You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-16.
Unincorporated Garfield County building permits
VerifiedUnincorporated Garfield County, Utah — as published 2026-07-16.
Verified 2026-07-13 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit
VerifiedRequired for new single-family/manufactured home construction, additions, and structural alterations in unincorporated Garfield County. The Garfield County Building Department issues the building permit, performs plan review, and conducts all inspections for the unincorporated county AND — per contract — for essentially all of the county's small incorporated towns (documented explicitly for Boulder Town, which contracts with Garfield County 'to issue the actual Building Permit, conduct all building code inspections, and issue the Certificate of Occupancy'). Property inside city/town limits requires town-level zoning/project approval first, but the building permit itself still comes from the county.
Verified 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- New single-family dwelling or manufactured home construction
- Additions to existing residential structures
- Any structural modification, remodel, repair, or demolition
- Basements, second levels, decks, private garages, carports, patio covers, and other accessory structures per the fee schedule
- Large sheds (200 sq ft or more, or any shed with power/water/heat) — see Local Amendments
- Two complete sets of plans (one retained by the building department, one kept on the jobsite)
- City/town zoning approval first if the property is within incorporated city/town limits
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted online via the county's 'City Inspect' portal (garfield.utah.gov > Departments > Building > Building Permit Application). Must include names and Utah state license numbers of all contractors on the project.
- OptionalCity/Town PermissionRequired prerequisite if the property is within city/town limits (e.g., Boulder Town Project Approval) — the county will not issue its building permit until the town has approved the project.
- RequiredSeptic System PermitIssued by the Southwest Utah District Health Department, 88 East Fiddlers Canyon Road, Cedar City, UT 84720, (435) 865-5154, for any dwelling or structure generating wastewater.
- RequiredTwo Complete Sets of PlansCross section, footing and foundation details, elevations on all four sides, and floor plan for all stories. One set stays with the building department, one on the jobsite. Unconventional residential buildings requiring plan review need two paper sets plus one electronic (CD/PDF) set.
- RequiredPlot PlanShowing setbacks and side yards
- RequiredProof of OwnershipLegal description of the property, tax I.D. number, and physical address (Garfield County Recorder's Office, (435) 676-1112)
- RequiredProof of Cost / ValuationFrom the contractor or the lending institution, to establish building valuation for fee calculation
- OptionalOwner/Builder AffidavitSigned and notarized, if the owner is acting as their own contractor
- OptionalUtah Prairie Dog ClearanceRequired for property in Tropic or anywhere west of Tropic — clearance letter or 'not needed' letter from DWR (Patrick Anderson, (435) 691-5700, pranderson@utah.gov) uploaded before the application will be accepted.
- RequiredREScheckEnergy code compliance documentation required for all buildings (energycodes.gov/rescheck)
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $2,000 or less | $60.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule (building-department-fees.pdf); valuation set per ICC Building Valuation Data Sheet or itemized component pricing below |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $2,001–$25,000 | $73.68 for first $2,000 + $14.90 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $25,001–$50,000 | $416.82 for first $25,000 + $10.75 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $50,001–$100,000 | $684.95 for first $50,000 + $7.93 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $100,001–$500,000 | $1,057.35 for first $100,000 + $5.96 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $500,001–$1,000,000 | $3,440.71 for first $500,000 + $5.03 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Total Building Permit Valuation — $1,000,001 or more | $5,967.71 for first $1,000,000 + $3.88 per additional $1,000 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Manufactured Home | 80% of cost | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Basement — Unfinished | $30.00 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Basement — Finished with Dwelling | $45.48 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Second Level — Unfinished | $30.00 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Second Level — Finished with Dwelling | $45.48 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Private Garage — Finished | $42.50 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Private Garage — Unfinished | $24.00 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Deck — Open | $16.68 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Deck — Covered | $27.48 per square foot | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Plan Review — Residential Dwelling | $100.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| WUI Plan Review (one per parcel) | $225.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule — Wildland Urban Interface Code review |
| Re-Inspection | $60.00 per inspection | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Permit Renewal | $100.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
Commercial Building Permit
VerifiedRequired for new commercial construction in unincorporated Garfield County. The Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule publishes a Commercial Building plan-review fee at a distinctly different rate than the residential dwelling rate: 'Commercial Building — 65% of permit price' vs. 'Residential Dwelling — $100.00' flat. The base building-permit fee uses the same generic sliding-scale valuation table as residential and other structures.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- New commercial construction
- Two complete sets of plans (one retained by the Building Department, one kept on the jobsite); commercial and unconventional residential plans additionally require one electronic (CD/PDF) set
- Commercial swimming pools and kitchens require separate approval from the Southwest Utah District Health Department
- City/town zoning approval first if the property is within incorporated city/town limits (the Garfield County Building Department issues the actual permit for essentially the whole county, including inside most incorporated towns, per contract — see the Residential Building Permit type's description)
- Utah Prairie Dog clearance letter from DWR if in Tropic or anywhere west of Tropic
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted online via the county's 'City Inspect' portal.
- RequiredTwo Complete Sets of Plans + One Electronic SetGarfield County Checklist of Necessary Information, item 11: 'Any plans requiring a plan review (unconventional residential buildings and all commercial projects) will require two sets of paper plans and one set of plans on CD, Pdf file.' Cross section, footing/foundation details, elevations on all four sides, and floor plan for all stories.
- OptionalSouthwest Utah District Health Department ApprovalRequired specifically for commercial swimming pools and commercial kitchens, per Garfield County Checklist item 11: 'Also, commercial swimming pools and kitchens will require approval from the Southwest Utah District Health Department.'
- RequiredSeptic System PermitIssued by the Southwest Utah District Health Department for any structure generating wastewater.
- RequiredProof of Cost / ValuationFrom the contractor or the lending institution, to establish building valuation for fee calculation.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Building Permit Valuation — same sliding-scale table as residential | e.g. $1,057.35 for the first $100,000 + $5.96 per additional $1,000 for $100,001-$500,000 (see the Residential Building Permit type for the full tier table) | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule — re-verified 2026-07-19 via a Wayback Machine archive of the fee PDF (live URL returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches; archived copy dated 2025-10-28 fetched directly and confirmed byte-for-byte structurally consistent with the previously-documented tier table). Header line: 'Building Permit — See ICC Building Valuation Data Sheet,' with a generic sliding-scale table used for all building types. |
| Plan Review — Commercial Building | 65% of permit price | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule, 'Plan Review' section: 'Commercial Building — 65% of permit price' (vs. 'Residential Dwelling — $100.00' flat, and 'Other Small Structure/WUI (one per parcel) — $20.00/$225.00'). Re-verified 2026-07-19 via direct PDF text extraction of a Wayback Machine archive (archive timestamp 20251028220208) after the live PDF returned HTTP 403. |
| WUI Plan Review (one per parcel) | $225.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule — Wildland Urban Interface Code review, applies to commercial projects the same as residential. |
| Re-Inspection | $60.00 per inspection | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
| Permit Renewal | $100.00 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit
VerifiedRequired for interior tenant-improvement and remodel work within existing commercial space in unincorporated Garfield County. The Building Department Fees schedule lists 'Remodel' as its own Plan Review line item ('$20.00 / based on bid price'), distinct from both the flat Residential Dwelling rate and the percentage-based Commercial Building rate.
Verified 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- Interior tenant-improvement or remodel work inside existing commercial space
- Two complete sets of plans plus one electronic (CD/PDF) set, since remodel/TI plan review falls under the same 'any plans requiring a plan review' rule as new commercial construction
- Southwest Utah District Health Department approval if the tenant improvement affects a commercial kitchen or pool
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted online via the county's 'City Inspect' portal; Garfield County does not publish a distinct tenant-improvement application form.
- RequiredScope-Appropriate Plan Set (Two Paper + One Electronic)Per the county's Checklist item 11, plan review triggers a two-paper-set-plus-CD/PDF requirement for commercial projects generally, which reasonably includes commercial remodels/TI given the fee schedule's own 'Remodel' plan-review line item.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plan Review — Remodel | $20.00 base, then based on bid price | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule, 'Plan Review' section: 'Remodel — $20.00 / based on bid price,' re-verified 2026-07-19 via Wayback Machine archive of the fee PDF (live URL returns HTTP 403). Listed as its own line distinct from both the flat Residential Dwelling ($100) and percentage-based Commercial Building (65% of permit price) rates. |
| Building Permit — same generic valuation table | Determined from the same 'Total Building Permit Valuation' sliding-scale table used for other permit types | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule; no separate TI-specific base building-permit fee line was found distinct from the general valuation table. |
| Re-Inspection | $60.00 per inspection | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule |
Solar Permit
VerifiedGarfield County Building Department publishes a distinct fee schedule for solar photovoltaic installations, separate from the general Residential Dwelling and Commercial Building permit fee lines. Applications are submitted through City Inspect, the county's online permitting portal, the same as other building permits.
Verified 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- Rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installation, residential or commercial
- Compliance with the statewide adopted 2023 NEC (rapid shutdown and bonding requirements) per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)
- Submission via the City Inspect online permitting portal
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City Inspect)Submitted online through City Inspect, the county's building permit application platform.
- RequiredElectrical Single-Line DiagramSystem wiring from panels to inverter to main panel and utility meter, per standard solar plan review practice referenced in the county's Plan Requirements packet.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Permit — Minimum ($14,000 valuation) | $252.43 | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule: minimum solar permit fee, assessed at a $14,000 project valuation floor. |
| Solar Projects Under $100,000 | Plan Check Fee = 65% of Solar Building Permit Price; Total Solar Permit Price = 40% of (Plan Review + Building Permit) | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule — distinct calculation formula from the general Total Building Permit Valuation table. |
| Solar Projects Over $100,000 | See Total Building Permit Valuation schedule | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule: above $100,000 valuation, solar permits revert to the county's general valuation-based fee table. |
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
Garfield County publishes no distinct EV charger / EVSE permit or fee. The county's Building Department Fees schedule prices work through a valuation-based Total Building Permit Valuation table plus itemized categories (stem walls, decks, garages, sheds, solar, signs, etc.); the only catch-all category that could apply to a minor scope with no specific line item is 'Inspections with No Specific Fee — $60.00 per hour.'
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 Garfield County
- New dedicated 240V circuit and/or panel capacity to serve the charger, shown on the electrical plan submitted with the permit
- Licensed electrical contractor for the installation
Required documents
- RequiredGarfield County Building Permit ApplicationGarfield County Building Department application; include the electrical scope for the EV charger circuit.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections with No Specific Fee | $60.00 per hour | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule (Departmental Fees Resolution) — the county's only published catch-all rate for a scope, such as an EV charger circuit, that does not match any of the schedule's named line items (stem walls, decks, garages, sheds, solar, signs, etc.). |
| Total Building Permit Valuation (if treated as a valuation-based scope) | Starting at $60.00 for valuations of $2,000 or less, scaling per the county's valuation table | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule — general fallback fee basis if the department instead treats an EV charger circuit as a valuation-based building permit rather than an hourly no-specific-fee inspection. |
Sign Permit
VerifiedGarfield County's Code of Ordinances (Chapter 155: Zoning, §§ 155.340-155.347, adopted by Ord. 2021-10, passed 9-27-2021) regulates signs directly, but a sign permit is the exception rather than the default: per § 155.346(A), 'a permit shall not be required for the erection and maintenance of a sign' unless the Building Official or Planning Department specifically requires one due to the sign's size, height, weight, or electrical connections. When a permit is required, construction documents are filed with the Zoning Administrator and/or Building Official, and specific design standards are adopted by reference from the International Zoning Code (§ 155.347).
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Sign permit is only required if the Building Official or Planning Department specifically determines one is needed based on the sign's size, height, weight, or electrical connections (§ 155.346(A)); otherwise no permit is required
- Construction documents showing dimensions, materials, and required construction details (loads, stresses, anchorage) filed with the Zoning Administrator and/or Building Official when a permit is required (§ 155.346(B))
- Written consent of the property owner or lessee where the sign will be erected (§ 155.346(B))
- Engineering calculations signed and sealed by a registered design professional where required by the International Building Code (§ 155.346(B))
- Sign must not fall within the prohibited categories of § 155.345 (traffic-sign obstruction, right-of-way encroachment, blinking/flashing lights mimicking traffic signals, unpermitted portable signs, most vehicle/trailer-mounted advertising, non-temporary balloons/streamers/pinwheels, provocative content)
- Compliance with the International Zoning Code's 'Specific Sign Requirements' and 'Signs for Development Complexes' sections, adopted by reference (§ 155.347)
Required documents
- RequiredSign Permit Application / Construction DocumentsFiled with the Zoning Administrator and/or Building Official when a permit is required; must show sign dimensions, materials, and construction details (loads, stresses, anchorage) per § 155.346(B).
- RequiredProperty Owner/Lessee Written ConsentWritten consent of the owner or lessee of the premises where the sign will be erected, required to accompany the permit application per § 155.346(B).
- OptionalEngineering CalculationsSigned and sealed by a registered design professional, required where the International Building Code calls for them per § 155.346(B).
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sign Permit Fee | Set by the Building Official; no separate fixed amount published in the Zoning Ordinance | Zoning Ordinance § 155.346(D): 'Permit fees to erect, alter or relocate a sign shall be in accordance with the fee established by the Building Official.' A full-text review of the Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule (re-verified 2026-07-19 via Wayback Machine archive) found no distinct sign-permit fee line item, consistent with this section's silence on a set amount. |
Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit
Garfield County's Code of Ordinances has no distinct chapter or section for fire sprinkler or fire alarm permits — Chapter 150 (Building Codes) adopts the state's building/fire codes by reference (§ 150.01: '...Uniform Fire Code, and Model Energy Code...hereby adopted') but creates no separate sprinkler/alarm permit process, and the county's Building Permit Application instead tracks fire sprinkler approval as a Required/Received/Approved checkbox within its general office-use-only section (documented under this jurisdiction's Commercial Building Permit type). Statewide, the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) operates a direct plan-review submittal path for both Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems and Fire Alarm Systems, billed at $0.022 per square foot with a $75.00 minimum fee — confirmed by reading the SFMO's own submittal forms (410 West 9800 South, 3rd Floor, Sandy, UT 84070; planreviews@utah.gov) directly. However, SFMO's own published 'Local Fire Ordinances' guidance states that local fire ordinances are adopted and enforced by 'specific municipal or county jurisdictions' and directs applicants to their local fire department, without stating whether SFMO review is mandatory, optional, or inapplicable for private construction in a rural unincorporated county like Garfield that has no distinct local fire district or fire-plan-review office of its own. This jurisdictional gap is why this entry is marked partial rather than verified.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Garfield County Building Permit Application completed with its Fire Sprinkler field (Required/Received/Approved) where the project includes fire sprinklers
- Compliance with the Uniform Fire Code and other statewide building/fire codes adopted by reference under Garfield County Code § 150.01
- Systems must comply with Utah Administrative Code R710 (State Fire Marshal rules) design/inspection/testing requirements referenced on the SFMO's own submittal forms
- Plan submittal to the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form / Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form) if SFMO plan review applies to the project — confirm applicability with the Garfield County Building Department and/or SFMO (801-256-2390) before assuming this path is required, since neither office's published materials directly state whether SFMO review applies to private commercial construction in unincorporated Garfield County
Required documents
- RequiredGarfield County Building Permit ApplicationIncludes a 'Fire Sprinkler: Required/Received/Approved' field in its office-use-only approvals section; Garfield County publishes no separate fire sprinkler/alarm application form.
- OptionalSFMO Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal FormUtah State Fire Marshal's Office form for sprinkler plan review, submitted to planreviews@utah.gov; requires sprinkler drawings, hydraulic calculations, and water supply analysis information per Utah Admin. Code R710-4-5.
- OptionalSFMO Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal FormUtah State Fire Marshal's Office form for fire alarm plan review; requires a floor plan, occupancy type, code analysis, device locations, battery/voltage-drop calculations, and equipment cut sheets.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Garfield County — no distinct fire sprinkler/alarm fee | Priced through the same Commercial Building plan review (65% of permit price) and generic valuation-based Building Permit fee | Garfield County Building Department Fees schedule has no standalone fire sprinkler or fire alarm fee line, per the same full-text review documented under this jurisdiction's Commercial Building Permit type (re-verified 2026-07-19). |
| Utah State Fire Marshal — Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Review | $0.022 per square foot of scope area; $75.00 minimum fee | Read directly from the SFMO's own 'Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form' (410 West 9800 South, 3rd Floor, Sandy, UT 84070; planreviews@utah.gov), accessed 2026-07-22. Whether this statewide path applies to private construction in unincorporated Garfield County is not clearly stated by either office. |
| Utah State Fire Marshal — Fire Alarm Plan Review | $0.022 per square foot of scope area; $75.00 minimum fee | Read directly from the SFMO's own 'Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form,' accessed 2026-07-22 — identical rate and minimum to the sprinkler submittal form. |
Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit
VerifiedUnincorporated Garfield County has no standalone 'Change of Use Permit' application distinct from its Building Permit / Certificate of Occupancy (CO) process. Per Zoning Ordinance § 155.099, a Certificate of Occupancy 'shall be applied for coincidentally with the application for a building permit and shall be issued within ten days after the erection or structural alteration of such building or structure or part thereof...[has] been completed in conformity with the provisions of this chapter' — the CO is the mechanism the county uses to sign off on both new construction and any use change of an existing building. A narrower, explicit change-of-use rule also governs nonconforming uses: under § 155.152(B) ('Changes of Nonconforming Use'), 'a change of use of a nonconforming use of a structure or parcel of land shall not be made except to that of a conforming use,' and once changed, the property may not revert to the prior nonconforming use. Both provisions are current law under Ord. 2021-10 (passed 9-27-2021).
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Building Permit Application filed for any accompanying construction, alteration, or occupancy change of a structure or part thereof (§ 155.098(B))
- Certificate of Occupancy applied for 'coincidentally with' the Building Permit Application (§ 155.099)
- For a legally nonconforming use converting to a conforming use: compliance with § 155.152(B) — once converted, the property may not revert to the prior nonconforming use
- Evidence of an approved potable water supply and an approved method of waste disposal, per § 155.098(B), same as for any other building permit
- A change of use with NO accompanying construction/structural alteration is not addressed by a distinct standalone application anywhere in the current Zoning Ordinance — confirm with the Garfield County Building Department whether a CO alone (without a building permit) is issued for such a case
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFiled for any construction, alteration, or occupancy change accompanying the change of use; submitted via the county's 'City Inspect' online portal, same as other building permits.
- RequiredCertificate of Occupancy ApplicationGarfield County's ordinance does not publish a CO application form separate from the Building Permit Application; per § 155.099, CO is applied for coincidentally with the building permit.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | No distinct fee published | Zoning Ordinance § 155.099 requires a CO but sets no separate CO fee, and the Building Department Fees schedule has no standalone CO line item. A change of use accompanied by construction is priced through the applicable Building Permit / Plan Review / Remodel fee lines documented under this jurisdiction's other commercial permit types. |
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-13.
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 Garfield County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.