Unincorporated Davis County building permits

Building department

Address

61 South Main Street, Suite 304, Farmington, UT 84025

Phone

(801) 451-3278

Email

planning@daviscountyutah.gov

Office hours

Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Unincorporated Davis County's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Unincorporated Davis County — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Utah adopts construction codes statewide under Utah Code Title 15A (State Construction and Fire Codes Act), enforced by every jurisdiction. Chapter 4 of Title 15A codifies Legislature-enacted amendments for specific named jurisdictions (e.g., Park City, Salt Lake City, Sandy City) as part of the state construction code. Through June 30, 2026, the editions in force under Utah Code § 15A-2-103 are the 2021 IBC (with Appendices C and J), 2021 IRC, 2021 IPC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 IEBC, and 2021 ISPSC (residential provisions), together with the 2023 NEC. Effective July 1, 2026, § 15A-2-103 adopts the 2024 editions of the IBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, and ISPSC; the IRC remains the 2021 edition and the NEC remains the 2023 edition. Note: residential energy requirements are modified by statewide amendments, and several Utah jurisdictions document their residential energy provisions at the 2015 IECC level rather than the adopted IECC year — confirm the applicable residential energy code with your local jurisdiction. Always confirm the edition in force with your local jurisdiction.

• 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IBC)
• 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b); remains in force after July 1, 2026
• 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IPC)
• 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IMC)
• 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IFGC)
• 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); statewide in force. NOTE: Davis County's own website does not list a specific NEC edition — the statewide 2023 NEC is the legally in-force edition.
• 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IECC); Utah residential energy provisions effectively follow 2015 IECC residential
• 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); effective July 1, 2026 (replaces 2021 IEBC)
• 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), residential provisions — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); effective July 1, 2026
• NOTE: Through June 30, 2026, the 2021 editions of IBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, and ISPSC are in force per Utah Code § 15A-2-103 (version effective through 6/30/2026)

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit

  Required for new residential construction, additions, structural alterations, and any work on gas, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems in Unincorporated Davis County. Per Davis County Code § 15.01.330, a permit is required for erection of any building or structure, any part thereof, or any alteration of any existing building that would permit the extension or enlargement of any use. All applications submitted through the Davis County online permit portal (iworq).

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• Electrical Permit

  Required for electrical work in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County uses a unified building permit for all construction trades including electrical — a separate electrical-only permit is not listed; electrical scope is included in the building permit application. Simple electrical-only work such as panel upgrades and power-to-panel repairs use the minimum building permit fee. EV charger/EVSE installation is electrical work and falls under this general permit; neither the county's building permits page nor its fee schedule publish an EV-specific line item.

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• Plumbing Permit

  Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs in Unincorporated Davis County including water heaters, fixture additions, gas lines, and re-pipes. Davis County uses a unified building permit for all trades — include plumbing scope in the building permit application.

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• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County uses a unified building permit — include HVAC scope in the building permit application. Furnace and AC unit installations are specifically called out on the Davis County building permits page as requiring a permit.

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• Roofing Permit

  Required for re-roofing, roof replacement, and structural roof repairs in Unincorporated Davis County. The Davis County fee schedule specifies a per-square-foot valuation method for reroof projects.

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• Deck Permit

  Required for new deck construction or structural modification of existing decks in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County's fee schedule lists a specific flat fee for decks built after home construction.

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• Swimming Pool Permit

  Required for in-ground and above-ground swimming pool installation in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County's fee schedule lists a flat $288 pool permit fee.

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• Solar Panel Permit

  Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County uses the standard unified building permit application. Solar installations typically include both structural (mounting) and electrical (wiring) scopes under one permit.

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• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)

  Required for construction of a secondary dwelling unit on a residential property in Unincorporated Davis County, including basement apartments, detached cottages, and garage conversions. ADU permits follow the standard Davis County Building Permit Fee Schedule (valuation-based).

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• Basement Finish Permit

  Required for finishing or remodeling an unfinished basement in Unincorporated Davis County, including framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. The Davis County fee schedule lists a specific remodel rate of $25/sqft (minimum $192).

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• Demolition Permit

  Required for partial or complete demolition of structures in Unincorporated Davis County. The Davis County fee schedule lists a flat $96 demolition permit fee.

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• Commercial Building Permit

  Required for new commercial construction in Unincorporated Davis County, governed by Davis County Code § 15.01.330 and priced per the same valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule (§ 2.48.050(A), Ord. No. 4-2017) used for all construction types. Davis County does not publish a separate residential/commercial split in its fee table, but new commercial construction is subject to Planning Commission Site Plan review and the $1,000 New Construction bond tier.

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• Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit

  Required for tenant improvement and remodel work in existing commercial buildings in Unincorporated Davis County. Davis County Code § 2.48.050(A) publishes a general 'Remodel' valuation rate — $25.00 per square foot (minimum $192.00) — that is not restricted to residential use and is the same rate documented on this file's Basement Finish Permit entry; it is the only remodel-specific valuation method Davis County publishes, so it is applied here to commercial tenant improvement/remodel work as well.

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• Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm System Permit

  Davis County's own Building Permit Fee Schedule (County Code § 2.48.050) does not list a fire sprinkler or fire alarm line item — fire protection system plan review and permitting for construction in unincorporated Davis County is instead handled by the local fire district with jurisdiction over the specific area. Unincorporated Davis County is split between (at least) two fire-district service areas, and this entry now covers both. North Davis Fire District (NDFD), which its own website states serves 'Clearfield, Sunset, West Point, and areas of unincorporated Davis County,' publishes a distinct, itemized Fire Alarm System and Fire Sprinkler System plan review and permit fee schedule, effective per its Board of Trustees-approved fee schedule (revision dated 2025.01/2025.06). Re-chased 2026-07-20: South Davis Metro Fire Agency (SDMF), which its own site states serves 'the unincorporated areas of South Davis County' in addition to Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake, West Bountiful, and Woods Cross, was located and its own Plan Review fee page (sdmetrofire.gov/copy-of-plan-reviews-1) fetched directly — it publishes its own, separate Suppression Review and Alarm Review fees under IFC § 104.7.2 peer-review requirements, captured below. Other unincorporated pockets of Davis County served by a different fire district or agency should still confirm which district has jurisdiction before using these figures, but NDFD and SDMF together are confirmed to cover the great majority of unincorporated Davis County.

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• EV Charger / EVSE Permit

  Davis County does not publish a distinct EV charger / EVSE fee line item. The county's Community & Economic Development page states permits requiring no plan check, no construction bond, and only one inspection are charged a minimum $202 fee, explicitly listing 'furnaces & AC unit installations, power-to-panel repairs/upgrades, new meters, and any other item at the discretion of the Community & Economic Development Office' as examples — a standalone EV charger circuit is the same class of minor electrical work and would most plausibly fall under this $202 minimum, but the county has not explicitly named EV chargers.

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• Sign Permit

  Required for erecting, relocating, reconstructing, or enlarging most signs in Unincorporated Davis County, per Davis County Code § 15.44.930 (Article J, 'Sign and Lighting Regulations,' within Chapter 15.44 Technical Requirements). Real estate, rent, lease, and political signs are explicitly exempt from the permit requirement. Every sign is assigned to one of five classes (Class 1 through Class 5) defined by County Code § 15.44.940, with the applicable class(es) determined by the zoning district in which the property sits (residential/agricultural districts generally allow Class 1-2, commercial/industrial-type districts allow Class 3-5) per the permitted-use tables of Chapter 15.20. A direct, full read of the county's Current Fee Schedule (§ 2.48.050) found no standalone sign-permit fee anywhere in either the 'Building Fees and Valuations' or 'Zoning and Land Use Fees' sections -- this is a confirmed absence, not an inference.

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• Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy

  Unincorporated Davis County does not publish a standalone 'Change of Use' or 'Certificate of Occupancy' permit product. A new business occupying an existing building or space -- i.e., a change of use or change of occupant -- requires a Davis County Business License under County Code Chapter 5.04 ('It is unlawful for any person to engage in any business in the unincorporated areas of Davis County without first applying for and obtaining an appropriate business license,' § 5.04.060), rather than a distinct change-of-use permit. If the new use also involves construction, alteration, or a change in IBC/IEBC occupancy classification, a separate Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (see this file's separate entries) is required, and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued as part of that permit's Final inspection -- consistent with the 'Certificate of occupancy issued upon passing' language already documented on this file's Residential Building Permit and Commercial Building Permit entries.

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