Bolthole Index

Pima County, Arizona

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Town of Marana, Arizona

The Town of Marana, Arizona requires a town building permit before constructing, enlarging, substantially modifying or moving a residential building or mobile home.1 Marana sets its own zoning; for addresses in Pima County, the county handles septic construction and discharge authorizations.23 Start with Marana Building Safety and Planning for the home and land use, and Pima County Onsite Wastewater for septic.45

At a glance

Building permit
Town permit required for residential construction, enlargement, substantial modification or relocation1
Zoning
Town zoning applies inside Marana limits2
Septic
Pima County construction and discharge authorizations for Pima County addresses3
Minimum lot size
Residential district number multiplied by 1,000 square feet6
AG setbacks
Front and side: 40 feet; rear: 60 feet7
Owner-builder
Conditional Arizona contractor-license exemption; building permits still apply8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Marana Building Safety

Town building-permit requirements and application plans

Building permits

Town of Marana Development Services — Building Safety and Planning

Building-permit and zoning questions; development guidance

(520) 382-2600

[email protected]

11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Bldg. A2

Floodplain permits

Town of Marana Engineering

Town floodplain management and development engineering questions

(520) 382-2600

Codes & inspections

Town of Marana Development Services — Project Requirements

Project-specific building-permit guidance and floodplain-use reminder

Septic permits

Pima County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Septic construction and discharge authorizations, inspections and transfers for Pima County addresses

520-724-7400

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Marana means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Marana, AZ?

Marana requires a town building permit before residential construction, enlargement, substantial modification or relocation, including mobile homes.1 Marana’s application requires scaled plans showing lot dimensions, existing buildings relative to property lines, and proposed off-street parking.1 Plans must also detail structural features and electrical, plumbing and mechanical installations for town review.1

Marana’s project guidance exempts one-story detached storage sheds or playhouses limited to 200 square feet measured from the foundation edge; ask Building Safety about your exact project before relying on that exemption.94

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Town of Marana?

Marana Building Safety answers building-code and building-permit questions at (520) 382-2600.4 Marana Planning answers zoning questions at the same number or [email protected].4 The town’s One-Stop Shop brings together planners, building-code examiners and engineering technicians for new-development questions.4

Use the town counter for a home inside Marana limits; Pima County regulates septic construction, replacement, ownership transfer and closure for Pima County properties.110 For a parcel outside town limits, consult the Pima County guide: the county’s building-permit requirement applies to unincorporated county land.11

Does the Town of Marana have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

The Town of Marana has its own zoning chapter, and the official zoning-map data layer is the final authority for current zoning status.212 In Marana’s single-family residential districts, the number after the dash determines the minimum lot area when multiplied by 1,000 square feet; R-180 requires 180,000 square feet.6

Marana’s AG district requires front and side setbacks of 40 feet and a rear setback of 60 feet, with maximum lot coverage of 40%.713 Use those dimensions only for AG land, and ask Marana Planning to identify the parcel’s district before drawing a home, barn or workshop layout.74

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Marana?

For a Marana property in Pima County that will use septic, Pima County must issue a Construction Authorization before the facility is constructed or replaced.3 After the final field inspection, Pima County must issue a Discharge Authorization before the system is buried and used.3 A site investigation determines whether the home needs a conventional or alternative system, so settle wastewater feasibility before committing to a home layout.3

When buying a Pima County property already served by septic, the seller must obtain a qualified inspection within 6 months before transfer and provide the report before closing.14 The buyer must submit the Notice of Transfer within 15 calendar days after transfer.14

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Marana?

We could not confirm a Marana rule allowing residential RV occupancy, temporary camping during construction, or tiny-home occupancy; ask Marana Planning about the proposed use and parcel zoning before buying.4 Marana has town zoning, so a district’s lot-size allowance does not by itself answer whether the intended dwelling is allowed.26

Arizona’s Recreational Vehicle Long-Term Rental Space Act concerns rented spaces in RV or mobile-home parks; that law does not establish permission to live in an RV on a private Marana lot.15 Ask Building Safety what plans and building approval a proposed small permanent home needs.14

What steps should you take before building a home in the Town of Marana?

Start with Marana Planning: identify current zoning through Marana Maps and confirm the proposed use and district dimensions.412 Next, resolve septic feasibility with Pima County for a Pima County address, including the site investigation and Construction Authorization.3 Ask Marana Engineering about floodplain management; a structure in the floodplain may need a floodplain use permit in addition to its building permit.169

Then prepare the scaled site and construction plans for Marana Building Safety and obtain the town building permit before starting residential construction.1 For projects requiring an appeal period, Marana will not issue building permits until that period expires.4 Arizona’s owner-builder exemption concerns contractor licensing for qualifying owner occupancy, and does not remove local building-permit requirements.8

Watch-outs

  • Do not bury or use a new septic system at a Pima County address until Pima County issues its Discharge Authorization after final field inspection.3
  • We could not confirm Marana’s minimum dwelling size or required public water and sewer connections; ask Marana Planning and Building Safety before choosing a house design.4
  • Marana’s AG setback figures are district-specific; confirm the parcel’s current zoning on the official map.712

Sources

  1. Town of Marana Building Safety (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
  2. Chapter 17-4. Zoning (Town of Marana), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Marana Development Services — Building Safety and Planning (maranaaz.gov)
  5. Pima County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities (pima.gov)
  6. 17-4-5 Residential zoning districts (Town of Marana), quoted and re-checked
  7. 17-4-4 Agricultural (AG) (Town of Marana), quoted and re-checked
  8. Persons not required to be licensed; penalties; applicability (Arizona statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Marana Development Services — Project Requirements (maranaaz.gov)
  10. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  11. Do I Need a Permit?, quoted and re-checked
  12. 17-4-1 Zone districts and zoning groups established (Town of Marana), quoted and re-checked
  13. 17-4-4 Agricultural (AG) (Town of Marana), quoted and re-checked
  14. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  15. 33-2101 - Application; duration of stay; exclusions; notice and pleading requirements (Arizona statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Marana Engineering (maranaaz.gov)

Written October 11, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Marana

Town of Marana’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the Marana town limits.

    • Chapter 17-4 is the town's zoning chapter and was replaced in its entirety by Ordinance 2021.010.
    “Chapter 17-4 was inserted into the town code by Ordinance 2018.010 and was subsequently repealed and replaced in its entirety by Ordinance 2021.010.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and groups inside Marana town.

    • The official zone map determines current zoning status; the code states that the map data layer maintained by the technology services department is the final authority.
    “The official zone map data layer maintained by and located in the office of the technology services department is the final authority in determining current zoning status.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential zoning districts R-180, R-144, R-80, R-36, R-16, R-10, R-8, R-7, R-6, R-5, R-4, and R-3 inside Marana town.

    • The minimum lot size is determined by the number following the dash multiplied by 1,000 square feet.

    minimum lot size multiplier: per 1000 sq ft per zone-number unit (Example: R-180 requires 180,000 square feet.)

    “Minimum lot sizes for each zone are determined by the number following the dash multiplied by one thousand square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Agricultural (AG) zoning district inside Marana town.

    front setback: >= 40 ft · side setback: >= 40 ft · rear setback: >= 60 ft

    “Setbacks (minimum) | Front - 40 ft. | Side - 40 ft. | Rear - 60 ft.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential zoning districts R-180 through R-3 inside Marana town.

    • Maximum coverage varies by district: 40% for R-180, R-144, R-80, and R-36; 50% for R-16 through R-6; 75% for R-5, R-4, and R-3.
    • Residential design guidelines may allow greater lot coverage in certain subdivisions.

    maximum lot coverage: 40/40/40/40/50/50/50/50/50/75/75/75 percent for R-180/R-144/R-80/R-36/R-16/R-10/R-8/R-7/R-6/R-5/R-4/R-3 (Certain subdivisions may receive greater coverage under residential design guidelines.)

    “Maximum lot coverage (percent of total lot area) | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 75 | 75 | 75”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Agricultural (AG) zoning district inside Marana town.
      “Lot coverage (maximum) | 40% of the total lot area”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Agricultural (AG) zoning district inside Marana town.

    • Accessory buildings for agricultural use have a separate 50-foot maximum.

    maximum building height: <= 30 ft (Accessory buildings for agricultural use: 50 ft maximum.)

    “Building height (maximum) | 30 ft. | Accessory building, not for agricultural use - 30 ft. | Accessory buildings, for agricultural use - 50 ft.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Main buildings in single-family residential zoning districts R-180 through R-3 inside Marana town.
      “Main building | 35 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Marana or Pima County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Marana town.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Marana town.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Marana town.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Marana town.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Marana town.
16 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Marana publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pima County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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