What's Required in Phoenix
- No permit for uncovered decks or platforms under 30 in above adjacent grade, not over a basement (2024 PBCC 105.2; TRT 00823)
- Decks 30 in or higher, and any covered deck or patio cover, need a building permit
- Fee: Table A on $20/sq ft wood deck valuation; plan review of 100% of the permit fee applies over $5,000 when a plan review is required
- Submittal: application, scaled plot plan with setbacks and lot coverage table, framing plan with member sizes, spans and connections
- Detached decks: 3 ft from side and rear lines, not in the front yard, 8 ft or 15 ft height limits in required yards (Zoning 706.B)
- Electrical to the deck (outlets, lights, hot tub) needs a separate electrical permit
- Footing and framing inspections before covering; request by 2 p.m. the prior business day
- Owner-occupants may build under ARS 32-1121.A.5; otherwise an ROC-licensed contractor is listed on the permit
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in Phoenix?
It depends on height and on whether it has a roof. The 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code exempts interior and exterior platforms, sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade that are not over a basement or story below and are not part of an accessible route, and the city's Residential Single-Family Construction Permit Guide states it in plain words: uncovered patio slabs or decks less than 30 inches above ground need no permit. The earlier edition of the exemption list spelled out that decks, sport courts and similar uses with no roof covering fall under this item. Once the walking surface is 30 inches or more above grade, or the deck carries a roof, you are building a permitted structure. The city lists patio covers among the projects that always require a construction permit, and a deck attached to the house at the second floor is a raised platform by definition.
Phoenix Deck Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Uncovered deck or platform under 30 in above grade, not over a basement | None | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Building item 6; Permit Guide TRT 00823 |
| Uncovered deck 30 in or more above grade | Building permit; plan review if valued over $5,000 | 2024 PBCC 105.2 (exemption stops at 30 in) |
| Deck with a roof, ramada or patio cover | Building permit and plan review | Residential Building page: patio covers require permits |
| Replacing boards and rails on an existing deck, same layout | None if it is a minor repair in kind | 2024 PBCC 105.2 Building item 18 (repair or replacement in kind of non-structural components) |
| Rebuilding joists, beams, posts or footings, or enlarging the deck | Building permit | Structural work is not an ordinary repair (2024 PBCC 105.2.5 exception) |
| Deck in a required side or rear yard | 3 ft setback; 8 ft or 15 ft height limits as an accessory structure | Zoning Ordinance 706.B (2024 amendment) |
| Adding an outlet, lights or a hot tub circuit | Electrical permit | Permit Guide: adding or relocating electrical circuits |
How Much Does a Deck Permit Cost in Phoenix?
The 2026 Development Fee Schedule (Appendix A.2, effective January 20, 2026) prices building permits on valuation, and the city's Miscellaneous Construction guide values a wood deck at $20 per square foot under Shade Structures. A 200-square-foot raised deck is therefore $4,000 of valuation. Table A charges $195 on the first $1,000 plus $12 for each additional $1,000 or fraction, so the permit fee is $195 + 3 x $12 = $231. Because the valuation is under $5,000, a counter review of 15 minutes or less carries no plan review fee. A 400-square-foot deck is $8,000: the permit fee is $195 + 7 x $12 = $279, and since the valuation exceeds $5,000 the residential plan review fee of 100% of the permit fee adds another $279, about $558 in all. A covered deck is valued higher, for example a wood structure with a membrane roof at $15 per square foot on top of the deck itself, and a $98 plot plan review can be added to any single-family permit. The city uses the higher of its own calculation or your contract price, and permits valued at $1,000 or less include only two inspections.
What the Plans Must Show
A raised deck is reviewed like any other addition: two sets of plans (one upload if you file electronically), a plot plan drawn to scale with property lines, easements, setbacks, all existing structures and a lot coverage table, plus framing details. The city's plan submittal checklist asks for the size, spacing and span of joists, beams and headers, connection details from foundation to roof, and elevations that include decks. Footings are inspected before concrete is poured and framing before it is covered, so plan on at least two inspection visits. An attached deck counts toward lot coverage; a detached one is an accessory structure that must stay 3 feet from side and rear lot lines and out of the front yard.
Who Files
Residential permits are filed in the SHAPE PHX portal. Arizona's contractor statute exempts an owner who improves property intended solely for the owner's occupancy, and the residential application has a checkbox for that exemption under ARS 32-1121.A.5; otherwise the contractor's ROC license goes on the permit. The permit expires 24 months after issuance, and starting without one costs an investigation fee of at least $250 plus twice the permit fee.
How to Get a Deck Permit in Phoenix
Check the height
Under 30 in above grade and uncovered: no permit. 30 in or more, or with a roof: file.
Draw the plot plan and framing plan
Property lines, setbacks, lot coverage, deck footprint, plus joist, beam and post sizes, spans and connection details.
Apply in SHAPE PHX
Residential Construction Permit/Plan Review Application with the drawings; plan review fee is collected at intake when the valuation is over $5,000.
Pay the permit fee
Table A on the city's $20/sq ft valuation or your contract price, whichever is higher; $231 for 200 sq ft.
Build with inspections
Footings before concrete, framing before covering, then final. Post the permit and keep approved plans on site.