Somerton building permits

Requirements

• Building permit required for new single-family residential construction within Somerton city limits
• Plans reviewed against the 2018 IRC and City of Somerton amendments; City is located within Seismic Design Category D, basic wind speed 115 mph
• Two (2) sets of scaled plans required, including: Site Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, and Framing Details
• Zoning designation (R1-6, R1-8, or R1-10), setbacks, lot coverage, and maximum building height must be identified on the submittal
• Plans for structurally complex dwellings must be prepared by an Arizona Licensed Architect or Arizona Registered Engineer; a one-story single-family dwelling does not require this
• Building Application Form (New Residential) plus Building Contractor's Information page (licensed contractor info or Owner-Builder exemption under A.R.S. §32-1121A.5/A.6) required
• Disclosure required regarding whether the property is within the 65/70/75 dB noise contour or High Noise and Accident Potential Zone of Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma/Yuma International Airport

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Application Form (New Residential)City of Somerton Building Application Form, New Residential box checked, submitted via On-line Permit Portal, email, or in person at 143 N. State Ave.
• RequiredTwo (2) Sets of Scaled PlansSite Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, Framing Details; zoning, setbacks/lot coverage, and max building height noted
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's Information / Owner-Builder ExemptionLicensed contractor name, ROC license number and class, or A.R.S. §32-1121A.5/A.6 owner-builder/owner-developer exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for residential remodels, additions, garage conversions, and re-roofing projects not covered by the exemption below
• Exemption: re-roofing with the SAME roofing material, provided no more than two layers of asphalt shingles are applied over an existing asphalt shingle roof, does not require a permit
• Two (2) sets of scaled plans required: Site Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, Framing Details; zoning (R1-6/R1-8/R1-10), setbacks/lot coverage, and max building height noted
• Building Application Form (Remodel), indicating Residential or Non-Residential type of remodel
• Licensed Contractors list on the Remodel application includes separate line items for General, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Concrete, Framing, Insulation, Roofing, Drywall, Exterior Stucco, Painting, Cabinet, Trim Finishers, Flooring, Landscaping, and Block Wall contractors
• Fee for remodeling projects is based on job cost (material and labor), not square footage valuation

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Application Form (Remodel)City of Somerton Building Application Form, 'Remodel' selected under Other, with Residential/Non-Residential checkbox
• RequiredTwo (2) Sets of Scaled PlansSite Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, Framing Details
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's Information / Licensed Contractors ListLists all trade contractors involved (including Roofing Contractor line item), ROC license numbers, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for service panels, feeder/branch circuits, fixtures, appliances, power apparatus, signs, and other hard-wired electrical work
• Governed by the 2014 NEC as adopted by the City of Somerton, with local amendments
• Electrical (APS) Clearance — for turning on service with no other work performed — is a distinct flat-fee, same general-permit-application track
• Detailed unit fee schedule applies (base fee plus itemized per-fixture/per-circuit/per-service fees)
• Building Application Form or dedicated Permit Application (Electrical Clearance/Main Panel Upgrade) required depending on scope

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding/Electrical Permit ApplicationGeneral Permit Application form (checkbox for Electrical Clearance: Residential/Commercial) or Main Panel Upgrade Application, submitted via portal, email, or in person
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed electrical contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for fixtures, traps, sewers, water heaters, water piping, drainage/vent piping, lawn sprinkler backflow protection, and interceptors
• Governed by the 2012 IPC as adopted by the City of Somerton, with local amendments
• Fuel Gas permit required separately for gas-piping systems, gas furnaces/heaters, gas boilers/compressors, and gas air-handling units, governed by the 2012 International Fuel Gas Code
• Water Heater Replacement/Installation and Gas Clearance (South West or other) both use the City's general Permit Application form and are flat-fee, same-location replacements
• Base fee for issuing a plumbing permit is $20 (or $25 per Resolution No. 2026-004); base fee for a fuel gas permit is $50

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding/Plumbing/Gas Permit ApplicationGeneral Permit Application (Water Heater Replacement/Installation or Gas Clearance checkbox) or Building Application Form for larger plumbing scope, submitted via portal, email, or in person
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed plumbing contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for installation, replacement, or relocation of furnaces, boilers, compressors, air handlers, evaporative coolers, and ventilation/exhaust equipment
• Governed by the 2012 IMC as adopted by the City of Somerton, with local amendments
• A/C Unit Replacement (ground or roof-mounted) uses the City's general Permit Application form and requires unit size/specifications and a site plan indication
• Base fee for issuing a mechanical permit is $50, with itemized additional fees by equipment category and capacity

Required documents

• RequiredA/C Replacement / General Permit ApplicationCity of Somerton general Permit Application, 'A/C Unit Replacement' checkbox (Ground or Roof), with unit size and site plan indication
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed mechanical/HVAC contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration
• RequiredEquipment SpecificationsManufacturer cut sheets/specifications required for A/C unit replacement (marked '**Specifications Required' on the application)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Solar PV installation requires a building permit via the City's dedicated Solar Installation Building Application
• Application must specify Service ID, Meter ID, total inverter power (kW), number of PV modules, number of inverters, total roof area, roof coverage percentage, and roof type (flat or pitched)
• Two (2) sets of scaled plans required: Site Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, Framing Details
• Governed by the 2014 NEC as adopted by the City of Somerton for electrical interconnection work
• Fee is tiered by system size: 0-10kW vs. above 10kW

Required documents

• RequiredSolar Installation Building ApplicationCity of Somerton dedicated Solar Installation form capturing system specifications (kW, module/inverter counts, roof type/coverage)
• RequiredTwo (2) Sets of Scaled PlansSite Plan, Elevations Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plan, Plumbing & Electrical Plans, Framing Details
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed solar/electrical contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required before demolishing any structure within Somerton city limits
• Application must indicate number of buildings and housing units affected
• Building Application Form ('Other: Demolition' checked) plus Building Contractor's Information page required
• Two inspections are required for demolition permits per the City's fee schedule

Required documents

• RequiredDemolition Building ApplicationCity of Somerton Building Application Form, 'Other: Demolition' indicated, submitted via portal, email, or in person
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's Information / Owner-Builder ExemptionLicensed demolition contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required from the City Building Official when wall height is 6 feet or greater
• Construction must conform to City of Yuma Standard Detail Drawing No. 3-310 (Non-Retaining Concrete Block Wall): grouted vertical reinforcing steel (#4 bars at 24 in. O.C.), Class 'B' concrete footing, ASTM C-90 Grade 'A' concrete block, plumb walls, expansion joints at maximum 50-ft spacing
• Application must specify type of block, size of rebar, and footing depth x width
• Building safety inspection required prior to placing footing concrete and grouting activities
• Walls may not extend into visibility triangles at alleys, driveways, and street intersections
• Graffiti-inhibiting coating required for walls within City right-of-way

Required documents

• RequiredWall/Fence Permit ApplicationCity of Somerton general Permit Application, 'Wall Fence: Block, Mexican brick or other' checkbox, with type of block, rebar size, and footing dimensions specified
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed block wall contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for the EV charger circuit, governed by the 2014 NEC as adopted by the City of Somerton with local amendments — same requirement and application track as this file's Electrical Permit entry
• No dedicated EV/EVSE checkbox, application form, or fee line was found on the City's Building Permit Applications page, Electrical Fee Sheet, or Resolution No. 2026-004 fee schedule
• Fee computed from the itemized Electrical Fee Sheet unit-fee categories applicable to the installed equipment (e.g., Power Apparatus Category 06, tiered by HP/kW/kVA rating, for a rated charging unit; or Service Entrance Panel fees if a panel upgrade is also performed), plus the standard $50 base fee for issuing an electrical permit
• Licensed electrical contractor ROC number/class or Owner-Builder exemption declaration required, same as the general Electrical Permit

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding/Electrical Permit ApplicationGeneral Permit Application form (no dedicated EV/EVSE checkbox), submitted via portal, email, or in person
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed electrical contractor ROC number and class, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for new commercial/industrial construction within Somerton city limits; reviewed against the 2018 IBC as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002), with the 2014 NEC, 2012 IFGC, 2012 IMC, 2012 IPC, and 2009 IECC governing the respective trades
• Design criteria: City of Somerton is within Seismic Design Category D; basic (ultimate) wind speed is 115 mph
• Plans for particular occupancies must be prepared by an Arizona Licensed Architect or Arizona Registered Engineer in accordance with state law; at initial submittal, drawings, calculations, and supporting documents must bear the preparing professional's name and license number
• Commercial and Industrial Project Data Sheet required: gross/net site acreage, existing zoning, lot coverage %, total building area, building and landscape setbacks (required vs. provided), parking spaces required/provided, and proposed screening; an additional 10-foot buffer area is required if the site is adjacent to AG-zoned (agricultural) land
• Plan Check Review Submittal Checklist quantities: Site Plan — five (5) 24"x36" prints with Registered Arizona Architect or Civil Engineer seal and signature; Preliminary Grading and Drainage Plan — three (3) prints with Registered Arizona Civil Engineer stamp (stormwater retention calculations required); Landscaping Plan — two (2) prints; Floor Plan — one (1) print with AZ Registered Architect stamp; Elevations — one (1) print with AZ Registered Architect stamp; Outdoor Lighting — two (2) prints with catalogue cuts for all exterior fixtures
• Engineering (structural) plans and calculations: two (2) complete sets of structural calculations (and truss calculations if applicable) with the architect's or engineer's original wet signature and stamp on both sets; structural design criteria (wind, seismic) shown on plans
• State Energy Conservation Information: all new and existing structures with conditioned space must provide energy calculations, with all energy-calculation requirements shown on the plans
• A separate Sign Package application (with its own fee) is required for all multi-tenant, commercial, and industrial projects
• When submitting through the On-line Permit Portal, the full plan set (site plan, architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical) must be one combined PDF file, with truss calculations, structural calculations, and supporting documents (e.g., geotechnical report) as separate PDFs
• Building Contractor's Information page required: licensed contractor ROC number and class per trade, or Owner-Builder/Owner-Developer exemption under A.R.S. §32-1121A.5/A.6
• Disclosure required regarding whether the property is within the 65/70/75 dB noise contour or High Noise and Accident Potential Zone of Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma/Yuma International Airport

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Application Form (Commercial/Industrial packet)City of Somerton Building Application Form with Commercial/Multi-Family, Commercial, Industrial, or Sign checkbox, including Subject Property Information (job cost, number of buildings) and mandatory property-owner signature
• RequiredCommercial and Industrial Project Data Sheet + Landscape Data SheetSite acreage, zoning, lot coverage, building/landscape setbacks, parking counts, screening, landscape setbacks per Zoning Ordinance Sections 11(F)/11(G), and monument/wall-signage data
• RequiredSite Plan, Grading & Drainage, Landscaping, Floor Plan, Elevations, Outdoor Lighting printsPer the Plan Check Review Submittal Checklist: 5 site-plan prints (AZ Architect or Civil Engineer seal), 3 grading/drainage prints (AZ Civil Engineer stamp), 2 landscaping prints, 1 floor-plan print and 1 elevations print (AZ Architect stamp), 2 outdoor-lighting prints, all 24"x36" folded to ~9"x12"
• RequiredStructural Plans and CalculationsTwo complete wet-stamped/wet-signed sets of structural (and truss, if applicable) calculations cross-referenced to plans, per the Drawing Submittal Requirements for New Commercial/Industrial Plans
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's InformationLicensed contractor names, ROC license numbers and classes for each trade, or A.R.S. §32-1121A.5/A.6 owner-builder/owner-developer exemption declaration
• OptionalSign Package ApplicationSeparate application and fee, stated as required for all multi-tenant, commercial, and industrial projects; two scaled prints with sign dimensions, materials, illumination, and site plan/elevation locations (Zoning Ordinance Section 9)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building permit required for tenant improvements/alterations to existing commercial space; reviewed against the 2018 IBC and 2018 International Existing Building Code as adopted and amended by the City (Ordinance No. 2019-002)
• Plot Plan: fully dimensioned site plan with existing lot lines, all existing improvements, existing use of all adjacent structures on and off site, existing/proposed utilities, and existing disabled-access conditions with proposed site changes
• Floor Plan: fully dimensioned, identifying all existing occupied spaces; existing exiting system (number, width, distance, direction, hardware) including corridors; all occupancy separations clearly identified with the fire-resistive rating of each; proposed construction shown; existing and new T-bar ceiling details
• Wall Section: typical wall section indicating stud size, height, spacing, insulation, wall finish, and structural connections
• Plumbing Plan: isometric and schematic of water, gas, and drain-waste-vent systems with line sizes and materials; cross-sections at existing firewalls and ceilings
• Mechanical Plan: isometric/schematic of existing and new duct locations and sizes, return air, fire dampers, combustion air method and amount, existing and new HVAC unit locations, and complete details of any new kitchen hood systems
• Electrical Plan: single-line diagram of existing and new systems (service location, feeder sizes, panel locations, conductor sizes, disconnect size, overcurrent protection, grounding), panel schedule with circuit identification, all outlet/fixture/equipment locations, hazardous electrical locations as applicable, and complete electrical load calculations
• State Energy Conservation Information: energy calculations are required for all new AND existing structures with conditioned space, with all requirements shown on the plans
• Building Application Form (Remodel) with the Non-Residential checkbox, plus the Licensed Contractors list (general, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring, and other trade line items) or Owner-Builder exemption under A.R.S. §32-1121A.5/A.6

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Application Form (Remodel — Non-Residential)City of Somerton Building Application Form, 'Remodel' selected with the Non-Residential checkbox, submitted via portal, email, or in person at 143 N. State Ave.
• RequiredTenant Improvement Plan SetPer the City's Drawing Submittal Requirements for Tenant Improvement Plan: Plot Plan, Floor Plan, Wall Section, Required Details, Plumbing Plan, Mechanical Plan, Electrical Plan, and State Energy Conservation calculations; for portal submittals the full set must be one combined PDF
• RequiredBuilding Contractor's Information / Licensed Contractors ListAll trade contractors involved with ROC license numbers and classes, or Owner-Builder exemption declaration

Fee schedule