Cities covered in the Phoenix metro

• Pergolas and patio covers in Phoenix

  Phoenix mixes historic districts, hillside lots and newer subdivisions, and each adds its own approvals. In a historic district, the city’s Historic Preservation Office reviews exterior changes, rear patio covers included, before a permit is issued, and hillside lots need their own plan review.

• Pergolas and patio covers in Scottsdale

  Much of north Scottsdale is in the Environmentally Sensitive Lands overlay, where part of each lot is set aside as natural open space that can’t be built on. Some developments and the Foothills Overlay have their own standards, so the city suggests a setback request for your specific property.

• Pergolas and patio covers in Mesa

  Mesa is home to many RV and manufactured-home parks, and in those a patio cover or awning needs the park’s authorization as well as the city’s permit. Height and location questions go to the city’s Planning Division; permit questions go to Permit Services.

• Pergolas and patio covers in Gilbert

  Many Gilbert neighborhoods are master-planned communities with their own HOA design guidelines, so HOA approval is often the first thing to line up. The town’s line is 200 square feet: smaller detached structures skip the building permit unless they’re wired or attached to the house.

• Pergolas and patio covers in Chandler

  Chandler handles shade structures differently from the rest of the Valley: open-sided structures are ramadas, and ramadas need a permit at any size. If your home is in a Planned Area Development zoning district, that district’s own rules can add to the city’s.

The Valley’s common permit line is 200 square feet for a detached, unwired structure, but each city applies it differently; the permit guide compares all five, and the HOA guide covers approval in planned communities.

Coming next: Paradise Valley, Tempe, Peoria, Glendale, Surprise. Live elsewhere in the Valley? Send a request and you’ll hear back whether an installer covers your area.