Permit guide
HOA approval for a pergola in Arizona
If your home is in an HOA, you almost certainly need its architectural approval before building a pergola, and that approval is separate from the city permit. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 33-1817) requires a board member to chair the review committee and says approval of construction plans shall not be unreasonably withheld. Deadlines come from your community’s own documents.
In the Phoenix metro: pergolas and patio covers, with a written quote before any work. Installation is done by a licensed Arizona contractor. Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler. Call (602) 557-3625
Do you need HOA approval for a pergola?
If your community’s CC&Rs or design guidelines require architectural review for exterior changes, yes, before work starts. Most do for pergolas, patio covers and ramadas. HOA approval is separate from the city permit, and Chandler’s own permit chart reminds homeowners to check with their HOA.
What Arizona law says about HOA design review
- A.R.S. § 33-1817 applies to planned communities and overrides contrary language in community documents on the points it covers.
- The design or architectural review committee must include at least one board member, who chairs it.
- Regularly scheduled committee meetings are open to members.
- Approval of a construction project’s designs, plans and amendments shall not be unreasonably withheld.
- The statute’s deposit and on-site review steps apply to new or rebuilt main homes, not to a backyard pergola.
Arizona doesn’t set a universal deadline for design decisions; response times come from your community documents, and many include a clause that treats an unanswered request as approved.
What to submit with an HOA pergola request
- The HOA’s application form, from its management company or website.
- A site plan showing the structure and its distances to property lines and the house.
- Drawings or the manufacturer’s spec sheet, with height, size and roof type.
- Colors and finishes, ideally as samples or the maker’s color chart.
- The contractor’s name and ROC license number.
Most installers prepare the submittal as part of the job; ask for it in writing. Size, color and height are the details HOAs most often regulate.
What if you build before approval?
Starting without a required approval can bring stop-work demands, fines and even an order to remove the finished structure. Wait for the written approval, and keep it with your permit and home records.
HOA approval or city permit first?
HOA approval usually comes before the city permit. Its conditions on size, height, color or placement can change the plans the city reviews, so getting HOA approval first avoids revising a permit application. Then apply for the city permit; see the permit guide for each city’s rules.
Sources
Prices are published figures, not quotes; checked September 29–30, 2026. Permit rules are paraphrased from each city’s own guidance, and they change, so the installer confirms them for your address.
HOA law
- A.R.S. § 33-1817 (via FindLaw)
- Carpenter Hazlewood, Arizona HOA Statute Summary 2023–24
- Mulcahy Law Firm, Architectural Review Committees
- Allen Law, Summer Projects and HOA Approvals
Permit rules
- City of Phoenix, Work Exempt from Permit (PBCC 105.2)
- City of Phoenix, Residential Patio Covers Guideline
- City of Phoenix, Residential Over the Counter Permits Guideline
- City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office, Approvals and Guidelines
- City of Scottsdale, Sheds, Detached Garages, Pergolas, etc.
- City of Scottsdale, Permit Services
- City of Mesa, Residential Construction FAQ
- City of Mesa, Residential Construction
- Town of Gilbert, Municipal Code & Land Development Code FAQ
- City of Chandler, Detached Buildings & Structures Chart (Jan 2025)