Permit Inspections FAQ's

How do I use the customer portal?

Help documents are available on the portal website. Anyone can view the documents (with or without an account). Simply go the the Customer Portal webpage, and at the bottom of the screen click the Documents icon to open our library of instructional documents.

Do I need a portal account?

You will need a portal account to accomplish various tasks within our permitting and licensing system. This includes scheduling, cancelling, and viewing your permit inspections.

For help setting up an account, go to the Customer Portal website, and at the bottom of the screen click the Documents icon to open our library of instructional documents.

 

I have a portal account. Why can't I see my permit?

Your portal account may not be linked to the permit. If you are an authorized contact on the permit, such as the applicant, property owner, general contractor, etc. Please contact our office for assistance.

Other instances where a permit may become temporarily unavailable include:

  1. The permit has a plan revision under review
  2. The permit has passed the expiration date
  3. Fees are due
  4. There is a hold on the permit

Is there a list of inspection definitions?

Yes.

The Oro Valley Permit Inspection Descriptions / Definitions(PDF, 486KB) list is a new document designed to assist customers in understanding their inspections. If you need additional information after reviewing the list, please contact our office for assistance.

How do I schedule my permit inspections?

Inspections are scheduled online through the customer portal. Please visit our Schedule Inspections for Permits webpage for important information about inspection hours, scheduling, and obtaining an estimated time of arrival.

If you need scheduling assistance or are having difficulty with your portal account, please contact our office.

For directions on scheduling through the portal, click Request Inspections(PDF, 4MB).

How do I cancel an inspection?

If you are cancelling an inspection for the current day, call 520-229-4815 or 520-229-4800 as soon as possible so we may relay the message to your inspector.

If you are cancelling an inspection for a future date, please cancel online through the customer portal.

For directions on cancelling through the portal, click Cancel Inspections(PDF, 4MB).

 

Will my Building Inspector call with a scheduled time?

No. Building Inspectors do not call with appointment times. If you need a 2-3 hour time window, or to coordinate other matters, call the Inspectors Hotline at 520-229-4830 between 8:00-8:30 the morning of your inspection.

Note - calls received after 8:30 a.m. are not guaranteed a time window, nor can we guarantee your Building Inspector will be able to respond to messages right away.

How do I contact my Inspector?

Building Inspectors are available by phone Monday-Friday from 8:00-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-4:00 p.m. Call the Inspectors Hotline at 520-229-4830. Refer to the Schedule Inspections for Permits webpage for additional information.

If you have an urgent matter and need to reach an inspector outside of these hours, please call our office for assistance. Inspectors are off site during the day and may not be able to respond right away.

Note - If your inspection is with a different department (Zoning, Engineering, Stormwater, etc.), please call our office and ask to speak with one of those department inspectors.

What about other departments or agencies?

Depending on the scope of your project, you may work with different inspectors from various departments/agencies. To assist customers in identifying other department inspections, the inspections are titled accordingly. For example:

  • All planning and zoning department inspections will start with the word Zoning.
  • All engineering department inspections will start with the word Engineering.
  • All stormwater department inspections will start with the word Stormwater.
  • All water utility department inspections will start with the words Water Utility.
  • All Golder Ranch Fire District* inspections will start with the word Fire.

*For information about Golder Ranch Fire District inspections, go to our Schedule Inspections for Permits webpage, click Schedule Online and scroll to the information about Golder Ranch located under, "Things to Know."

Please note, other department schedules may vary. Once you have requested an inspection online, it is recommended you contact our office to confirm scheduling with those departments.

What paperwork do I need at the time of inspection?

You will need the permit and Town stamped approved plans printed in color and available on site for the inspector.

Can I schedule multiple inspections for the same day?

Yes, provided all work for which you are requesting inspections is complete/ready. *If your project is complete, make sure all remaining open inspections are requested to avoid a failed final inspection.

For smaller projects, some examples in which all inspections should be requested for the same day are:
-Water heaters
-Windows/Doors (retrofit or like for like)
-HVAC's
-Solar if all work is complete

DISCLAIMER
The above examples are not meant to be absolutes. Every project is different so if you are unsure, please call our office for assistance.

Does someone have to be on site for the inspection?

This depends on the type of project. Inspectors will not enter an occupied residence without an adult present. If the inspections are fully outdoors, there are no locked gates or pets present, and the inspector is provided access to all areas requiring inspection, then it may not be necessary to have someone on site.

It is recommended you call the Inspectors Hotline at 520-229-4830 between 8:00-8:30 the morning of your inspection if you are unsure.

Do I have to set up a ladder for the inspection?

Yes. If a ladder is required for the inspection to be performed, a safe and appropriate height ladder must be provided and securely set up on site. Please note, telescoping ladders are not considered safe and appropriate for inspections.

Reference 2018 International Building Code, Chapter 1, Section 110.5 Inspection Requests. …“It shall be the duty of the permit holder to provide access to and means for inspections of such work that are required by this code.”

 

TEP is scheduled to temporarily turn off power (power kill), what else do I need to do?

If you have a power kill with TEP make sure you have also requested the corresponding inspection from your permit ahead of time. Typically, this inspection would be an Electric Reconnect.

When requesting the inspection, add a note to the Scheduling Comments box indicating the approximate time the inspection will be ready for power reconnect. It is also helpful to include the on site contact information. Finally, call the Inspectors Hotline at 520-229-4830 between 8:00-8:30 a.m. the morning of inspection to confirm timing.

**PLEASE NOTE - our inspectors are unable to be on site with TEP before 9:00 a.m. please plan accordingly**

 

How do I view inspection results?

If your portal account is linked to the permit, you will receive an automatic email notice once the inspector has entered results.

You can also access results by logging into your portal account and viewing the permit/application. All inspections, statuses, and correction notes will be located within the Permit Inspections section of your permit. See example below:

View-Insp-Results-Sample.png

 

My permit inspections are no longer available to request. Why?

There are several reasons why inspections may become unavailable. Below are a few examples:

  1. The permit has a plan revision under review
  2. The permit has passed the expiration date
  3. Fees are due
  4. The inspection type was already requested or the inspection was already approved
  5. There is a hold on the permit

Please contact our office if you need additional assistance.

Are same day inspections available?

Same day inspections are reserved for emergency situations and carry an additional fee. Requests are reviewed by the Building Official and subject to current case loads and staff availability. We cannot guaranty a same day inspection request will be approved.

Are after hours inspections available?

After hours inspection requests should be coordinated well ahead of time. The request is reviewed by the Building Official and subject to staff availability. If approved, after hours inspections carry an additional fee. If you think you may need an after hours inspection please contact our office for assistance.