Permit Requirements

Garage permit in Bullhead City, AZ

Yes — you need a permit for garage work in Bullhead City.

An attached garage is an attached structure that must comply with the IRC (15.44.110). A detached garage is a detached accessory structure exempt only if floor area does not exceed 120 sq ft and it contains no electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems (R105.2 item 1); a garage exceeds that, so a building permit is required.

The numbers
Permit needed? Yes
Where the line falls Over 120
Fee Fees follow the City of Bullhead City Comprehensive Fee Schedule; no dollar amounts are in the code.
Review time Not in the ordinance
Code section R105.2 item 1 (Work exempt from permit); 15.04.030 (permit required)
Based onIRC 2018 as amended (Bullhead City)

How to pull the permit

  1. Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
  2. Apply through the Bullhead City building department.
  3. Pay the permit fee when the permit is issued. Work done before that isn't covered.
  4. Book each inspection listed on the permit as the job reaches that stage.

Either of you can pull it. When a contractor does the work, it is normally their job.

If you skip it

Bullhead City's code doesn't set a specific fine for this work. In practice the department can issue a stop-work order, and unpermitted work tends to surface during a sale, when the buyer's inspector or the title company asks for it.

Already built it? How retroactive permits work

Nearby cities, same job

Rules stop at the city line. If your lot is near a boundary, or you work across several towns, this is where they differ.

CityDistance Permit?Where the line falls
Bullhead City Yes Over 120
Cottonwood 148 mi Yes Over 200
Surprise 157 mi Yes Over 200
Buckeye 160 mi Yes Over 200
Glendale 174 mi Yes Over 200
Avondale 179 mi Yes Over 200

See every Arizona city on garage work

Other work in Bullhead City

Questions people ask

How much does a garage permit cost in Bullhead City?

Fees follow the City of Bullhead City Comprehensive Fee Schedule; no dollar amounts are in the code.. Valuation-based fees mean the number depends on what the job is worth, so the department quotes it when you apply.

I already built it without a permit. What now?

Bullhead City can issue a stop-work order and require you to apply after the fact, sometimes with an extra fee. Work that was covered up may have to be opened for inspection. Full walkthrough here.

Does unpermitted work cause problems when selling the house?

Often, yes. A buyer's inspector or the title company may flag it, and lenders can balk at financing a home with open or missing permits. What to do about it.