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Commercial Building Permit in Cottonwood, Arizona

Required for new construction, additions, and structural alterations to commercial (non-residential) buildings in the City of Cottonwood. Reviewed against the 2024 IBC as adopted and amended by City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 ('2025 Technical Code Update'), effective July 1, 2025. Applications are submitted through the CloudPermit online portal. Interior remodels/build-outs or changes of use within an existing commercial building — where the shell/structure is not being newly built — are instead handled by the City under a distinct Tenant Improvement (T.I.) permit process with its own checklist and expiration rules; see the separate commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry.

Verified 2026-07-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for new construction, additions, and structural alterations to commercial buildings within Cottonwood city limits, under Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) of the Cottonwood City Code
  • Plans reviewed against the 2024 IBC as adopted/amended by Ordinance No. 761, effective July 1, 2025. Note: the City's published Commercial Building Plans Checklist is dated (Revision 3/6/2017) and its cover-sheet still lists 'Design Criteria 2018 IBC, IPC, IMC, IECC & 2017 NEC' — the checklist's general plan-set content (site plan, floor plan, elevations, etc.) still applies, but applicants should confirm current code-edition specifics with the Building Division rather than rely on the checklist's cited edition years
  • Five (5) complete plan sets, drawn to scale, 24"x36", plus PDF files, required at submittal (Commercial Building Plans Checklist)
  • Cover sheet must identify all design professionals, project coordinator contact, legal description/vicinity map/parcel number, occupancy classification, construction type, allowed vs. proposed floor area, elevator shaft detail (if applicable), fire sprinkler requirements, height/number of stories, allowed vs. proposed occupancy load, and design loads (roof/floor/wind, etc.)
  • Site plan must show property lines/dimensions, building location, curb cuts and distance to intersections/hydrants, parking layout and lighting, ADA-accessible parking and emergency vehicle access, existing topography at 5-foot intervals, and a tree retention plan (deciduous trees 12"+ diameter, evergreens 8"+ diameter)
  • Full discipline plan sets required as applicable: floor plan, framing plan, exterior/interior elevations, foundation plan, building/wall sections, mechanical, plumbing, electrical (one-line diagram, panel/breaker sizes, lighting/power circuits, emergency lighting and exit signage), and landscaping plan
  • Arizona regulations require construction documents prepared by a registered design professional per A.R.S. § 32-144; the City's Tenant Improvement Checklist (applied by the Building Division to commercial work generally) cites state licensing thresholds of structures over 3,000 sq ft or occupant load over 20 requiring professional design, and professional engineering for electrical services over 600A single-phase or 225A three-phase 120/208V
  • Submittal via the CloudPermit online portal (us.cloudpermit.com/gov/login)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — Based on ValuationCity of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.8, 'Amendments to the International Building Code, 2018 edition' Schedule of Building Permit Fees. Per the Building Department Refund Policy (fee schedule p.16), this valuation-based schedule applies to both Commercial and Residential building permits
$41.13 (valuation $1-$500); $41.13 + $5.34 per additional $100 to $2,000; $121.19 + $24.50 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $684.25 + $17.68 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $1,126.56 + $12.25 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $1,739.06 + $9.80 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $4,688.95 + $8.31 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $9,815.31 + $6.39 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000
Commercial Occupancy Valuation (cost-per-square-foot table)City of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, pp.2-7, 'Building and Fire Fee Schedule Cost Per Square Foot' (dated August 2018 in the table header, carried into the current 2025 fee schedule) — used to establish project valuation for the Building Permit Fee above when no contractor bid/valuation is otherwise provided
Varies by IBC occupancy group (A-1 through U) and construction type (IA-VB), e.g. Group B (Business) ranges $133.67-$195.88/sq ft; Group M (Mercantile) ranges $94.83-$141.54/sq ft; Group F-1 (Factory/Industrial, moderate hazard) ranges $69.57-$115.30/sq ft, by construction type
Plan Review Fee (all permits)City of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.8 — due at time of submittal; non-refundable per the Building Division Refund Policy (fee schedule p.16)
65% of the calculated Building Permit Fee
Additional Plan Review (changes, additions, deferrals, alterations, revisions)City of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.8; minimum 1 hour
$90.47 per hour
Reinspection/re-review fees (after 2nd review)City of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.9
$90.47 per hour
Expedited Building ReviewCity of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.9; a 25% deposit is collected at plans submittal
Additional 25% of the Building Fee
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) — CommercialCity of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.9. Occupancy without prior TCO approval is charged double the TCO fee
$500.00 non-refundable fee, plus a bond equal to the value of unfinished work
One-time permit extensionCity of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, p.9; additional extensions at the discretion of the Building Official
1/2 cost of original Building fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Cottonwood?

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Inspection process

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

    Tips

    • The City's published Commercial Building Plans Checklist (DocumentCenter/View/988) is dated with a 'Revision Date: 3/6/2017' and its cover sheet lists 'Design Criteria 2018 IBC, IPC, IMC, IECC & 2017 NEC' — this predates the City's current 2024 IBC/Ordinance No. 761 code cycle (effective July 1, 2025). The checklist's general submittal structure (site plan, floor plan, elevations, etc.) still appears to be the operative document as of July 2026, but confirm current code-edition specifics with the Building Division before finalizing plans.
    • An Expedited Building Review is available for an additional 25% of the Building Fee (25% deposit collected at submittal), per the 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule — implying the standard track is materially slower, though the City does not publish the standard-track day count.
    • The Plan Review fee (65% of the Building Permit Fee) is due at submittal and is explicitly non-refundable per the Building Division Refund Policy, even if the permit application is later withdrawn.
    • Commercial building valuation can be established either from a contractor's itemized bid/proposal or from the City's per-square-foot occupancy/construction-type valuation table (2025 fee schedule, pp.2-7) at the Building Official's discretion.

    Frequently asked questions

    The City of Cottonwood distinguishes between the two: a Commercial Building Permit covers new construction, additions, and structural alterations to a commercial building's shell, while a Tenant Improvement Permit covers completing, remodeling, or altering space within an existing building (including a change of use), per the City's separate Tenant Improvement Checklist (DocumentCenter/View/991).

    In Cottonwood, the published Building Permit Fee — Based on Valuation is: $41.13 (valuation $1-$500); $41.13 + $5.34 per additional $100 to $2,000; $121.19 + $24.50 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $684.25 + $17.68 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $1,126.56 + $12.25 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $1,739.06 + $9.80 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $4,688.95 + $8.31 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $9,815.31 + $6.39 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000. Additional published fees: Commercial Occupancy Valuation (cost-per-square-foot table) — Varies by IBC occupancy group (A-1 through U) and construction type (IA-VB), e.g. Group B (Business) ranges $133.67-$195.88/sq ft; Group M (Mercantile) ranges $94.83-$141.54/sq ft; Group F-1 (Factory/Industrial, moderate hazard) ranges $69.57-$115.30/sq ft, by construction type; Plan Review Fee (all permits) — 65% of the calculated Building Permit Fee; Additional Plan Review (changes, additions, deferrals, alterations, revisions) — $90.47 per hour; Reinspection/re-review fees (after 2nd review) — $90.47 per hour; Expedited Building Review — Additional 25% of the Building Fee; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) — Commercial — $500.00 non-refundable fee, plus a bond equal to the value of unfinished work; One-time permit extension — 1/2 cost of original Building fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Cottonwood does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Cottonwood Community Development Department — Building Division at 928-634-5505 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Commercial Building Plans Checklist; Construction Plans (5 sets, 24"x36", plus PDF); Site/Parking Plan; Structural, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Plans. Depending on your project, Cottonwood may also ask for: Landscaping Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Cottonwood Community Development Department — Building Division at 111 North Main Street, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 (Building Division counter also referenced at 827 N. Main St., Cottonwood, AZ 86326 in the City's online directory). Phone: 928-634-5505, email: building@cottonwoodaz.gov. Office hours: Community Development Office: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Fridays). Building Inspection Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Certificates of occupancy are not issued on Fridays. Permits are applied for and tracked online via CloudPermit (us.cloudpermit.com/gov/login); inspections may be requested through the online portal ('MY INSPECTION') or by calling (928) 340-2724 — inspection requests submitted before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, and final inspections require 48 hours' notice.. Official information: https://cottonwoodaz.gov/158/Building-Division.

    Cottonwood, 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 Cottonwood's Community Development Department (Planning Division, Building Division, and Ordinance Enforcement Division) independently adopts and administers its own construction codes under Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) of the Cottonwood City Code. Source: City of Cottonwood Building Division page (cottonwoodaz.gov/158/Building-Division).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C, G, H, I, and J, adopted by reference as the City's building code (Cottonwood City Code § 15.08.020), with City of Cottonwood amendments (§ 15.08.021), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761, '2025 Technical Code Update,' adopted by City Council and approved by the Mayor May 20, 2025, effective July 1, 2025.; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendices A, B, C, G, H, J, O, P and Q (with Appendices BB, BD, BF, BH, BO, CA, CB, CD, CE, and CF also adopted), adopted by reference as the one- and two-family dwelling code (§ 15.08.060), with City of Cottonwood amendments (§ 15.08.061), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), including Appendices A and B, adopted by reference (§ 15.08.070), with City of Cottonwood amendments (§ 15.08.071), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), including Appendices A, B, C, and E, adopted by reference (§ 15.08.080), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — NOTE: unlike the other ICC codes, the City's energy code was NOT advanced to the 2024 edition in the 2025 Technical Code Update; it remains the 2018 IECC (Cottonwood City Code § 15.10.010), with City amendments at § 15.10.011 (including a residential building-thermal-envelope air-leakage-test field-verification exception). The IRC's own Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) is separately deleted and replaced with Chapter 11 of the 2018 IRC per the Ordinance's IRC amendments. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update); City of Cottonwood Building Division page (confirms '2024 International Codes' adopted effective 7/1/2025 without listing IECC among the upgraded editions).; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), including Appendices B, C, D, and E, adopted by reference (§ 15.12.010), with City of Cottonwood amendments (§ 15.12.011), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference (§ 15.16.010), effective July 1, 2025 (electrical code cycle is one edition behind the 2024 ICC set, consistent with typical Arizona NEC adoption lag). Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update); City of Cottonwood Building Division page.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), including Appendix A, adopted by reference (§ 15.20.010), with City of Cottonwood amendments (§ 15.20.011, including a mandatory third-party test-and-balance report requirement for altered ventilation/exhaust systems where required to verify code compliance), effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), including Appendices B through O, adopted by reference (§ 15.24.010) as the City's uniform fire code, with City of Cottonwood amendments (open-flame/aerial-fireworks restrictions in high fire-risk areas; automatic fire sprinkler requirements per NFPA 13/13-R/13-D expanded beyond the base IFC thresholds; fire-permit surety-bond amounts), effective July 1, 2025. Administered by the City of Cottonwood Fire Prevention Division. Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted effective July 1, 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood Building Division page (cottonwoodaz.gov/158/Building-Division).; ICC A117.1-2017 Accessibility Standard, plus the Arizonans with Disabilities Act (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and its implementing rules ('Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities,' declared a public record by Resolution No. 1610), adopted as an amendment to the IBC (Cottonwood City Code § 15.08.050) applying to public entities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities; also incorporated into IBC Chapter 11 (§ 1102.1) alongside the 2010 ADA Standards (Title II and Title III regulations, 28 CFR 35.15 / 36 subpart D, and the 2004 ADAAG). Source: City of Cottonwood Ordinance No. 761 (2025 Technical Code Update).; Effective July 1, 2025 the City also adopted its 2025 Community Development and Fire Department Fee Schedule, which governs all building/fire permit, plan review, and inspection fees; the base valuation-per-square-foot cost tables in that schedule are labeled 'August 2018' (carried forward unchanged from the prior fee-schedule cycle) while the general Schedule of Building Permit Fees (dollar-valuation brackets) and all mechanical/plumbing/electrical/miscellaneous fee line items were updated for 2025. Source: City of Cottonwood 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule (cottonwoodaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8316).. Local amendments apply — see the Cottonwood overview page for the full list.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-29.

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

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