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Retaining Wall Permit in Unincorporated Cache County, Utah

Required for retaining walls over 4 feet in height (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) in unincorporated Cache County. The county FAQ explicitly states retaining walls over 4 feet are required to have engineered plans and stamped.

Verified 2026-07-17 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Retaining walls over 4 feet in total height (bottom of footing to top of wall)
  • Engineered plans stamped by a licensed Utah PE required
  • Any retaining wall supporting a surcharge

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Retaining Wall Permit (4 ft+)Cache County Building Division Fee Schedule, Ord. 2024-18 (adopted 11/6/2024); re-verified live 2026-07-17, unchanged
$250
Plan Review FeeCache County Building Division Fee Schedule, Ord. 2024-18; re-verified live 2026-07-17. CORRECTED 2026-07-17: this file previously listed a flat $50 plan review fee here, matching the flat-fee pattern used by deck/fence/basement-finish/solar/pool permits. The live PDF's 'Retaining Wall (4 ft +)' row instead lists Plan Review Fee as '15% of Base fee' (15% of the $250 base fee = $37.50) — the same percentage-formula mechanism used for Reroof, Detached ADU, and Single Family Dwelling permits, not the $50 flat mechanism.
15% of Base fee
State SurchargeCache County Building Division Fee Schedule, Ord. 2024-18
1% of permit fee
Re-Inspection FeeCache County Building Division Fee Schedule, Ord. 2024-18
$75

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Cache County building department
~10–21 business days

How long did your Retaining Wall Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Cache County?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    Footing excavation, rebar, and forms before concrete pour

  2. 2

    Backfill / Drainage

    Drainage gravel, pipe, and filter fabric before backfill

  3. 3

    Final

    Wall complete, drainage functional, site graded

See the full Unincorporated Cache County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Cache County's FAQ explicitly states: 'A building permit is required for retaining walls over 4 feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is required to have engineered plans and stamped.'
  • Drainage behind retaining walls is critical — most wall failures result from water pressure.
  • Frost depth is 30 inches in Cache Valley — footings must extend below this level.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if the wall is over 4 feet tall (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall). Cache County's FAQ states engineered plans stamped by a Utah-licensed PE are required. The fee is $250 plus 15% plan review (of base fee, i.e. $37.50) per Ord. 2024-18 (adopted 11/6/2024). (Corrected 2026-07-17 — plan review was previously listed as a flat $50; the fee schedule actually uses a 15%-of-base-fee formula for this permit type.)

In Unincorporated Cache County, the published Retaining Wall Permit (4 ft+) is: $250. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — 15% of Base fee; State Surcharge — 1% of permit fee; Re-Inspection Fee — $75. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a retaining wall permit in Unincorporated Cache County typically runs 10–21 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Cache County Building Division at (435) 755-1650.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Engineered Wall Plans; Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Cache County requires 3 inspection(s) for a retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Backfill / Drainage, Final. Schedule each through Cache County Building Division ((435) 755-1650).

Apply through Cache County Building Division at 179 N Main St, Suite 305, Logan, UT 84321. Phone: (435) 755-1650, email: cachecountyplanreview@gmail.com. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (permit pickup/payment ends at 4:45 PM). Official information: https://www.cachecounty.gov/building/.

Unincorporated Cache County, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), plus Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); unchanged by the July 1, 2026 revision — still the current edition; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); statute has no residential/commercial split — one edition applies to both. NOTE (county page live-checked 2026-07-16): the Cache County Building Code Information page lists 2024 IECC in its main statewide-codes list but separately carries a 'Residential Code: 2021 IRC and the 2021 IECC' line for dwellings up to a duplex — that residential IECC carve-out lags the statute, which adopts a single 2024 IECC edition with no residential/commercial split; the statewide 2024 IECC governs.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), residential provisions — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); current edition as of July 1, 2026 (2021 edition governed through June 30, 2026); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); statewide in force, unchanged by the July 1, 2026 revision. NOTE: The Cache County Building Code Information page (last seen 2026-06-30) still lists '2020 NEC' — that page is not updated; the statewide 2023 NEC is the legally in-force edition.; NOTE (verified 2026-07-16 against the live Utah Code § 15A-2-103 text, version headed 'Effective 7/1/2026 / Superseded 1/1/2027'): the 2024 editions of IBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, and ISPSC listed above took effect July 1, 2026, replacing the 2021 editions; IRC (2021) and NEC (2023) did not change. The 1/1/2027 version of the statute carries identical editions, so no further flip is expected then. This file previously forecast this change but still led with the 2021 editions as current — corrected on this date..

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-17.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Unincorporated Cache County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Other permits in Unincorporated Cache County

Residential Building PermitElectrical PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitPlumbing PermitRoofing PermitSolar Panel PermitDeck PermitFence PermitAccessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)Basement Finish PermitDemolition PermitSwimming Pool PermitCommercial Building PermitCommercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish PermitSign PermitNew Construction Fire District Inspection (With Sprinklers and Fire Alarm)Zoning ClearanceEV Charger / EVSE PermitCertificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy

Retaining Wall Permit in other cities

Alpine, UtahDraper, UtahEagle Mountain, UtahHighland, UtahLehi, UtahMorgan County, UtahSouth Jordan, UtahSyracuse, Utah

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