Data through September 2026 · updated 23 Oct 2026
The usual permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 100 days from issue to the county's final inspection; the middle half take 39 to 207 days. That is from 7,507 permits issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025 that reached a final. Electrical permits are quickest at 42 days; ADU and casita permits take longest at 241 days. This is the time to finish the work and close the permit, not the wait for approval.
“How long does a permit take?” can mean two waits. This page measures the second one.
Getting the permit (not measured): application → issue, the wait for the county to approve the plans. Ask the county for its current review times.
Finishing the work (measured here): issue → final. From the day the county issued the permit to the day it recorded the final inspection. We count only permits issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025, at least 12 months before the file ends, so slow jobs have had time to finish; a permit still open is not in the days.
Permits issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025. Usual days is the middle permit among those with a final date: half finished sooner, half later. Middle half is the range the middle 50% fell in. Kinds of work with fewer than 100 permits in that period are left out.
| Kind of work | Permits | Finished | Expired | Usual days to final | Middle half (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New homes | 2,264 | 84.0% | 5.4% | 222 | 153–367 |
| Solar | 1,768 | 83.9% | 16.0% | 46 | 27–74 |
| Electrical | 1,230 | 76.3% | 22.3% | 42 | 17–100 |
| Garages, sheds & shade structures | 801 | 70.8% | 19.4% | 116 | 58–210 |
| Pools & spas | 708 | 91.2% | 5.6% | 97 | 64–144 |
| Fences & walls | 680 | 81.2% | 17.1% | 46 | 19–107 |
| Additions | 345 | 81.2% | 12.5% | 109 | 40–196 |
| Plumbing | 319 | 76.5% | 21.9% | 46 | 16–134 |
| Remodels & repairs | 301 | 78.1% | 18.9% | 80 | 39–164 |
| ADUs & casitas | 285 | 66.0% | 10.5% | 241 | 175–375 |
| Other | 598 | 69.9% | 19.1% | 168 | 65–349 |
Each kind of work on its own, issue to the county's final.
The usual new home permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 222 days from issue to final; the middle half take 153 to 367 days (1,897 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 84% of the 2,264 permits issued then have finished and 5% expired. Maricopa County new home permits →
The usual solar permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 46 days from issue to final; the middle half take 27 to 74 days (1,481 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 84% of the 1,768 permits issued then have finished and 16% expired. Maricopa County solar permits →
The usual electrical permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 42 days from issue to final; the middle half take 17 to 100 days (939 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 76% of the 1,230 permits issued then have finished and 22% expired. Maricopa County electrical permits →
The usual garage, shed and shade structure permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 116 days from issue to final; the middle half take 58 to 210 days (565 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 71% of the 801 permits issued then have finished and 19% expired. Maricopa County garage, shed and shade structure permits →
The usual pool and spa permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 97 days from issue to final; the middle half take 64 to 144 days (646 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 91% of the 708 permits issued then have finished and 6% expired. Maricopa County pool and spa permits →
The usual fence and wall permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 46 days from issue to final; the middle half take 19 to 107 days (552 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 81% of the 680 permits issued then have finished and 17% expired. Maricopa County fence and wall permits →
The usual home addition permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 109 days from issue to final; the middle half take 40 to 196 days (280 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 81% of the 345 permits issued then have finished and 12% expired. Maricopa County home addition permits →
The usual plumbing permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 46 days from issue to final; the middle half take 16 to 134 days (244 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 76% of the 319 permits issued then have finished and 22% expired. Maricopa County plumbing permits →
The usual remodel and repair permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 80 days from issue to final; the middle half take 39 to 164 days (235 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 78% of the 301 permits issued then have finished and 19% expired. Maricopa County remodel and repair permits →
The usual ADU and casita permit in unincorporated Maricopa County takes 241 days from issue to final; the middle half take 175 to 375 days (184 permits with a final date, issued Oct 2024–Sep 2025). 66% of the 285 permits issued then have finished and 10% expired. Maricopa County ADU and casita permits →
From our cross-city data studies: the same measure, read the same way, for every city we cover.
How long permits take for other places in Phoenix. Each permit office keeps its own file, so the numbers are not added together.
Source: Maricopa County Planning & Development building permits (ArcGIS: Building_Permits_(view) and BuildingPermitsAndAllCases), read 23 Oct 2026. We count permits issued October 2024 through September 2026; denied and withdrawn permits are left out.
Permits the county issues for unincorporated land only: Sun City, Sun City West, Anthem and New River, Rio Verde, Tonopah, Wittmann, county islands and similar places. Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale and the other cities run their own permit offices and are not in this file.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. Sources and definitions →
Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Please credit Contractor Records and link to this page. Suggested citation:
Contractor Records, "How long do permits take in unincorporated Maricopa County, AZ?", https://contractorrecords.com/maricopa-county/how-long-does-a-permit-take, data through September 2026, from Maricopa County Planning & Development building-permit records.Link to a table: By kind of work · Each kind of permit.
Download the tables (CSV): Days to final by kind of work.