Tempe, AZ Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2023 National Electrical Code, NFPA 70
- Adoption section
- Tempe City Code § 8-800
- Permit rule
- Unlawful to connect power without required permit
- Inspections
- Rough, underground, panel and final electrical inspections
- Special inspections
- Required for 1,000A+ or 600V+ equipment
- General penalty
- Up to $2,500 fine or 6 months (§ 1-7)
Summary
Tempe adopted the 2023 National Electrical Code by Tempe City Code § 8-800, and its Article 90 amendments make it unlawful to connect any electrical installation to a power supply without the required permit and inspections. The Building Official administers approvals, rough-in checks and final energization sign-off.
90.1.4 Connection to Electricity Supply. Connections to the electric supply shall conform to 80.25(A) through (C). (A)Authorization. Except where work is done under an annual permit and except as otherwise provided in 80.25. it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to make connection to a supply of electricity or to supply electricity to any electrical equipment installation for which a permit is required or that has been disconnected or ordered to be disconnected.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 8-800 adopts 'The National Electrical Code, 2023 Edition,' NFPA No. 70-2023, articles one through nine, with Tempe's own amendments on file with the City Clerk, folded into Article VIII of Chapter 8 of the Tempe City Code. 3 requires inspections at each stage of an installation: underground work before it is covered, rough wiring before it is enclosed, panel work before energizing, and a final electrical inspection confirming all overcurrent, arc-fault and ground-fault devices are in place; the permit holder must request each inspection and cannot continue work until it passes.
1 layers on mandatory electrical special inspections for larger installations, such as switchboards and panelboards rated 1,000 amperes or more, transformers of 100 kVA single-phase or 300 kVA three-phase or larger, and work in a healthcare facility's Article 517 systems. 4.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 8 does not restate its own electrical penalty schedule; violations fall back to the Tempe City Code's general penalty in § 1-7, punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 plus surcharges, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, with every day of continued noncompliance treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to add an outlet or circuit in Tempe?
What inspections does Tempe require before my wiring can be covered?
What happens if I connect power without an inspection in Tempe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
Compare Tempe to another location·View the Arizona building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Electrical Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle electrical permits.