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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit in Unincorporated Carbon County, Utah

Carbon County does not publish a standalone 'Change of Use' or 'Certificate of Occupancy' permit application, checklist, or fee distinct from its general Building Permit — the same gap noted under the commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry. Two distinct county-administered paths cover a change of use or occupancy on unincorporated land: (1) any physical alteration, or any change in a building's occupancy classification, falls under the general Building Permit requirement — the Building Permits page states any owner who intends to '...change the occupancy of a building or structure...must first apply to the Building Department and obtain the required permit,' reviewed under the 2024 International Existing Building Code's Chapter 10 (Change of Occupancy) provisions, adopted statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(i)/(j) (see codesAdopted); (2) separately, for a new or changing BUSINESS at an existing location — regardless of whether any construction occurs — the county's Business License process requires 'Business License Zoning Approval': the Planning & Zoning page states 'all business license applications must get zoning approval by the Planning & Zoning Director,' obtained at Suite 2600 before the Clerk's Office (Suite 1100) will issue the license. That functions as the practical change-of-use compliance check for a new occupant or use with no construction scope, but rides on the Business License Application's own fee rather than a separate change-of-use fee.

Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • If the project involves any construction, alteration, or reconfiguration of the space, or a change in the building's IEBC/IBC occupancy classification, a Building Permit application is required from the Building Department, reviewed under the 2024 IEBC Chapter 10 (Change of Occupancy) and the applicable 2024 IBC occupancy-classification provisions
  • If a new or different business is beginning operation at an existing location with NO construction scope, a Business License Application is required and must receive Planning & Zoning Director zoning approval (Suite 2600, bring the business license application) before the Clerk's Office (Suite 1100) will issue the license
  • Per the county's own Business License page, after Planning & Zoning approval the completed application is turned in to the Clerk's Office and 'it will be sent to the Commission for approval. After approval the business license will be issued' — i.e. Business License Zoning Approval is followed by a required Carbon County Commission approval step before the license (and its underlying change-of-use authorization) is actually issued, not just a same-day Planning & Zoning sign-off
  • Business license fee, per the county's Business License page: $100.00/year full-time, prorated to $75.00 (Q2 Apr-Jun), $50.00 (Q3 Jul-Sep), or $25.00 (Q4 Oct-Dec); $50.00/year part-time, prorated to $37.50, $25.00, or $12.50 for the same quarters
  • Carbon County issues business licenses only for unincorporated-county locations; a business located within Price, Helper, East Carbon, Wellington, or Scofield city limits must apply for a business license with that city instead
  • No standalone Change of Use or Certificate of Occupancy application, checklist, or fee schedule distinct from the two paths above could be located on the county's official website after a direct check

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Business License (includes required Planning & Zoning zoning approval)
Carbon County's official Business License service page states: 'Full time regular business licenses are $100 per year' / 'Part time business licenses are $50.00 per year,' with quarterly proration… Show full citationCarbon County's official Business License service page states: 'Full time regular business licenses are $100 per year' / 'Part time business licenses are $50.00 per year,' with quarterly proration per the county's FAQ page (carbon.utah.gov/?p=1213). There is no separate change-of-use fee — this is the fee for the path that applies when a new or changed business, not construction, is the trigger. Where the construction-based Building Permit path applies instead, see the residential-building-permit and commercial-building-permit entries, which carry no fee figures because the county publishes no valuation-based fee table.
$100.00/year full-time or $50.00/year part-time, prorated quarterly

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Carbon County?

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

Inspection process

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

    Tips

    • Carbon County does not publish a standalone Change of Use or Certificate of Occupancy permit — this entry documents the two real paths that actually cover it (a Building Permit for any construction/occupancy-classification change, or Business License Zoning Approval for a new business with no construction), rather than inventing a permit type that doesn't exist as its own product.
    • If a new occupant/business is moving into an existing building with zero construction work, the Business License Zoning Approval step (not a building permit) is the applicable county process — confirm this directly with Planning & Zoning, (435) 636-3260, since it is not badged anywhere on the county's site as a 'change of use' review.
    • Carbon County issues business licenses only within unincorporated county land; if the property is inside Price, Helper, East Carbon, Wellington, or Scofield Town limits, the business license (and its zoning approval) must instead be obtained from that city.
    • A final inspection 'for occupancy' is already part of the standard Building Permit inspection sequence documented elsewhere in this record — Carbon County does not publish a separate, standalone Certificate of Occupancy document issued after that inspection.

    Frequently asked questions

    It depends on whether a new business is involved. If a new or different business is starting operations at an existing location with no construction, Carbon County requires Business License Zoning Approval from the Planning & Zoning Director before the Clerk's Office will issue the business license. If the change also involves a formal IEBC occupancy-classification change or any construction, a Building Permit is required instead.

    In Unincorporated Carbon County, the published Business License (includes required Planning & Zoning zoning approval) is: $100.00/year full-time or $50.00/year part-time, prorated quarterly. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Unincorporated Carbon County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Carbon County Building & Planning Department (Building Division) — serves unincorporated Carbon County directly, plus all incorporated cities/towns in the county at (435) 636-3260 (Building Division main line / Administrative Assistant); (435) 636-3261 (Director of Building & Planning) for current turnaround.

    Depending on your project, Unincorporated Carbon County may also ask for: Building Permit Application; Business License Application (with Planning & Zoning Zoning-Approval sign-off). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through Carbon County Building & Planning Department (Building Division) — serves unincorporated Carbon County directly, plus all incorporated cities/towns in the county at 751 East 100 North, Suite 2600, Price, UT 84501. Phone: (435) 636-3260 (Building Division main line / Administrative Assistant); (435) 636-3261 (Director of Building & Planning), email: planning@carbon.utah.gov. Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Building Department-specific hours per the county's own Building Permits FAQ; distinct from general County Administration hours of Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM). Official information: https://www.carbon.utah.gov/service/building-permits/.

    Unincorporated Carbon County, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(a) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html), in force statewide since 7/1/2026 and binding on counties under §15A-1-204. Carbon County's own Building Permits page 'What codes are enforced?' FAQ still lists the 2021 IBC with Appendix J only (no Appendix C) — the county's own page has not been updated to the current statewide edition.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix AQ (the FAQ labels it 'Appendix Q') — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. Carbon County's own FAQ lists the 2021 IRC with Appendix Q — consistent with the current statute on the base edition.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(d). Carbon County's own FAQ still lists the 2021 IPC — this lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(e). Carbon County's own FAQ still lists the 2021 IMC — this lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(f). Carbon County's own FAQ still lists the 2021 IFGC — this lags the current statewide edition.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(g); this edition is unchanged from the prior code cycle. Carbon County's own published FAQ lists the 2020 NEC, one cycle behind the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), one code with no residential/commercial split — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(h). Carbon County's own Building Permits FAQ does not list any IECC edition at all — added here per the statute, not omitted.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), subject to Utah Code §15A-2-104(2) (the HUD Code) — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(i)/(j). Not listed on Carbon County's own Building Permits FAQ.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(n). Not listed on Carbon County's own Building Permits FAQ.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(o). Not listed on Carbon County's own Building Permits FAQ.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Carbon County overview page for the full list.

    Not as a standalone document. Occupancy is signed off through the Final Inspection at the end of the standard Building Permit process (documented elsewhere in this record) when construction is involved. No separate Certificate of Occupancy application, checklist, or fee distinct from that Building Permit process was found on the county's official website.

    Sources & verification

    Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.

    Fee schedules

    Department & other records

    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 Carbon County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

    Property Access

    Unincorporated Carbon County's permit history is searchable by address

    14,326 permits on record for Unincorporated Carbon County, 1957–2026 — searchable by street address, with permit type, status, issued date and valuation where the city publishes them.

    97% of Unincorporated Carbon County's records carry a street address to match against, so a search that finds nothing here means we could not look — not that the property is clear.

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