AZ · coverage index
Arizona
Block walls, view corridors, and HOA design guidelines do as much as city hall. Heat and masonry detailing matter more than frost.
Editorial coverage: 1 of 1 listed cities currently have dated official sources. A city without them has no page yet.
Cities on the survey
- PhoenixSources checked 2026-09-30
Phoenix exempts sheds and shade structures to 200 square feet but wants a permit for any fence over 3 feet. Its 2024 building code has been in force since August 1, 2025; zoning sets wall heights by yard, and pools need a 60-inch barrier.
What needs no permit in Arizona’s checked city
One row per project: the line under which no building permit is needed in the model code and in Phoenix’s own text. Each city page cites the code section behind its figures; zoning, easements and HOA rules still apply to exempt work.
| Project | Model code | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Fence | Up to 7 ft | Up to 3 ft, pool barriers aside; 3 to 7 ft takes a zoning-only permit |
| Deck | 200 sq ft, 30 in above grade, freestanding, not at the required exit door | Up to 30 in above grade, not over a room; no area limit |
| Shed | 200 sq ft, one story, detached; 120 sq ft for tool and storage sheds | 200 sq ft, one story, detached; shade structures included |
| Patio | Names sidewalks and driveways, not patios | No slab line; a freestanding shade cover to 200 sq ft |
| Driveway | Sidewalks and driveways exempt | Up to 30 in above grade; right-of-way work needs a permit |
| Pergola | Freestanding: up to 200 sq ft; attached: not on the list | A freestanding shade structure to 200 sq ft, no cantilever |
| Retaining Wall | Up to 4 ft from the bottom of the footing, no surcharge | Up to 40 in from the top of the footing, no surcharge |
| Pool | Prefabricated and under 24 in deep | Prefabricated, above ground, under 18 in deep, up to 5,000 gallons |
| Gazebo | Up to 200 sq ft of floor area, one story, detached | Freestanding, one story, up to 200 sq ft |
| Garage | Up to 200 sq ft of floor area, one story, detached | No line; the nearest is the 200 sq ft shed |
| ADU | None: a new dwelling unit takes a permit | Always needs a permit; two per house lot |