04/21/2025
**Another Long Post**
Why you should be pulling permits.
When it comes to rural AZ, a lot of folks think they can skip the permitting process to save time or money. But here’s the truth: pulling your building and septic permits is not only inexpensive and straightforward, but it can also add serious value to your property and protect you legally and financially in the long run. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to sell a property when most of the work was not permitted. And I know the story… you never plan on selling your property… well folks, life changes, and I’m here to tell you the stats are against you, and most likely you will end up needing or having to sell at some point. It may be soon, it may not, but if you are reading this and thinking to yourself “We’re never going to sell…”, just wait for a health crisis or a family crisis and see how quickly life throws you a curveball. My advice: ALWAYS HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY.
The Permitting Process—Simplified
In Apache County, the building inspection process and planning permit approval is about as easy as it gets compared to other places in Arizona. The county offices are super approachable, and many of the forms are available online or at the local annex building in St. Johns.
Septic Permits: The Health Department handles septic permits. You’ll need a percolation test (which, in Apache County, means taking a soil sample to a certified engineer — not just filling holes with water), and a basic design layout. One of our local favorite contractors that can perform “perc” tests for you is Brandon Crosby, and he charges about $950 for that test.
Building Permits: For a single-family dwelling, the permitting fee is usually based on square footage and starts surprisingly low. Many off-grid builds, including cabins and manufactured homes, qualify for a simplified process, and the county does have processes in place to convert those popular cabin/sheds into permitted structures, although from experience, my advice is that you’ll be better off just building a site built home.
You don't need to hire a big-city architect to get your plans approved. Basic floor plans, some elevations, and a site plan are often enough. The county inspectors are experienced, helpful, and used to dealing with owner-builders and do-it-yourselfers.
Why Permits Matter for Resale
Even if you don’t ever plan on selling your land or home, your descendants, or friends, or whoever comes after you may have to, and if you care about them at all, having permits in place can significantly boost your property’s value and make their lives easier. If you don’t have a transition plan in place for after you die, then the permitting can also help you get insurance coverage (not always possible if you’re off grid), especially if you’re adding onto a site-built home or a manufactured home. Buyers (and their lenders) like to see that septic systems, out buildings, and building additions were legally installed. It gives them confidence in what they’re buying, and it prevents delays or red flags during escrow.
Unpermitted work can scare off buyers— just put yourselves in their shoes… would you want to spend your hard-earned money on just the word of the seller that everything they said they did on the property is safe and working properly? The sad fact is that Sellers, especially when not represented by a Realtor, are historically bad at disclosing important things like their septic system backs up every year, or that you shock yourself a little bit every time you touch the yard hydrant (actual problems that actual sellers thought were not a big enough deal to disclose).
Insurance Won’t Cover Unpermitted Work
This is a big one most people don’t realize: insurance companies have the right to deny coverage if the damage occurred to a structure or system that wasn’t permitted.
Say you installed your own septic system or added on a back room without a permit, and something goes wrong—a fire, a flood, a plumbing disaster. Your insurance provider may refuse to pay for repairs because, technically, the improvements weren’t legally authorized. Even scarier… let’s say the fire in a home started IN the addition that wasn’t permitted and then spreads to the rest of the home… you may not qualify for your insurance for the rest of the home because it was your un-permitted work that caused the fire. Big time problems folks.
Permits are a safeguard for you, not just red tape for the county.
The Bottom Line
Permits are cheap in Apache County. The process is simple. And the benefits—increased property value, smoother resale, and better insurance protection—make it a no-brainer.
If you are thinking of an addition, garage, or a new build in Apache County, don’t skip the permits. A little effort now can save you a lot of trouble later.
Permits in Apache County: Approachable, Affordable, and Worth It
