additions (Tucson Fire Department)FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-06.3.1; includes pre-submittals and development plans, and includes multi-family residential
3% of the building permit fee
Fire Inspection Fee — New Commercial, Additions, and Alterations (Tucson Fire Department)FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-06.3.3
2% of the building permit fee
Pre-application Conference — CommercialFY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-01.5.3; applies to commercial projects (optional but available before submittal)
$435.00
Phased Construction — Commercial (per phase)FY27 Fee Schedule Sections 4-02.7.4 through 4-02.7.7; percentage applies to Building Staff Review Fee and Building Permit Fees
25% of the building fee per phase (four phases: Foundation Only, Superstructure, Building Shell & Core, Interior Fit-out)
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO)FY27 Fee Schedule Sections 4-02.10.2 and 4-02.10.3
$730.28 (valid 30 days); renewal $280.88 (valid 30 days)

Review timeline

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

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) 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

    Foundation

    Foundations must be inspected after the dirt is removed but before the concrete is poured; all permitted work must be inspected prior to covering it up (City of Tucson Building Inspections page)

  2. 2

    Special Inspections (IBC Chapter 17)

    Where required by the structural general notes, special inspections (building and grading) are performed by approved special inspectors from the Special Inspector List maintained by Pima County; a Special Inspection Certificate must be in place before permit issuance where applicable. Medical gas piping installations require their own special inspection certificate.

  3. 3

    Fire Inspections (Tucson Fire Department)

    TFD inspections of fire/life-safety systems for new commercial construction, funded by the 2% fire inspection fee (FY27 Fee Schedule Section 4-06.3.3); fire alarm and sprinkler system permits and inspections run through TFD

  4. 4

    Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy

    Final inspection of all work per approved plans, leading to a Certificate of Occupancy (or a Letter of Completion for initial phases of a phased project, with the CofO on the final phase). Most commercial work must be inspected in person; Remote Video Inspection is generally allowed only for follow-up corrections.

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

Tips

  • Tucson does not publish a single fixed commercial inspection sequence — the inspections listed here are the inspection categories PDSD and the FY27 fee schedule document (foundation/cover-up rule, special inspections, TFD fire inspections, final/CofO); the full sequence for a given project is driven by its approved plans. Request on-site inspections through TDC Online before 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday to be scheduled for the next business day.
  • The published Commercial Submittal Requirements checklist (revised July 2023) still lists the 2018 code editions, but the City has since adopted the 2024 International Codes (effective 1/1/2026, mandatory for all applications received on or after 7/1/2026) with the 2023 NEC and ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standard — design to the current codes, not the checklist's code list.
  • Fire alarm and fire sprinkler permits are separate permits handled by the Tucson Fire Department (520-791-3234), not PDSD; under the FY27 fee schedule a new fire sprinkler system is charged at 2 hours of staff time plus $0.01/sq ft (Section 4-06.4.3).
  • Phased construction (up to four commercial phases at 25% of the building fee each) must be identified before the first plan package is submitted — it cannot be added later.
  • Permit fee valuation uses the ICC Building Valuation Data table; PDSD is phasing its valuation tables to align with the latest ICC table by FY2027, with minor yearly adjustments each February (Development Fee & Valuation Table FAQ).
  • A pre-application conference ($435, FY27 Section 4-01.5.3) is available and useful for large or complicated projects; the Complex Lane assigns a dedicated project manager for entitlement/special-district/historic projects.
  • PDSD warns of phishing emails impersonating official correspondence — official permit invoices come exclusively from noreply@eplmail.tylerapp.com, and PDSD never requests payment or wire transfers by email.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. All commercial structural permits require plans prepared, sealed, and signed by an architect or engineer registered in the State of Arizona, and a licensed contractor must perform all commercial construction work per A.R.S. Section 32-1121. Structural calculations, geotechnical reports, and heating/cooling load calculations, where applicable, must also be sealed by the registered design professional. Source: City of Tucson Commercial Permits page and Commercial Plan Submittal Requirements checklist.

In Tucson, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation $1 to $2,000 is: $89.45 base fee. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,000.01 to $25,000 — $89.45 base fee + $22.95 per additional $1,000; Building Permit Fee — valuation $25,000.01 to $50,000 — $617.30 base fee + $16.83 per additional $1,000; Building Permit Fee — valuation $50,000.01 to $100,000 — $1,038.05 base fee + $9.64 per additional $1,000; Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,000.01 to $500,000 — $1,520.05 base fee + $8.25 per additional $1,000; Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,000.01 to $1,000,000 — $4,800.05 base fee + $7.45 per additional $1,000; Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,000.01 and above — $8,525.05 base fee + $5.45 per additional $1,000; Building Staff Review Fee (plan review) — Commercial — 65% of the building permit fee; Fire Review Fee — New Commercial and Commercial Additions (Tucson Fire Department) — 3% of the building permit fee; Fire Inspection Fee — New Commercial, Additions, and Alterations (Tucson Fire Department) — 2% of the building permit fee; Pre-application Conference — Commercial — $435.00; Phased Construction — Commercial (per phase) — 25% of the building fee per phase (four phases: Foundation Only, Superstructure, Building Shell & Core, Interior Fit-out); Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) — $730.28 (valid 30 days); renewal $280.88 (valid 30 days). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

New commercial buildings and commercial additions are reviewed in PDSD's Standard Lane with a 20-business-day performance goal. The clock starts when staff initializes the submittal, which can take up to 3 additional business days. Entitlement, special district, and historic projects instead fall into the Complex Lane, where the timetable depends on project scale and a dedicated project manager may be assigned. Source: City of Tucson PDSD Permit Review Lanes page.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application; Commercial Plan Submittal Requirements & Checklist; Complete Set of Sealed Plans; Energy Compliance Certificates (COMcheck); Electrical Load Calculations. Depending on your project, Tucson may also ask for: Structural Calculations; Geotechnical Report; Contractor Bond Exemption Certificate; Special Inspection Certificate — Building & Grading. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Tucson requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction & additions), in order: Foundation, Special Inspections (IBC Chapter 17), Fire Inspections (Tucson Fire Department), Final Inspection / 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.

Sources & verification

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

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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