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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy in Unincorporated Davis County, Utah

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.

Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A new business occupying an existing commercial space, or a change of occupant/use, in Unincorporated Davis County requires a Davis County Business License per County Code § 5.04.060
  • License Deputies (who may include the County Building Inspector, Sheriff/Deputy Sheriffs, or Health Department staff) are authorized to inspect the licensed premises for 'health, building and zoning code conformance' per § 5.04.200, without prior notification
  • Any construction, alteration, or IBC/IEBC occupancy-classification change accompanying the new use requires a separate Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement/Tenant Finish Permit (see this file's separate entries) -- the business license alone does not cover construction work
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is issued upon the passing Final inspection of the applicable building permit, not through a standalone application -- consistent with this file's other building-permit entries
  • Business license applications must be signed and notarized and filed with the Davis County Planning Department (License Department), with the fee paid in full at time of submittal, per County Code §§ 5.04.090-5.04.110
  • Home Occupations additionally require a Conditional Use Permit in most residential zones, per County Code § 15.20.150E as referenced in the county's business-licensing handbook

Required documents

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Fee schedule

All Other Business (general business license)Davis County Code § 2.48.050(C), 'Business Licenses': 'All Other Business - $60.00.' This is the applicable catch-all fee for a new business/change of occupant that doesn't fall into one of the county's other named business-license categories.
$60.00
Home Occupation license (if applicable)Davis County Code § 2.48.050(C). A Home Occupation also requires a Conditional Use Permit ($500.00, § 2.48.050(B)) in most residential zones, per the county's Handbook and Guide for Doing Business in Davis County.
$50.00
Construction Companies license (if applicable)Davis County Code § 2.48.050(C).
$75.00
Companion Commercial Building Permit / Tenant Improvement Permit (if construction accompanies the change of use)No separate 'change of use' fee exists -- if the new occupancy triggers construction or an occupancy-classification change, the standard Building Permit or Tenant Improvement fee tables apply (§ 2.48.050(A)).
Valuation-based -- see this file's Commercial Building Permit and Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit entries

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Business License Inspection (health, building, zoning code conformance)

    License Deputies (who may include the County Building Inspector, Sheriff/Deputy Sheriffs, or Health Department staff) may inspect the licensed premises for health, building, and zoning code conformance, without prior notification, per County Code § 5.04.200.

  2. 2

    Building Permit Final Inspection (if construction/occupancy-classification change involved)

    If the change of use triggers a Commercial Building Permit or Tenant Improvement Permit, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued upon passing that permit's Final inspection -- see this file's separate building permit entries.

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

Tips

  • Davis County does not sell a standalone 'Change of Use' or 'Certificate of Occupancy' permit -- the operative requirement for a new business/new occupant in unincorporated Davis County is the County Business License (Chapter 5.04), not a construction permit, unless the new use also involves building work.
  • It is a violation to operate without a license: County Code § 5.04.250 doubles the standard license fee for any person found operating without one in unincorporated Davis County.
  • If the new occupancy involves any construction, remodeling, or a change in IBC/IEBC occupancy classification (egress, fire separation, etc.), file a separate Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (see this file's entries) in addition to the business license -- a Certificate of Occupancy is issued through that process's Final inspection, not through the business license.
  • Combination licenses are available if two or more business types operate from a single establishment -- the fee is the highest-rated business's regular fee plus half the regular rate for each additional business, per County Code § 5.04.080.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Davis County requires a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit for: A new business occupying an existing commercial space, or a change of occupant/use, in Unincorporated Davis County requires a Davis County Business License per County Code § 5.04.060; License Deputies (who may include the County Building Inspector, Sheriff/Deputy Sheriffs, or Health Department staff) are authorized to inspect the licensed premises for 'health, building and zoning code conformance' per § 5.04.200, without prior notification; Any construction, alteration, or IBC/IEBC occupancy-classification change accompanying the new use requires a separate Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement/Tenant Finish Permit (see this file's separate entries) -- the business license alone does not cover construction work; A Certificate of Occupancy is issued upon the passing Final inspection of the applicable building permit, not through a standalone application -- consistent with this file's other building-permit entries; Business license applications must be signed and notarized and filed with the Davis County Planning Department (License Department), with the fee paid in full at time of submittal, per County Code §§ 5.04.090-5.04.110; Home Occupations additionally require a Conditional Use Permit in most residential zones, per County Code § 15.20.150E as referenced in the county's business-licensing handbook. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Davis County Community & Economic Development — Planning & Zoning at (801) 451-3278 before starting work.

Davis County Code § 2.48.050(C) sets business license fees by category: $60.00 for 'All Other Business' (the general catch-all), $50.00 for Home Occupations, $75.00 for Construction Companies, $100.00 for Refinery/Gasoline Dealers or Solicitors, and $200.00 for Sexually Oriented Businesses. These are annual fees due by January 31st each year; applying between October 1 and December 31 is billed at half the normal fee.

Unincorporated Davis County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Davis County Community & Economic Development — Planning & Zoning at (801) 451-3278 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Davis County Business License Application. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Davis County may also ask for: Building Permit / Tenant Improvement Permit application (if construction accompanies the change of use). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Davis County requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Business License Inspection (health, building, zoning code conformance), Building Permit Final Inspection (if construction/occupancy-classification change involved). Schedule each through Davis County Community & Economic Development — Planning & Zoning ((801) 451-3278).

Apply through Davis County Community & Economic Development — Planning & Zoning at 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. Official information: https://www.daviscountyutah.gov/ced/planning/building-permits.

No. Davis County does not publish a standalone change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy permit. A new business occupying an existing space requires a Davis County Business License under County Code Chapter 5.04 instead. If the change of use also involves construction or an occupancy-classification change, a separate Commercial Building Permit or Tenant Improvement Permit is required, and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued through that permit's Final inspection.

Yes. County Code § 5.04.200 authorizes License Deputies -- who may include the County Building Inspector, Sheriff's staff, or Health Department staff -- to inspect the licensed premises for health, building, and zoning code conformance, without prior notification, and it is unlawful for a licensee to refuse entry.

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

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