Commercial Building Permit in Sedona, Arizona

Sedona requires a commercial building permit for: Building permit required for new commercial building construction, new multi-family residential construction, and additions/alterations to existing commercial buildings within Sedona city limits; Design Review approval by the City's Planning and Zoning Commission is required for all new commercial projects and additions to existing structures greater than 2,000 sq ft or containing 5 or more dwelling units or guest rooms; projects below that threshold may be approved administratively by zoning staff -- this is conducted as part of Development Review under Land Development Code Article 8.4.A and the thresholds in LDC Table 8.2, not by a separate 'Design Review Board' (none exists in Sedona's LDC); Fire sprinkler systems are required for all new commercial and multi-family structures; for additions/remodels to an existing non-sprinklered structure, sprinklers are required if the valuation of the proposed improvements exceeds 10% of the valuation of the existing structure. Fire Department plan review is conducted by the Sedona Fire District (2860 Southwest Drive, 928-282-6800); State regulations require professional (architect/designer) design and construction drawings for any structure exceeding 3,000 sq ft or with an occupant load of more than 20; professional engineering is additionally required for electrical services greater than 600 amps (single phase) or 225 amps, 120/208 volts (three phase); All new structures must be built by a licensed general contractor; improvements to existing structures may use specialty contractors hired individually by the owner; Exterior building colors and materials must meet the City's light-reflectance-value (LRV)/chroma standards (LDC § 5.7.F) so the building blends with the natural red-rock landscape; reflective or shiny surfaces (including untreated metallic surfaces) are prohibited; an Outdoor Lighting Application inventory is required per LDC § 5.8 (fully shielded fixtures; maximum 70,000 initial lumens per net acre for non-residential uses, 3,850 lumens/acre if only partially shielded; maximum 4,000K color temperature, 2,700K for Class 2 security lighting); A soil and geology report identifying areas of unstable slope may be required for any portion of the site with a slope greater than 30%; A property that is a historic building or located within a Historic District is subject to additional approvals; 3 complete sets of plans plus 1 electronic link; site and grading plan at minimum 1"=20' scale; floor, foundation, framing, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing plans, exterior elevations, and building cross-sections required; Development Impact Fees (non-residential) and, where the property connects to City sewer, a Sewer Capacity Fee based on Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFUs) are due at/before permit issuance in addition to the building permit and plan review fees; A Notice of Intent to comply with the City's general stormwater pollution prevention guidelines may be used for projects disturbing less than one acre that are not part of a larger common development. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Sedona Community Development Department — Building Safety Division at 928-282-1154 before starting work.

In Sedona, the published Building Permit Fee (Based on Valuation) is: $30.00 (valuation $1-$500); $30.00 for the first $500 plus $2.75 per additional $1,000 to $2,000; $62.25 for the first $2,000 plus $12.50 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $349.75 for the first $25,000 plus $9.00 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $574.75 for the first $50,000 plus $6.25 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $887.25 for the first $100,000 plus $5.00 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $2,887.25 for the first $500,000 plus $4.25 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $5,012.25 for the first $1,000,000 plus $2.75 per additional $1,000 thereafter; Minimum Building Permit Fee $50.00. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — 65% of the calculated Building Permit Fee; Development Impact Fee -- Commercial (non-residential, per sq ft of floor area) — $18.47 per sq ft (Commercial); other non-residential categories on the same schedule: Industrial $4.35/sq ft, Office/Other Services $9.55/sq ft, Institutional $12.17/sq ft, Lodging $8,863 per room; Sewer Capacity Fee (2025), if connecting to City sewer — 0-8 WSFUs: $4,753.00; 8.1-17 WSFUs: $12,160.00; 17.1-29 WSFUs: $21,579.00; 29.1-42 WSFUs: $32,355.00; 42.1-55 WSFUs: $43,386.00; over 55 WSFUs: $848.55 per additional WSFU (Water Supply Fixture Unit). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Per the City of Sedona Commercial Building Permit Packet's published time-frame table, review is tiered by project size: under 2,000 sq ft is 51 business days overall (30 Administrative + 21 Substantive); 2,000-5,000 sq ft is 90 business days (45 + 45); and 5,000 sq ft or greater is 150 business days (60 + 90). This differs from the flat 42-business-day timeline used for Sedona's residential permit types.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application; Commercial Preliminary Questionnaire; Color and Material Sample Sheet; Outdoor Lighting Application (Commercial); Construction Envelope Fencing Instructions; Stormwater Pollution Prevention Guidelines / Notice of Intent; Site and Grading Plan. Depending on your project, Sedona may also ask for: Development Impact Fees Schedule; Sign Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Sedona requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit, in order: Foundation/Footing, Framing / Structural, Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Sedona Community Development Department — Building Safety Division (928-282-1154).

Apply through City of Sedona Community Development Department — Building Safety Division at 102 Roadrunner Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336-3710 (Community Development front counter address also published as 104 Roadrunner Drive in some permit packets). Phone: 928-282-1154, email: Permittechs@sedonaaz.gov. Office hours: Community Development Department phone hours Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (4-day, 10-hour City workweek); lobby/front counter hours Monday - Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Construction Inspection Hotline: 928-282-3268 (call by 3:00 p.m. the business day before to request a next-day inspection). Staff: Steve Mertes, Chief Building Official/Community Development Director, 928-203-5097, smertes@sedonaaz.gov; Becky Oium, Plans Examiner, 928-203-5093; Patty Lewis, Permit Technician, 928-203-5118; Andrew Vaughn, Building Inspector, 928-204-7115, avaughn@sedonaaz.gov.. Official information: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/community-development/permits.

No. Sedona does not have a separate Design Review Board. Design Review approval for commercial projects is handled through the City's Development Review process under Land Development Code Article 8.4.A: projects 2,000 sq ft or larger (or with 5+ dwelling units/guest rooms) require approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission, while smaller projects may be approved administratively by zoning staff.

Yes. Per the City of Sedona Commercial Building Permit Packet, fire sprinkler systems are required for all new commercial and multi-family structures. For additions or remodels to an existing non-sprinklered structure, sprinklers are required only if the valuation of the proposed improvements exceeds 10% of the valuation of the existing structure.