Bolthole Index

Yavapai County, Arizona

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona

The Town of Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona requires building permits for new homes and other construction unless the work is specifically exempt.1 The town administers zoning, while Yavapai County Environmental Services issues septic permits inside town limits.23 For projects using septic, county approval must come before town building-plan review.4

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new homes; specified work is exempt1
Zoning
Town districts govern uses and dimensions2
Septic permits
Yavapai County Environmental Services; approval precedes town plan review34
RV living
Long-term occupancy requires a temporary dwelling permit or use permit5
Manufactured homes
Allowed subject to district and design rules; RMM excludes single-wide homes6
Owner-builder
State contractor-license exemption for qualifying owner occupancy; town building permits still apply71
Wells
ADWR Notice of Intent before new drilling, deepening or modification8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Dewey-Humboldt Building Safety

Town building permits and inspections

928-632-7362

2735 S Highway 69 Humboldt, AZ 86329

Planning & zoning

Town of Dewey-Humboldt Community Development

Town planning and zoning approval

928-632-7362

2735 S Highway 69 Suite 12 Humboldt, AZ 86329

Septic permits

Yavapai County Development Services - Environmental Services Unit

County septic permits, inspections and small-parcel well application review

(928) 771-3214

[email protected]

1120 Commerce Drive Prescott, AZ 86305

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 Dewey-Humboldt 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 Dewey-Humboldt, AZ?

New homes in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt need town building permits; specified nonhabitable accessory structures, fences and other listed work may qualify for exemptions.1 A building-permit exemption does not necessarily remove zoning-clearance or other town approval requirements.1 Dewey-Humboldt has adopted the 2018 International Residential Code and related technical codes, subject to town amendments.9

Arizona’s owner-builder exemption concerns contractor licensing for qualifying work intended solely for the owner’s occupancy, rather than public occupancy, sale or rent.7 Qualifying as an owner-builder does not erase Dewey-Humboldt’s building-permit requirement.71 Agricultural construction has a separate, conditional town exemption; other town departments may still require approval.10

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt?

Contact Town of Dewey-Humboldt Building Safety at 928-632-7362 for building-permit help; Building Safety is a division of Community Development.11 Community Development also encompasses Planning and Zoning, making the town the starting point for district and zoning-approval questions.12 Septic permits inside Dewey-Humboldt stay with Yavapai County Environmental Services.3

The town publishes application packets for building permits, manufactured homes, grading, zoning clearance, temporary housing, use permits and right-of-way access.4 Dewey-Humboldt’s building and single-family plan-review fees use the Yavapai County schedule as pass-through fees, with town building-permit administration charged at 42% of the building permit fee.13 Ask Building Safety for a project-specific fee estimate.11

Does the Town of Dewey-Humboldt have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

The Town of Dewey-Humboldt has published zoning districts with district-specific rules; a parcel’s district matters before choosing a house or accessory dwelling.2 In R1 where no other zoning/density district is combined and Density District 10 applies, the minimum lot area is 10,000 square feet per dwelling.14 In that same R1 Density District 10, minimum setbacks are 20 feet front, 25 feet rear, 7 feet interior side and 10 feet exterior side; maximum lot coverage is 40%.1516

Accessory dwellings have different thresholds: minimum lots are 70,000 square feet in R1L and RMM, 35,000 square feet in R1 and 87,120 square feet in RCU.17 Dewey-Humboldt’s accessory-dwelling rules also require a shared entrance or driveway and a non-paying or non-reimbursing relative or guest.17

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Dewey-Humboldt?

Yavapai County Environmental Services issues septic permits for property inside the Town of Dewey-Humboldt.3 Construction of either a conventional or alternative septic system requires county approval, and a site inspection or perc test may be needed to determine suitability.18 County Environmental Services inspects septic construction.19 Dewey-Humboldt will not begin applicable building-plan review until the county septic permit is approved, so resolve wastewater siting before submitting house plans.4

Yavapai County’s countywide sanitation guidance allows composting toilets only as part of an onsite wastewater system, with a site investigation, tank and soil-treatment/disposal area still required.20 A composting toilet therefore does not replace the wastewater approval needed for a Dewey-Humboldt home.2018

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt?

Long-term RV occupancy on residentially zoned parcels in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt requires a temporary dwelling permit or use permit.5 Occasional overflow guest-room use is limited to 90 continuous days or 90 total days in a year or a 12-month period, and requires a permitted primary residential structure.5 Yavapai County Environmental Unit must find sanitary facilities adequate, and the town Zoning Administrator must verify compliance before occupancy.5 The overflow provision consequently does not authorize living on an otherwise vacant lot.5

We could not confirm a town rule specifically defining tiny-home occupancy or a general minimum dwelling floor area; ask Community Development about the proposed design and parcel.12 Manufactured homes have an affirmative but district-dependent answer: R1 allows manufactured homes, while RMM excludes single-wide manufactured homes and mobile homes.6

Building a home in the Town of Dewey-Humboldt: what steps come first?

  1. Ask town Community Development to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and the proposed use before finalizing a layout.122
  2. For a septic-served project, obtain Yavapai County septic approval before submitting building plans to Dewey-Humboldt.4
  3. Submit the relevant town building and development applications, including any required zoning clearance.41
  4. Arrange construction inspections and obtain approval before moving beyond each required inspection stage.21
  5. Obtain the final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy before occupying the new home.22

For a private well, Arizona requires an ADWR Notice of Intent before drilling, deepening or modifying a well; domestic applications on parcels of 5 acres or fewer require county or local health-authority review first.8 County Environmental Services reviews those small-parcel well applications for ADWR referral.23 For land outside town limits, use the Yavapai County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area building and zoning answers.24

Watch-outs

  • A Dewey-Humboldt building-permit exemption may still leave a zoning-clearance requirement.1
  • County septic approval comes before applicable Dewey-Humboldt building-plan review.4
  • We could not confirm a general town water/sewer connection mandate or the precise driveway-access approval trigger; ask Community Development before committing to utility and access plans.12
  • Yavapai County currently says Vuspex video inspections are unavailable for environmental inspection types; arrange septic inspections with Environmental Services.23

Sources

  1. § 150.01 Administrative Code (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 153: Zoning Regulations (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Permit (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  4. Apply for a Permit (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  5. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 153.038 R1 District (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  7. Persons not required to be licensed; penalties; applicability (Arizona statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Well Drilling in Arizona, quoted and re-checked
  9. § 150.01 Administrative Code (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 150.01 Administrative Code (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Dewey-Humboldt Building Safety (dhaz.gov)
  12. Town of Dewey-Humboldt Community Development (dhaz.gov)
  13. Chapter 150 Appendix A: Valuation and Fee Schedules (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  14. § 153.038 R1 District (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  15. § 153.038 R1 District (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  16. § 153.038 R1 District (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  17. § 153.075.5 Accessory Dwelling Unit (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  18. Septic System Construction (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  19. Septic System Construction (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  20. Development FAQ, quoted and re-checked
  21. § 150.01 Administrative Code (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  22. § 150.01 Administrative Code (Town of Dewey-Humboldt), quoted and re-checked
  23. Yavapai County Development Services - Environmental Services Unit (yavapaiaz.gov)
  24. gis.yavapaiaz.gov, quoted and re-checked

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 Dewey-Humboldt

Town of Dewey-Humboldt’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New homes and other construction inside Dewey-Humboldt, except specifically exempt work.

    • The town code provides permit exemptions for specified nonhabitable accessory buildings, fences, certain walls, tanks, decks, and nonstructural residential remodels.
    • Exempt work may still require zoning-clearance or other town permits.
    • The town FAQ states an approved Yavapai County septic permit is required before building-plan review for applicable projects.
    “A permit shall not be required for the types of work in each of the separate classes of permits as listed below. Exemption from the permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in violation of the provisions of the technical codes or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction. These exemptions do not apply to commercial projects.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction, alteration, use, occupancy, and maintenance of buildings and structures inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • The town adopted the 2018 International Building Code, 2018 International Residential Code, 2017 National Electrical Code, 2018 International Mechanical Code, 2018 International Fuel Gas Code, and related technical codes, subject to town amendments and stated exemptions.

    International Building Code edition: 2018 (Town amendments apply) · International Residential Code edition: 2018 (One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses)

    “There is hereby adopted by reference in Resolution 21-162, that certain document known as the International Building Code, 2018 Edition, including Appendixes C, E, G, H, I, and N as published by the International Code Council.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Required inspections include footing, stem wall/grout, slab/under-floor, rough plumbing/mechanical/gas/electrical, framing, insulation, gypsum board, final inspection, and other inspections authorized by the building official.
    • Work may not proceed beyond an inspection stage without approval.
    • Final inspection is required after permitted work is completed and before occupancy.
    “The building official, upon notification, shall make the inspections set forth in Sections 110.3.1 through 110.3.15. [...] Final inspection shall be made after the permitted work is completed and prior to occupancy. [...] Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the building official.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy of new or permitted buildings inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Certificates of occupancy are not required for work exempt from permits under § 105.2 on residential remodels, additions, and accessory buildings used for nonhabitable residential purposes.
    • Certificates of completion for shell buildings do not authorize occupancy.
    “A final inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy are required prior to occupancy.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • The published zoning chapter identifies R1L, RMM, R1, RCU, R2, RS, C1, C2, C3, PM, M1, M2, PAD, RCD, OS, and overlay zones, with district-specific sections and a zoning map provision.
    “R1L District (Residential; Single Family Limited) [...] RMM District (Residential; Multi-sectional Manufactured Homes) [...] R1 District (Residential; Single Family) [...] RCU District (Residential; Rural) [...] RCD District (Residential Camping District) [...] OS District (Open Space Resource Conservation Zone)”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Travel trailers, motor homes, and recreational vehicles on residentially zoned parcels inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Long-term occupancy requires a temporary dwelling permit or use permit.
    • Occasional overflow guest-room use is limited to 90 continuous days or 90 total days in a year or one 12-month period.
    • The property must have a permitted primary residential structure.
    • Yavapai County Environmental Unit must determine septic or sanitary facilities are adequate.
    • The Zoning Administrator must verify compliance before occupancy.

    maximum occasional overflow occupancy: 90 days (90 continuous days or 90 total days in a year or one 12-month period)

    “No travel trailers, motor homes or recreational vehicles on residentially zoned parcels or lots shall be used or made suitable for use for long-term occupancy without a temporary dwelling permit or use permit.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured and multi-sectional manufactured homes inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • R1 permits site-built, multi-sectional, and manufactured homes.
    • RMM permits site-built, factory-built, and multi-sectional manufactured homes but excludes single-wide manufactured homes and mobile homes.
    • Homes must comply with the town's manufactured-housing design/performance standards and required utilities/sewage provisions.
    “Manufactured homes are permitted as a dwelling unit for a single family on an individual lot or parcel as set forth in § 153.005 and subject to § 153.082;”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units inside the R1L, RMM, R1, and RCU zoning districts.

    • Minimum lot size is 70,000 square feet in R1L and RMM, 35,000 square feet in R1, and 87,120 square feet in RCU.
    • The primary dwelling and ADU must comply with density-district setbacks.
    • The ADU must use the primary structure's electric utility hookups; an individual septic system may be approved by the County Environmental Unit where necessary to reduce sewer-line extensions.
    • The structures must share a driveway or entrance.
    • The ADU may not exceed 750 square feet or 25% of the primary living area under roof, whichever is greater.
    • The ADU must house a non-paying or non-reimbursing relative or guest.

    ADU maximum size: 750 square feet (Or 25% of primary structure living area under roof, whichever is greater) · R1L/RMM minimum lot size: >= 70000 square feet · R1 minimum lot size: >= 35000 square feet · RCU minimum lot size: >= 87120 square feet

    “An accessory dwelling unit is permitted only on a minimum lot size of 70,000 square feet in the R1L and RMM Zoning Districts and a minimum lot size of 35,000 square feet in the R1 Zoning District, and on all lots in the RCU District where the minimum lot size is 87,120 square feet.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    On-site wastewater systems serving property inside Dewey-Humboldt town limits; the town directs applicants to Yavapai County Environmental Services.

    • The actual rule-maker and permitting body is Yavapai County Environmental Services; the town requires the county permit before building-plan review.
    “Septic permits are obtained through the Yavapai County Environmental Services Department.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction of a septic system serving land inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Yavapai County requires a permit for conventional or alternative septic construction.
    • A site inspection or perc test may be needed to determine suitability.
    “You must have a permit to construct a septic system (Conventional or Alternative).”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Construction of septic systems serving land inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Inspection is performed by Yavapai County Environmental Services under its onsite-wastewater program.
    “Your septic system construction will be inspected.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Construction or operations incidental to farming, dairying, agriculture, viticulture, horticulture, stock, or poultry raising inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • The administrative-code exemption is limited to construction or operation incidental to the listed agricultural activities or rural fire-prevention work.
    • The exemption does not apply to use or occupation involving changing, remanufacturing, or treating human sewage or sludge for distribution or resale.
    • Other town departments may still have permit requirements.
    “The provisions of this article shall not be construed to apply to: 1. Construction or operation incidental to construction and repair to irrigation and drainage ditches or appurtenances thereto, of regularly constituted districts or reclamation districts, or to farming, dairying, agriculture, viticulture, horticulture or stock or poultry raising, or clearing or other work upon land in rural areas for fire prevention purposes.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town building permits and administration inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • Building permit and single-family plan-review fees are charged per the Yavapai County schedule as pass-through fees.
    • Town building-permit administration is 42% of the building permit fee.
    • The fee schedule may be supplemented or modified by the code.

    building permit administration: 42 percent of building permit fee

    “Building permit administration | Per app. | 42% of building permit fee”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building and development permit applications inside Dewey-Humboldt.

    • The town publishes application packets for building, certificate of occupancy/change of use, development, grading, manufactured home, ROW access, temporary housing, use, variance, zoning clearance, rezoning, and general-plan amendments.
    • For applicable building-plan submissions, an approved Yavapai County septic permit is required before town review begins.
    • Permits are typically approved in one to two weeks, subject to exceptions; permits are typically valid for two years with approved inspections every 180 days.
    “The Building Permit Application is used for Single-Family Residences, Accessory Dwelling Units, Garages, Carports, Decks, Patio Covers, Room Additions, Remodels, Cell Towers, Swimming Pools and Retaining Walls.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Dewey-Humboldt

Town of Dewey-Humboldt does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R1 Residential Single-Family District where no other zoning/density district is combined and Density District 10 applies.

    • The R1 district states that where no zoning/density district has been combined, Density District 10 prevails.

    minimum lot size: 10000 square feet per dwelling (Density District 10)

    “10 | 10,000 | 80 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 30 | 40”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R1 Residential Single-Family District where Density District 10 applies.

    • The R1 table identifies the front, rear, interior-side, and exterior-side minimum yard setbacks.

    front setback: 20 feet (Density District 10) · rear setback: 25 feet (Density District 10) · interior setback: 7 feet (Density District 10) · exterior setback: 10 feet (Density District 10)

    “10 | 10,000 | 80 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 30 | 40”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R1 Residential Single-Family District where Density District 10 applies.

    • The R1 table states maximum lot coverage as a percentage.

    maximum lot coverage: 40 percent (Density District 10)

    “10 | 10,000 | 80 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 30 | 40”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Dewey-Humboldt or Yavapai County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Dewey-Humboldt.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Dewey-Humboldt.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Dewey-Humboldt.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation for dwellings inside Dewey-Humboldt.
  • Well permit — Private wells serving land inside Dewey-Humboldt.
3 more unanswered
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 Dewey-Humboldt publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Yavapai County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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