Phoenix Building Inspections for New Homes: The Sequence Through Final and CO

A Phoenix home is inspected in a set order while it is being built, and each phase has to pass before the work is buried behind concrete, drywall, or stucco. The whole sequence ends with a final inspection that unlocks your Certificate of Occupancy, the document that legally lets you move in. This page lays out the order, how to request each inspection, and how the final ties to the CO.

The inspection sequence

Inspections follow the build from the ground up, and the city calls each one while the work is still visible. Phoenix groups the critical points like this:

1. Before concrete is poured. Underground plumbing and electrical, foundation rebar, structural hold-downs, footing depth and width, and the electrical grounding (UFER) are all inspected before any concrete covers them.
2. Rough framing (strap and brace). Framing member spacing and size, ties and clips, headers and lintels, and shear wall location and size are inspected after the framing is up.
3. Pre-drywall (before insulation and drywall). The rough plumbing, mechanical, and electrical are checked, windows are checked for safety glazing and energy requirements, the outside water-resistant covering goes in before stucco, and if the roof is tile, the roof is loaded with the truss calculations on site.
4. Final. Counters, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, outlets and lights, registers, smoke detectors, doors and windows, gas vents, HVAC equipment, and the water meter are all installed and inspected.

The order matters because an inspector cannot approve what is already hidden. For example, suppose a framer finishes a 2,800 square foot Phoenix house and the drywall crew hangs board over the walls before the pre-drywall inspection is called. The inspector cannot see the wiring, plumbing rough-in, or framing connections, so the work fails. The crew has to cut out sections of new drywall to expose the work, then re-inspect and re-patch, which can add a week and real labor cost. The City of Phoenix is the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) , so its inspectors set and enforce this sequence.

How scheduling and the final tie to your CO

You request each inspection yourself. Phoenix gives two ways:

By phone using the Automated Inspection Request System (AIRS) at 602-495-0800. This is a computer-based interactive voice response system. Inspection requests made before 9 p.m. will be scheduled for the next business day.

You can also request online through the city's permitting system by selecting "Cancel or Request Inspections" and entering the key number printed on your permit receipt. For residential permits, the city now schedules through the SHAPE PHX portal, and many home projects qualify for remote video inspections.

If an inspection fails, the contractor gets a red tag that lists the issues to fix. After the fix, you call for a re-inspection, and work can continue once it passes. The final inspection is the gate to occupancy. Phoenix is plain about the result:

The final inspection is conducted when work on the project is completed. This includes all off-site (right-of-way) and on-site (lot) improvements. If the project requires a Certificate of Occupancy, one will be issued. If not, a green tag will signify compliance.

A passing final on a new home triggers the Certificate of Occupancy, and only then are the gas and electric utilities cleared to be turned on permanently. Permits stay valid for two years after issuance, but they expire if work does not start within six months or stops for more than six months.

When this comes into play

This process runs across the entire construction phase of your build:

• Pour days. You cannot pour a footing or slab until the before-concrete inspection passes, so the inspection schedule drives the concrete schedule.
• Close-in. The pre-drywall inspection covers electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and the water-resistant covering before insulation and drywall. A failure here stops the whole cover-up.
• Move-in. The final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy are what legally clear you to occupy, and they release permanent utility power. Closing a sale or starting a mortgage often requires the CO in hand.

What this means for you

Treat the inspection calendar as the spine of your build schedule, not an afterthought. Each phase has to pass before the next trade can cover its work, so a missed or failed inspection delays everything downstream. Request inspections early through AIRS at 602-495-0800 or the online system, and have your permit key number and the right inspection type ready. Never let a crew cover wiring, plumbing, or framing before it is inspected, because a red tag means cutting it back open. Do not move family in before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, because occupying without it is a code violation, and your power may not be permanently on yet.

This entry closes the Phoenix module loop. The codes your work is inspected against are in Phoenix Adopted Building Codes , and the permit that authorizes the build is covered in Phoenix Residential Building Permit Requirements . For how this fits the full journey, see the steps to building a custom home in Arizona .

Source

The inspection process, scheduling options, red-tag rule, and Certificate of Occupancy step are published by the City of Phoenix: Building Construction Inspections on phoenix.gov . For the residential critical-inspection points and remote inspections, see Residential Inspections .

This page is general information, not a code interpretation. Inspection steps and CO requirements change, so confirm the current process with Phoenix Planning and Development before you schedule.