Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building inspections

Verified

Inspection sequence, scheduling, and re-inspection fees for building permits in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

How to schedule

Inspections are requested through the building department below.

Address: 2150 N. Congress Drive, Suite #206, Nogales, AZ 85621
Phone: 520-375-7880
Email: permitting@santacruzcountyaz.gov
Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Due to the time required to accept or issue a building permit, no applications are accepted and no permits are issued after 5:00 PM. Source: Santa Cruz County Building Department page (live, browser-header fetch confirmed 2026-07-07) and Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014).
Website: Official site

Inspection sequence

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

1
Foundation/Footing
Before concrete pour — after all forms, reinforcement steel, and anchor/hold-down bolts are in place; verifies footing depth, dimensions, reinforcement, and property-line setbacks per 2012 IBC/IRC
2
Rough Frame / Rough Electrical / Rough Plumbing / Rough Mechanical
After the building is made weather-tight (roof, windows, doors, siding/stucco lath installed) and all rough trade work is in place, before wall cover or insulation, per 2012 IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC and 2011 NEC
3
Gas Line Pressure Test
Required before concealing gas piping — verify no leaks under test pressure
4
Final
All work complete per approved plans and applicable Fire Department sign-off where required (homes 3,600 sq ft+ in Rio Rico/Tubac Fire Districts); Certificate of Occupancy issued upon passing final

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

1
Foundation/Footing
Before concrete pour, per 2012 IBC
2
Rough Frame / Rough Electrical / Rough Plumbing / Rough Mechanical
After structural framing and rough trades complete, before wall cover
3
Final
All work complete per approved plans; TAC and Fire Department sign-off confirmed; Certificate of Occupancy issued

Applies to: EV Charger / EVSE Permit

1
Rough-In / Service Inspection
EVSE wiring installed before concealment or energizing
2
Final
EVSE equipment complete and operational per adopted 2011 NEC

Applies to: Grading Permit (Standalone / Excavation and Grading)

1
Grading / Cut-Fill Inspection
Verify graded areas match approved grading plan depths/amounts; cross-section verified if cuts/fills exceed 5 feet
2
Final
Grading work complete per approved plan

Applies to: Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit

1
Rough-In / Service Inspection
After wiring, solar racking/panels, or gas piping installed, before concealment or energizing
2
Final
Work complete and operational per 2012 IPC/IMC and 2011 NEC as applicable

Applies to: Solar PV Permit

1
Rough-In / Service Inspection
After wiring and solar racking/panels installed, before concealment or energizing
2
Final
Work complete and operational per 2012 IPC/IMC and 2011 NEC as applicable

Re-inspection fees

Residential Building/Grading Permit (New Construction, Additions, Accessory Structures)After-hours inspection / re-inspection / unspecified inspection / additional plan review · Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Exhibit A, 'Other Inspections and Fees.'

$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

Grading Permit (Standalone / Excavation and Grading)After-hours inspection / re-inspection (grading-specific) · Guidelines for Builders (Rev. 03/2014), Table A-33-B, 'Other Inspections and Fees.'

$50.50 per hour (2-hour minimum for after-hours; $47.00 minimum for unspecified-fee inspections)

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.

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building permits

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building permits Residential Building/Grading Permit (New Construction, Additions, Accessory Structures)Commercial/Multi-Family Building Permit (New Construction, Tenant Improvement)EV Charger / EVSE Permit Grading Permit (Standalone / Excavation and Grading)Minor Electrical, Solar, and Gas Permit Solar PV Permit

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