Frost Line Depth in Prescott, AZ: Flagstaff Requires 30 in

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Prescott.

Nearby official codes require 30 in (1 verified code).

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 128 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Prescott, 1.7 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

30 in1 verified code within 62 mi
128nights a year at or below 32 °F
41%of nearby soil rated “moderate” for frost action (USDA)

Does Prescott have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Prescott in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 30 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Prescott’s own number.

What frost line depth does Prescott use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 30 in, like Flagstaff?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Prescott building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 30 in (the deepest nearby value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

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

Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (30 in). Confirm Prescott’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Prescott: dig at least 30 in (76 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 30 in until Prescott confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	30 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	30 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	36 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	30 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 Prescott?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Mar. 128 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Dec is coldest, with an average low of 23.6 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Prescott station, 1.7 mi away, elevation 5,205 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	23.8	26.4	31.6	37.3	45	53.6	61	59.7	52.2	40.1	29.8	23.6
High	52.6	55.2	61.2	67.8	76.3	87	89.6	87.2	82.4	72.9	61.6	51.9

Prescott has more freezing nights than 30 of the 35 other Arizona places we track. The Arizona median is 12. Coldest: Flagstaff; mildest: Yuma.

What frost line depth do towns near Prescott use?

One official code near Prescott is verified.

Official frost line depths near Prescott
Place	Verified frost line	Distance
Flagstaff	30 in	62 mi away

How likely is the soil in Prescott to heave?

None 31%Low 28%Moderate 41%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Prescott as 31% none, 28% low, 41% moderate for frost action (main soils: Lynx, Balon, Lonti).

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

Prescott at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
County: Yavapai County
Population (2023 est.): 47,757
Mean annual temperature: 55.4 °F
ZIP codes (6): 86301 · 86303 · 86305 · 86313 · 86315 · 86323