Santa Cruz County Impact Fees by Project Type
Where in Santa Cruz County Are You Building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours.
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: Single-Family Impact Fees
A new single-family home in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays $1,600.00 per unit in impact fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026). Every line item is levied at the municipal or utility level.
The largest line items are Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 5/8" x 3/4" meter ($1,600.00).
Some fees are tiered by unit size or building type; amounts reflect the representative tier noted in the schedule below.
View the Full Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Schedule
- Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 5/8" x 3/4" meter$1,600.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no water utility. This fee is the off-site water hook-up fee of Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., the largest water provider in the unincorporated county, which serves the Rio Rico area under a tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025). It is charged once per new service connection by meter size; the standard 5/8 x 3/4 inch residential meter (size factor 1) pays $1,600. It is a non-refundable contribution toward wells, storage and other off-site water facilities, in addition to any on-site main extension costs; the service line and meter are installed at cost as a refundable advance. Homes outside Liberty's territory are served by smaller private water companies or private wells, which set their own charges.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County)$0.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no sewer utility. Public sewer in the unincorporated county is provided mainly by Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp. in the Rio Rico area, and its tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025) sets no wastewater hook-up or capacity fee; service lines for 4 inch and larger connections are installed at actual cost. Outside sewered areas, homes use onsite septic systems permitted by the county.
- City Impact Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County)$0.00N/A (unincorporated)Unincorporated Santa Cruz County lies outside any city or town, so no municipal development impact fee applies.
- County Development Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County)$0.00Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County does not levy development impact fees under A.R.S. § 11-1102 and has adopted no infrastructure improvements plan, so no county development fee applies to new homes in the unincorporated county.
Where in Santa Cruz County Are You Building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours.
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: Multifamily Impact Fees
A new multifamily unit in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays $1,600.00 per unit in impact fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026). Every line item is levied at the municipal or utility level.
The largest line items are Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico, MF) — 5/8" x 3/4" meter ($1,600.00).
Some fees are tiered by unit size or building type; amounts reflect the representative tier noted in the schedule below.
View the Full Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Schedule
- Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico, MF) — 5/8" x 3/4" meter$1,600.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no water utility. This fee is the off-site water hook-up fee of Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., the largest water provider in the unincorporated county, which serves the Rio Rico area under a tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025). It is charged once per new service connection by meter size, not per dwelling unit: $1,600 is shown for a unit with its own 5/8 x 3/4 inch meter, and a building served by one larger master meter pays that meter's fee once (for example $4,000 for 1 inch or $12,800 for 2 inch). It is a non-refundable contribution toward off-site water facilities, in addition to any on-site main extension costs; the service line and meter are installed at cost as a refundable advance. Areas outside Liberty's territory are served by smaller private water companies or private wells, which set their own charges.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, MF)$0.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no sewer utility. Public sewer in the unincorporated county is provided mainly by Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp. in the Rio Rico area, and its tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025) sets no wastewater hook-up or capacity fee for multifamily or any other use; service lines for 4 inch and larger connections are installed at actual cost. Outside sewered areas, development uses onsite septic systems permitted by the county.
- City Impact Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, MF)$0.00N/A (unincorporated)Unincorporated Santa Cruz County lies outside any city or town, so no municipal development impact fee applies to multifamily development.
- County Development Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County, MF)$0.00Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County does not levy development impact fees under A.R.S. § 11-1102 and has adopted no infrastructure improvements plan, so no county development fee applies to new multifamily units in the unincorporated county.
Where in Santa Cruz County Are You Building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 50,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction.
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: Commercial Impact Fees
Commercial development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays no per-square-foot impact fees, but owes $4,000.00 in one-time water and sewer connection fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026).
For a 50,000 sq ft building, that comes to about $4,000.00. The calculator below adjusts to your exact square footage.
The largest line items are Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter ($4,000.00 one-time).
Water and sewer connection fees assume a 1-inch meter; larger services pay more. See the meter-size tiers in the source schedules.
View the Full Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Schedule
- Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter$4,000.00 one-timeLiberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no water utility. This is the off-site water hook-up fee of Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., the largest water provider in the unincorporated county, serving the Rio Rico area under a tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025). It is charged once per new service connection of any class (residential, commercial or industrial) by meter size. It is a non-refundable contribution toward wells, storage and other off-site water facilities, in addition to any on-site main extension costs; the service line and meter are installed at cost as a refundable advance. Properties outside Liberty's territory are served by smaller private water companies or private wells, which set their own charges.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County)$0.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no sewer utility. Where public sewer exists in the unincorporated county (principally Rio Rico) it is provided by Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., whose Arizona Corporation Commission tariff (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025) sets no wastewater hook-up or capacity fee; service line and meter installation for large connections is charged at cost. Elsewhere properties use onsite septic systems permitted by the county.
- City Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County - Unincorporated, Commercial)$0.00N/A (unincorporated)No municipal impact fee applies to development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County.
- County Development Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County, Commercial)$0.00Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County does not levy a development impact fee.
Where in Santa Cruz County Are You Building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 50,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction.
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: Industrial Impact Fees
Industrial development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays no per-square-foot impact fees, but owes $4,000.00 in one-time water and sewer connection fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026).
For a 50,000 sq ft building, that comes to about $4,000.00. The calculator below adjusts to your exact square footage.
The largest line items are Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter ($4,000.00 one-time).
Water and sewer connection fees assume a 1-inch meter; larger services pay more. See the meter-size tiers in the source schedules.
View the Full Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Schedule
- Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter$4,000.00 one-timeLiberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no water utility. This is the off-site water hook-up fee of Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., the largest water provider in the unincorporated county, serving the Rio Rico area under a tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025). It is charged once per new service connection of any class (residential, commercial or industrial) by meter size. It is a non-refundable contribution toward wells, storage and other off-site water facilities, in addition to any on-site main extension costs; the service line and meter are installed at cost as a refundable advance. Properties outside Liberty's territory are served by smaller private water companies or private wells, which set their own charges.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County)$0.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no sewer utility. Where public sewer exists in the unincorporated county (principally Rio Rico) it is provided by Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., whose Arizona Corporation Commission tariff (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025) sets no wastewater hook-up or capacity fee; service line and meter installation for large connections is charged at cost. Elsewhere properties use onsite septic systems permitted by the county.
- City Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County - Unincorporated, Industrial)$0.00N/A (unincorporated)No municipal impact fee applies to development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County.
- County Development Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County, Industrial)$0.00Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County does not levy a development impact fee.
Where in Santa Cruz County Are You Building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 25,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction.
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County: Office Impact Fees
Office development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays no per-square-foot impact fees, but owes $4,000.00 in one-time water and sewer connection fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026).
For a 25,000 sq ft building, that comes to about $4,000.00. The calculator below adjusts to your exact square footage.
The largest line items are Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter ($4,000.00 one-time).
Water and sewer connection fees assume a 1-inch meter; larger services pay more. See the meter-size tiers in the source schedules.
View the Full Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Schedule
- Off-Site Water Hook-Up Fee (Liberty Utilities Rio Rico) — 1" meter$4,000.00 one-timeLiberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no water utility. This is the off-site water hook-up fee of Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., the largest water provider in the unincorporated county, serving the Rio Rico area under a tariff approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025). It is charged once per new service connection of any class (residential, commercial or industrial) by meter size. It is a non-refundable contribution toward wells, storage and other off-site water facilities, in addition to any on-site main extension costs; the service line and meter are installed at cost as a refundable advance. Properties outside Liberty's territory are served by smaller private water companies or private wells, which set their own charges.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Unincorporated Santa Cruz County)$0.00Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp.Santa Cruz County runs no sewer utility. Where public sewer exists in the unincorporated county (principally Rio Rico) it is provided by Liberty Utilities (Rio Rico Water & Sewer) Corp., whose Arizona Corporation Commission tariff (Decision No. 81361, effective July 1, 2025) sets no wastewater hook-up or capacity fee; service line and meter installation for large connections is charged at cost. Elsewhere properties use onsite septic systems permitted by the county.
- City Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County - Unincorporated, Office)$0.00N/A (unincorporated)No municipal impact fee applies to development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County.
- County Development Impact Fee (Santa Cruz County, Office)$0.00Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County does not levy a development impact fee.
Santa Cruz County Impact Fee Calculator
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How Development Impact Fees Work in Arizona
Arizona cities and towns assess development impact fees (the statute calls them development fees) under A.R.S. 9-463.05 and counties under A.R.S. 11-1102. A fee can only be adopted after the governing body adopts land use assumptions and an infrastructure improvements plan for the service area, with public notice and hearings, and the plan projects demand for no more than ten years.
Fees are limited to necessary public services the statute lists: water, wastewater, stormwater and drainage, streets, fire and police facilities, neighborhood parks of up to 30 acres and, for cities, small libraries. Each fee must be proportionate to the new development's share of the cost, kept in a separate account for that service category and service area, and never used for operations, maintenance or a higher level of service for existing development.
Developers earn credits for facilities they build or dedicate, and a fee that goes unspent for ten years (fifteen for water or wastewater) is refundable with interest on request. For a residential unit the fee is due when the building permit issues unless a development agreement defers it, and a new or increased fee cannot be applied to an approved plat or site plan for 24 months.
Counties and cities each adopt their own schedules. County development fees apply in the county's service areas; inside city limits, development pays the city's fees plus any utility connection charges, which is why totals differ between a city and the unincorporated county around it.
Brush up on impact fee basics before you budget your next project.
Summary current as of October 2026. This is an editorial summary, not legal advice; see the official statute text and our terms of use.
Santa Cruz County Impact Fee FAQs
What are single-family impact fees in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
A new single-family home in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays $1,600.00 per unit in impact fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026). Inside city limits, fees are set by each city's own schedule and may be completely different. See the city pages for their rates.
How much are multifamily impact fees in Santa Cruz County?
Multifamily development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays $1,600.00 per unit in impact fees (rates sourced October 16, 2026). Rates inside city limits depend on the municipality. Pick your city on this page.
How much are commercial impact fees in Santa Cruz County?
Commercial development in unincorporated Santa Cruz County pays no per-square-foot impact fees, but owes $4,000.00 in one-time water and sewer connection fees (assuming a 1-inch meter).
Do cities in Santa Cruz County charge their own impact fees?
Yes. Every incorporated city applies its own fee schedule. 2 of 2 cities in Santa Cruz County levy municipal impact or utility fees; each city page shows the full schedule that applies inside its limits.
Can Arizona development impact fees increase at any time?
No. Under A.R.S. 9-463.05 and 11-1102 a new or increased fee cannot be adopted on an emergency basis, takes effect only after public notice and hearings (75 days after adoption for a city, 90 for a county), and cannot be applied to a development with an approved final plat or site plan for 24 months unless the plan changes to add service units.
Fee amounts on this page are compiled from official published schedules and are provided for planning purposes only. Rates change, and project specifics (unit size, meter size, location within special districts) can alter what applies. Always verify current fees with the jurisdiction and utility before relying on them.