Arizona building code
Arizona does not adopt one unified statewide building code. The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Arizona cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- No statewide building code; Arizona State Fire Code = 2024 IFC with amendments, effective 2026-04-13 (OSFM jurisdiction only)
- Prior edition
- 2018 IFC (prior Arizona State Fire Code, per ICC adoption page and Dec-2025 ICC chart)
- Code authority
- Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Office of the State Fire Marshal (fire code only; no state building-code agency exists)
Edition changeover: Projects with a complete application on or before 2026-04-13 may still be reviewed under the 2018 IFC (prior Arizona State Fire Code, per ICC adoption page and Dec-2025 ICC chart).
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | 2024 Arizona State Fire Code (IFC) based on 2024 IFC | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Arizona. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- Wildland-urban interface area
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
Sources
- https://dffm.az.gov/fire-marshal/arizona-state-statute-and-fire-code
- https://up.codes/viewer/arizona/ifc-2024
- https://www.azleg.gov/ars/37/01383.htm
- https://www.azleg.gov/ars/11/00861.htm
- https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/adoptions-map/arizona/
- https://www.energycodes.gov/status/states/arizona
- https://up.codes/codes/arizona
- https://www.concrete.org/Portals/0/Files/PDF/Master-I-Code-Adoption-Chart_December_2025.pdf
Common questions
What building code does Arizona use?
Arizona does not adopt a single unified statewide building code for general construction. Building, residential, and trade codes are adopted locally by ordinance, so the governing edition is whatever the city or county reviewing the permit has enacted. Narrow-scope state programs: Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Office of the State Fire Marshal (fire code only; no state building-code agency exists)
Do cities in Arizona amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Which edition applies to a permit already in review in Arizona?
Projects with a complete application on or before 2026-04-13 may still be reviewed under the 2018 IFC (prior Arizona State Fire Code, per ICC adoption page and Dec-2025 ICC chart).
Check a plan set against Arizona code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
Your first check is free, no card required.
Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.