Yuma building permits

Building department

Address

Yuma City Hall, Second Floor, One City Plaza, Yuma, AZ 85364-1436

Phone

(928) 373-5163

Email

Inspection@YumaAZ.gov

Office hours

Monday - Thursday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM; every other Friday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM; closed on designated City holidays. Inspections: (928) 373-5170 (non-emergency, request by 3 p.m. for next-business-day scheduling); after-hours/emergency inspections (928) 373-5163.

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Yuma's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Yuma — 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 mandatory statewide building code — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under A.R.S. §§ 9-801 et seq. (municipal adoption of technical codes) and City of Yuma Charter Art. VII, § 6(g)(6). The City of Yuma's Department of Community Development, Building Safety Division administers and enforces its own adopted codes within city limits; this is not a county-run or state-run program for the incorporated City of Yuma. Source: Yuma City Code Chapter 150, §§ 150-015, 150-060, 150-045, 150-076, 150-180 (adoption sections, each citing A.R.S. §§ 9-801 et seq. and Charter Art. VII, § 6(g)(6)), codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/yuma
• 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C, I, J, K, and O — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2025-033, passed 10-1-25 (effective November 3, 2025); Yuma City Code § 150-015
• 2024 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (IRC), including Appendices BB, BF, BG, BH, BJ, BO, CD, and CF — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2025-034, passed 9-17-25 (effective November 3, 2025); Yuma City Code § 150-180
• 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), including Appendices A, B, and E — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2025-035, passed 9-17-25 (effective November 3, 2025); Yuma City Code § 150-170
• 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — effective November 3, 2025; Yuma City Code § 150-090
• 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), including Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I — adopted by reference with local amendments by City of Yuma Ord. O2025-039, passed 10-1-25; Yuma City Code § 131-15 (amendments at § 131-16). Appendices A, J, K, L, M, N and O are expressly NOT adopted (§ 131-16(SS) through (GGG)). The City of Yuma Fire Code is enforced by the Community Risk Reduction Division within the Yuma Fire Department, under the supervision of the Fire Chief and with a Fire Marshal in charge of the division (§ 131-18; IFC § 103.1 as amended at § 131-16(D)) — fire permitting is NOT delegated to an independent fire district. Confirmed live on the City’s own Community Risk Reduction page: “The City of Yuma has adopted the 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) with local amendments.” Sources: codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/yuma (2026 S-74, read 2026-08-16); yumaaz.gov/government/yuma-fire-department/community-risk-reduction/about-fire-codes-and-ordinances (read in a real browser 2026-08-16).
• Per the City of Yuma Building Safety Division page: a transitional period ran through January 31, 2026 during which applicants could choose either the 2018 or 2024 codes; use of the 2024 codes became mandatory for all new permit applications beginning February 1, 2026. Source: yumaaz.gov/government/building-safety
• 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), including Appendices C and E, made public record by Resolution R2022-018 — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-008, passed 5-4-22; Yuma City Code § 150-060 (Note: Arizona municipalities may adopt either the UPC or IPC; Yuma has adopted the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code)
• 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), made public record by Resolution R2022-019 — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-009, passed 5-4-22; Yuma City Code § 150-045
• 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted by City of Yuma; Yuma City Code § 150-065
• NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2020 Edition, and 2006 International Code Council Electrical Code (ICCEC) Administrative Provisions, made public record by Resolution R2022-021 — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-011, passed 5-4-22; Yuma City Code § 150-076
• 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), made public record by Resolution R2013-09 — adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2013-15, passed 4-3-13; Yuma City Code § 150-020 (this is the most recent energy-code edition found adopted by ordinance; no more recent IECC adoption ordinance was located as of this review)
• 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — Yuma City Code § 150-018
• ICC A117.1 Accessibility — referenced via Yuma City Code § 150-016(T), in conjunction with Arizona Revised Statutes Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8 (A.R.S. § 41-1492 et seq., The Arizonans with Disabilities Act) and ADAAG
• Adobe Building Code (locally authored, not an ICC model code) — Yuma City Code §§ 150-030 through 150-035, covering burnt/unburned adobe masonry construction, electrical, and plumbing requirements specific to adobe structures

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

  Required for new single-family and two-family dwelling construction in the City of Yuma. Reviewed against the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) as adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2025-034 (Yuma City Code § 150-180), with local amendments at § 150-181 including Yuma-specific climatic/geographic design criteria. Permits are administered by the Building Safety Division within the Department of Community Development and may be applied for online through the Development Portal (Tyler EnerGov) or in person.

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• Residential Addition / Remodel / Alteration Permit

  Required for additions, remodels, and alterations to existing one- and two-family dwellings in Yuma affecting structural, fire, or life-safety elements, reviewed against the 2024 IRC (new work) and 2024 IEBC (existing-building provisions) as locally amended.

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• Electrical Permit

  Required for electrical installation, alteration, or repair work in Yuma, governed by NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC) 2020 Edition and 2006 ICC Electrical Code (ICCEC) Administrative Provisions as adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-011 (Yuma City Code § 150-076), with a locally-adopted fee schedule at § 150-077(L).

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• Plumbing Permit

  Required for plumbing installation, alteration, or repair work in Yuma, governed by the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-008 (Yuma City Code § 150-060), with a locally-adopted fee schedule at § 150-061(E).

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• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and related mechanical installations in Yuma, governed by the 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) as adopted by City of Yuma Ord. O2022-009 (Yuma City Code § 150-045), with a locally-adopted fee schedule at § 150-046(F).

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• Re-Roofing Permit

  Required for residential and commercial re-roofing in Yuma. Re-roofing is not a separately-ordinanced permit type: it is processed and fee-billed as a standard building permit under the 2024 IBC (§ 150-015, commercial) or 2024 IRC (§ 150-180, residential), valued and charged on the same governing Table 1-A valuation-based fee schedule as new construction — confirmed by a full review of the Yuma City Code Chapter 150 table of contents (American Legal), which contains no separate roofing/re-roofing subchapter or fee table distinct from § 150-016/181.

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• Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

  Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems in Yuma, permitted jointly as a building/electrical permit under the 2024 IBC/IRC and NFPA 70 NEC 2020 Edition as locally amended, plus the statewide solar-permitting standards of A.R.S. § 9-468. The City's own Building Permit Processing Time Frames document lists 'Residential Electrical - Solar PV' and 'Commercial Electrical - Solar PV' as distinct tracked permit activities. No Yuma-specific solar/PV submittal page or standalone requirements document was located (see recovery note in tips); the governing requirements are the statewide A.R.S. § 9-468 standards plus the City's general electrical and building permit frameworks, which the City's own time-frames document confirms are the tracks used for this permit.

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• Demolition Permit

  Required for demolition of buildings within Yuma city limits, processed as a building permit under the 2024 IBC (commercial, § 150-015) or 2024 IEBC/IRC (residential, § 150-170/180) as locally amended. The City's own Building Permit Processing Time Frames document lists 'Commercial Demolition' and 'Residential Demolition' as distinct tracked permit activities, billed on the same governing Table 1-A valuation-based building permit fee schedule verified for new construction in this file. A full review of the Yuma City Code Chapter 150 table of contents (American Legal) confirms no separate demolition-specific subchapter, bond ordinance, or fee table exists distinct from § 150-016/171/181.

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• Fence and Wall Permit

  Fences and walls in Yuma are regulated primarily through the Zoning Code (Chapter 154) by height, setback, and location relative to canals/laterals/drainage channels, rather than through a distinct Building Safety Division fee schedule. Walls over applicable height/engineering thresholds are reviewed under the building code.

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• EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit

  Required for installation of a residential or commercial EV charger/EVSE in the City of Yuma. No dedicated EV charger/EVSE permit type, submittal page, or Table 1-A fee line item was located in the Yuma City Code (§ 150-077, Electrical Permit Fee Schedule) or on the City's Building Safety pages — mirroring the identical documentation gap this file's solar-pv-permit entry already flags. An EV charger installation is permitted as ordinary electrical work under the same NFPA 70 NEC 2020 Edition framework (Yuma City Code § 150-076/077) as any other electrical permit: the base $50.00 Permit Issuance fee plus the applicable Table 1-A fee bracket for the scope of work. Re-verified 2026-07-20 via a direct re-fetch of the live, current Yuma City Code (American Legal, version '2026 S-74 (current)'): all previously-cited dollar figures ($50.00 Permit Issuance, $7.00 supplemental, $50.00/$75.00/$125.00 Services tiers, $50.00/hour Other Inspections) are confirmed unchanged and current. Additionally confirmed the Table 1-A 'Power Apparatus' bracket — rated by HP/kW/kVA/kVAR, the same bracket this file's solar-pv-permit entry documents as covering kW-rated inverters — is the standard Table 1-A classification for motor/apparatus-type electrical equipment and is the most specifically applicable bracket for a kW-rated EVSE charging unit (as distinct from the flat 'Services' fee, which applies to a new/upgraded electrical service connection rather than the charger unit itself).

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• Commercial Building Permit (New Construction / Addition)

  Required for new commercial construction and additions in the City of Yuma, reviewed against the 2024 International Building Code (including Appendices C, I, J, K, and O) as adopted by Ord. O2025-033 (Yuma City Code § 150-015) with local amendments at § 150-016. Administered by the Building Safety Division within the Department of Community Development; apply online through the Development Portal (Tyler EnerGov) or in person at Yuma City Hall. The City's A.R.S. § 9-835 Building Permit Processing Time Frames document tracks 'Commercial Building - New' and 'Commercial Building - Addition' each at a 27-business-day overall review time, and separately tracks related commercial activities including Shell Building (27 days), Foundation Only (19 days), Commercial Fire Sprinkler (11 days), and Commercial Sitework - Grading & Utilities (27 days).

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• Commercial Tenant Improvement / Alteration Permit

  Required for tenant improvements, remodels, and alterations to existing commercial buildings in the City of Yuma, reviewed against the 2024 IBC (§ 150-015/016) and the 2024 International Existing Building Code (§ 150-170/171) as locally amended. Yuma does not publish a separately named 'tenant improvement permit' — but the City's own A.R.S. § 9-835 Building Permit Processing Time Frames document tracks 'Commercial Building - Alteration' as a distinct permit activity with a substantially faster review track (14 business days overall) than new commercial construction (27 business days). Fees are billed on the same governing Table 1-A valuation-based schedule as other building permits; there is no TI-specific fee table.

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• Sign Permit

  Required for the installation, construction, reconstruction, alteration or replacement of all signs and sign structures in the City of Yuma. The permit is issued by the City of Yuma Building Safety Department under Yuma City Code § 154-17.07(B)(1); administration of the sign regulations is shared between the City Zoning Administrator and the Building Official (§ 154-17.07(A)). All permanent sign installations require a permit, including signage painted or otherwise attached to the exterior of a building, wall, roof, fence or other outdoor surface. A temporary sign requires a permit only if it exceeds BOTH 32 square feet of sign face area and six feet in height, but any temporary sign exceeding ten square feet of sign face area must have its location registered with the Department of Planning and Neighborhood Services. An illuminated sign additionally requires a separate electrical permit. The sign permit fee is not a flat fee: it is the valuation-based building permit fee (Table 1-A at § 150-016(I)) applied to the total valuation of the sign and sign structure, calculated from the building valuation data maintained by the Building Safety Department, plus a plan check fee of 65% of the permit fee.

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• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit

  The City of Yuma administers fire permitting ITSELF — it is not delegated to an independent fire district. The Community Risk Reduction Division within the Yuma Fire Department is the fire code agency, established at Yuma City Code § 131-18 and confirmed by the City’s amendment of IFC § 103.1 at § 131-16(D), and it is responsible for construction plan review, fire inspections and fire origin/cause investigations. The City has adopted the 2024 International Fire Code including Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I by Ord. O2025-039, passed 10-1-25 (§ 131-15), and publishes its own Schedule of Fire Activity Permit Fees at § 131-16(G) — Fire Sprinkler Alterations and Fire Alarm Alterations are each $75.00 over-the-counter permit plus a $75.00 per hour inspection fee. Yuma’s where-required sprinkler rule is substantially broader than the model code: § 131-16(Z) deletes IFC §§ 903.2.1 through 903.2.10 and instead requires an automatic sprinkler system throughout all levels of all buildings hereafter constructed except Group U occupancies and one- and two-family dwellings, subject to six narrow exceptions.

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• Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit

  The City of Yuma publishes no separately named “change of use permit” — there is no change-of-use application form, no change-of-use fee line and no City web page describing a change-of-use process. A change of use or occupancy is instead effected through four converging requirements in the Yuma City Code: (1) zoning conformity under § 154-01.02(A), which forbids any premises being used except in conformity with the provisions for its district; (2) a building permit reviewed against the 2024 International Existing Building Code adopted at § 150-170 by Ord. O2025-035 (passed 9-17-25), whose change-of-occupancy provisions Yuma did NOT amend at § 150-171, so the unamended 2024 IEBC change-of-occupancy chapter governs; (3) the City’s amended fire code, where § 131-16(B) adds IFC § 102.3.1 directing that whether a change of use or occupancy is a more hazardous operation requiring a sprinkler retrofit is determined by the Means of Egress Hazard Categories Table in the adopted IEBC, and § 131-16(Z)(B) makes the consequence explicit — a change of occupancy to a greater hazard means the building “will be treated as a new building and will require the installation of fire sprinklers”; and (4) issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy by the building official, without which no occupancy is permitted. The 2024 codes have been mandatory for all new permit applications since February 1, 2026.

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