This is PermitBase’s published record for Unincorporated Emery County as of 2026-07-20. It has since been superseded — see the current record. A historical record reflects what PermitBase had verified at that time; it may not capture a real-world change the jurisdiction had made but PermitBase had not yet verified, and it includes any errors we later corrected. Snapshots are never edited retroactively.
Unincorporated Emery County building permits
VerifiedUnincorporated Emery County, Utah — as published 2026-07-20.
Verified 2026-07-08 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit
VerifiedRequired for new residential construction, additions, alterations, and most structural work on unincorporated land in Emery County. The Emery County Building & Zoning Office (Castle Dale) issues and inspects permits for land outside the eight incorporated cities/towns. Outside-city-limits applicants must first satisfy the county's 10-acre (or qualifying minor-subdivision) lot-size threshold and complete the Building Permit Point System worksheet (1000 points required) before a permit is processed.
Verified 2026-07-08 · Source
Requirements
- New single-family dwelling construction, additions, and structural alterations
- Outside city limits: property must be at least 10 acres, or a minor subdivision of at least 2-acre lots, recorded in the applicant's name on County records
- Outside city limits: Building Permit Point System worksheet must total 1000 qualifying points (proximity to town, road access, lot size, culinary water, electrical, sewage disposal, dwelling size)
- Minimum dwelling size 800 sq ft (per plot-plan requirement in the Outside City Limits BP Packet)
- Zoning clearance/plot plan review by the County Zoning Administrator (plot plan submitted with application)
- Road Encroachment Permit from Emery County Road Department or UDOT if the driveway/access crosses a county or state road
- Health Department approval of septic system/drain field (Southeast Utah Health Department) where no sewer connection exists
- Letter of Intent for culinary water and/or sewer hookup from the applicable irrigation/water company or district
- Setbacks (outside city limits): front 55 ft from road center or 30 ft from right-of-way (whichever is greater; 50 ft for state/federal highways), side 10 ft, rear 10 ft minimum
- Unconventional construction (log, metal frame) requires an architect/engineer stamp; commercial buildings require a certified architect/engineer
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationEmery County Building Permit Application form (front and back signatures required from owner and contractor). Submitted with all supporting documents to building@emery.utah.gov.
- RequiredOutside City Limits Building Permit ChecklistCover checklist confirming all required items are included in the submittal packet
- RequiredPlat / Ownership DocumentationTrust deed or county plat showing ownership, road access, Tax ID number, and County-issued address
- RequiredDetailed Plot PlanShows lot dimensions, structure size (minimum 800 sq ft for dwellings) and location, utility line/connection locations, water/sewer connections, and distances to other buildings and boundary lines
- OptionalRoad Encroachment PermitFrom Emery County Road Department (435-381-3510) or UDOT, if applicable
- RequiredLetter of Intent for Water/Sewer HookupFrom the applicable irrigation company or water district serving the property
- OptionalHealth Department Septic ApprovalSoutheast Utah Health Department approval of septic system/drain fields where applicable (requires percolation test)
- RequiredComplete Construction Plans (PDF)One complete set of legible plans: footing/foundation, floor plan, electrical plan, elevations, wall sections. Unconventional construction (log, metal frame) and commercial buildings require an architect/engineer stamp.
- RequiredEmery Telcom Fiber Optic Service RequestPreconstruction fiber optic service request form for new construction, coordinating conduit installation with the power utility trench
- RequiredResidential Property Declaration (Form PT-24)Utah State Tax Commission form submitted to the County Assessor's office for the residential exemption on property under construction or unoccupied
- OptionalOwner/Builder Certification AgreementUtah DOPL form required if the owner is not using a licensed contractor; filed with the county, which forwards it to the state
- RequiredEmery County Building Permit Point System QualificationsWorksheet scoring proximity to town, road access, lot size, culinary water, electrical, sewage disposal, and dwelling size — total must equal 1000 points
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Building Permit Fee | Valuation-based, per square foot value assigned to each building component (basement, main floor, second floor, garage, carport, covered porch/patio/deck, on-site improvements, storage shed, remodel) using the ICBO 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC) valuation/fee schedule | Emery County Building Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table) and Permit Process page (emery.utah.gov/home/department-directory/bz/permit-process/): fee 'is based on the valuation… Show full citationHideEmery County Building Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table) and Permit Process page (emery.utah.gov/home/department-directory/bz/permit-process/): fee 'is based on the valuation of the project which is determined on a cost per square foot basis, according to ICBO 1997 UBC fee schedule recommendations.' The county does not publish its own dollar-per-square-foot table separately from the referenced ICBO 1997 UBC schedule; office staff compute Total Valuation on the application, then apply the base fee schedule below. |
| Minimum Permit Fee | $50 | Emery County Permit Process page: 'Fees: Minimum $50, calculated per square foot using ICBO 1997 UBC guidelines.' |
| Plan Check Fee | 65% of Base Building Permit Fee | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section: '+Plan Check Fee (Base x .65)' |
| State Surcharge | 80% of 1% of the (Base + Plan Check) subtotal | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section: '+80% of 1% State Surcharge Fee', applied to the subtotal of base fee plus plan check fee |
Commercial Building Permit
Required for new commercial construction on unincorporated land in Emery County. The Building Type & Fee Calculation table on the county's own Building Permit Application lists 'Commercial Building' as its own line item, valued the same per-square-foot valuation mechanism as residential building types (no separate commercial multiplier), with the same 65% Plan Check Fee and 80%-of-1% State Surcharge applied uniformly. Commercial plans must be drawn by a certified architect and/or engineer, per the county's Permit Process page.
Reviewed 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- New commercial construction on unincorporated land
- Zoning clearance/plot plan review by the County Zoning Administrator
- Plans drawn by a certified architect and/or engineer — per Emery County's Permit Process page: 'Commercial buildings...require an architect/engineer stamp'
- Road Encroachment Permit from Emery County Road Department or UDOT if the driveway/access crosses a county or state road
- Health Department approval of septic system/drain field (Southeast Utah Health Department) where no sewer connection exists, or Letter of Intent for sewer hookup
- Outside city limits, the same underlying 10-acre minimum lot / qualifying 2-acre minor-subdivision threshold and Building Permit Point System worksheet requirements documented for the Residential Building Permit are listed as general application checklist items — the county's materials do not explicitly state whether commercial projects are exempt from the point system (it is written in residential terms: dwelling size, culinary water, etc.); confirm applicability with the Zoning Administrator before applying
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table)Official application lists 'Commercial Building' as its own valuation row (Sq Ft Area x Sq Ft Value = Total Value), alongside Basement, Main Floor, Garage, Remodel, and other building types — the same per-square-foot mechanism, no separate commercial multiplier.
- RequiredOutside City Limits Building Permit ChecklistCover checklist confirming all required items are included; written primarily in residential terms (dwelling size, point system) — confirm with the Zoning Administrator which items apply to a commercial project.
- RequiredComplete Construction Plans (PDF), Architect/Engineer StampedPer Emery County's Permit Process page, commercial buildings require a certified architect and/or engineer stamp — a hard requirement, unlike residential permits where a stamp is only conditionally triggered (unconventional construction).
- RequiredLetter of Intent for Water/Sewer HookupFrom the applicable irrigation company or water district serving the property.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Building Permit Fee — Commercial Building | Valuation-based, per square foot value assigned to the 'Commercial Building' line on the Building Type & Fee Calculation table, using the ICBO 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC) valuation/fee schedule | Emery County Building Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table) lists 'Commercial Building' as its own row, using the same per-square-foot mechanism (Sq Ft Area x Sq Ft Value) as all… Show full citationHideEmery County Building Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table) lists 'Commercial Building' as its own row, using the same per-square-foot mechanism (Sq Ft Area x Sq Ft Value) as all other building types on the form. No separate commercial dollar-per-square-foot rate distinct from the form's general ICBO 1997 UBC methodology was independently confirmed in this review — the underlying PDF's fee table is form-field/scanned content that could not be fully machine-verified; treat this fee structure as consistent with, but not pixel-verified against, the residential entry's already-confirmed base fee formula. |
| Minimum Permit Fee | $50 | Emery County Permit Process page: 'Fees: Minimum $50, calculated per square foot using ICBO 1997 UBC guidelines' — applies to all building types including commercial. |
| Plan Check Fee | 65% of Base Building Permit Fee | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section: '+Plan Check Fee (Base x .65)' — a flat rate applied uniformly across building types on the form, not a commercial-specific rate. |
| State Surcharge | 80% of 1% of the (Base + Plan Check) subtotal | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section. |
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit
Required for interior tenant-improvement and tenant-finish work within existing commercial space on unincorporated land in Emery County. The county's Building Type & Fee Calculation table lists 'Remodel' as its own line, valued the same per-square-foot mechanism as new construction — Emery County does not publish a distinct TI percentage or flat fee.
Reviewed 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- Interior tenant-improvement or tenant-finish work inside existing commercial space
- Plans drawn by a certified architect and/or engineer for the scope of work, consistent with Emery County's commercial stamp requirement
- Zoning clearance if the tenant improvement changes use or occupancy
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (Building Type & Fee Calculation table, 'Remodel' line)The county's application form includes 'Remodel' as its own valuation row, using the same per-square-foot mechanism as new construction — no distinct TI checklist is published.
- RequiredScope-Appropriate Construction Plans (PDF), Architect/Engineer StampedFloor plan and applicable MEP plans for the tenant-improvement scope, stamped per the county's commercial-plan requirement.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Building Permit Fee — Remodel | Valuation-based, per square foot value assigned to the 'Remodel' line on the Building Type & Fee Calculation table | Emery County Building Permit Application, Building Type & Fee Calculation table — 'Remodel' is its own row, valued the same way as new construction line items; no distinct tenant-improvement rate is itemized. |
| Minimum Permit Fee | $50 | Emery County Permit Process page. |
| Plan Check Fee | 65% of Base Building Permit Fee | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section — flat rate applied uniformly. |
| State Surcharge | 80% of 1% of the (Base + Plan Check) subtotal | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section. |
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
Emery County publishes no distinct EV charger / EVSE permit or fee. The county's Outside City Limits Building Permit process prices all work purely by construction valuation per square foot (ICBO 1997 UBC schedule) with a published $50 minimum permit fee — an EV charger circuit installation would be processed under this general Building Permit and, being a minor scope, would most plausibly be assessed at or near the $50 minimum, though the county does not name EV chargers specifically.
Reviewed 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- Installation of a Level 2 or DC fast EV charger (EVSE) at a residential or commercial property in unincorporated Emery County
- New dedicated 240V circuit and/or panel capacity to serve the charger, shown on the electrical plan
- Licensed electrical contractor, or owner-performed work where allowed
Required documents
- RequiredEmery County Building Permit ApplicationOutside City Limits Building Permit Packet application; include the electrical scope for the EV charger circuit.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Permit Fee | $50 | Emery County Permit Process page: 'Fees: Minimum $50, calculated per square foot using ICBO 1997 UBC guidelines.' Closest published fee floor for a minor scope such as a standalone EV charger circuit; the county does not confirm this applies to EV chargers by name. |
| Plan Check Fee | 65% of Base Building Permit Fee | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section. |
| State Surcharge | 80% of 1% of the (Base + Plan Check) subtotal | Emery County Building Permit Application, Office Use Only section. |
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-08.
Fee schedules
Checklists & handouts
Codes & ordinances
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 Emery County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.