Unincorporated Mohave County, Arizona requires a building permit for most construction and applies its zoning ordinance to county-administered land.12 Lot size, setbacks, height and lot coverage depend on the parcel's zoning district.3 Septic permits go through County Development Services, while RV residence is tightly limited outside designated zones and parks.45
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required for construction in unincorporated Mohave County, with specific exemptions16
- Zoning
- Yes -- countywide zoning ordinance with district-specific rules2
- Septic permit
- Required through County Development Services (delegated by ADEQ)4
- Owner-builder
- Allowed without a licensed contractor, subject to Registrar of Contractors limits78
- RV living on your land
- Capped at 30 days/year (14 consecutive) unless the parcel is zoned R-RV, an RV park, or a temporary construction permit applies5
- Tiny home (park model)
- Permanent occupancy only in an R-RV zone, RV subdivision or park; otherwise treated like an RV9
- Water well permit
- ADWR Notice of Intent to Drill required before drilling10
- Minimum lot size & setbacks
- District-specific -- e.g., 5 acres in the 'A' zone down to 6,000 sq ft in R-111
Who to call
Building permits
Mohave County Building Division
Building permits, inspections, manufactured-home installation permits, and owner-builder applications for unincorporated Mohave County
700 W. Beale Street, Kingman, AZ 86401
Zoning
Mohave County Planning & Zoning Division
Zoning classification, zoning permits, setbacks, RV/park-model/manufactured-home occupancy rules, and code enforcement for unincorporated Mohave County
700 W. Beale Street, Kingman, AZ 86401
Septic permits
Mohave County Environmental Quality (Septic & Well Permitting)
Septic (on-site wastewater) system permits and environmental-health review for Mohave County, administered under authority delegated by ADEQ
700 W. Beale Street, Kingman, AZ 86401
Floodplain permits
Mohave County Flood Control District (Floodplain Administration)
Floodplain Use Permits and floodplain administration for unincorporated Mohave County
3250 E. Kino Ave., Kingman, AZ 86409
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 28, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Mohave County, Arizona?
Unincorporated Mohave County requires a building permit for construction under its Building Ordinance 2021-03, unless a specific exemption applies.16 Exemptions include Indian Tribal Reservation land, certain irrigation and agricultural structures, fire-prevention clearing, and most federal land other than leased or developed parcels.6 Manufactured-home installation is exempt from the general building permit but still needs its own permit covering electrical service and attachments.6 The county also runs an owner-builder path: you can build your own home without a licensed contractor, though the Arizona Registrar of Contractors limits how many homes one person can build this way.78
Who handles building, zoning and septic permits in Mohave County, and how do you reach them?
The Mohave County Building Division issues building permits and inspections; call 928-757-0903 or visit the county offices at 700 W. Beale Street, Kingman, AZ 86401.12 The Planning & Zoning Division handles zoning classification, zoning permits and code enforcement; email [email protected] or call 928-757-0903.13 Septic (on-site wastewater) permits go through County Development Services' Environmental Quality program, delegated by ADEQ; email [email protected] or call 928-757-0903.144 For a Floodplain Use Permit, contact the Flood Control District at 928-757-0925, based at 3250 E. Kino Ave., Kingman, AZ 86409.15
Does Mohave County have zoning?
Yes: Mohave County administers a zoning ordinance through its Planning & Zoning Division for unincorporated land, and allowable uses and setbacks depend on each parcel's zoning classification.23 Minimum lot size ranges from 5 acres in the general "A" zone to 6,000 square feet in R-1 and 2,500 square feet in R-RV.11 The "A" zone generally uses a 20-foot front, 5-foot side and 25-foot rear setback, while several residential zones use a 15-foot front, 5-foot side and 15-foot rear pattern.16 Maximum height is 35 feet in many residential and agricultural zones and 120 feet in M-2.17 Single-family residential uses and their accessory buildings may cover no more than 60% of a residential lot.18 Accessory-residence rules become more flexible at one acre, but size and septic constraints still apply; ask Planning & Zoning and Environmental Quality to review the parcel and proposal.19
How do septic permits and wells work in Mohave County?
A septic (on-site wastewater) permit in Mohave County starts with a Notice of Intent to Discharge; construction cannot begin until the county issues a Construction Authorization, and discharge cannot begin until it issues a separate Discharge Authorization.204 Once the system is built, you must request a discharge-authorization inspection within 2 years, including certification that the tank passed its watertightness test.21 Alternative systems -- used where the site has a high water table, a lot of rock, or fast-draining soils -- go through the same county application process, and the fee schedule separately prices options like composting toilets and vault-and-haul systems.22 For a water well, file ADWR's Notice of Intent to Drill before drilling, deepening or modifying any well, and note that domestic wells on five acres or less need county environmental-health review before that filing.10 With only 18.7% of Mohave County's soils free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, an engineered or alternative system is common here.23
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Mohave County?
Not as a full-time, unrestricted residence on ordinary residential land: an RV parked and occupied on residentially zoned property is capped at 30 cumulative days a year and no more than 14 consecutive days, unless you get a special permit and connect to an approved wastewater system.524 Permanent RV residence is allowed only in an R-RV zone, an RV park, or an approved section of a manufactured-home park -- not on ordinary residential or agricultural land.5 A useful exception while you build: a temporary RV residence can be permitted for one year, with six-month extensions for good cause, alongside a building permit for your permanent home, or for one year, renewable annually, on A-R or R-E zoned land.5 Tiny homes fall under the county's "park model" rules: a dependent park model can be a permanent home only in an RV subdivision, R-RV zone, RV park, or manufactured-home park, and otherwise follows the same temporary-RV rules, including its own septic connection.9 A manufactured home is different again -- it needs its own building permit and, in most zones, is allowed as a standard single-family dwelling, though it's barred outright in R-O and R-O/A zones.25
Building a home in Mohave County: the steps, in order
- Confirm the parcel's zoning classification with the Planning & Zoning Division because it controls allowed uses, lot size and setbacks.3
- Apply through the Building Division's online permitting system; fees vary by project, square footage and sometimes value, and every permit carries a $40 automation fee.26
- Start work within 180 days of issuance and avoid a suspension or abandonment lasting 180 days.27
- Apply separately for septic authorization and, if needed, file a Notice of Intent to Drill with ADWR before well work begins.2010
- Obtain a county right-of-way permit before driveway work affects a county-maintained right-of-way.28
- Obtain a Floodplain Use Permit before changing land in a special flood hazard area.29
- Schedule the required inspections as construction reaches each applicable phase.30 Mohave County's materials reviewed here do not confirm a general certificate-of-occupancy rule for every house, so ask the Building Division what final approval your project requires.
What to check before you buy land in Mohave County, Arizona
Only 18.7% of Mohave County land has soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so make the site investigation an early contingency.23 About 54.8% of the county is at a slope of 15% or less, while federal land accounts for 71.8%; verify ownership, legal access and the usable building area on the actual parcel.3132 Mohave County has 223,682 residents and a density of about 16.8 people per square mile; the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 65 miles from the county center.333435 Severe drought occurs in about 29.1% of years, which makes well feasibility and water storage practical due-diligence items.36 A minor land division creating five or fewer interests, with at least one under 36 acres, goes through county review; the cited regulation allows 30 calendar days for a written determination.37 The effective property-tax rate is 0.5%, and the median annual bill is $1,229.3839
Watch-outs
- Mohave County's RV occupancy limit -- 30 days a year, 14 days at a stretch -- surprises land buyers who assume they can live in an RV on raw land full time; permanent RV living needs an R-RV zone, RV park, or manufactured-home park.5
- A manufactured home needs its own building permit even though it's exempt from the general one, and it's barred outright in R-O and R-O/A zones.25
- An agricultural exemption from zoning and building codes requires 5+ contiguous commercial acres, Assessor agricultural classification, and an annually reviewed $250 certificate from Development Services -- it is not automatic just because land is rural.40
Sources
- Building Ordinance 2021-03 (2026 county census)
- Mohave County Planning & Zoning / Code Enforcement (2026 county census)
- Zoning/Code Enforcement | Mohave County, quoted and re-checked
- Septic & Well Permitting (2026 county census)
- Section 37.K — Establishment of Recreational Vehicles and Park Model Units, quoted and re-checked
- Building Ordinance 2021-03, quoted and re-checked
- Frequently Asked Questions (2026 county census)
- Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
- Mohave County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
- Well Drilling in Arizona, quoted and re-checked
- Section 35 Setbacks and Area Requirements, quoted and re-checked
- Mohave County Building Division (mohave.gov)
- Mohave County Planning & Zoning Division (mohave.gov)
- Mohave County Environmental Quality (Septic & Well Permitting) (mohave.gov)
- Mohave County Flood Control District (Floodplain Administration) (mohave.gov)
- Section 35 Setbacks and Area Requirements, quoted and re-checked
- Section 35 Setbacks and Area Requirements, quoted and re-checked
- Section 35 Setbacks and Area Requirements, quoted and re-checked
- Mohave County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
- Notice of Intent to Discharge On-Site Wastewater Treatment Facility, quoted and re-checked
- Notice of Intent to Discharge On-Site Wastewater Treatment Facility, quoted and re-checked
- Septic & Well Permitting, quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Section 37.K — Establishment of Recreational Vehicles and Park Model Units, quoted and re-checked
- Mohave County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
- Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
- Permitting, quoted and re-checked
- Mohave County Public Works Pre-Acknowledgment Right-of-Way Work Form, quoted and re-checked
- Permitting, quoted and re-checked
- Single Family Dwelling Inspection Checklist, quoted and re-checked
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Federal land share: Bolthole Index county data
- County population: Bolthole Index county data
- Population density: Bolthole Index county data
- Distance to the nearest metro area: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of years in severe drought: Bolthole Index county data
- Minor Land Division Regulations - Parcel Plats, quoted and re-checked
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Mohave County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
Written September 28, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.