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Commercial Building Permit (New Commercial & Multi-Family Construction) in Prescott, Arizona

Required for new site-built, new shell, new factory-built, and new multi-family commercial construction (plus new commercial additions) in the City of Prescott, reviewed against the 2024 IBC and City of Prescott amendments plus the City's Commercial Design Criteria (wind speed by Risk Category, Seismic Design Category per soils report/ASCE 7-22, 18-inch frost depth, 2012 IECC Climate Zone 4B commercial energy tables). Applications are submitted through the PrescottPermits.com online portal using the City's 'New Commercial & Multi-Family' Application Checklist. Properties within one of Prescott's Local Historic Preservation Districts must additionally obtain Prescott Preservation Commission approval before the Building Division can issue the permit for any exterior alteration, new construction, or sign in the district -- confirmed as a real, currently fee-based process (a distinct $164.98 'Historic Preservation Review' line item appears in the City's FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule, Community Development - Planning section) and directly relevant to downtown Prescott's historic commercial core around Whiskey Row and Courthouse Plaza. Tenant improvement work to an existing commercial building uses a separately named checklist and its own, faster published review timeline -- see the companion Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit entry.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for new site-built, new shell, new factory-built commercial construction, new multi-family construction, and new commercial additions within Prescott city limits
  • Plans must comply with the 2024 IBC and City of Prescott amendments, and the City's Commercial Design Criteria (wind speed 95 mph Risk Category I / 105 mph Cat. II / 110 mph Cat. III / 115 mph Cat. IV, all Exposure C; Seismic Design Category determined by a project engineer from a soils report per ASCE 7-22; 18-inch frost depth; 20°F winter design temperature)
  • Energy compliance evaluated under the 2012 IECC Climate Zone 4B commercial tables (Tables C402.2/C402.3); ComCheck documentation required
  • Architectural Plan requires an Arizona-registered engineer's seal for projects over 3,000 square feet, per the City's New Commercial & Multi-Family Application Checklist
  • Site plan must additionally show the location of ADA parking and the accessible route, beyond the standard lot-line/setback/utility/easement information required on residential site plans
  • Submittal via the PrescottPermits.com online portal, per the New Commercial & Multi-Family Application Checklist (combined 24x36 'PLANS' file plus 8.5x11 'SUPPORT DOCS' file)
  • Properties within a Local Historic Preservation District must obtain Prescott Preservation Commission approval BEFORE the Building Division can issue the permit, for any plan to construct a new building, structure, or sign, or to remodel, demolish, move, or change the exterior appearance of an existing building or sign in the district. The Commission meets monthly (2nd Friday, 8:00 a.m., City Council Chambers) and applications are generally due 18 days before that meeting. Properties in a National Register District only (not also a Local district) are instead reviewed administratively by the City's Historic Preservation Specialist for exterior work requiring a permit
  • Additional Engineering/FEMA Floodplain (928-777-1405 option 3), Fire Sprinkler/WUI (928-777-1445 option 3), or Airport District (Avigation easement, FAA Form 7460) requirements may apply and must be checked before submittal

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Commercial Building Permit Fee — Based on ValuationCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule (Council Adopted 5/27/2025, Amended 9/9/2025): 'Commercial Building Permit Under $14,000' = $66.00 Each; 'Commercial Building Permit Over $14,000 (Valuation)' = Valuation×(0.00461). Consistent with the 2026 IBC Valuation Tables in the City's Building Valuation and Fee Estimator (rev. 12/26/2025)
Total Building Value (per 2026 IBC Valuation Table by Occupancy Group/Construction Type, e.g. B-Business Type VB = $210/sf, M-Mercantile Type VB = $134/sf, A-2 restaurants/bars Type VB = $201/sf) × 0.00461 multiplier; flat $66.00 if total valuation is under $14,000
Plan Review Fee — Commercial Building (BLDG)City of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule: 'Building Plan Check Commercial (BLDG)' = 70%. NOTE — the City's two official fee documents disagree on the minimum flat fee when valuation is under $14,000: the FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule lists 'Building Plan Check Commercial under $14,000' = $50.00, while the Building Valuation and Fee Estimator (rev. 12/26/2025), '3 or More Residential or Commercial' worksheet, states the Plan Review Fee is $49.00 under the same threshold. Both figures reproduced here verbatim rather than silently resolved
70% of the calculated Building Permit Fee
Commercial E/M/P Fee (Electrical / Mechanical / Fuel Gas / Plumbing, each trade)City of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule: 'E/M/P Permit Commercial - Electric/Mechanical/Fuel Gas/Plumbing (Sq. Foot)' = $0.0792, 'Valuation/min $66.00'
Total building square footage × $0.0792 per trade, Valuation/minimum $66.00
MP&E Plan Review Fee (Commercial)City of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule: 'Building Plan Check Commercial E/M/P/F' = 65%
Combined M/P/FG/E fee total × 65%
Building Commercial Plan Review Deposit — New CommercialCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule ('Building New Commercial Plan Review Deposit'); confirmed by the Building Valuation and Fee Estimator (rev. 12/26/2025), which lists the identical figure as 'Building Commercial Deposit Amount New Commercial'
$1,014.00
Issue FeeCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule ('Issue Building')
$66.00
C of O Walk-thru, Commercial Building onlyCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule ('C of O Walkthru BLDG Only'); confirmed by the Building Valuation and Fee Estimator's identical 'C of O Walk-thru Commercial Building only' line
$198.00
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial (per 30 days)City of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule ('Temporary Cert. of Occupancy Commercial'); confirmed by the Building Valuation and Fee Estimator's identical 'Temporary C of O Commercial Per each 30 days' line
$792.00
Historic Preservation ReviewCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule, Community Development - Planning section. Applies to Prescott Preservation Commission review of exterior work, new construction, or signage on a property within a Local Historic Preservation District, in addition to the standard Building Permit fees above
$164.98
Automatic Fire Sprinkler System Plan Review & Inspections — New Commercial InstallationCity of Prescott FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule, Fire section; billed separately by the Prescott Fire Department, not included in the Building Safety commercial permit fee total above
$375.00 under 5,000 sq ft; $513.00 + $0.005/sq ft for 5,001 sq ft or more

Review timeline

Plan reviewPrescott’s published plan-review target
30–30 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Commercial & Multi-Family Construction) permit actually take in Prescott?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation/Footing

    Before concrete pour

  2. 2

    Framing

    Structural framing, connections, egress, per 2024 IBC and City of Prescott Commercial Design Criteria

  3. 3

    Rough Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing

    Before walls are closed

  4. 4

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    All work complete per approved plans; requires C of O walk-through, and Fire Department sign-off where fire sprinklers/alarms were installed, before occupancy

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

Tips

  • Per the City's published Plan Review Timeline table, 'Commercial - New Building' averages 30 business days for the first review round and 15 business days for each additional round -- double the residential timeline -- following the same universal 5-business-day Administrative Completeness Check that applies to all permit types.
  • The New Commercial & Multi-Family and Tenant Improvement checklists are identical, item-for-item, in their PLANS/SUPPORT DOCS content requirements (both dated rev. 06/05/2023) -- the real distinction between the two permit types is the separately published review timeline (30/15 for New Building vs. 25/12 for Tenant Improvement) and the separate checklist title/PDF, not the underlying submittal content.
  • Historic Preservation Commission review is a real, currently fee-based, mandatory precondition for a building permit on any Local Historic Preservation District property doing exterior work, new construction, or signage -- per the City's own Property Owner's Guide to Prescott Historic Districts, 'the Building Division cannot issue a building permit until the Commission approves a project.' Confirm your parcel's Local vs. National Register district status before budgeting your permit timeline; National-Register-only properties are instead reviewed administratively by the Historic Preservation Specialist.
  • Two of the City's own official fee documents disagree on the commercial minimum plan-review fee for projects valued under $14,000 ($50.00 per the FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule vs. $49.00 per the Building Valuation and Fee Estimator) -- both reproduced here verbatim rather than silently resolved.
  • Fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems for new commercial construction are reviewed and permitted separately by the Prescott Fire Department, at their own fee schedule (e.g., a new commercial sprinkler system under 5,000 sq ft is $375.00), not folded into the Building Safety commercial permit fee total.

Frequently asked questions

Prescott requires a commercial building permit (new commercial & multi-family construction) for: Building permit required for new site-built, new shell, new factory-built commercial construction, new multi-family construction, and new commercial additions within Prescott city limits; Plans must comply with the 2024 IBC and City of Prescott amendments, and the City's Commercial Design Criteria (wind speed 95 mph Risk Category I / 105 mph Cat. II / 110 mph Cat. III / 115 mph Cat. IV, all Exposure C; Seismic Design Category determined by a project engineer from a soils report per ASCE 7-22; 18-inch frost depth; 20°F winter design temperature); Energy compliance evaluated under the 2012 IECC Climate Zone 4B commercial tables (Tables C402.2/C402.3); ComCheck documentation required; Architectural Plan requires an Arizona-registered engineer's seal for projects over 3,000 square feet, per the City's New Commercial & Multi-Family Application Checklist; Site plan must additionally show the location of ADA parking and the accessible route, beyond the standard lot-line/setback/utility/easement information required on residential site plans; Submittal via the PrescottPermits.com online portal, per the New Commercial & Multi-Family Application Checklist (combined 24x36 'PLANS' file plus 8.5x11 'SUPPORT DOCS' file); Properties within a Local Historic Preservation District must obtain Prescott Preservation Commission approval BEFORE the Building Division can issue the permit, for any plan to construct a new building, structure, or sign, or to remodel, demolish, move, or change the exterior appearance of an existing building or sign in the district. The Commission meets monthly (2nd Friday, 8:00 a.m., City Council Chambers) and applications are generally due 18 days before that meeting. Properties in a National Register District only (not also a Local district) are instead reviewed administratively by the City's Historic Preservation Specialist for exterior work requiring a permit; Additional Engineering/FEMA Floodplain (928-777-1405 option 3), Fire Sprinkler/WUI (928-777-1445 option 3), or Airport District (Avigation easement, FAA Form 7460) requirements may apply and must be checked before submittal. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Prescott Community Development Department — Building Division / Permit Center at 928-777-1371 before starting work.

In Prescott, the published Commercial Building Permit Fee — Based on Valuation is: Total Building Value (per 2026 IBC Valuation Table by Occupancy Group/Construction Type, e.g. B-Business Type VB = $210/sf, M-Mercantile Type VB = $134/sf, A-2 restaurants/bars Type VB = $201/sf) × 0.00461 multiplier; flat $66.00 if total valuation is under $14,000. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — Commercial Building (BLDG) — 70% of the calculated Building Permit Fee; Commercial E/M/P Fee (Electrical / Mechanical / Fuel Gas / Plumbing, each trade) — Total building square footage × $0.0792 per trade, Valuation/minimum $66.00; MP&E Plan Review Fee (Commercial) — Combined M/P/FG/E fee total × 65%; Building Commercial Plan Review Deposit — New Commercial — $1,014.00; Issue Fee — $66.00; C of O Walk-thru, Commercial Building only — $198.00; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial (per 30 days) — $792.00; Historic Preservation Review — $164.98; Automatic Fire Sprinkler System Plan Review & Inspections — New Commercial Installation — $375.00 under 5,000 sq ft; $513.00 + $0.005/sq ft for 5,001 sq ft or more. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Per the City of Prescott's published Plan Review Timeline table, 'Commercial - New Building' averages 30 business days for the first review round and 15 business days for each additional round, following the universal 5-business-day Administrative Completeness Check applied to all permits.

You'll need: New Commercial & Multi-Family Application Checklist; Site Plan; Structural Calculations / Truss Calculations and Layout. Depending on your project, Prescott may also ask for: Historic Preservation Commission Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Prescott requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new commercial & multi-family construction), in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing, Rough Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Prescott Community Development Department — Building Division / Permit Center (928-777-1371).

Apply through City of Prescott Community Development Department — Building Division / Permit Center at 201 N Montezuma Street, Prescott, AZ 86301. Phone: 928-777-1371, email: buildingpermits@prescott-az.gov. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Applications are submitted online through the PrescottPermits.com portal (all permit types, including plan-reviewed and same-day Fast Track permits). On-site building inspections are performed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., except City holidays; inspections can be scheduled online as early as the next business day (up to 5 business days out) if requested before midnight. Note: the City's Building Permit application checklists (rev. 2023-2024) list an older office address of 201 S Cortez St, Prescott, AZ 86303 — the current Permit Center pages (2025-2026 vintage) consistently list 201 N Montezuma Street, Prescott, AZ 86301, which is used here as the verified current address.. Official information: https://prescott-az.gov/permit-center/.

Prescott, 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 Prescott's Community Development Department (Building Division) independently adopts and administers its own construction codes and Permit Center program; it does not defer permitting to Yavapai County. Source: City of Prescott Permit Center / Building Permits page (prescott-az.gov/permit-center/permit-categories/building-permits/).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by the City of Prescott with local amendments codified at Prescott City Code Chapter 3, Article 3-1, 3-2, and 3-5. Currently in effect for plan review. Source: City of Prescott Building Permits page, '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026), and Prescott City Code (codepublishing.com/AZ/Prescott).; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, adopted by reference with City of Prescott amendments (Prescott City Code Article 3-8). Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026).; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026); 2024 IMC Significant Changes handout.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments (Prescott City Code Article 3-6). Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026); 2024 IPC Significant Changes handout.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments (Prescott City Code Article 3-7) — one edition behind the 2024 ICC set, matching the standard NFPA 3-year NEC cycle. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026); 2023 NEC Significant Changes handout.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026).; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026); 2024 IEBC Significant Changes handout.; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference (Prescott City Code Article 6-1) as the City's uniform fire code, with a dedicated Urban-Wildland Interface amendment (Article 6-2) administered by the Prescott Fire Department. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout; Prescott City Code Article 6-1/6-2.; 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted with City of Prescott amendments (Prescott City Code Article 3-18) — the City has NOT moved to a newer IECC edition; energy compliance for the 2024 code cycle is still evaluated under the 2012 IECC Climate Zone 4B tables. Source: City of Prescott '2024 Codes-Design Criteria' handout (rev. 01/01/2026), which explicitly lists '2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)' alongside the otherwise-2024 code set.; City of Prescott Administrative Building Code (Prescott City Code Article 3-17) governs permit administration, application processing, plan review, and issuance procedures citywide, overriding the ICC model codes' own administrative chapters where they conflict. Source: Prescott City Code Article 3-17 (codepublishing.com/AZ/Prescott).. Local amendments apply — see the Prescott overview page for the full list.

Yes, if the property is within one of Prescott's Local Historic Preservation Districts. Per the City's own Property Owner's Guide to Prescott Historic Districts, the Building Division 'cannot issue a building permit until the Commission approves a project' for any exterior alteration, new construction, or sign in the district. The Prescott Preservation Commission meets monthly (2nd Friday) and a $164.98 Historic Preservation Review fee applies (FY2026 Citywide Fee Schedule). Properties in a National Register district only are instead reviewed administratively by the City's Historic Preservation Specialist.

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