You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-13.

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building permits

Verified

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, Arizona — as published 2026-07-13.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

Codes adopted

Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority. Santa Cruz County independently adopts and administers its own construction codes for unincorporated areas through its Building Department (a division of Community Development). Source: Santa Cruz County Building Department page.2012 International Building Code (IBC), effective for all construction in the unincorporated areas of the County on September 1, 2013, per Ordinance No. 2013-03 (including all amendments). Source: Santa Cruz County Building Department page (live) and 'Guidelines for Builders' (Rev. 03/2014), https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/973/Guidelines-for-Builders.2012 International Building Code Standards, adopted alongside the 2012 IBC per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).2012 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).2012 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).2012 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).2011 National Electrical Code (NEC) — one edition behind the 2012 I-Codes, consistent with typical NEC adoption lag; adopted per Ordinance No. 2013-03. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014). Independently corroborated by the 2018 Arizona Building Officials (AZBO) Directory, which lists Santa Cruz County as having adopted the 2012 IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC/IFC and 2011 NEC (https://www.azbo.us/documents/documents/2018_AZBO_Directory.pdf).Santa Cruz County has also adopted a Zoning and Development Code (separate from the building-safety codes above) regulating zoning matters, setbacks, landscaping requirements, and swimming pools, administered by the Community Development Department's Planning & Zoning division. Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014); Santa Cruz County Zoning and Development Code, https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9059/Santa-Cruz-County-Zoning-and-Development-Code.A subsequent Building Safety Code Ordinance and an Excavation and Grading Ordinance are both currently published and linked directly from the Building Department page (Building Safety Code Ordinance: https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/970/Building-Safety-Code-Ordinance; Excavation and Grading Ordinance: https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/972/Excavation-and-Grading-Ordinance), confirming the Building Department's code set is still active and in force as of this review. The Building Safety Code Ordinance PDF (970) is a large scanned image file that could not be machine-OCR'd during this review — a genuine access limitation, not an unpublished-code gap, since its existence, title, and the underlying 2012 I-Code adoption are independently confirmed by the live department page and the Guidelines for Builders document.Grading permits are required in unincorporated Santa Cruz County for any grading exceeding 50 cubic yards, per Santa Cruz County Ordinance Nos. 2001-06 & 2007-05. A grading permit is issued only in conjunction with a building permit (with narrow exceptions for grading under Planning & Zoning jurisdiction or special cases approved by the Building Official). Source: Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).

Permit types & fees

Residential Building/Grading Permit (New Construction, Additions, Accessory Structures)

Verified

Required for new single-family/two-family residential construction, additions, and accessory structures in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County. Reviewed against the 2012 IBC/IRC and 2011 NEC as adopted by the County. Grading (where cut/fill exceeds 50 cubic yards) is bundled into the same permit rather than issued standalone. Applications are submitted to the Building Department (Community Development) using the County's Building/Grading Permit Application, accompanied by the Plan Submittal Check List items.

Verified 2026-07-07 · Source

Requirements

Building/Grading Permit Application, including the Applicant's Certification and Acknowledgement page, fully signed
Two complete hard-copy sets of plans (including 2 site plans), plus an electronic PDF copy emailed to permitting@santacruzcountyaz.gov
Site plan drawn to scale (1:20, 1:30, 1:40, 1:50, or 1:60) showing property line distances/bearings, north arrow, physical address, APN, owner of record, front/rear/side setbacks, all existing and proposed structures with location/size/height, street name, driveway, utility easements, entire parcel, and area to be graded
Landscape Acknowledgement Form (Article 19, Section 1906(A) of the County Zoning & Development Code)
Right of Way Application for driveway access
Approved Flood Hazard Information Sheet or issued Flood Plain Use Permit (required if parcel is in the FEMA floodplain)
Copy of the approved septic Construction Authorization Permit (from Santa Cruz County Health/ADEQ) including the approved site plan and floor plan, OR a water/sewer letter confirming service
Proof of ownership (Assessor's Office parcel print-out); if owner name does not match, a recorded deed copy is required
Owner Builder Form, if applicable (owner and immediate family performing the work; any hired labor must be Arizona ROC-licensed)
Exterior Lighting Schedule with cut sheets (lumens/watts) for all exterior lights, per County Outdoor Lighting Regulations
Homes 3,600 sq ft or larger (living space + garage) require Fire Department approval, but only in the Rio Rico and Tubac Fire Districts
Contractor's Transaction Privilege Tax License Number required for projects over $50,000
Bond exemption certificate from the Arizona Department of Revenue required for contractors when construction value exceeds $50,000

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSanta Cruz County Community Development Department form (Rev. 8/4/2023), including the Applicant's Certification and Acknowledgement page that incorporates the A.R.S. §11-1605 review-timeframe rights/obligations; available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17402/BUILDING-GRADING-PERMIT-APPLICATION
RequiredPlan Submittal Check ListCounty checklist of required plan/document elements for a complete submittal (Revised 2/18/2026); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15965/Plan-Submittal-Check-List
RequiredSite Plan RequirementsCounty one-page specification for the required scaled site plan; available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21268/Site-Plan-Requirements
RequiredLandscape Acknowledgement FormRequired under Article 19, Section 1906(A) of the Zoning & Development Code (Rev. 3/9/2020); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12182/Landscape-Acknowledgement-Form
OptionalOwner Builder FormRequired only if the owner is acting as their own general contractor (Rev. 3/9/2020); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12183/Owner-Builder-Form
OptionalExample DrawingsCounty reference drawings illustrating expected floor plan, foundation plan, and elevation content; available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11766/Example-Drawings

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Building Permit Fee — valuation-based per Table 1-A	$1–$500: $60.00 minimum fee; $501–$2,000: $23.50 for the first $500 + $3.00 per additional $100 (or fraction), $60 minimum; $2,001–$25,000: $69.00 for the first $2,000 + $14.00 per additional $1,000 (or fraction); $25,001–$50,000: $391.50 for the first $25,000 + $10.00 per additional $1,000; $50,001–$100,000: $643.50 for the first $50,000 + $7.00 per additional $1,000; $100,001–$500,000: $993.50 for the first $100,000 + $5.50 per additional $1,000; $500,001–$1,000,000: $3,233.50 for the first $500,000 + $4.50 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001+: $5,608.50 for the first $1,000,000 + $3.50 per additional $1,000	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 6 and Exhibit A (Table 1-A). Based on the ICC Building Valuation Data Table (BVD-0213) with a County-added $15/sq ft construction cost for carports and porches. This is the most recent building-fee table this review could locate published by the County; no superseding fee-schedule document was found linked from the current Building Department or Forms & Resources pages as of this review (only a 2025 Health Services fee schedule is currently linked under 'Fees' on the Forms & Resources page, which does not cover Building Department permits) — confirm current amounts directly with the Building Department (520-375-7880) before relying on these 2014 figures for a live project.
Plan Review Fee	35% of the Building Permit Fee for one- and two-family dwellings and accessory structures; 50% of the Building Permit Fee for all other project types	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 4. Due at time of application submittal; non-refundable; separate from the permit fee itself.
Zoning Clearance Fee	$50.00 flat	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 5 and Exhibit A. Applies to all permits containing a site plan (residential, commercial, grading, pool, etc.); due at time of plan submittal. Electric and gas utility permits are exempt.
Grading Permit Fee (bundled with Building Permit where applicable)	Twice the amount calculated from Table A-33-B (e.g., 50 cu yd or less: $23.50 base → $47.00 doubled; 1,001–10,000 cu yd: $194.50 + $14.50/additional 1,000 cu yd, base amount, then doubled)	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 7 and Table A-33-B. Required for any grading exceeding 50 cubic yards; issued only in conjunction with the building permit.
After-hours inspection / re-inspection / unspecified inspection / additional plan review	$47.00 per hour (or the jurisdiction's actual hourly cost, whichever is greater); after-hours inspections have a 2-hour minimum charge; unspecified-fee inspections have a half-hour minimum	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Exhibit A, 'Other Inspections and Fees.'

Commercial/Multi-Family Building Permit (New Construction, Tenant Improvement)

Verified

Required for all new commercial, industrial, and multi-family construction, and any structure other than a single-family residence, in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County. These projects require separate plan approval from the Santa Cruz County Planning and Zoning Department in addition to Building Department review, and carry a higher (50%) plan review fee rate than residential.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

Requirements

Required for all new commercial, industrial, and multi-family construction and any non-single-family structure in unincorporated Santa Cruz County
Separate plan approval required from Santa Cruz County Planning and Zoning Department (contact: 520-375-7683) in addition to Building Department plan review
Two complete hard-copy sets of plans (including 2 site plans), plus an electronic PDF copy emailed to permitting@santacruzcountyaz.gov
Contractor's Transaction Privilege Tax License Number required for projects over $50,000
Bond exemption certificate from the Arizona Department of Revenue required for contractors when construction value exceeds $50,000
TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) approval and Fire Department approval required for commercial projects per the County's Plan Submittal Check List. TAC is an interdepartmental Development Plan review (Fire District, Community Development, Public Works, Flood Control, Environmental Health, and the Building Dept. including ADWR/ADEQ/ADOT) administered by the Community Development Department; it requires a completed Development Plan application, a $300.00 fee (covers 3 reviews; $100.00 for each review thereafter), 2 full-size plan sets delivered to the Fire District of jurisdiction, and a cover sheet/plans stamped by a Registered Design Professional for grading/paving/drainage, improvements, and landscape/lighting. Confirmed live and current (Rev. 10/10/2025) — Santa Cruz County Community Development Dept., 'Technical Advisory Committee Development Plan — Submittal Requirements Check List,' https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan (chased 2026-07-23; this fee/process was previously undocumented in this entry).

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSame County-wide application form used for residential and commercial permits (Rev. 8/4/2023); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17402/BUILDING-GRADING-PERMIT-APPLICATION
RequiredPlan Submittal Check ListNotes TAC Approval and Fire Department Approval as required specifically for commercial projects (Revised 2/18/2026); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15965/Plan-Submittal-Check-List
RequiredTechnical Advisory Committee (TAC) Development Plan — Submittal Requirements Check ListCommunity Development Department checklist/application for TAC Development Plan review (Rev. 10/10/2025), required for commercial/non-single-family projects; lists the $300 TAC fee, reviewing departments, and full submittal package; available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Building Permit Fee — valuation-based per Table 1-A	Same Table 1-A valuation brackets as the residential permit (see Residential Building/Grading Permit fee entry for full table)	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Exhibit A. No separate commercial-only valuation table was found; Table 1-A applies county-wide regardless of occupancy type. Re-chased 2026-07-23: reviewed the County's live Forms & Resources page, the County's SmartGov Online Permit Center (co-santacruz-az.smartgovcommunity.com — 'Documents' section publicly returns no downloadable documents), a Wayback CDX scan of the santacruzcountyaz.gov DocumentCenter for orphaned fee-schedule PDFs, and the FY2024-25 Tentative Budget (https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20429/2024-2025-Tentative-Budget, which shows only an aggregate 'Building Permits' general-fund revenue line item, no per-type fee table) — no newer Building Department fee schedule than the 2014 Guidelines for Builders was found published anywhere on the County's site; confirm current amounts directly with the Building Department (520-375-7880) before relying on these 2014 figures for an active project.
TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) Development Plan Review Fee	$300.00 flat (covers up to 3 reviews); $100.00 for each additional review thereafter	Santa Cruz County Community Development Department, TAC Development Plan Submittal Requirements Check List (Rev. 10/10/2025), https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan — live, confirmed 2026-07-23. Separate from, and in addition to, the Building Permit Fee, Plan Review Fee, and Zoning Clearance Fee.
Plan Review Fee	50% of the Building Permit Fee (commercial/multi-family/other, vs. 35% for one- and two-family residential)	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 4.
Zoning Clearance Fee	$50.00 flat	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 5. Applies to all permits containing a site plan.

Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit

Verified

Flat-fee permit track for minor electrical work, solar installations, and gas work in the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County. Solar permits require stamped engineering for gravity and uplift loads. Exempt from the Zoning Clearance Fee that applies to site-plan-bearing permits.

Verified 2026-07-13 · Source

Requirements

Applies to minor electrical, solar, and gas permit work
Solar permits require stamped engineering for gravity and uplift loads
Exempt from the $50.00 Zoning Clearance Fee (unlike residential/commercial/grading/pool permits)
Submit Building/Grading Permit Application with project scope and contractor licensing information

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSame County-wide application form (Rev. 8/4/2023); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17402/BUILDING-GRADING-PERMIT-APPLICATION
OptionalStamped Engineering (Solar only)Required for solar installations to certify gravity and uplift load compliance

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Minor Electrical, Solar, or Gas Permit — flat fee	$60.00 flat	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 6.

Grading Permit (Standalone / Excavation and Grading)

Verified

Required in unincorporated Santa Cruz County for any grading exceeding 50 cubic yards, per Ordinance Nos. 2001-06 & 2007-05 and the County's Excavation and Grading Ordinance. Normally bundled with a building permit, but is administered under its own fee table (Table A-33-B, doubled) and its own dedicated ordinance.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

Requirements

Required for any grading exceeding 50 cubic yards of cut/fill in unincorporated Santa Cruz County
Issued only in conjunction with a building permit, except where grading falls under Planning and Zoning Department jurisdiction or in special cases approved by the Building Official
Submit two complete sets of grading plans showing areas to be graded and depths/amounts (in cubic yards) of cuts and/or fills
If cuts/fills exceed 5 feet, an area cross-section plan is required
Where grading is part of a larger commercial/multi-family/subdivision project subject to Planning and Zoning Department review, it is reviewed through the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Development Plan process rather than (or in addition to) the standalone/building-permit-bundled track: the TAC submittal requires a cover sheet and grading/paving/drainage plans stamped by a Registered Design Professional, plus a Hydrology/Hydraulic Report, for a $300.00 fee (covers 3 reviews; $100.00 each additional review). Confirmed live and current (Rev. 10/10/2025) — Santa Cruz County Community Development Dept., 'Technical Advisory Committee Development Plan — Submittal Requirements Check List,' https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan (chased 2026-07-23; this concretizes what 'Planning and Zoning Department jurisdiction' means for grading, previously undocumented in this entry).

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSame combined County-wide application form used for building and grading (Rev. 8/4/2023); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17402/BUILDING-GRADING-PERMIT-APPLICATION
OptionalExcavation and Grading OrdinanceGoverning ordinance (Ordinance Nos. 2001-06 & 2007-05); available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/972/Excavation-and-Grading-Ordinance. Re-fetched live and confirmed current 2026-07-23 (full 8-page text extracted directly); the ordinance sets grading-permit administrative procedure (regular vs. engineered grading, exemptions, cuts/fills, bonds) and references fee Tables A-33-A/A-33-B by name but does not itself contain the dollar figures — those are published only in the Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014) per the existing fee entries below.
RequiredGrading Plans (2 complete sets)Showing graded areas and cut/fill depths in cubic yards; cross-section required if cuts/fills exceed 5 feet
OptionalTechnical Advisory Committee (TAC) Development Plan — Submittal Requirements Check ListCommunity Development Department checklist/application for TAC Development Plan review (Rev. 10/10/2025), required when grading is reviewed under Planning and Zoning Department jurisdiction as part of a larger development plan; lists the $300 TAC fee and required grading/paving/drainage plan stamp; available at https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Grading Permit Fee — per Table A-33-B, doubled	50 cu yd or less: $23.50 base ($47.00 doubled); 51–100 cu yd: $37.00 base; 101–1,000 cu yd: $37.00 for first 100 cu yd + $17.50 per additional 100 cu yd; 1,001–10,000 cu yd: $194.50 for first 1,000 cu yd + $14.50 per additional 1,000 cu yd; 10,001–100,000 cu yd: $325.00 for first 10,000 cu yd + $66.00 per additional 10,000 cu yd; 100,001+ cu yd: $919.00 for first 100,000 cu yd + $36.50 per additional 10,000 cu yd — ALL base amounts then doubled per Section 7	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 7 and attached Table A-33-B. Re-chased 2026-07-23: no newer grading/excavation fee schedule was found via the County's live Forms & Resources page, a Wayback CDX scan of the DocumentCenter for orphaned grading/excavation/valuation PDFs, the County's SmartGov Online Permit Center (co-santacruz-az.smartgovcommunity.com — public 'Documents' section returns no downloadable documents), the FY2024-25 Tentative Budget (aggregate revenue line only, no per-permit fee table), or the live Excavation and Grading Ordinance itself (references but does not restate Table A-33-B) — confirm current amounts directly with the Building Department (520-375-7880) before relying on these 2014 figures for an active project.
TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) Development Plan Review Fee — grading reviewed under Planning and Zoning jurisdiction	$300.00 flat (covers up to 3 reviews); $100.00 for each additional review thereafter	Santa Cruz County Community Development Department, TAC Development Plan Submittal Requirements Check List (Rev. 10/10/2025), https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9364/TAC-Application-Development-Plan — live, confirmed 2026-07-23. Applies when grading is reviewed as part of a Development Plan under Planning and Zoning Department jurisdiction, distinct from the standard Table A-33-B grading-permit fee bundled with a standalone building permit.
After-hours inspection / re-inspection (grading-specific)	$50.50 per hour (2-hour minimum for after-hours; $47.00 minimum for unspecified-fee inspections)	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Table A-33-B, 'Other Inspections and Fees.'

Solar PV Permit

Verified

NOTE: this jurisdiction file already documents solar coverage under the bundled 'minor-electrical-solar-gas-permit' entry (a flat-fee track combining minor electrical, solar, and gas work); this standalone entry surfaces that same real, already-verified coverage under the corpus's standard solar-pv-permit slug for consistency and discoverability. Santa Cruz County processes residential solar PV installations under its flat-fee Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit track — solar installations specifically require stamped engineering for gravity and uplift loads and are exempt from the county's $50 Zoning Clearance Fee that applies to site-plan-bearing permits.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

Requirements

Solar installations are processed under the Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit track — submit the same County-wide Building/Grading Permit Application (Rev. 8/4/2023) used for that permit type
Stamped engineering required to certify gravity and uplift load compliance for the solar array/racking system
Exempt from the $50.00 Zoning Clearance Fee that applies to residential/commercial/grading/pool permits with a site plan
Governed by the county's adopted 2012 IPC/IMC and 2011 NEC as applicable to the installation's electrical and mechanical components

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSame County-wide application form (Rev. 8/4/2023) used for the Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit track
RequiredStamped Engineering (Solar)Required specifically for solar installations to certify gravity and uplift load compliance

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Minor Electrical, Solar, or Gas Permit — flat fee (covers solar installations)	$60.00 flat	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 6 — same source and figure documented in this jurisdiction's minor-electrical-solar-gas-permit entry; solar is not billed under a separate valuation-based rate.

EV Charger / EVSE Permit

Verified

Santa Cruz County does not publish a distinct EV charger/EVSE fee line. Installing electric vehicle charging equipment in unincorporated Santa Cruz County is minor electrical work and falls under the county's flat-fee "Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit" track — the same $60 flat-fee category used for other minor electrical installations, exempt from the $50 Zoning Clearance Fee that applies to site-plan-bearing permits. Installation must comply with the adopted 2011 NEC.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

Requirements

Minor Electrical Permit required for EV charger/EVSE circuit installation in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, filed via the County-wide Building/Grading Permit Application
Exempt from the $50.00 Zoning Clearance Fee that applies to site-plan-bearing permits
Installation must comply with the adopted 2011 National Electrical Code
No distinct EV charger/EVSE fee line, expedited timeline, or SolarAPP+-style instant-permitting platform was found published by the county as of this review

Required documents

RequiredBuilding/Grading Permit ApplicationSame County-wide application form (Rev. 8/4/2023) used for the Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit track

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Minor Electrical Permit (EV charger/EVSE) — flat fee	$60.00 flat	Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Section 6 — same flat fee documented on this jurisdiction's Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit entry; no distinct EV charger/EVSE fee line is published.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-23.

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 Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

← Earlier version (2026-07-07)View current record →All versions →