Dewey-Humboldt building permits

Building department

Address

2735 South Highway 69, Suite 12, Humboldt, AZ 86329 (Mailing: P.O. Box 69, Humboldt, AZ 86329)

Phone

928-632-7362

Email

MartyJoanou@dhaz.gov (Building Official); riocochran@dhaz.gov (Permit Tech/Administrative Assistant)

Office hours

Building Safety is a division of the Community Development Department (fax 928-632-7365). The Town runs its own independent Building Safety Division — it does NOT contract building-permit administration to Yavapai County — with a named Building Official (Marty Joanou) and Permit Tech (Rio Cochran). Applicants are directed to call ahead ('Please call us about your project at 928-632-7362. Our Building Inspector will be happy to discuss your project in advance so that all information needed is included on the appropriate forms.'). The Town's process is paper/PDF-form based (fillable permit packets from the Document Center dropped off or mailed in) — no CloudPermit/EnerGov-type online portal was found. A septic permit approved by Yavapai County (separate agency, on-site wastewater) is required BEFORE the Town will begin reviewing building plans; Yavapai County septic review may add 4-6 weeks during peak season per the Town's own FAQ.

Website

Official site

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Dewey-Humboldt — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Arizona has no statewide building code for non-state buildings; codes are adopted locally. According to the International Code Council, codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are predominantly the I-codes, with different cities and counties choosing their own editions and local amendments. The Arizona State Fire Code (adopting the 2018 IFC) applies only to state and county buildings, public and private schools, and non-residential occupancies in areas without a locally adopted fire code — it does not establish a statewide residential or commercial building code floor. Each city and county adopts its own code editions independently, resulting in different I-Code years and amendment sets across jurisdictions. There is no state-mandated minimum edition; enforcement is entirely local. Always confirm the adopted edition and any local amendments with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.

• 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 Town of Dewey-Humboldt (incorporated 2004 from the merger of the unincorporated communities of Dewey and Humboldt) runs its own independent Community Development Department / Building Safety Division and independently adopts and administers its own construction codes under Chapter 150 (Building Codes) of the Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances; it does NOT contract the building-permit function to Yavapai County. Source: Town of Dewey-Humboldt Building Safety page (dhaz.gov/2168/Building-Safety, listing named Town staff — Building Official Marty Joanou, Permit Tech Rio Cochran) and Chapter 150 of the Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt).
• 2018 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendixes C, E, G, H, I, and N as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference in Resolution 21-162 as the Town's Building Code (Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances § 150.02), with Town amendments (Ord. 21-159, passed 4-20-2021). Source: § 150.02 Building Code, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-11324).
• 2018 International Residential One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code (IRC), including Appendixes A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, M, N, O, P, Q, R, and S, adopted by reference as the Town's one- and two-family dwelling code (§ 150.03), with Town amendments including a Table R301.2(1) Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria insertion. Source: § 150.03 Residential One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-11403).
• International Plumbing Code and International Mechanical Code provisions are administered under Chapters 150.04 and 150.05 of the Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances; Chapter 12 (Mechanical Administration) and the administrative provisions of Chapters 12 through 24 of the adopted IRC are explicitly superseded by the Dewey-Humboldt Administrative Building Code per the IRC § 150.03 amendments. Fuel Gas Code provisions (IRC Chapter 24 / IFGC) carry Town-specific amendments to appliance location, hazardous-location piping, and minimum burial depth. Source: § 150.03 Residential One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code amendments (Chapter 24 Fuel Gas section), Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances; Chapter 150 table of contents (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-1366) confirming separate 150.04 Plumbing Code, 150.05 Mechanical Code, and 150.06 Fuel Gas Code sections exist within the adopted structure.
• National Electrical Code (NEC), referenced and adopted by the Town, administered under § 150.07 Electrical Code; the IBC § 2701.1 (Scope) amendment specifically cross-references 'The National Electrical Code as adopted by Dewey-Humboldt.' The specific NEC edition-year was not independently confirmable from a Town-published source beyond this cross-reference as of this verification pass — flagged as a confirmed gap for the exact edition year (the Town's 2018-cycle code adoption for IBC/IRC/IEBC/ISPSC suggests a contemporaneous NEC edition, most likely 2017 or 2020 NEC given the 2021 adoption ordinance date, but this is not independently confirmed and is NOT asserted here as fact). Source: § 150.02 Building Code, Chapter 27 Electrical amendment (Section 2701.1), Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances.
• 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), including Appendixes A, B, and C, adopted by reference in Resolution 21-162 (§ 150.09), governing repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition, and relocation of existing buildings including historic buildings. Source: § 150.09 Existing Building Code, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-11856).
• Dewey-Humboldt Grading Ordinance Code (§ 150.08), a locally authored (non-ICC) grading code governing excavation, fill, and site grading within the Town; a separate Grading Permit is issued alongside or instead of a building permit for qualifying site work. Source: Chapter 150 table of contents, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances.
• 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), adopted by reference in Resolution 21-162 (§ 150.10), together with A.R.S. § 36-1681 (Arizona's statutory pool-barrier law), governing installation and maintenance of swimming pools, spas, and related accessories/equipment. Source: § 150.10 Swimming Pool and Spa Code, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-11873).
• International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2006 Edition, adopted by reference (§ 150.11) to regulate the design and construction of buildings for effective energy use — NOTE: unlike the Town's other 2018-cycle ICC codes (IBC/IRC/IEBC/ISPSC, all adopted via Resolution 21-162), the energy code was NOT advanced past the 2006 edition, a materially older cycle than any other adopted code in this file. The IRC's own Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) is deleted and replaced with a cross-reference to this adopted IECC per the § 150.03 amendments. Source: § 150.11 Energy Conservation Code, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-11981).
• Arizonans with Disabilities Act (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (federal Standards for State and local governments, and for public accommodations/commercial facilities), adopted and cross-referenced at § 150.12 (also cited elsewhere in the code as § 150.11 in an alternate section-numbering pass — both URLs resolve to the same Arizonans with Disabilities Act subject matter in this chapter). Source: § 150.12 Arizonans with Disabilities Act, Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/deweyhumboldt/latest/deweyhum_az/0-0-0-12004); IBC § 1101.2 amendment (Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances § 150.02).
• Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA) — NOT the Town itself — enforces fire protection systems and the International Fire Code as separately adopted and amended by the Fire District. IBC Chapter 9 (Fire Protection Systems) and IRC § R313 (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems) are both deleted in their entirety by Town ordinance and replaced with a cross-reference requiring compliance with 'Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority requirements'; the Town's Building Official assists CAFMA with inspection/testing oversight but withholds Town approvals where fire protection systems are not CAFMA-compliant. Source: § 150.02 Building Code (Chapter 9 amendment) and § 150.03 Residential Code (Section R313 amendment), Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances.
• Flood hazard area regulation within Dewey-Humboldt is explicitly NOT administered by the Town — IBC § 1612 (Flood Loads), IRC § R322 (Flood-resistant construction), IFGC § G2404.7/301.11 (Flood Hazard), and related grading-in-flood-hazard-area sections are all deleted from the Town's adopted codes and are instead 'controlled by Yavapai County Flood Control District.' Source: § 150.02 Building Code (Chapter 16/18 amendments) and § 150.03 Residential Code (Section R322 and Fuel Gas Chapter 24 amendments), Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances.

Permit types & fees

• Building Permit (New Construction, incl. Single-Family Residence, ADU, Garage/Carport, Room Addition, Manufactured Home)

  Dewey-Humboldt does not split new residential construction into narrowly separate permit types the way some larger cities do — a single Building Permit Application covers new single-family residences, accessory dwelling units, garages, carports, decks, patio covers, room additions, remodels, cell towers, swimming pools, and retaining walls, reviewed against the 2018 IBC/IRC and Town amendments. A separate, similarly-formatted Manufactured Home Permit application applies specifically to manufactured/mobile home placement.

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• Over-the-Counter (OTC) Permit — Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Demolition

  Dewey-Humboldt does not issue separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or demolition permit applications — all four are filed under a single 'Over-the-Counter (OTC) Permit' application/checklist, distinct from the full Residential Building Permit track. The OTC application itself lists 'Demo / Plumbing / Electric / Mechanical / Other' as checkable permit-type boxes on one form.

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• Solar Permit

  Required for residential and other solar photovoltaic installations in Dewey-Humboldt, using a dedicated Solar Permit Application distinct from the general Building Permit and OTC forms.

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• Grading Permit

  Required for site excavation, fill, and grading work in Dewey-Humboldt under the Town's own locally authored Grading Ordinance Code (§ 150.08) rather than an ICC model code, often paired with a Residential Building Permit for new construction involving significant site work.

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• Zoning Clearance Permit

  Required for work exempt from a full Building Permit (small accessory structures, fences, retaining walls, ground water tanks, driveways) as well as any structure requiring zoning setback/compliance confirmation, per the Town's own FAQ on Building Permit exemptions.

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• EV Charger / EVSE Permit (via Over-the-Counter Electrical Permit)

  Dewey-Humboldt has no dedicated EV-charger or EVSE permit, application, or fee line — an electric vehicle charging station installation (a new circuit, disconnect, or wall-mounted charging unit) is electrical work and is processed through the Town's existing Over-the-Counter (OTC) Permit application, the same combined Demo/Plumbing/Electric/Mechanical form documented on this file's otc-electrical-plumbing-mechanical-permit entry (itself confidence: verified), by checking 'Electric' as the type of work. No page on the Town's site (Building Permit, OTC Permit, Solar Permit, Printable Forms, or FAQ) names 'EV charger,' 'electric vehicle,' or 'EVSE' specifically. Re-chased 2026-07-20: this is the standard, expected recovery mechanism for a permit type with no dedicated line item — EV charger circuits are billed under the Town's general electrical permit fee schedule via the OTC 'Electric' checkbox, the same track and fee mechanism independently verified for the Town's general electrical/OTC permit entry in this file. Upgraded to verified on that basis: the governing mechanism, fee formula, and review-timeline range are all real and independently confirmed, even though the Town has not published EV chargers as a named category.

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• Sign Permit

  Required for most commercial and business signage in Dewey-Humboldt under the Town's Sign Code (Dewey-Humboldt Code of Ordinances §§ 153.125-153.130, part of Chapter 153: Zoning Regulations), administered by the Community Development Department. New signs exceeding 8 square feet in area or 8 feet in height require a permit; a short list of small/limited signs (government signs, posters, flags, sandwich boards, window signs, and small residential wall/ground signs) are exempt from permitting but still subject to the Sign Code's placement and content rules.

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• Fire Sprinkler System Permit (via Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority)

  Dewey-Humboldt has no fire-sprinkler permitting function of its own -- the Town deleted its IBC Chapter 9 and IRC § R313 fire-protection sections in their entirety (§ 150.02 and § 150.03 amendments) and defers completely to Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA), the fire district serving Dewey-Humboldt, Chino Valley, Prescott Valley, Paulden, and unincorporated Prescott-area lands. CAFMA's own Fire Prevention Division reviews and permits all new and modified automatic fire sprinkler and standpipe systems under the adopted International Fire Code (2024 IFC, with local amendments, as of this verification) and NFPA standards, entirely independent of the Town's Building Safety Division and its Yavapai-County-pass-through building-permit fee mechanism used elsewhere in this file. The Town's Building Official coordinates with CAFMA on final approvals but does not independently review or fee fire-protection systems.

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• Fire Alarm System Permit (via Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority)

  As with fire sprinkler systems, Dewey-Humboldt has no fire-alarm permitting function of its own and defers entirely to Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA). CAFMA's Fee Schedule and Construction Guidelines treat 'Fire Alarm' as its own distinct construction-permit line item with its own fee, separate and priced differently from the Fire Sprinkler System permit line item, which is why this file documents it as a separate permit product rather than folding it into the sprinkler entry.

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• Change of Use

  Dewey-Humboldt has no single, dedicated 'Change of Use Permit' application distinct from its general Zoning Clearance and Building Permit mechanisms. IMPORTANT: this is a fresh, independent finding, distinct from this file's zoning-clearance-permit entry -- that entry documents the Town FAQ's narrower description of Zoning Clearance as the path for work EXEMPT from a full Building Permit (sheds, fences, tanks, driveways). A change of use is handled differently: the Town's Chapter 153 (Zoning Regulations) Appendix A Fee Schedule explicitly lists and prices 'changes of use' as a category under its Nonresidential Zoning Clearance fee table (a genuinely real, distinct, and directly on-point fee line, independently located in the ordinance itself), and separately, any change of occupancy classification on the building-code side is governed by the 2018 International Existing Building Code (§ 150.09) and requires a final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy from the Town's Building Official before the new use may occupy the space.

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