What the county requires
From the county's Planning & Development pages (read 24 October 2026):
| Requirement | What the county says |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Required before construction (Residential Construction), with a site plan, the Construction Plan Checklist and a lot coverage calculation |
| Builder | "Written documentation of an Arizona licensed contractor or owner-builder classification is required" (Permits FAQ), citing A.R.S. 11-1605, 32-1121, 32-1151 and 32-1169 |
| Drainage | "A Drainage Clearance is issued as part of the Building Permit process"; houses in lot split areas "require an engineered grading and drainage plan" (Drainage FAQ) |
| Floodplain | For unincorporated parcels, the Flood Control District's Floodplain Division makes the determination |
| Military zones | New residential uses are not permitted in the High Noise or Accident Potential Zone of Luke Air Force Base; check the parcel in PlanNet |
| Fees | Vary "by project type, valuation, and parcel"; the county's Fee Schedule and Estimators page has the calculator |
Plan reviewers "evaluate the location of a structure" and decide whether an engineered drainage design is needed, so a flat rural lot and a wash-crossed lot can need very different submittals.
Standard plans
Most of the county's new-home permits are builders' repeat plans. The Standard Plans process "provides for unlimited permits based upon a particular construction plan", and "the most common applications are for single-family residences". A plan can be used anywhere in county jurisdiction that meets zoning, drainage and building codes, with limited options (livable area changes, garage extensions, patio or entry covers, exterior cosmetic changes) but no added floors, basements or detached structures. Each plan has one owner or contractor of record licensed with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, and a one-time plan review fee.
How to apply and get inspected
- Check the parcel in PlanNet and with the Floodplain Division.
- Submit online in the county's Permit Center; "All payments are to be made exclusively through the Permit Center" (Construction Permit Information).
- Once the permit is issued you schedule either a Drainage or a Building inspection, in Permit Center or at 602-506-3301.
- Drainage has its own sequence: a stem inspection once forms are set and grade marked, before pouring stem walls or the slab, and a final drainage inspection after grading is done, debris removed and the driveway finished.
What 4,134 county new-home permits show
From Maricopa County new home permits, October 2024 to September 2026:
| Measure | Unincorporated Maricopa County new homes |
|---|---|
| Issued | 4,134 (22% of all county permits) |
| Last 12 months / 12 months before | 1,870 / 2,264 (−17%) |
| New Construction / Production / Manufactured Home / Production sub-permit | 1,652 / 1,648 / 558 / 276 |
| Finished, permits issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025 | 84.0% (5.4% expired) |
| Usual days, issue to final (middle half) | 222 (153–367) |
| Busiest / quietest month (index) | January (132) / September (75) |
| ZIPs with the most | 85355 (798), 85354 (663), 85340 (328) |
Production permits (builders' repeat plans, as we read the type) are as common as custom New Construction, and manufactured homes are 13%. Two West Valley ZIPs, 85355 and 85354, hold 35% of new-home permits. Permits fell 17% in the last 12 months. The usual house takes about seven months from permit to final, and a quarter take a year or more, so budget the construction loan for the longer case. More on county permit statistics, how long permits take and browse county permits.
Before you hire
Search the parcel in Permit Center and the Historic Permit Viewer with the Maricopa County building permit search guide, and check the builder's ROC license as How to check a contractor's license in Arizona shows. National rules are in do I need a permit to build a house; costs in new home construction cost. A casita is counted separately on Maricopa County ADU permits.
What this does not tell you
The county's file names no builder and carries no job value, so there are no firm lists or costs. The window starts in October 2024 because older permits were not carried into the county's new system. City addresses are not here.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from Maricopa County Planning & Development's Permits and Drainage FAQs, Standard Plans, Residential Construction and Construction Permit Information pages, read 24 October 2026. Our counts are the county's building permit layers, read 23 October 2026: new-home permits issued October 2024 to September 2026, unincorporated county only; days to final use permits issued October 2024 to September 2025.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 23, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can I build my own house in unincorporated Maricopa County?
The county accepts owner-builders, but requires written documentation of an Arizona licensed contractor or owner-builder classification with the building permit, citing A.R.S. 11-1605, 32-1121, 32-1151 and 32-1169.
- What reviews does a new house need in Maricopa County?
A building permit with a site plan, and a drainage clearance issued as part of the building permit. Single-family houses in lot split areas need an engineered grading and drainage plan, and plan reviewers decide whether an engineered design is needed elsewhere.
- What is a standard plan in Maricopa County?
A house plan approved once and then permitted repeatedly, with limited options such as livable area changes, garage extensions and patio covers. Each plan has one owner or contractor of record, who must be licensed with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- How long does it take to build a house with a Maricopa County permit?
From issue to the county's final, the usual new-home permit issued October 2024 to September 2025 took 222 days, and the middle half took 153 to 367 days. 5.4% of them had expired.
- Does Maricopa County permit houses in Phoenix or Buckeye?
No. The county permits unincorporated land only. Phoenix, Buckeye, Mesa and the other cities run their own permit offices.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Do I need a solar permit in Albuquerque? Building and electrical permits, the engineer triggers and the fee
- Frequently Asked Questions: Planning & Development - Permits — Maricopa County (2026-10-24)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Planning & Development - Drainage — Maricopa County (2026-10-24)
- Standard Plans (DD-5008-01) — Maricopa County (2026-10-24)
- Residential Construction — Maricopa County Planning & Development (2026-10-24)
- Construction Permit Information — Maricopa County Planning & Development (2026-10-24)
- Building_Permits_(view) — Maricopa County Planning & Development (ArcGIS) (2026-10-23)