Somerton building permits

Building department

Address

143 N. State Ave. (2nd Floor), P.O. Box 638, Somerton, AZ 85350

Phone

928-722-7399

Email

MariaYbarra@Somertonaz.gov

Office hours

City Hall hours as of August 12, 2024: closed every other Friday (contact 928-722-7400 for the current schedule); Building Inspector observes modified Summer Hours during peak heat months. To schedule a building inspection, call (928) 722-7399 before 3:00 PM Monday-Friday, or email Maria Ybarra (Permit Technician), at least one business day in advance. Plans/applications may be submitted via the On-line Permit Portal, by email, or in person at 143 N. State Ave.

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Somerton's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Somerton — 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 (A.R.S. Title 9, Chapter 7, Article 1, §§ 9-801 et seq.). The City of Somerton independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Community Development Department / Building Safety and Code Enforcement Office. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002 (passed and ordained September 17, 2019, effective December 17, 2019), repealing and replacing Somerton City Code Article 7-1-1 (Building Reference Codes) and Article 7-1-7 (Permits).
• 2018 International Building Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(A), effective 12/17/2019.
• 2018 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(B).
• 2018 International Existing Building Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(C).
• 2018 International Property Maintenance Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(D).
• 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(E).
• National Fire Protection Association Code, 2018 Edition (NFPA-1, Fire Code), with Appendices, as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(F).
• National Electrical Code NFPA-70, 2014 Edition, with Appendices, as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments (one edition behind the 2018 ICC suite). Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(G); confirmed current as of July 2026 on the City's Building Safety and Code Enforcement webpage, which lists 'Current adopted Building Codes, as of December 17, 2019.'
• 2012 International Fuel Gas Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(H).
• 2012 International Mechanical Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(I).
• 2012 International Plumbing Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(J).
• 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, with Appendices, as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with certain City of Somerton amendments. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-1(K).
• Each of these code editions was independently cross-checked against the City's own Building Safety and Code Enforcement webpage (accessed July 2026, server-rendered content, not just a stale directory listing) and against the individually published amendment PDFs for each code (2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, 2018 IEBC, 2014 NEC, 2012 IFGC, 2012 IMC, 2012 IPC, 2009 IECC), all hosted at the City's own cms2.revize.com document repository — none had been superseded by a newer adoption ordinance as of this review. Source: City of Somerton Building Safety and Code Enforcement webpage; individual code-amendment PDFs (e.g., cms2.revize.com/revize/somertonaz/2018%20IBC.pdf, 2014%20NEC.pdf, 2012%20IFGC.pdf, 2012%20IMC.pdf, 2012%20IPC.pdf, 2009%20IECC.pdf).
• Permits are required in connection with the issuance of certificates and collection of fees under each adopted code; exemptions from permit requirements follow the exemptions in each adopted code as amended. Source: City of Somerton Ordinance No. 2019-002, Article 7-1-7 (Permits).

Permit types & fees

• New Residential Building Permit

  Required for new single-family residential construction in the City of Somerton. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC and City of Somerton amendments (Ordinance No. 2019-002, effective December 17, 2019). Applications are submitted via the City's On-line Permit Portal, by email, or in person at 143 N. State Ave.

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• Residential Remodel / Addition Permit

  Required for residential remodels, room additions, garage conversions, and re-roofing projects that do not qualify for the City's limited re-roof exemption, in the City of Somerton. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002). The City's Remodel Application form is used for this category and lists a Roofing Contractor as one of the licensed-trade line items alongside general, electrical, plumbing, and other trades — Somerton does not publish a separate stand-alone roofing permit type or fee.

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• Electrical Permit

  Required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work in the City of Somerton, governed by the 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002). Includes a standalone flat-fee Electrical (APS) Clearance for turning on power with no other work.

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• Plumbing Permit

  Required for plumbing and fuel-gas installation, alteration, or repair work in the City of Somerton, governed by the 2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002). Includes a standalone flat-fee Water Heater Replacement/Installation and a Gas Clearance.

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• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in the City of Somerton, governed by the 2012 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002). Includes a standalone flat-fee A/C Unit Replacement Permit.

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• Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

  Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted residential solar photovoltaic systems in the City of Somerton. Applications are submitted on the City's dedicated Solar Installation Building Application, which captures system size (inverter power in kW), module/inverter counts, roof area/coverage, and roof type (flat or pitched).

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• Demolition Permit

  Required for demolition of any structure in the City of Somerton, using the City's dedicated Demolition Building Application. A flat fee applies and the City requires two inspections for demolition permits.

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• Fence / Block Wall Permit

  Required for block, Mexican brick, or other masonry perimeter wall/fence construction of 6 feet in height or greater in the City of Somerton. Uses the City's general Permit Application (Wall Fence checkbox) and must conform to City of Yuma Standard Detail Drawing No. 3-310, which Somerton has adopted by reference for non-retaining concrete block wall construction.

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• EV Charger / EVSE Permit

  The City of Somerton has no separate electric-vehicle-charging-station permit or dedicated EV/EVSE fee line-item. An EV charger installation is treated as electrical work under the same Electrical Permit process documented in this file's Electrical Permit entry (governed by the 2014 NEC as adopted), with the itemized Electrical Fee Sheet's 'Power Apparatus' unit-fee category (Category 06, which explicitly covers motors, generators, transformers, A/C units, heat pumps, and similar equipment tiered by HP/kW/kVA rating) the closest applicable fee line for a rated charging unit, plus the standard $50 base fee for issuing an electrical permit.

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