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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 (this file's commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry already documented this gap as of a 2026-07-20 check). Two genuinely distinct county-administered paths cover a change of use/occupancy on unincorporated land, confirmed directly from the county's own site: (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 this file's 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. This functions as the practical change-of-use compliance check for a new occupant/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
  • Re-confirmed live 2026-07-23 (new detail not previously documented in this entry): 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 as the entry previously implied
  • Business license fee (confirmed directly from the county's Business License page, 2026-07-22): $100.00/year full-time, prorated $75.00 (Q2 Apr-Jun) / $50.00 (Q3 Jul-Sep) / $25.00 (Q4 Oct-Dec); $50.00/year part-time, prorated $37.50 / $25.00 / $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)Confirmed directly from Carbon County's official Business License service page, 2026-07-22: '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/changed business, not construction, is the trigger. Where the construction-based Building Permit path applies instead, see this file's residential-building-permit and commercial-building-permit entries, which document fees:[] due to the countywide absence of a published 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 file — 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) — live-checked 2026-07-16, 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16, 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16, 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16, 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16, 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 FAQ lists the 2020 NEC — live-checked 2026-07-16, one cycle behind the current statewide edition; confirmed directly against the county's own published FAQ rather than assumed uniform statewide.; 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16; 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16.; 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16.; 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 — live-checked 2026-07-16.. 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 file) 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.

    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.

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