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Santa Cruz County, AZ Permit Fees (2026)

Building permit fees for unincorporated Santa Cruz County, with a free permit fee calculator. Inside city limits? Pick your city below; incorporated cities have their own fee schedules.

Santa Cruz County publishes these fees in its Guidelines for Builders, effective September 1, 2013, which its Building Safety page no longer links; confirm current fees with the county (520-375-7880) before you apply.

Building Permit
$916.03
$50,000 remodel
Open in calculator
Roofing Permit
$433.35
$20,000 re-roof
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HVAC Permit
$244.35
$10,000 change-out
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Electrical Permit
$244.35
$10,000 panel or rewire
Open in calculator
Plumbing Permit
$244.35
$10,000 repipe
Open in calculator

In Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, a building permit for a $50,000 remodel runs $916.03 in permit fees, a $20,000 re-roof $433.35, a $10,000 HVAC change-out $244.35, a $10,000 electrical panel upgrade or rewire $244.35, and a $10,000 whole-house repipe $244.35. Totals include the documented surcharges and minimum fees. Each figure is that single permit only: a job that combines trades, like a kitchen remodel with electrical and plumbing work, pays each applicable permit. Pick a project to load it in the calculator below.

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Source

Santa Cruz County Building Department Guidelines for Builders (effective September 1, 2013; Rev 03/2014), Exhibit A Building Department Fee Schedule

Covers building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, and roofing permits.

Official Fee Schedule

Call the building department at 520-375-7880.

How Unincorporated Santa Cruz County values a job: Building permit fees are figured on the job valuation from the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data table (February 2013 edition), with carports and porches valued at $15 per square foot.

Schedule effective September 1, 2013. Last verified: October 13, 2026

Jurisdictions in Santa Cruz County

Jobs inside city limits are permitted by the city, not the county. Across Santa Cruz County's 3 covered jurisdictions, a building permit for a $50,000 remodel runs from $721.25 (Nogales) to $1,272.15 (Patagonia).

Unincorporated Santa Cruz CountyNogalesPatagonia

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County Permit Fee Schedule

Every documented rule for each permit type, straight from the official schedule.

Building Permit Fees in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County

New building, addition, alteration, or accessory structure (by job value)
tiered rates by job value, minimum $60.00†
Printed band bases do not all follow from the rates: $68.50 at $2,000 vs $69.00 printed next, $391.00 at $25,000 vs $391.50, $641.50 at $50,000 vs $643.50, $3,193.50 at $500,000 vs $3,233.50, and $5,483.50 at $1,000,000 vs $5,608.50. Each band uses its own printed base.
Up to $500
$60.00
Over $500, up to $2,000
$23.50 plus $3.00 per additional $100
Over $2,000, up to $25,000
$69.00 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000
Over $25,000, up to $50,000
$391.50 plus $10.00 per additional $1,000
Over $50,000, up to $100,000
$643.50 plus $7.00 per additional $1,000
Over $100,000, up to $500,000
$993.50 plus $5.50 per additional $1,000
Over $500,000, up to $1,000,000
$3,233.50 plus $4.50 per additional $1,000
Over $1,000,000
$5,608.50 plus $3.50 per additional $1,000
Plan Review Fee (All Other Buildings)
50% of the permit fee‡
Plan Review Fee (One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Accessory Structures)
35% of the permit fee‡
Zoning Clearance Fee
$50.00‡
Additional Plan Review (Changes, Additions or Revisions) (if applicable)
$47.00 per hour, minimum $23.50†
Change of Owner or General Contractor on an Issued Permit (if applicable)
$100.00†
Driveway Access (Right of Way) Fee (if applicable)
$27.00†
Inspection Outside Normal Business Hours (if applicable)
$47.00 per hour, minimum $94.00†
Reinspection Fee (if applicable)
$47.00 per hour†

† Corroborated across official sources, but not printed line-for-line in the linked schedule.

‡ Awaiting confirmation from the jurisdiction.

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Unincorporated Santa Cruz County Permit Fee Calculator

Pick a permit type and adjust the job value. Total updates instantly, itemized below.

Permit type
Project type
Kind of work

Fees in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County are the same either way.

$
$2,500$500,000
Estimated building permit fee
$916.03
Included in this total
Building Permit Fee$641.50
$391.50 + 25 × $10.00 per $1,000 over $25,000, minimum $60.00 (see the fee table above)
Printed band bases do not all follow from the rates: $68.50 at $2,000 vs $69.00 printed next, $391.00 at $25,000 vs $391.50, $641.50 at $50,000 vs $643.50, $3,193.50 at $500,000 vs $3,233.50, and $5,483.50 at $1,000,000 vs $5,608.50. Each band uses its own printed base.
Zoning Clearance Fee$50.00‡
Plan Review Fee (One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Accessory Structures)$224.53‡
Total Estimate$916.03

‡ Awaiting confirmation from the jurisdiction.

Santa Cruz County publishes these fees in its Guidelines for Builders, effective September 1, 2013, which its Building Safety page no longer links; confirm current fees with the county (520-375-7880) before you apply.

Building permit fees are figured on the job valuation from the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data table (February 2013 edition), with carports and porches valued at $15 per square foot.

Estimate only. Confirm with the Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building department before applying. Phone: 520-375-7880. Permit fees only; excludes impact fees, utility connection charges, and other non-permit charges.

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Be the Featured General Contractor in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County

Homeowners and contractors planning a project check Unincorporated Santa Cruz County building permit fees here first. One sponsor per trade, flat monthly rate.

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How to Apply for a Permit in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County's Building Department issues building permits for the unincorporated areas of the county and provides plan review and inspections for cities that have intergovernmental agreements with the county.

To apply online, email your application and plans to permitting@santacruzcountyaz.gov, or apply in person at the Building Department, 2150 N. Congress Drive, Suite 206, Nogales. The county posts its Building-Grading Permit Application, Owner Builder Form, Landscape Acknowledgement Form, Right of Way form, Site Plan Requirements and Plan Submittal Checklist on its Building Department page.

Two payments are required: one when you submit plans and one when the permit is issued. The permit fee payment is not accepted until the permit is issued. Contractors should give the department a copy of their Annual Bond Exemption Certificate.

Source: Unincorporated Santa Cruz County application instructions

Building Department Contact
Address
2150 N. Congress Drive, Suite 206, Nogales, AZ 85621
Chief Building Official
Juan Ceballos

Unincorporated Santa Cruz County Permit Fee FAQs

How Much Does a Building Permit Cost in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County?

The building permit for a $50,000 residential remodel runs $916.03, including the documented surcharges and minimum fees. The estimate is built from Unincorporated Santa Cruz County's sourced fee schedule, and it covers the building permit alone; a job that combines trades pays each applicable permit. Calculate your job's value for an itemized total.

How Much Does a Roofing Permit Cost in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County?

The roofing permit for a $20,000 residential re-roof runs $433.35, based on Unincorporated Santa Cruz County's sourced fee schedule.

How Are Permit Fees Calculated in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County?

A residential building permit is tiered rates by job value, minimum $60.00. Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical / HVAC, and Roofing permits scale with the value of the job. Every rate comes straight from the sourced fee schedule above. Enter your job's details for an itemized total.

What Surcharges Are Added to Permits in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County?

On top of the base permit fee, the sourced schedule adds Plan Review Fee (All Other Buildings) (50% of the permit fee) and Plan Review Fee (One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Accessory Structures) (35% of the permit fee). Each is included in the estimates it applies to; the fee schedule above shows which permits and job types each one covers.

Where Do These Fees Come From?

Every figure on this page is sourced from Santa Cruz County Building Department Guidelines for Builders (effective September 1, 2013; Rev 03/2014), Exhibit A Building Department Fee Schedule. See the official schedule. Last verified .
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