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Change of Use / Change of Occupancy (New Business or Tenant in an Existing Building) — North Salt Lake, Utah · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source: https://www.sdmetrofire.gov/copy-of-plan-reviews
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Change of Use / Change of Occupancy (New Business or Tenant in an Existing Building) in North Salt Lake, Utah
North Salt Lake has no distinct 'change of use' or 'change of occupancy' permit type or fee line item. A direct review of the Comprehensive Fee Schedule (Resolution 2026-24R, effective July 1, 2026) found no such line item. Instead, a new business or tenant occupying an existing commercial building or suite is processed through the city's standard Business License Application, which requires the address/use to be 'an approved use for that location' (nslcity.org/1017/Commercial-Business-Licenses), plus a mandatory fire clearance inspection from South Davis Metro Fire (SDMF) -- confirmed live via SDMF's own Business Inspections page: 'ALL new commercial business license applications are required to have a passed fire clearance by South Davis Metro Fire,' and this applies even to an individual tenant leasing a small suite within a larger building ('your business space needs an individual new business inspection to open'). If the change of use also involves construction, remodeling, or a change in occupancy classification, the standard Building Permit / Commercial Tenant Improvement process additionally applies, governed by the 2024 International Existing Building Code (already adopted statewide per this file's codesAdopted array, Utah Code Section 15A-2-103(1)(i)).
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
When you need this permit
- New business or change of tenant occupying an existing commercial building or suite in North Salt Lake
- The address/use must be an approved use for that specific location, confirmed through the Business License Application process (nslcity.org/1017/Commercial-Business-Licenses)
- ALL new commercial business license applications require a passed fire clearance inspection from South Davis Metro Fire -- including an individual tenant space within a larger multi-tenant building, per SDMF's Business Inspections page (sdmetrofire.gov/copy-of-plan-reviews)
- Construction, remodeling, or a change in occupancy classification additionally triggers the standard Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement permit process (see those entries in this file), governed by the 2024 International Existing Building Code
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Fee schedule
Business License Fee (base + classification-specific)North Salt Lake Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Section 1.1, Business License Fees table (Resolution 2026-24R, approved June 16, 2026, effective July 1, 2026): 'All businesses must pay the required base fee and any additional fee for their business classification.' Confirmed directly from the PDF text (nslcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/8970/Fee-Schedule-Effective-070126), fetched and parsed 2026-07-22. No separate 'change of use' fee line item exists anywhere in the document; this business-license fee is the governing city-side charge for a new occupant of an existing building.
$58 base fee plus a classification-specific fee that varies by business type (e.g., $42 for Business & Professional Services -- $100 total; $277 for Automotive -- $335 total; $162 for Retail/Wholesale/Rentals -- $220 total)
South Davis Metro Fire -- New Business License InspectionConfirmed 2026-07-22 by selecting 'New Business License Inspection' on South Davis Metro Fire's own live XpressBillPay payment portal (secure.xpressbillpay.com/portal/payment_forms/?id=MjU1NjI%3D), which displays 'Cost: $100.00' and requires a 'Name of Business' field. SDMF's Business Inspections page (sdmetrofire.gov/copy-of-plan-reviews) confirms this inspection is required for 'ALL new commercial business license applications,' including an individual tenant space within a larger building.
$100.00
Building Permit Fee (if construction/alteration or occupancy classification change involved)North Salt Lake Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Section 4.1 -- same table used for all other building-permit types (residential, commercial, tenant improvement); no separate change-of-use valuation table is published. Applies only where physical construction/remodeling accompanies the change of use.
Valuation-based per most recent ICC Building Valuation Data Schedule
Review timeline
Plan reviewNorth Salt Lake’s published plan-review target
2–14 business days
Inspection process
- 1
South Davis Metro Fire Business Inspection
On-site fire/life-safety clearance inspection required for ALL new commercial business license applications, including individual tenant spaces within larger multi-tenant buildings. SDMF emails a clearance letter or violation notice within 48 hours of the inspection.
- 2
Building Final (only if construction/alteration performed)
Required only where the change of use is accompanied by construction, remodeling, or an occupancy-classification change requiring a Building Permit.
See the full North Salt Lake inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- North Salt Lake has no distinct 'Change of Use' or 'Change of Occupancy' permit type or fee -- a new business or tenant moving into an existing building is processed through the standard Business License Application plus a required South Davis Metro Fire inspection, not a separate city permit.
- Even a tenant leasing a small suite within a larger commercial building needs its own individual SDMF new-business inspection to open, per SDMF's own Business Inspections page -- it is not waived because the overall building already has fire clearance.
- If the change of use also changes the building's occupancy classification or involves any construction/remodel, the standard Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement process (see those entries in this file) applies in addition to the business license and fire inspection steps, governed by the 2024 International Existing Building Code.
- Confirm the zoning use is approved for the specific address with Community Development, (801) 335-8720, before applying -- the city states 'the location must be...an approved use for that specific location.'
Frequently asked questions
North Salt Lake requires a change of use / change of occupancy (new business or tenant in an existing building) permit for: New business or change of tenant occupying an existing commercial building or suite in North Salt Lake; The address/use must be an approved use for that specific location, confirmed through the Business License Application process (nslcity.org/1017/Commercial-Business-Licenses); ALL new commercial business license applications require a passed fire clearance inspection from South Davis Metro Fire -- including an individual tenant space within a larger multi-tenant building, per SDMF's Business Inspections page (sdmetrofire.gov/copy-of-plan-reviews); Construction, remodeling, or a change in occupancy classification additionally triggers the standard Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement permit process (see those entries in this file), governed by the 2024 International Existing Building Code. If your project isn't listed, confirm with North Salt Lake City Building Department (Community Development Department) at (801) 335-8720 before starting work.
South Davis Metro Fire charges $100.00 for its New Business License Inspection, required for all new commercial business license applications -- including a new tenant taking over space within an existing multi-tenant building. SDMF emails a clearance letter or violation notice within 48 hours of the inspection.
North Salt Lake's published plan-review target for a change of use / change of occupancy (new business or tenant in an existing building) permit is 2–14 business days.
You'll need: Business License Application; South Davis Metro Fire Inspection Payment / Scheduling Confirmation. Depending on your project, North Salt Lake may also ask for: Building Permit Application (CityInspect). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
North Salt Lake requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / change of occupancy (new business or tenant in an existing building) permit, in order: South Davis Metro Fire Business Inspection, Building Final (only if construction/alteration performed). Schedule each through North Salt Lake City Building Department (Community Development Department) ((801) 335-8720).
Apply through North Salt Lake City Building Department (Community Development Department) at 10 E Center Street, North Salt Lake, UT 84054. Phone: (801) 335-8720, email: permits@nslcity.org. Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM (closed Fridays); inspections available Monday–Thursday only, AM (8-12) or PM (1-4). Official information: https://www.nslcity.org/97/Building.
North Salt Lake, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a); North Salt Lake's Adopted Model Codes page (nslcity.org/113/Adopted-Model-Codes) was live-checked 2026-07-16 and STILL lists '2021 International Building Code' — city page lags the statute; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — REMAINS CURRENT; Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b) did not change this edition in the 7/1/2026 amendment. Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16) correctly lists '2021 International Residential Code'; Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(c); not separately itemized on North Salt Lake's Adopted Model Codes page, added here per statute; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e); Adopted Model Codes page live-checked 2026-07-16 STILL lists '2021 International Mechanical Code' — city page lags the statute; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d); Adopted Model Codes page live-checked 2026-07-16 STILL lists '2021 International Plumbing Code' — city page lags the statute; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f); Adopted Model Codes page live-checked 2026-07-16 STILL lists '2021 International Fuel Gas Code' — city page lags the statute; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), single unsplit statewide edition — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h); Adopted Model Codes page live-checked 2026-07-16 STILL lists '2021 Energy Conservation Code' — city page lags the statute; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16, still lists 2021). NOTE: the IFC is NOT among the codes adopted by Utah Code § 15A-2-103 (which governs Title 15A Chapter 2, State Construction Code) — Utah's Fire Code is separately adopted under Title 15A Chapter 5, State Fire Code Act; left as published by the City, no statutory edition change applies via § 15A-2-103; 2021 International Property Maintenance Code — Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16, still lists 2021). NOTE: the IPMC is NOT among the codes adopted by Utah Code § 15A-2-103 (property-maintenance code, not a construction code), so no statewide edition change applies here — left as published by the City; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); not listed at all on North Salt Lake's Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16), added here per statute since the City's own materials omit it entirely; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); not listed at all on North Salt Lake's Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16), added here per statute since the City's own materials omit it entirely; 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) as published by North Salt Lake — Adopted Model Codes page (live-checked 2026-07-16, still lists '2020 National Electrical Code'). This is INCORRECT and out of date independent of the 7/1/2026 transition: Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g) requires the 2023 NEC statewide, and that subsection was NOT changed by the 7/1/2026 amendment (2023 NEC has been the statutory baseline since before this re-verification, matching the 2023 edition used by neighboring Davis County cities such as Kaysville). The statutorily-governing edition is 2023 NEC, not the 2020 edition North Salt Lake's own page displays — confirm with the Building Department at (801) 335-8721 before relying on the city page for NEC edition; 2017 ICC/ANSI A117.1 Standard for Accessibility — Adopted Model Codes page; not part of Utah Code § 15A-2-103's construction-code list, left unchanged; 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings — Adopted Model Codes page; not part of Utah Code § 15A-2-103's construction-code list, left unchanged; Utah state amendments to adopted codes (Utah Admin. Code R156-56) — referenced directly on the Adopted Model Codes page; NOTE (2026-07-16 re-verification): The Utah Code § 15A-2-103 version effective 7/1/2026 (superseded 1/1/2027) took effect 15 days before this re-verification. IBC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IEBC/residential ISPSC are now 2024 statewide; IRC (2021) did NOT change. North Salt Lake's Adopted Model Codes page (nslcity.org/113/Adopted-Model-Codes) was live-checked 2026-07-16 and STILL lists 2021 editions across IBC/IMC/IPC/IFGC/IECC/IFC/IPMC (confirmed via raw HTML, not an AI summary) — the city page has NOT been updated to reflect the statutory transition. Separately, the city's page also shows 2020 NEC, which was already non-compliant with the (unchanged) 2023 NEC statutory requirement before this transition. This file now states the governing statutory codes (2024/2021/2023 editions per subsection) as current per Utah's statewide-mandatory code regime (Utah Code § 15A-1-204), while preserving the City's own (lagging) page text above as historical/local-document context. The Utah Code § 15A-2-103 citation in the sources array below has been updated to the current in-force version link. Local amendments apply — see the North Salt Lake overview page for the full list.
No. North Salt Lake has no distinct change-of-use permit or fee line item. A new business or tenant occupying an existing commercial building is processed through the standard Business License Application (nslcity.org/1017/Commercial-Business-Licenses) plus a required South Davis Metro Fire New Business License Inspection ($100.00, confirmed via SDMF's own payment portal). If the change also involves construction or a change in occupancy classification, the standard Building Permit process (governed by the 2024 International Existing Building Code) applies as well.
Sources & verification
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 North Salt Lake building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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