Building permits inside Show Low are issued by the City’s Building Safety staff at City Hall, 180 N. 9th Street (928-532-4050), under Building Official John Wilhelm. You choose a 30- or 40-working-day plan review track on the application. Plan review costs 20% of the building permit fee for a home, with a $200 deposit at submittal, and a new single-family house on a 3/4-inch meter also pays $6,725.24 in water and sewer connection charges.
What requires a building permit in Show Low?
The City puts it this way: if you are adding onto a home or business, or adding or removing walls, electrical or plumbing, you need a building permit. Its FAQ and Title 18 of the City Code settle the common borderline cases.
Permit needed
- Additions, and adding or removing walls
- Adding or removing electrical or plumbing
- Decks and porches more than 30 inches above grade, or with a cover or roof
- Replacing a roof or its sheathing
- Installing new doors or windows
- Sheds over 200 sq ft, or any shed with electricity or water
- Manufactured homes (a City building permit plus the State installation permit)
- Solar, signs and water or sewer connections, each with its own application
No building permit
- Sheds up to 200 sq ft with no utilities
- Fences
- Replacing siding or shingles
- Like-for-like door and window replacement
- Painting, floor coverings, cabinets and finish carpentry
- Storm doors and windows
- Repairs that only swap existing parts for similar materials
For exempt sheds and fences the City offers a complimentary shed or fence permit, which checks setbacks and easements before you build. Shed and fence questions go to 928-532-4040.
Who issues building permits in Show Low?
The City of Show Low’s Building Safety office issues permits and inspects work inside the city limits. John Wilhelm is the Building Official. Fire code questions are not handled at City Hall: the City refers them to the Timber Mesa Fire & Medical District (928-537-5100). Land outside the city limits falls under Navajo County’s Planning & Development Services.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City of Show Low Building Safety, City Hall |
| Address | 180 N. 9th Street, Show Low, AZ 85901 |
| Building Division (permits, inspections, zoning questions) | 928-532-4050 |
| Building Official (code questions) | John Wilhelm, 928-532-4053 |
| Inspection line | 928-532-4055 |
| Setback questions | 928-532-4042 |
| Fax | 928-532-4059 |
| Counter hours | Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., or by appointment |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Show Low application packets and online permit access
Show Low publishes a separate PDF packet for each kind of job on its City Permits & Applications page: Residential (new homes), Additions, Accessory, Shed, Fence, Commercial, Plumbing, Solar, Sign, Manufactured Home and Water/Sewer Connection. The New Residential packet runs to 23 pages and bundles the application, fee sheet, site plan rules, a plan submittal checklist and the plan review checklist.
The iWorQ portal linked from the Building Safety page is for existing permits: View My Permit and Request an Inspection. The City notes that a contractor access code is needed to use it.
- Manufactured homes: since March 28, 2025 the City no longer issues manufactured home or factory-built building placement permits. You need a City building permit and a State of Arizona Manufactured Home Installation permit.
- Business permit: every contractor and subcontractor working in the city limits must hold a City of Show Low business permit (928-532-4042), and the application asks for its number next to the ROC licence number.
- Licensing statement: each applicant signs either as a licensed contractor or as an owner working on their own home that is not for sale or rent.
Show Low building permit fees
The City Council sets building permit charges by resolution, and the valuation-based amount is quoted by the Building Division (928-532-4050). What the City publishes are the rules built around that fee:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential plan review | 20% of the building permit fee |
| Deposit with a single-family application | $200, credited to plan review |
| Commercial plan review | 50% of the building permit fee |
| Deposit with commercial plans | $400 new commercial, $200 tenant improvement |
| Master or standard plan, after the first review | $50 flat if the plans are unchanged |
| Like-for-like replacement of hardwired electrical, plumbing or mechanical equipment (1- and 2-family homes) | $30 |
| Re-inspection | $50 |
| Manufactured building, additional City inspections | $250 |
| Sign permit | $20 up to 20 sq ft, $40 for 20–40 sq ft, $60 over 40 sq ft |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →An application and its plans stay active for 180 days. If the permit has not been issued by then, the plans are returned and the deposit is forfeited.
Water and sewer charges are separate and large. The Residential Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists, for a single-family detached home:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Sewer system capacity fee | $4,389 |
| Water system capacity fee, 3/4-inch meter | $1,885 |
| 3/4-inch water meter | $276.24 |
| Security deposit | $150 |
| Turn-on fee | $25 |
| Total on a 3/4-inch meter | $6,725.24 |
| Total on a 1-inch meter | $8,127.72 as printed (the listed parts add up to $8,126.72) |
Building fees are on top of those totals. The fee sheet bound into the New Residential packet is the older January 2026 version, which still shows a $1,112 streets development fee; the July 2026 schedule does not list it. A manufactured home placed on an undeveloped lot pays $6,975.24 in City fees. The City takes cash, checks, Discover, Mastercard and Visa, but not American Express.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire in Show Low
Show Low enforces the 2018 International Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code. The New Residential application’s inspection list covers plumbing, electrical, gas and duct work alongside the structural stages, and stand-alone plumbing work has its own Plumbing application packet.
Routine like-for-like replacement of a hardwired electrical, plumbing or mechanical system or appliance in a one- or two-family home is a flat $30 permit. Countertop, convenience and laundry appliances are not covered by that category.
Gas piping is tested at a minimum of 3 psi for 10 minutes on a gauge with 1/10 lb increments. Plans must include a gas schematic with pipe lengths, sizes and appliance BTU ratings, and combustion air calculations for the water heater and gas appliances.
The fire code is administered by the Timber Mesa Fire & Medical District, not the City. Contact the District on 928-537-5100 for fire plan requirements.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Show Low building-permit application documents
The City will not accept a residential application without these:
New home submittal
- Permit application with the $200 deposit
- 2 sets of plans, with site plans no larger than 24 by 36 inches, to scale, showing actual setbacks on all four sides
- Assessor’s book, page and parcel number, subdivision and lot
- A copy of the approved sanitary system permit if the lot uses septic
- Right-of-way application, building affidavit and erosion control application
- The completed plan review checklist
Plans must show
- All property pins, lot dimensions and lot coverage percentage
- Building height from grade on all four sides
- Drainage and public utility easements; an elevation certificate if in a floodplain
- Footing and foundation plan, floor plan and roof plan
- Engineering for vaulted ceilings and exterior walls over 12 ft
- Insulation details and venting calculations for attics and crawlspaces
- Electrical plan with outlets, switches and GFCI; interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Commercial projects need more copies: 6 sets for a new building and 4 for a tenant improvement. A pre-application meeting is required for all new commercial construction and for substantial commercial remodels or additions.
Plan review tracks. The applicant picks one on the application. Standard review lets staff work informally with you and commits the City to having all approvals in place within 30 working days of a complete submittal. Non-standard review follows the state statute step by step: 20 working days for administrative review, then 20 for substantive review, 40 in all. Neither clock runs while comments are with the applicant or a third-party reviewer.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply in Show Low: 6 steps
Choose Residential, Additions, Accessory, Shed, Fence, Commercial or another packet from the City Permits & Applications page. For new commercial work, book the required pre-application meeting first.
50 psf ground snow load, a roof snow load of 30 lb at 4/12 pitch or steeper and 35 lb below that, 90 mph wind, Exposure C and an 18-inch frost line.
Standard or non-standard review, and whether you pay all fees up front or pay the connection fees before the certificate of occupancy.
The counter at City Hall is open 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays; the City recommends an appointment on 928-532-4050.
The building permit fee is due when the permit is issued. Deferred utility connection fees must reach the department at least 5 business days before the final inspection so the water meter can be set.
Phone 928-532-4055 before 3:00 p.m. for an inspection on the next business day.
Show Low permit inspections and final approval
Call inspections in on 928-532-4055, 24 hours ahead, or request them through the iWorQ portal. Since October 1, 2024 the cut-off for next-day service has been 3:00 p.m.: a request made after that is scheduled 2 business days out. Give the owner’s name, the street address on the permit, the permit number, your contact details and the type of inspection.
The residential application lists separate inspections for footings, stem wall, slab reinforcement, under-floor framing, roof sheathing and nailing, framing, insulation, drywall nailing, water and sewer service, underground plumbing, the combined rough plumbing, framing, electrical and duct inspection, gas yard line, final gas test, electric service and final.
- No footing or foundation is approved unless the property lines and yard setbacks are clearly and accurately marked.
- A $50 re-inspection fee may be charged when work is not complete, corrections were not made, the permit card or approved plans are not on site, access is not provided, or the work departs from the approved plans.
- Inspection reports are sent by email, so the application requires a valid address.
- The permit is void if work does not start within 180 days, or stops for 180 days.
Local permitting considerations in Show Low
Snow and frost. Show Low designs for a 50 psf ground snow load and an 18-inch frost line. The City’s plan review checklist calls for footings 18 inches below grade for one storey and 24 inches for two, and for engineering on any retaining wall 4 ft or more from the bottom of the footing.
Larger sheds. Accessory buildings of 201 to 399 sq ft that are not for human occupancy may use the permanent footing details printed in the City’s building code addenda in place of engineered footings.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Erosion control. An erosion control application goes in with a new home, and its fee is included in the building permit fee.
Septic. Where a lot is not on City sewer, the City wants a copy of the approved sanitary system permit before it issues the building permit. Navajo County’s Planning & Development Services handles water and waste permits.
Code edition. The City Code adopts the 2018 International Codes and lets the Council adopt later editions by resolution; for 12 months after a new edition is adopted, either edition may be used, but the two cannot be mixed in one design.
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 Show Low permit resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors
- City of Show Low Building Safety
- Show Low City Permits & Applications (all packets)
- Show Low New Residential Permit Application
- Show Low Building Safety fee schedules
- Residential Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2026)
- Manufactured Building Fee Schedule
- Commercial/Non-Residential Fee Schedule
- Show Low Codes & Standards
- Show Low iWorQ permit portal
- Show Low City Code, Title 18, Building
- Navajo County Building Information (outside city limits)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Show Low building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Show Low?
The City of Show Low Building Safety office at City Hall, 180 N. 9th Street. The Building Division line is 928-532-4050 and the Building Official is John Wilhelm.
Do sheds require a building permit in Show Low?
Not if the shed is up to 200 sq ft and has no electricity or water. The City still offers a complimentary shed permit to confirm setbacks and easements.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Show Low?
No. Fences do not require a permit, though a complimentary fence permit is available to check setbacks and easements.
Does a deck or porch need a permit?
Yes if it is more than 30 inches above grade or has a cover or roof.
How much is a building permit in Show Low?
The City quotes the building permit fee for each project (928-532-4050). Residential plan review is 20% of that fee, and a new single-family home on a 3/4-inch meter also pays $6,725.24 in water and sewer charges under the July 1, 2026 schedule.
How long does plan review take in Show Low?
30 working days on the standard track or 40 on the non-standard track, not counting time when comments are with the applicant.
How do I schedule an inspection in Show Low?
Call the inspection line, 928-532-4055. Requests before 3:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day; later requests take 2 business days.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof or windows?
Replacing a roof or roof sheathing needs a permit; replacing shingles or siding does not. Like-for-like window and door replacements are exempt, but installing new doors or windows needs a permit.
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More Arizona permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Show Low permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.