SB1241 • 2026

municipalities; counties; private permitting providers

SB1241 - municipalities; counties; private permitting providers

Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Shawnna Bolick
Last action: 2026-02-24
Official status: Senate committee of the whole
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text is truncated in Section C of Title 11 (Counties), but it mirrors the language used for Municipalities in Title 9.

SB1241: Private Permitting for Single-Trade Home Projects

This law allows property owners to hire private companies instead of city or county officials to review plans and inspect specific home construction projects.

What This Bill Does

Allows property owners, their contractors, or agents to choose a private provider to check building plans and do inspections for single-trade residential work without needing approval from the local government first.
Requires private providers to issue their own permits if they find that the project follows all safety codes.
Mandates that private providers send copies of these documents to the city or county within 48 hours so officials can track them like regular permits.
Prohibits cities and counties from charging fees for reviewing these private permits, except for small recording costs.
Requires local governments to post all building codes and fee schedules on their websites; if they do not, providers may use national model codes instead.

Who It Names or Affects

Property owners of single-family or multifamily homes who are doing specific types of construction work.
Private permitting providers such as registered architects, engineers, or certified inspectors.
Municipalities and counties that normally issue building permits and conduct inspections.

Terms To Know

Single-trade residential construction project: A home improvement job limited to one specific type of work, such as installing a new roof, solar panels, HVAC system, or fencing on a single-family or multifamily dwelling.
Private permitting provider: A person or firm registered to practice architecture or engineering, or an inspector certified by an organization that develops model codes and standards for building safety.

Limits and Unknowns

This law only applies to single-trade projects on residential properties; it does not cover large multi-system renovations.
Cities can ban a private provider from working in their area if the city had to remove a nuisance that was the subject of a plan review or inspection conducted by that provider.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SENATE - Bolick flr amend (ref Bill) adopted (Adopted)

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment lets cities and counties create a list of approved private companies to handle building permits, while also giving them the power to ban those companies if they fail to fix safety problems.

Cities or counties can start a registration system to check that private permitting providers meet legal requirements.
If a city uses this system, it must post an online list of all registered private providers.
Registered providers on the official list (or those approved by another local government) must be allowed to do building plan reviews and inspections.
Cities can ban a provider from working there if they fail to fix a safety nuisance found during their review, but the provider can appeal this decision.

The official text provided is cut off at Section J, so any rules or details in that section and beyond cannot be explained.
The amendment does not specify exactly what steps a city must take to remove a ban on a provider after an appeal.

SENATE - Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency (Proposed)

Proposed

Plain English: This amendment allows homeowners to hire private companies instead of city or county officials to review plans and inspect single-trade home projects like roofing, solar panels, or HVAC systems.

Homeowners can choose a licensed private provider to issue building permits and certificates of completion without needing approval from the local government first.
Private providers must send copies of their issued permits and inspection results to the city or county within 48 hours for official records.
Local governments are not allowed to charge fees for reviewing these private documents, except for small recording costs, and cannot treat homeowners differently for using this option.
Cities and counties must post all building codes and fee schedules on their websites; if they fail to do so, private providers can use national model codes instead.

The provided text is cut off at the end of Section 2 regarding county rules, so it does not show how these changes apply specifically to counties.
The amendment defines 'single-trade' projects but does not list every possible type of work that might qualify under this category.

SENATE - Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency (Adopted)

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment allows homeowners to hire private companies instead of city officials to review plans and inspect specific home repairs, while requiring cities to accept these private permits without charging extra fees.

Homeowners can choose a licensed private company to check building plans or do inspections for single-trade projects like roofing, solar panels, or HVAC systems.
Cities must treat permits issued by private companies the same as their own and cannot charge review fees beyond small recording costs.
Private inspectors are allowed to use photos, videos, or automated software instead of visiting in person if they follow building codes.
If a city does not post its building rules online, it cannot charge permit fees for these private inspections.

The provided text cuts off at the end and repeats some sections, so details about how counties handle this process are incomplete.
A section regarding legal immunity for cities was removed in this amendment version, but it is unclear if that protection exists elsewhere.

Bill History

2026-02-24 Senate
Senate committee of the whole
2026-02-17 Senate
Senate minority caucus
2026-02-17 Senate
Senate majority caucus
2026-01-22 Senate
Senate second read
2026-01-21 Senate
Senate Rules: PFC
2026-01-21 Senate
Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency: DPA
2026-01-21 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1241 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
RAGE����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
PASSED BY COW

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1241

municipalities;
counties; private permitting providers

Purpose

Authorizes a
property owner to elect to use a private permitting provider to conduct a
building plan review or inspection, without approval from a municipality or
county, for any

single-trade residential construction project.

Background

Statute
authorizes municipalities and counties to adopt zoning ordinances and building codes
to conserve and promote the public health, safety, convenience and general
welfare regarding the regulation of buildings, structures and land (A.R.S. ��
9-462.01
;

11-811
;
and

11-861
).

In 2025, the
Legislature authorized qualified third-party reviews of single-family
residential building permit applications in municipalities with a population of
30,000 persons or more if the municipality does not approve, conditionally
approve or respond with required additions or revisions to a building permit application
within 15 working days after the date the application is submitted. Any
required review of the application to be performed by a qualified third party must
be selected by the municipality. A municipality must maintain a list of at
least three third party reviewers who are eligible to be hired by the
municipality to perform a building permit application review. A municipality
that issues a permit, approval or certificate of occupancy after a third party
review is granted qualified immunity in accordance with statute (
Laws 2025, Ch.187
;

A.R.S.
� 9-470.01
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Authorizes a property owner or the property owner's contractor or agent to
elect to use a private permitting provider to conduct a building plan review or
inspection, without approval from a municipality or county, for any
single-trade residential construction project.

2.

Requires the private permitting provider, on completion of a building
plan review for a single-trade residential construction project, and if it is
determined that the building plan complies with applicable building codes, to
issue a private permit.

3.

Requires the private permitting provider to submit a copy of the private
permit to the municipality or county within 48 hours after issuing the private
permit.

4.

Prohibits a municipality or county from requiring the private permitting
provider to submit the building plan to the municipality or county for review.

5.

Requires the municipality or county to accept and track the private
permit in the same manner as a building permit that is issued by the municipality
or county.

6.

Requires the private permitting provider, on completion of an inspection
of a single-trade residential construction project, and if it is determined
that the project complies with the building permit application and all
applicable building codes, to issue a private certificate of completion.

7.

Allows the private permitting provider to use photographs, recorded
videos or live video streams to conduct the inspection.

8.

Requires the private permitting provider to submit a copy of the private
certificate of completion to the municipality or county within 48 hours after
issuing the private certificate of completion.

9.

Requires the municipality or county to accept and track the private
certificate of completion in the same manner as a certificate of completion
that is issued by the municipality or county.

10.

Prohibits
a municipality and county from imposing any fees related to the review or
processing of a private permit or private certificate of completion that is
issued by a private permitting provider other than reasonable recording fees.

11.

Prohibits
a municipality and county from taking any discriminatory action against the
property owner or the property owner's contractor or agent for using a private
permitting provider.

12.

Allows
a private permitting provider to use a software that is designed to automate
the required review and building permit or certificate of completion process
without the performance of an additional manual review by the private
permitting provider.

13.

Requires
a private permitting provider to maintain applicable professional liability
insurance in the amount established by the private permitting provider's
registration or certification regulations.

14.

Requires
a municipality and county to post on the corresponding website all building
codes and permitting fee schedules.

15.

Allows
a private permitting provider to rely on applicable international model
building safety codes to determine code compliance and conduct an inspection if
a municipality or county does not post all building codes and permitting fee
schedules on the corresponding website.

16.

Prohibits
a municipality or county that has not posted all building codes and permitting
fee schedules on the corresponding website from charging a permitting fee for a
single-trade residential construction project that is permitted or inspected in
accordance with the private permitting provider requirements.

17.

Allows a
municipality or county to maintain a registration process to verify that a
private permitting provider meets the statutory provider requirements.�

18.

Requires
the municipality or county, if a registration process is maintained, to post on
its website a list of private permitting providers that are registered through
the registration process.

19.

Requires,
if a registration process is maintained, private permitting that is included in
the municipality's or county's posted list of registered providers or that is
registered through another municipality or county to be available to perform a
building plan review or inspection.

20.

Allows a
municipality or county that has abated or removed a nuisance that was the
subject of private permitting provider's building plan review or inspection to
prohibit the provider from conducting building plan reviews or inspections in
that municipality or county.

21.

Allows a
private permitting provider that is prohibited from conducting building plan
reviews or inspections to appeal the prohibition to the governing bodies of the
municipality or county.

22.

Requires
the municipality or county, at the private permitting provider�s request, to
provide the private permitting provider with a method to remove the probation.

23.

States that
the private permitting provider requirements do not limit or affect the
municipality's or county's ability to define, abate or remove nuisances and
punish persons committing nuisances.

24.

Grants
a municipality or county that issues a permit, approval or certificate of
occupancy, after a plan review or inspection conducted by a private permitting
provider, absolute and qualified immunity in accordance with statute.

25.

Defines
building codes

to includes

a)

plumbing and mechanical codes;

b)

electric codes;

c)

residential construction codes;

d)

energy conservation codes;

e)

zoning and planning codes;

f)

building construction codes;

g)

property maintenance codes; and

h)

antiblight
codes.

26.

Defines

private certificate

of completion
as a certificate of completion
that is issued by a private permitting provider.

27.

Defines

private permit
as a building permit that is issued by a private
permitting provider.

28.

Defines

private permitting provider
as:

a)

a
person or firm that is registered to practice architecture or engineering; or

b)

an
inspector or plans examiner who is certified by an organization that develops
model codes and standards for building safety or by a national professional
electrical trade association.

29.

Defines

single-trade residential construction project
as any construction
project on the property of a single family or multifamily residential dwelling
unit that requires a building permit and that is limited to a single
construction discipline

30.

Specifies
that a
single-trade residential construction project
includes erecting,
installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting or replacing:

a)

a
single utility system;

b)

a
heating, ventilation or air conditioning system;

c)

a
water heater or water treatment appliance;

d)

a solar
photovoltaic system, a solar thermal system, an energy storage system or a
combination;

e)

roofing;

f)

exterior
openings;

g)

stucco,
plaster or siding; and

h)

fencing.

31.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by
Committee

1.

Grants a
municipality or county that issues
a permit, approval or certificate of occupancy, after a plan review or
inspection conducted by a private permitting provider, absolute and qualified
immunit
y in accordance with statute.

2.

Makes technical and conforming changes.

Amendments Adopted by
Committee of the Whole

1.

Allows a municipality or county to maintain a registration process to
verify that a private permitting provider meets the statutory provider
requirements.�

2.

Requires the municipality or county, if a registration process is
maintained, to post on its website a list of private permitting providers that
are registered through the registration process.

3.

Requires, if a registration process is maintained, private permitting
that is included in the municipality's or county's posted list of registered
providers or that is registered through another municipality or county to be
available to perform a building plan review or inspection.

4.

Allows a municipality or county that has abated or removed a nuisance
that was the subject of private permitting provider's building plan review or
inspection to prohibit the provider from conducting building plan reviews or
inspections in that municipality or county.

5.

Allows a private permitting provider that is prohibited from conducting
building plan reviews or inspections to appeal the prohibition to the governing
bodies of the municipality or county.

6.

Requires the municipality or county, at the private permitting
provider�s request, to provide the private permitting provider with a method to
remove the probation.

7.

States that the private permitting provider requirements do not limit or
affect the municipality's or county's ability to define, abate or remove
nuisances and punish persons committing nuisances.

8.

Makes conforming changes.

Senate Action

RAGE���� 2/11/26������� DPA������ 5-2-0

Prepared by Senate Research

February 24, 2026

JT/NRG/ci

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1241 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

municipalities;
counties; private permitting providers

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1241

AN
ACT

amending title 9, chapter 4, article 6, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 9-461.21; amending title 11, chapter
6, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 11-810.02;
relating to local planning.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 9, chapter 4, article 6,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 9-461.21, to read:

START_STATUTE
9-461.21.

Private permitting providers; building permits; certificates of
completion; liability insurance; code and fee publication; registration;
nuisance removal; prohibition; powers; definitions

A. For any single-trade
residential construction project, the property owner or the property owner's
contractor or agent may elect to use a private permitting provider to conduct a
building plan review or inspection without approval from the municipality.

B. On completion of a building plan
review for a single-trade residential construction project, if a private
permitting provider has determined that the building plan complies with
applicable building codes, the private permitting provider shall issue a
private permit.� The private permitting provider shall submit a copy of the
private permit to the municipality within forty-eight hours after issuing
the private permit.� The municipality may not require the private permitting
provider to submit the building plan to the municipality for review.� The
municipality shall accept and track the private permit in the same manner as a
building permit that is issued by the municipality.

C. On completion of an inspection of
a single-trade residential construction project, if a private permitting
provider determines that the single-trade residential construction
project complies with the building permit application and all applicable
building codes, the private permitting provider shall issue a private
certificate of completion.� The private permitting provider may use
photographs, recorded videos or live video streams to conduct the inspection.�
The private permitting provider shall submit a copy of the private certificate
of completion to the municipality within forty-eight hours after issuing
the private certificate of completion.� The municipality shall accept and track
the private certificate of completion in the same manner as a certificate of
completion that is issued by the municipality.

D. A municipality may not impose any
fees related to the review or processing of a private permit or private
certificate of completion that is issued by a private permitting provider other
than reasonable recording fees.

E. A municipality may not take any
discriminatory action against the property owner or the property owner's
contractor or agent for using a private permitting provider.

F. A private permitting provider may
use software that is designed to automate the required review and building
permit or certificate of completion process without the performance of an
additional manual review by the private permitting provider.

G. A private permitting provider
shall maintain applicable professional liability insurance in the amount
established by the private permitting provider's registration or certification
regulations.

H. A municipality shall post on the
municipality's website all building codes and permitting fee schedules.� If a
municipality does not post all building codes and permitting fee schedules on
the municipality's website, a private permitting provider may rely on
applicable International model building safety codes to determine code
compliance and conduct an inspection.� A municipality that has not posted all
building codes and permitting fee schedules on the municipality's website may
not charge a permitting fee for a single-trade residential construction
project that is permitted or inspected pursuant to this section.

I. A municipality may maintain a
registration process to verify
that a private
permitting provider meets the requirements of this section.� If a municipality
maintains a registration process pursuant to this subsection, the municipality
shall post on the municipality's website a list of private permitting providers
that are registered through the municipality's registration process.

If a municipality maintains a registration process,
a private permitting provider
that
is included
in the municipality's posted list of registered private permitting providers or

that
is registered through another municipality or county
shall be available
to
perform
a
building
plan review or inspection.

J. Notwithstanding
subsection I of this section, a municipality that has abated or removed a
nuisance that was the subject of a building plan review or inspection that was
conducted by a private permitting provider pursuant to this section may
prohibit that private permitting provider from conducting
building

plan review
s
or inspection
s
in that municipality.

A private permitting provider
that
is prohibited from conducting
building

plan review
s
or inspection
s
pursuant to this subsection may appeal the prohibition
to the
governing bodies
of the
municipality.

At the private
permitting provider's request, the municipality shall provide the private
permitting provider with a method to remove
the prohibition
.

K. This
section does not limit or affect a municipality's ability to define, abate or
remove nuisances and punish persons committing nuisances pursuant to section
9-240, subsection B,
paragraph 21, subdivision (
a
)
.

L. A municipality that issues a
permit, approval or certificate of occupancy after a plan review or inspection
that is conducted by a private permitting provider pursuant to this section
shall have the immunity prescribed in sections 12-820.01 and 12-820.02.

M. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Building code"
includes:

(
a
) plumbing
and mechanical codes.

(
b
) electric
codes.

(
c
) residential
construction codes.

(
d
) energy
conservation codes.

(
e
) zoning and
planning codes.

(
f
) building
construction codes.

(
g
) property
maintenance codes.

(
h
) antiblight
codes.

2. "Private certificate of
completion" means a certificate of completion that is issued by a private
permitting provider.

3. "Private permit" means a
building permit that is issued by a private permitting provider.

4. "Private permitting
provider" means either of the following:

(
a
) A person or
firm that is registered pursuant to title 32, chapter 1 to practice
architecture or engineering.

(
b
) An
inspector or plans examiner who is certified by an organization that develops
model codes and standards for building safety.

5. "Single-trade
residential construction project":

(
a
) Means Any
construction project on the property of a single-family or multifamily
residential dwelling unit that requires a building permit and that is limited
to a single construction discipline.

(
b
) Includes
Erecting, installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting or
replacing:

(
i
) A single
utility system.

(
ii
) A heating,
ventilation or air conditioning system.

(
iii
) A water
heater or water-treatment appliance.

(
iv
) A solar
photovoltaic system, a solar thermal system, an energy storage system
or a combination.

(
v
) Roofing.

(
vi
) Exterior
openings.

(
vii
) Stucco,
plaster or siding.

(
viii
) Fencing.

END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 11, chapter 6, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 11-810.02, to read:

START_STATUTE
11-810.02.

Private permitting providers; building permits; certificates of
completion; liability insurance; code and fee publication; registration;
nuisance removal; prohibition; powers; definitions

A. For any single-trade
residential construction project, the property owner or the property owner's
contractor or agent may elect to use a private permitting provider to conduct a
building plan review or inspection without approval from the county.

B. On completion of a building plan
review for a single-trade residential construction project, if a private
permitting provider has determined that the building plan complies with
applicable building codes, the private permitting provider shall issue a
private permit.� The private permitting provider shall submit a copy of the
private permit to the county within forty-eight hours after issuing the
private permit.� The county may not require the private permitting provider to
submit the building plan to the county for review.� The county shall accept and
track the private permit in the same manner as a building permit that is issued
by the county.

C. On completion of an inspection of
a single-trade residential construction project, if a private permitting
provider determines that the single-trade residential construction
project complies with the building permit application and all applicable
building codes, the private permitting provider shall issue a private
certificate of completion.� The private permitting provider may use
photographs, recorded videos or live video streams to conduct an inspection.�
The private permitting provider shall submit a copy of the private certificate
of completion to the county within forty-eight hours after issuing the
private certificate of completion.� The county shall accept and track the
private certificate of completion in the same manner as a certificate of
completion that is issued by the county.

D. A county may not impose any fees
related to the review or processing of a private permit or private certificate
of completion that is issued by a private permitting provider other than
reasonable recording fees.

E. A county may not take any
discriminatory action against the property owner or the property owner's
contractor or agent for using a private permitting provider.

F. A private permitting provider may
use software that is designed to automate the required review and building
permit or certificate of completion process without the performance of an
additional manual review by the private permitting provider.

G. A private permitting provider
shall maintain applicable professional liability insurance in the amount
established by the private permitting provider's registration or certification
regulations.

H. A county shall post on the
county's website all building codes and permitting fee schedules.� If a county
does not post all building codes and permitting fee schedules on the county's
website, a private permitting provider may rely on applicable INTERNATIONAL
model building safety codes to determine code compliance and conduct an
inspection.� A county that has not posted all building codes and permitting fee
schedules on the county's website may not charge a permitting fee for a single-trade
residential construction project that is permitted or inspected pursuant to
this section.

I. A county may maintain a
registration process to verify that a
private
permitting provider meets the requirements of this section.� If a county
maintains a registration process pursuant to this subsection, the county shall
post on the county's website a list of private permitting providers that are
registered through the county's registration process.� If a county maintains a
registration process, a private permitting provider
that
is included in the county's posted list of
registered private permitting providers or
that
is registered
through another county or municipality shall be available
to
perform
a building
plan review
or inspection.

J. Notwithstanding
subsection I of this section, a county that has abated or removed a nuisance
that was the subject of a building plan review or inspection that was conducted
by a private permitting provider pursuant to this section may prohibit that
private permitting provider from conducting
building
plan review
s
or inspection
s
in that county.� A private permitting provider
that
is prohibited from conducting
building

plan review
s
or inspection
s
pursuant to this subsection may appeal the
prohibition to the governing body of the county.

At the private permitting provider's request, the
county shall provide the private permitting provider with a method to remove

the prohibition
.

K. This
section does not limit or affect a county's ability to define, abate or remove
nuisances and punish persons committing nuisances.

L. A county that issues a permit,
approval or certificate of occupancy after a plan review or inspection that is
conducted by a private permitting provider pursuant to this section shall have
the immunity prescribed in sections 12-820.01 and 12-820.02.

M. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Building
code" includes:

(
a
) plumbing
and mechanical codes.

(
b
) electric
codes.

(
c
) residential
construction codes.

(
d
) energy
conservation codes.

(
e
) zoning and
planning codes.

(
f
) building
construction codes.

(
g
) property
maintenance codes.

(
h
) antiblight
codes.

2. "Private certificate of
completion" means a certificate of completion that is issued by a private
permitting provider.

3. "Private permit" means a
building permit that is issued by a private permitting provider.

4. "Private permitting
provider" means either of the following:

(
a
) A person or
firm that is registered pursuant to title 32, chapter 1 to practice
architecture or engineering.

(
b
) An
inspector who is certified by an organization that develops model codes and
standards for building safety or by a national professional electrical trade
association.

5. "Single-trade
residential construction project":

(
a
) Means Any
construction project on the property of a single-family or multifamily
residential dwelling unit that requires a building permit and that is limited
to a single construction discipline.

(
b
) Includes
Erecting, installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting or
replacing:

(
i
) A single
utility system.

(
ii
) A heating,
ventilation or air conditioning system.

(
iii
) A water
heater or water-treatment appliance.

(
iv
) A solar
photovoltaic system, a solar thermal system, an energy storage system
or a combination.

(
v
) Roofing.

(
vi
) Exterior
openings.

(
vii
) Stucco,
plaster or siding.

(
viii
) Fencing.

END_STATUTE