Permits & standards · Reference
Every permit, every code, in plain English.
We pull every permit under our license. We file every state-required notification on your behalf. The list below is an exhaustive map of what's required and what isn't, by subsystem and jurisdiction.
| Subsystem | Required permit | Code section | Filed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| EARTH-1 (right-of-way curb cut) | Tucson DOT ROW Use permit | Tucson UDC §7 | Us |
| EARTH-1 (on-lot, < 5′ deep) | None | — | — |
| CIS-1 (≥ 1,500 gal) | City of Tucson PMT plumbing minor | 2018 IPC §603 | Us |
| CIS-1 (< 1,500 gal, no in-house use) | None | — | — |
| GWY-1 (< 400 gpd, no human contact) | ADEQ Type 1 declaration | AZ AAC R18-9-711 | Us |
| GWY-1 (Tucson stub-out) | City of Tucson stub-out compliance | Tucson Ord 10597 §4-01 | Us |
| COND-1 | None (incidental drainage) | 2018 IPC §307 | — |
| FNDN-1 (re-grade) | None (drainage, not structural) | 2024 IRC R401.3 | — |
| FNDN-1 (French drain > 5′) | City of Tucson grading review | Tucson UDC §11.4 | Us |
| Historic district properties | Tucson HPO review | Tucson Ord 9476 | Us |
| HOA (where applicable) | ARC submittal + AZ statute letter | ARS § 33-1806.01 | Us |
Code references in plain English
- 2018 IPC §603
- Water supply system. The relevant section for above-ground rainwater cistern plumbing tied to roof catchment, including first-flush, overflow, and labeling requirements.
- 2018 IPC §307
- Sanitary drainage. Defines AC condensate as incidental drainage that may be discharged to landscape or grade per local jurisdictional discretion.
- 2024 IRC R401.3
- Foundation drainage. The 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet rule we apply on every FNDN-1 install.
- AAC R18-9-711
- Arizona Administrative Code · Type 1 Reclaimed Water General Permit for residential greywater. Thirteen conditions; none of them are difficult to meet for a properly installed branched drain.
- Tucson Ord 10597 §4-01
- Tucson stub-out ordinance · requires a greywater-ready stub-out near the washing-machine standpipe in new residential construction in the city.
- Tucson UDC §7
- Right-of-way regulations · governs curb cuts and basin returns for residential water harvesting.
- Tucson Ord 9476
- Historic preservation ordinance · governs the Historic Preservation Office review process for work on contributing structures in NRHP-listed districts.
- ARS § 33-1806.01
- The state statute that preempts HOA prohibitions on residential rainwater harvesting equipment "not visible from neighboring property or the public street."
Codes worth reading even though they don't apply
Two codes that don't directly govern our work but that are useful background reading for any homeowner doing their own due diligence: EPA's Revised Lead & Copper Rule (which prompted the City of Tucson's lead service-line replacement program — we don't replace service lines, but we know who does) and DOE's residential energy codes (which set the building-envelope assumptions that drive the AC condensate volumes COND-1 captures).
Sources
- AZ ROC · license classifications.
- International Plumbing Code 2018.
- International Residential Code 2024.
- Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-711 (PDF).
- Tucson UDC §4-01 · Commercial Rainwater Harvesting.
- City of Tucson · Historic Preservation Office.
- ARS § 33-1806.01.
- U.S. EPA · Revised Lead & Copper Rule.