What's Required in Phoenix
- No permit to replace toilets, sinks, tubs, faucets or valves in the same location, or for paint and flooring (2024 PBCC 105.2; Residential Projects page)
- Permit required to relocate any fixture, valve or pipe, or to replace concealed drain, water or vent piping
- Bathroom and shower tile work is excluded from the finish-work exemption and needs a permit
- Electrical permit for new circuits, outlets, fans or heated floors
- Fee: Table A on bathroom area x $170.80/sq ft x 40% (Medium); 100% plan review over $5,000 when plans are reviewed
- Plans: bathroom floor plan with plumbing and electrical layouts; nonabsorbent shower walls to 6 ft, 30 in x 21 in toilet clearance, 30 in / 900 sq in shower floor
- Rough plumbing and electrical inspected before drywall or tile; final inspection of fixtures and outlets
- Plumbing by licensed journeyman, ROC contractor or owner-occupant; owner-occupant GC under ARS 32-1121.A.5
- Water heater: no permit if a licensed contractor replaces it in kind; DIY replacement needs a permit ($98 minimum fee)
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in Phoenix?
For a cosmetic refresh, no. The 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code exempts replacement of water closets, valves or fixtures with new fixtures that meet the water conservation rules, and the city's Residential Projects page lists plumbing - replacing existing fixtures among the projects that need no permit, along with painting, flooring and minor non-structural repairs. The line is drawn at movement and at wet-area tile: the same exemption says a permit shall be required for the relocation of any valves, pipes or fixtures, the city requires plumbing permits to move or add sinks, toilets and tubs, and the finish-work exemption for tiling explicitly excludes toilet areas, bathrooms and showers. Adding an exhaust fan circuit, a new outlet or a heated floor is an electrical addition, and replacing a concealed drain or supply line is treated as new work. Converting a tub to a tiled shower touches all three.
Phoenix Bathroom Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New toilet, vanity, faucet or tub in the same location; paint; new floor | None | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Plumbing item 3; Residential Projects page |
| Re-tiling a shower or bathroom walls and floor | Building permit (bathroom and shower tile is excluded from the finish-work exemption) | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Building item 7 |
| Moving the toilet, sink or shower drain, or adding a second sink | Plumbing permit | Residential Projects page; 2024 PBCC 105.2 Plumbing item 3 |
| Replacing a concealed drain, supply or vent pipe | Plumbing permit (new work) | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Plumbing item 1 |
| New exhaust fan, outlet, heated floor or lighting circuit | Electrical permit | Residential Projects page: electrical updates and additions |
| Tub-to-shower conversion with new drain, tile and valve | Remodel permit at Medium (40%) valuation | Remodeling Valuation Table TRT 00002 |
| Water heater replacement | None if a licensed contractor installs it; permit if you do it yourself | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Plumbing item 5 |
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Permit Cost in Phoenix?
The 2026 Development Fee Schedule (Appendix A.2, effective January 20, 2026) prices remodels on valuation, using the city's Remodeling Valuation guide: the entire area of the rooms where alterations are proposed times the Building Valuation Table rate, times an alteration percentage. The table lists R-3 one- and two-family, Type VB at $170.80 per square foot, and the guide names renovations of bathrooms and kitchens as the example of a Medium, 40% alteration. A 60-square-foot hall bath is 60 x $170.80 x 0.40 = $4,099 of valuation; Table A charges $195 on the first $1,000 plus $12 per additional $1,000 or fraction, so the permit fee is $195 + 4 x $12 = $243, and because the valuation is under $5,000 a counter review of 15 minutes or less carries no plan review fee. A 100-square-foot primary bath is $6,832: the permit fee is $195 + 6 x $12 = $267, and since the valuation exceeds $5,000 the residential plan review fee of 100% adds $267, about $534. The city uses the higher of its calculation or your contract price. Repiping the water lines for a one-bath home is valued separately at $3,900.
How the Permit and Inspections Work
File the Residential Construction Permit/Plan Review Application in SHAPE PHX with a floor plan of the bathroom and the plumbing and electrical layouts; the application's work type is Remodel - Interior Only, and staff mark the alteration extent. Minor work may be issued over the counter. The city's submittal checklist carries the details reviewers look for: shower walls finished with a nonabsorbent surface to 6 feet above the floor, a toilet in a clear space at least 30 inches wide with 21 inches in front, and shower floors at least 30 inches in each direction with 900 square inches of area. Rough plumbing and electrical are inspected before drywall and tile cover them, and the final inspection checks fixtures, outlets and lights. Remote video inspections are available for many home projects.
Who Does the Work
Under the 2024 code, permitted plumbing work must be performed by a City of Phoenix licensed journeyman or apprentice, a state-licensed contractor, or the owner-occupant working on their own single-family home. An owner-occupant may also act as general contractor under ARS 32-1121.A.5, which is printed on the application. Permits expire 24 months after issuance, and remodeling without one costs an investigation fee of at least $250 plus double the permit fee.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Phoenix
Sort the scope
Fixtures in place plus paint and flooring: no permit. Moved plumbing, shower tile, new circuits or concealed pipe replacement: file.
Draw the plan
Bathroom floor plan with fixture locations, plumbing and electrical layouts on a separate sheet, and the shower and toilet clearances.
Apply in SHAPE PHX
Residential Construction Permit/Plan Review Application, Remodel - Interior Only; minor work may be issued over the counter.
Pay the permit fee
Table A on the remodel valuation or your contract price, whichever is higher: $243 for a 60 sq ft bath.
Rough-in, then final
Plumbing and electrical inspected before drywall and tile; final checks fixtures, outlets and lights. Request by 2 p.m. the prior business day.