Cochise County, AZ Frost Line Depth: 0 in Below 5,500 ft, 12 in Above

Verified

0in

No frost depth required

0 in Below 5,500 ft, 12 in Above

Set in the building code Cochise County has adopted.

Footings still go at least 12 in (30 cm) below undisturbed ground (IRC R403.1.4).

Source and how we checked

Document: cochise.az.gov

Climate: 82 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Pearce - Sunsites, 7.6 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

82nights a year at or below 32 °F
100%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

How deep is the frost line in Cochise County?

Cochise County's building authority sets the frost line depth at 0 in (0 cm) below 5,500 ft elevation and 12 in (30 cm) above it.

Who sets the frost line depth in Cochise County?

Arizona has no statewide residential code, so Cochise County adopts its own and fills in the frost line depth. The value above comes from Cochise County’s own document on cochise.az.gov. See how Arizona sets frost line depth.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Cochise County?

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Cochise County: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Minimum depths in Cochise County with a 0 in frost line
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	12 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	12 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Cochise County?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Dec to Jan. 82 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 29.1 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pearce - Sunsites station, 7.6 mi away, elevation 4,350 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	29.1	32.1	36.5	41.7	49.5	59.4	65.1	63.6	57.4	45.8	35.5	29.4
High	60	63.7	70.4	77.5	85.8	94.8	92.6	90.7	87.7	80	68.8	59.3

Cochise County has more freezing nights than 28 of the 35 other Arizona places we track. The Arizona median is 12. Coldest: Flagstaff; mildest: Yuma.

How likely is the soil in Cochise County to heave?

None 100%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Cochise County as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Courtland, Sasabe, Diaspar).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

How do you confirm the frost line before you dig in Cochise County?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Cochise County building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 0 in unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

Cochise County at a glance

Frost line depth: 0 in Below 5,500 ft, 12 in Above
Population (2023 est.): 124,640
Mean annual temperature: 61.5 °F
ZIP codes (23): 85602 · 85603 · 85605 · 85606 · 85607 · 85608 · 85609 · 85610 · 85611 · 85613 · 85615 · 85616 · 85617 · 85620 · 85625 · 85626 · 85627 · 85630 · 85632 · 85635 · 85638 · 85643 · 85650