Arizona

Arizona Permit Guide for Metal Carports, Garages and Barns

In Arizona, whether your carport needs a permit is decided by the city, town or county where it will stand, because the state has no single building code for homes and outbuildings. Counties with zoning may adopt building codes for their unincorporated areas under A.R.S. 11-861, and cities and towns adopt codes by reference under A.R.S. 9-802, so the answer in Flagstaff can differ from the answer out in rural Mohave County. Enclosed metal garages and workshops are reviewed as buildings under the local code, and small sheds are where the local rules split the most. The Town of Queen Creek, for example, does not require a building permit for a one-story storage shed of 200 square feet or less, but other places set their own limits. Farm and ranch land in county areas can qualify for an agricultural exemption once it meets the statutory test. Start every Arizona carport permit question with one call to the building office that covers your address.

Building code in effect

Arizona does not have a statewide residential building code that local permit offices must enforce. Under A.R.S. 11-861, a county with zoning may adopt building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical codes for its zoned unincorporated areas, drawn from national code organizations or from the largest city in the county, and it may exempt rural or unclassified areas. Cities and towns adopt codes by reference under A.R.S. 9-802. The International Code Council notes that codes are adopted locally in Arizona and are mostly the International Codes (I-codes), so the edition depends on your jurisdiction; Coconino County, for example, works from the 2024 International Residential Code and International Building Code. The one code set at the state level is the State Fire Code, which adopts the 2018 International Fire Code through the Office of the State Fire Marshal and mainly covers state and county buildings, schools and areas without a local fire code. Ask your local building office which code edition it enforces before plans or engineering are drawn.

Who issues permits

Permits for carports, garages and barns come from local government, not a state agency. Inside a city or town, the municipal building safety or development services office issues the residential building permit and checks zoning. In unincorporated areas, the county handles it, usually through a planning and development or development services department, and the county zoning ordinance sets placement rules for accessory buildings. Because A.R.S. 11-861 lets a county exempt rural or unclassified areas from its building codes, the rules on remote parcels can be different from those in the county's zoned areas, so ask the county directly. The Office of the State Fire Marshal reviews certain public and school projects, but it is not the office a homeowner goes to for a carport or garage. On tribal land, the tribe sets its own rules.

County permit guides

County guides are coming soon.

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When you need a permit

Garages and enclosed buildings: An enclosed metal garage, workshop or barn is reviewed as a building under the local code, with plans, a site plan and inspections. Maricopa County's carport building standards sheet says a carport that is not open on at least two sides is treated as a garage.
Carports and open shade structures: Open carports are handled locally, and many offices still want a permit because the roof has to carry wind and, at higher elevations, snow. Maricopa County's standards sheet calls for structural engineering by a registered professional on members longer than 20 feet.
Small sheds: Some towns exempt small storage buildings from a building permit. Queen Creek exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds of 200 square feet or less, but zoning and setback rules still apply, and other cities and counties set their own cutoffs.
Placement and zoning: Even when a building permit is not needed, zoning still controls where the building can sit. Maricopa County's zoning FAQ says accessory buildings cannot occupy more than 30 percent of the required rear yard or side yard.
High-country snow areas: In Coconino County, designers must use a parcel-specific ground snow load, and properties with a ground snow load over 70 psf need engineered plans.

Farm buildings

Arizona's farm rule is set by county statutes. A.R.S. 11-865(A)(1) says the county building code article does not apply to farming, dairying, agriculture, viticulture, horticulture or stock or poultry raising, and A.R.S. 11-812(A)(2) bars county zoning from regulating grazing or general agricultural use when the tract is five or more contiguous commercial acres. Counties apply this through their own process. Maricopa County defines a commercial acre as 35,000 square feet and says the property is not exempt until Planning and Development issues a certificate of exemption, and Mohave County asks for an application, the Assessor's agricultural classification and a plot plan, with a $250 processing fee. Mohave County's policy also says buildings not used for agriculture or grazing stay under the codes. These statutes cover county areas, so a parcel inside city or town limits follows that city's rules instead.

Wind and snow

Arizona's building risks change a lot with elevation. Summer monsoon storms can bring strong gusts across the low desert, so anchoring matters as much as the frame. The high country around Flagstaff gets real snow, and Coconino County requires a parcel-specific ground snow load from its snow load study or the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool, with engineered plans once the ground snow load tops 70 psf. Coconino County also points designers to the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool for location-specific wind values. Ask your local office for its design wind speed, snow load and seismic category before you order, since the right rating depends on your address. Our partnered manufacturers offer certified buildings rated for 140 MPH wind and 35 PSF snow load, and higher ratings can be quoted where required.

Before you order

Find out whether your parcel is inside city or town limits or in unincorporated county land, since that decides who issues the permit.
Ask the local building office which code edition it enforces and what design wind speed and snow load it requires at your address.
Get the zoning setbacks and any limits on accessory buildings in side and rear yards before you pick the building size and spot.
If you plan to claim a county agricultural exemption, get the county's certificate or approval in hand before the building is delivered.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Arizona?
It depends on your city, town or county, because Arizona has no single statewide building code for homes and outbuildings. Many local offices review carports, and zoning setbacks apply either way, so check with the office that covers your address before you order.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage in Arizona?
An enclosed metal garage is treated as a building under the local code, so plan on a building permit and zoning review from your city or county. In Maricopa County, a carport that is not open on at least two sides is treated as a garage.

Are farm buildings exempt in Arizona?
In county areas, A.R.S. 11-865(A)(1) keeps the county building code from applying to farming and stock raising, and A.R.S. 11-812(A)(2) limits county zoning on agricultural tracts of five or more contiguous commercial acres. Counties like Maricopa and Mohave require you to apply and get the exemption approved first, and buildings not used for agriculture are still covered.

Does a carport in Flagstaff or the high country need a stronger snow rating?
Often, yes. Coconino County requires a parcel-specific ground snow load and engineered plans when the ground snow load is over 70 psf, so ask for the load at your address before choosing a building.

Sources

Permit rules change. Always confirm with your local permit office before you build.

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