People ask whether a new air conditioner “needs a permit” in the middle of a replacement quote. The answer depends on which government has the address, and on what is being changed. Sabino Creek will not guess a fee, and we will not pull the paper. The contractor who does the work is the one who pulls a permit, because that contractor is the one who has a license. We do not. Confirm whoever you hire at roc.az.gov, which is also the point of checking an Arizona HVAC contractor license.
Inside the City of Tucson, start at the residential permits page: tucsonaz.gov residential permits, read October 25, 2026. That page says furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners, new or replacement, require a permit, and so does water heater installation including replacements. It also says load and sizing calculations are required for new and replacement HVAC. The exemption list is a different URL, Tucson permit exemptions, read October 25, 2026 as well. On that reading, central HVAC work is not exempt (a licensed contractor has to see that the work meets code), mini-splits are not exempt, ductwork changes are not exempt, a portable plug-in unit is exempt, and a like-for-like evaporative cooler depends on the zone, including what the city labels HPZ and NPZ. Zones and wording change. Read the page for the house you have. Do not treat this paragraph as a substitute.
Unincorporated Pima County is not the city. The county’s do I need a permit page, read October 25, 2026, marked central air conditioning and furnaces Yes, portable cooling units No, like-for-like evaporative coolers No, modifying or replacing ductwork Yes, mini-splits Yes, and water heaters whether new or replacement Yes. The procedure page A/C and water heater replacements describes Manual J and Manual S, lists Manual D in the submittal material, and sends applications through permits.pima.gov. Foothills addresses and other county pockets should not assume a city counter will take the form. The ZIP on your request is how a contractor starts that sort, not a promise about jurisdiction.
Installation scope, separate from the paperwork, is AC installation. Cost notes that mention permits without turning into a fee table stay on Tucson HVAC costs. Water heater changeouts have the same “who pulls it” rule and are discussed as equipment on water heater replacement. Nothing here is a fee. If you need a number, read it on the official page the day you apply.
A form on this website does not start a permit and does not make Sabino Creek the applicant. If you want a replacement conversation, say city or county if you know it, and choose Replacement quote. An independent contractor who accepts the referral is the party who would apply. The follow-up is a phone call or an email.