The City of Cottonwood’s Building Division issues construction permits, reviews plans and inspects work inside city limits, and applications are filed in the City’s Cloudpermit portal. Building fees follow a valuation table in the 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, plan review adds 65% and is due when you submit, and since July 1, 2025 every roofing job needs a permit.
What requires a building permit in Cottonwood?
Cottonwood applies Section 105.1 of the 2024 International Building Code: a permit is needed to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, and to install, alter, repair or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system the code regulates. Work the code exempts is listed in Section 105.2. Two local rules go further than most people expect.
Cottonwood rules to know
- All roof work: since July 1, 2025, residential and commercial properties need a permit for new roofs, re-roofing and repairs.
- Fences and walls: a permit is required before any perimeter fence or wall is built, rebuilt or altered, under Zoning Ordinance Section 404.J. The Planning Division issues it.
- Change of use: a tenant improvement permit covers completing, remodelling or altering space in an existing building, and may be needed for a change of use.
Stand-alone permits
- Swimming pools and spas
- Fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems
- Fences and retaining walls
- Residential solar
- Demolition
- Signs, including temporary banners
The plan review checklists treat the pool, fire system and fence or retaining wall items as separate permits even when they are part of a new house or commercial building.
Who issues building permits in Cottonwood?
Community Development has three divisions. The Building Division issues construction permits, reviews plans and inspects; the Planning Division handles land use, zoning clearance and fence permits; and the Ordinance Enforcement Division enforces city codes. Cody Blazer is the Chief Building Official.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Community Development, 111 North Main Street, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 |
| Phone | 928-634-5505 |
| Counter hours | Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Inspection hours | Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Chief Building Official | Cody Blazer |
| Apply | Cloudpermit (us.cloudpermit.com/cottonwoodaz) |
City permits apply inside Cottonwood city limits. Yavapai County Development Services serves the unincorporated communities of the county and has its own Cottonwood office at 10 South 6th Street (928-639-8151), so check which government has the parcel before you apply.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Cottonwood permit types and the Cloudpermit portal
Community Development has converted to Cloudpermit and now takes building and planning applications there. Register for an account, follow the steps for the application type and upload your documents; staff on 928-634-5505 will help with the portal. The City has warned that fraudulent invoices have been sent to applicants: it does not ask for money to be wired, and every fee is assessed through the permitting system.
Documents the Building Division publishes to go with an application:
- Residential Plan Review Checklist and Commercial Plan Checklist for the 2024 code cycle.
- Commercial Tenant Improvement Check List and a two-page Tenant Improvement Information sheet.
- 2026 Solar Checklist for one- and two-family homes and townhomes.
- Carport Conversion to Garage handout, which requires a Residential Improvement permit.
- Owner Builder Permitting brochure, Deferral Form and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Application.
- Swimming Pools and Spa Regulations, a Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide in English and Spanish, and plot plan graph paper.
Contractors must hold a state licence and a City of Cottonwood business licence. An owner building on their own property can work under the owner-builder exemption without a contractor’s licence.
Cottonwood building permit fees
Fees come from the 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule, which the City Council adopted on May 20, 2025 and which took effect on July 1, 2025. It is the schedule posted on the Building Division and Community Development pages. Valuation for new buildings is calculated from the ICC Building Valuation Data of August 2018, by occupancy group and construction type.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Valuation $1 to $500 | $41.13 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $41.13 for the first $500 plus $5.34 per additional $100 |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $121.19 for the first $2,000 plus $24.50 per additional $1,000 |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $684.25 for the first $25,000 plus $17.68 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $1,126.56 for the first $50,000 plus $12.25 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,739.06 for the first $100,000 plus $9.80 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $4,688.95 for the first $500,000 plus $8.31 per additional $1,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $9,815.31 for the first $1,000,000 plus $6.39 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan review, all permits | 65% of the building permit fee, due at submittal |
| Residential solar | $165 flat, or $140 through SolarAPP+ |
| Demolition | $110 residential, $210 commercial |
| Zoning clearance | $100 |
| Re-inspection or re-review after the second | $90.47 per hour |
| Inspection outside normal business hours | $90.47 per hour, 2-hour minimum |
| Unpermitted work | Double the building fee |
| Expedited building review | An additional 25% of the building fee |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The schedule values a one- or two-family dwelling of Type VB construction at $120.75 per sq ft. On that basis an 1,800 sq ft house is valued at $217,350, the building permit fee is $2,895.46 and plan review is about $1,882. Water and sewer capacity fees and Public Works and Engineering fees are on separate schedules.
A temporary certificate of occupancy costs $500 for commercial and $200 for residential projects, non-refundable, plus a bond equal to the value of the unfinished work; occupying without approval doubles the fee. A one-time permit extension costs half the original building fee. Plan review fees are not refundable.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Cottonwood
Trade permits are issued by the Building Division. Each has a base fee of $45.24, with unit fees added per fixture or piece of equipment.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical service under 200 amps | $51.97 |
| Electrical service over 200 and under 1,000 amps | $71.50 each |
| Temporary power | $110 |
| Residential appliance | $7.42 each |
| Plumbing fixtures | $7.70 |
| Water heater | $10.45 each |
| Sewer | $22 |
| Gas, 1 to 5 outlets (plumbing) | $5.50 each |
| Evaporative cooler | $16.50 each |
| Air handler up to 10,000 CFM | $13 each |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Where the schedule sets no fee, the permit is calculated from the valuation a licensed contractor provides, and the Building Official can ask for an itemized bid. New or modified fire sprinkler systems need a permit and are reviewed by the Cottonwood Fire Department, which adopted the 2024 International Fire Code alongside the building codes.
Plans and documents Cottonwood asks for
Plans are submitted in digital format, with files unlocked so reviewers can mark them up, accurately scaled and legible. A paper copy of the approved plans has to be on site for the inspector. The checklists list the adopted codes as of July 1, 2025, including the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code and the ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standard.
New home
- Site plan and construction plans, with property lines, utilities, water, sewer or septic and gas shown
- Building area summary, scope of work and sheet index
- Adopted codes and design criteria listed on the plans
- Geotechnical report where soil conditions require one
- Foundation, floor, elevation and framing plans, with truss specifications and layout
- Plumbing, mechanical and electrical plans, including a gas piping sizing diagram
- Manual J and Manual S calculations, and a signed REScheck where the design is not prescriptive
- Driveway that meets City standards and a fire hydrant within 600 ft on City water
Commercial building
- Cover sheet naming the design professionals and project coordinator, with occupancy classification, construction type, allowable and proposed floor area and occupant load
- Design loads and a statement of code compliance
- Special inspection requirements and any deferred submittals
- Site plan with curb cuts, hydrants, sewer, water and storm lines, parking and emergency access
- Tree retention plan for deciduous trees 12 inches or more and evergreens 8 inches or more in diameter
- Floor, framing, foundation, elevation and wall section drawings
- Mechanical, plumbing and energy documentation
For a tenant improvement, add a business description, a vicinity map, a site and parking plan, the valuation of all work, the contractor’s registration and city business licence, and proof that a Sewer Connection Analysis has been filed with Cottonwood Public Works (928-634-8033). Food service plans are also reviewed by the fire department and the local health department, and the City wants approval from, or proof of application to, the Yavapai County Health District.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply in Cottonwood: 6 steps
A pre-consultation with Planning staff is free. A Code Review Board meeting with all affected city departments is required for new development, a change in use or occupancy and major exterior changes, and costs $100.
Use the residential, commercial or tenant improvement checklist for the 2024 code cycle and put the design criteria on the plans.
Create the account, start the application and upload unlocked digital plans.
The 65% plan review fee is due at submittal; building fees are due when the permit is issued. Pay only through the permitting system.
These need their own permits, and the fence permit comes from the Planning Division.
Keep the paper copy of the approved plans on site and plan the final so the certificate of occupancy is not needed on a Friday.
Cottonwood inspections and certificates of occupancy
Log in to the portal and use the My Inspection link to pick the application, the inspection type and the date. The City is phasing out its inspection hotline, 928-340-2724, but it still works: leave a contact name and number, the address, the building permit number and the type of inspection. Requests called in before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, and every final inspection needs 48 hours’ notice.
Inspectors work Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the City does not issue certificates of occupancy on Fridays. If the job is not ready when the inspector arrives, or you did not cancel before 8:00 a.m., the fee schedule charges $90.47 per hour with a 1-hour minimum. Re-inspections after the second are billed at the same hourly rate.
Tenant improvement permits expire 180 days after issue unless the work has started and is being pursued, and a progress inspection is needed at least every 180 days to keep the permit active.
Local Cottonwood details that matter
Design criteria: the City publishes a 20 psf ground snow load, 110 mph wind speed, Climate Zone 4-B, Seismic Design Category C and a 12-inch frost line. Local code amendments are in Title 15 of the Municipal Code.
Design review and historic preservation: Design Review, by staff or the Planning and Zoning Commission, costs $350, and so does a Certificate of Appropriateness from staff or the Historic Preservation Commission. When a project needs both, only one $350 fee is charged.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Solar: the 2026 solar handout applies to one- and two-family homes and townhomes. All PV installations need an electrical permit, and the City asks for a letter from a qualified professional stating that the roof will carry the added load. SolarAPP+ submissions pay the lower $140 fee.
Sewer: a Sewer Connection Analysis from Public Works is part of a tenant improvement submittal, and water and sewer capacity fees are on a separate City schedule.
Professional design: the tenant improvement sheet notes that state rules require professionally prepared drawings for structures over 3,000 sq ft or with an occupant load above 20, and that the Building Official can ask for stamped plans on smaller projects.
Refunds: building fees and capacity fees on valuation-based permits can be refunded up to 100% if work has not begun, fixed-fee projects up to 75%, and requests must be made in writing within 180 days of payment.
Arizona statewide rules
Arizona licenses contractors through the state Registrar of Contractors, and the small-job exemption never covers work that needs a permit. Arizona rules
Official Cottonwood permit resources
City of Cottonwood pages and documents the facts above come from:
- Cottonwood Building Division
- Cottonwood Community Development
- Cottonwood Cloudpermit portal
- Building Division frequently asked questions
- 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule (PDF)
- Residential Plan Review Checklist (PDF)
- Commercial Plan Checklist (PDF)
- Tenant Improvement Information (PDF)
- Cottonwood Planning Division
- Yavapai County Development Services
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Cottonwood building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Cottonwood?
The City of Cottonwood Building Division, part of Community Development at 111 North Main Street, for property inside city limits. Call 928-634-5505.
How much is a building permit in Cottonwood?
The fee follows the valuation table in the 2025 Community Development Fee Schedule: for example $1,739.06 for the first $100,000 of valuation plus $9.80 per additional $1,000 up to $500,000. Plan review adds 65% and is paid at submittal.
Do I need a permit to replace or repair a roof in Cottonwood?
Yes. Since July 1, 2025 all roof work on residential and commercial properties, including repairs, needs a permit.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Yes. A permit is required before any perimeter fence or wall is built, rebuilt or altered, and the Planning Division issues it.
Can a homeowner pull a permit in Cottonwood?
Yes. An owner who builds or remodels on their own property can use the owner-builder exemption and does not need a contractor’s licence. Hired contractors need a state licence and a City business licence.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Through the My Inspection link in the portal, or on the hotline at 928-340-2724 while it remains in service. Requests before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, and finals need 48 hours’ notice.
Can I get a certificate of occupancy on a Friday?
No. The Building Division states that certificates of occupancy are not issued on Fridays, and inspections run Monday to Thursday.
How much is a residential solar permit?
$165, or $140 when the application is processed through SolarAPP+.
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More Arizona permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cottonwood permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.