Skip to main content
PermitBase

Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in Apache Junction, Arizona

Required whenever a commercial building or tenant space's use or occupancy classification changes in Apache Junction — even without any construction or remodeling work — under Apache Junction City Code § 7-1-6(A) and § 7-1-8. Administered by the Division of Building Safety and Inspection using the City's own 'Change of Use' explanation and checklist guidance documents; a compliant change of use results in a new Certificate of Occupancy for the building or space.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A Change of Use/Occupancy application and a new Certificate of Occupancy are required whenever a commercial building or tenant space's use or occupancy classification changes — even if no construction or remodeling work is proposed — per Apache Junction City Code § 7-1-6(A) (permit required to 'change the occupancy of a building or structure') and § 7-1-8 (no change in occupancy classification without a Certificate of Occupancy)
  • Apache Junction classifies commercial buildings/spaces into the same 10 IBC Occupancy Groups (Assembly 'A', Business 'B', Educational 'E', Factory/Industrial 'F', High Hazard 'H', Institutional 'I', Mercantile 'M', Residential 'R', Storage 'S', Utility/Miscellaneous 'U', several with numbered subgroups); a use change that shifts a building into a different classification can trigger new code-compliance requirements (e.g., fire sprinklers) that the existing building or space must be verified to meet before a new Certificate of Occupancy is issued
  • Required submittal per the City's Change of Use or Occupancy Checklist (rev. 8/28/2019): a site plan (building/space location, parking, accessible route, address/suite number, current zoning, property owner's name/address) and an architectural plan showing current/existing and proposed occupancy group and occupancy load, building construction type, fire sprinkler and fire alarm data, existing and proposed floor plans, exiting/egress details (number, travel distance, exit signage, emergency lighting, locks/latching), restroom configuration, and adjacent uses if in a multi-tenant location
  • For buildings predating Apache Junction's 1985 incorporation and code adoption, the City will honor an existing (Pinal County-era) use if it can be established that the use has been continuous and the building has been maintained in a safe condition since 1985
  • Failure to obtain a new Certificate of Occupancy before changing use is a City Code violation and can result in an order to close or cease use of the structure plus fines
  • Apply through the City of Apache Junction Building Division, electronically via MyGovernmentOnline (MGO), consistent with other City building permit types

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 3 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our paid checklist will assemble all of them, from $29 →

Fee schedule

Change of Occupancy (no work proposed or required)Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1, Occupancy
$150 per request
Certificate of Occupancy — New Commercial (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final)Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1, Occupancy
$100 per request
Certificate of Occupancy — Tenant Improvement (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final)Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1
$80 per request
Certificate of Completion — Commercial Shell (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final)Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1
$80 per request
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (maximum 30 days; no more than 2 renewals)Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1
$200 per request

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Apache Junction?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Occupancy Inspection

    Verifies the building/space meets the currently adopted code for the new occupancy classification before a new Certificate of Occupancy is issued

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

Tips

  • A Change of Use/Occupancy permit is required even when NO construction work is proposed — simply changing a tenant's business type (e.g., retail 'M' occupancy to a restaurant 'A-2' occupancy) can change which code requirements apply, and may require building upgrades (such as fire sprinklers) before a new Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.
  • The City will honor a pre-1985 use established under Pinal County jurisdiction (before Apache Junction incorporated and adopted its own building codes) if the use has been continuous and the building kept in a safe condition since 1985.
  • Fee depends on scenario: $150 for a pure Change of Occupancy with no proposed work, versus $100 (new commercial) or $80 (tenant improvement/commercial shell) for a standard Certificate of Occupancy tied to a construction permit, or $200 for a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (max 30 days, up to 2 renewals).

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Per Apache Junction City Code § 7-1-6(A) and § 7-1-8, a Change of Use/Occupancy application and a new Certificate of Occupancy are required whenever a building or tenant space's use or occupancy classification changes, even if no construction or remodeling is proposed, at a fee of $150 per request (Change of Occupancy, no work proposed or required).

In Apache Junction, the published Change of Occupancy (no work proposed or required) is: $150 per request. Additional published fees: Certificate of Occupancy — New Commercial (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final) — $100 per request; Certificate of Occupancy — Tenant Improvement (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final) — $80 per request; Certificate of Completion — Commercial Shell (replacement, or requested more than 8 days after final) — $80 per request; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (maximum 30 days; no more than 2 renewals) — $200 per request. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Up to 30 calendar days, renewable no more than 2 times (2 additional 30-day periods), at a fee of $200 per request, per Apache Junction City Code § 7-1-8 and Vol. I, Ch. 4, Art. 4-4, § 4-4-1.

You'll need: Change of Use Permit Application; "Change of Use" Explanation (Understanding Change of Use or Occupancy for Existing Buildings or Spaces, rev. 8/28/2019); "Change of Use" Checklist for Permit (rev. 8/28/2019). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apache Junction requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy permit, in order: Final Occupancy Inspection. Schedule each through City of Apache Junction Development Services Department — Division of Building Safety and Inspection (480-474-5156).

Apply through City of Apache Junction Development Services Department — Division of Building Safety and Inspection at 300 E. Superstition Blvd. (Building D), Apache Junction, AZ 85119. Phone: 480-474-5156, email: buildingpermits@apachejunctionaz.gov. Office hours: Building and Safety Manager/Building Official: Adrian Alegria (buildingpermits@apachejunctionaz.gov, 480-474-5156). All building permit applications must be submitted electronically through the MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) online permit system; a public kiosk with an 11x17 flat scanner is available in the Development Services Lobby at the city complex, 300 E. Superstition Blvd. Building D, for applicants who need accommodation. Division main line 480-982-8002; inspections may be scheduled by phone at 480-474-5101 or via the MGO customer portal. Source: City of Apache Junction Division of Building Safety and Inspection staff directory page; New Residential Construction (and Additions) Building Application Guide (rev. 03/11/2024).. Official information: https://www.apachejunctionaz.gov/622/Permits.

Apache Junction, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The City of Apache Junction independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Development Services Department / Division of Building Safety and Inspection. Source: City of Apache Junction Division of Building Safety and Inspection (apachejunctionaz.gov/85/Building-Safety-and-Inspection); Apache Junction City Code, Volume I, Chapter 7 (Buildings).; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), formally adopted by the Apache Junction City Council on June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019, with City of Apache Junction amendments (Apache Junction City Code, Volume I, Article 7-2: Building Code, § 7-2-2 Amendments to the 2018 International Building Code). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice (Division of Building Safety and Inspection, 300 E. Superstition Blvd.).; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019, with City of Apache Junction amendments (Article 7-4: Residential Code), including a City-completed Table R301.2(1) Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria and amendments to R301.5 (Live Loads), R302.1(1), R302.2.6, and R303 (mandatory heating/cooling). Confirmed as the applicable code on the City's own 'New Residential Construction (and Additions) Building Application Guide' coversheet requirement ('Applicable code 2018 IRC'). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Residential Code & Design Criteria' notice; New Residential Construction (and Additions) Building Application Guide (rev. 03/11/2024), p.2.; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019 — one edition behind the 2018 ICC set (the City has not since adopted the 2020 or 2023 NEC per the City's own currently-adopted-codes notice and FAQ page). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice; City of Apache Junction Building Division FAQ (apachejunctionaz.gov/faq.aspx?TID=20).; 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019, with City of Apache Junction amendments (Article 7-6: Plumbing Code, § 7-6-2 Amendments to the 2018 International Plumbing Code). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019. Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019. Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019. Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019, governs energy-efficiency requirements for new residential and commercial construction (Manual J/D/S calculations required per the City's Residential Building Application Guide). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice; New Residential Construction (and Additions) Building Application Guide (rev. 03/11/2024).; 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019, governs residential and public/semi-public pool and spa construction. Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted as the City's uniform fire code (Article 7-1 references the 'Technical Codes' collectively); administered in coordination with the Building Safety and Inspection Division. Source: Apache Junction City Code, Volume I, Article 7-1: Division of Building Safety and Inspection Administrative Code.; Accessibility: 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, as published by the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (appendices B and D to 36 CFR 1191 (2009) and 28 CFR part 35.151 (2011) for public entities; 28 CFR 36.401-36.406 (2011) for places of public accommodation and commercial facilities), adopted June 18, 2019, effective July 18, 2019. Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice.; Fee schedules were revised in conjunction with the 2018/2019 code adoption, effective July 1, 2019, and the Development Services Fees (Apache Junction City Code, Volume I, Chapter 4, Article 4-4) were most recently revised October 31, 2022. The ICC codes' own fee/valuation sections are superseded for practical billing purposes by Article 4-4, which is the City's operative fee authority (though commercial valuation itself is still calculated per the ICC Building Valuation Data table). Source: City of Apache Junction 'Currently Adopted Building Codes' notice; Apache Junction City Code, Vol. I, Chapter 4, Article 4-4: Development Services Fees (rev. 10/31/22).. Local amendments apply — see the Apache Junction overview page for the full list.

Other permits in Apache Junction

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)Residential Addition / Remodel / Accessory Structure PermitElectrical PermitEV Charger / EVSE PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRe-Roofing PermitResidential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) PermitDemolition PermitManufactured Home / Park Model Set PermitFence and Retaining Wall PermitSign PermitFire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit

Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in other cities

Buckeye, ArizonaCamp Verde, ArizonaCocopah Indian Tribe, ArizonaDewey-Humboldt, ArizonaDuncan, ArizonaEagar, ArizonaFort McDowell Yavapai Nation, ArizonaFountain Hills, Arizona

Compare change of use / change of occupancy permit fees across Arizona →

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Apache Junction project checklist

Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Apache Junction — in one checklist. Sign up and pay once to generate it, or go unlimited with Pro.

Get started →