Unincorporated Grand County building permits

Requirements

• New single-family dwelling construction
• Additions to existing residential structures
• Structural alterations or renovations
• Zoning sign-off required before building permit application (contact Grand County Zoning first)
• Floodplain Development Permit Application required if construction is in or touches the floodplain/floodway
• Water and sewer service sign-off from Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency (GWSSA), or Health Department sign-off if served by well/septic
• All contractors/subcontractors must hold a current Utah State Contractor's license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFully completed and signed application listing all contractors/subcontractors with license numbers and contact info. Submitted online via the Grand County iworq portal (grandcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grandcounty). New construction/addition/renovation applications route electronically for Zoning, Floodplain Administrator, Water & Sewer (GWSSA), and Health (if well/septic) sign-off before Building review.
• RequiredSite PlanObtainable from the Recorder's office with a zoning signoff block — must show building location(s) including existing structures, lot and building square footage, setbacks, drainage, easements, location of electrical/gas/water/sewer service lines, and driveway access location.
• OptionalFloodplain Development Permit ApplicationRequired only if the proposed construction is in or touches the floodplain or floodway. Requires pre- and post-construction Elevation Certificates completed by a Utah-licensed surveyor.
• RequiredConstruction DocumentsDigital plan set (preferred) or 11x17-minimum paper set, drawn to scale, including: separate sq ft totals for finished living space, unfinished living space, garage/carport, and covered porches/patios; footing and foundation plan/details; floor plan per level with all measurements and room use labeled; elevations with cross sections showing overall height from natural grade; wall cross sections per wall type; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical layouts; heat-loss calculations; REScheck or other IECC compliance demonstration; Manual D/J/S compliance if applicable; truss manufacturer detail sheet if applicable; engineering if required; gas line diagram (size, length, BTU of appliances); guard rail/hand rail/stair design and connection details.
• OptionalOwner/Builder CertificationSigned and notarized — required only if the owner is acting as their own contractor

Fee schedule

Requirements

• New commercial construction within unincorporated Grand County
• Sign-off required from Planning & Zoning, Southeastern Utah District Health Department, Moab Valley Fire Department, and/or Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency (as applicable), per Grand County's Commercial Building Permit Requirements page
• Complete Commercial Checklist items submitted before the application is accepted for plan review
• All contractors/subcontractors must hold a current Utah State Contractor's license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFully completed and signed digital Building Permit Application, submitted through the Grand County iworq portal (grandcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grandcounty), per the Commercial Checklist.
• RequiredCommercial ChecklistGrand County's published checklist of items needed to begin plan review for commercial projects (grandcountyutah.net/DocumentCenter/View/19841/Commercial-Checklist). The county's own page describes it as 'a basic list of items needed to begin a plan review and is not all-inclusive' — completing every listed item does not guarantee permit issuance.
• RequiredSite PlanRequired for new commercial construction, showing building location, setbacks, drainage, easements, and utility service lines, consistent with the residential site-plan requirement documented on the same Building Department checklist pattern.
• OptionalHealth Department Sign-OffSoutheastern Utah District Health Department approval required for applicable commercial uses (e.g., food service).
• RequiredFire Department Sign-OffMoab Valley Fire Department approval required for commercial building permits.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Tenant improvement or tenant finish work in an existing commercial building within unincorporated Grand County
• Sign-off required from Planning & Zoning, Southeastern Utah District Health Department (for applicable uses such as food service), Moab Valley Fire Department, and/or Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency, per the county's Commercial Building Permit Requirements page
• Complete Commercial Checklist items submitted before the application is accepted for plan review
• All contractors/subcontractors must hold a current Utah State Contractor's license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFully completed and signed digital Building Permit Application, submitted through the Grand County iworq portal, per the Commercial Checklist — Grand County does not publish a separate tenant-improvement-specific application form.
• RequiredCommercial ChecklistGrand County's published checklist of items needed to begin plan review; used for both new commercial construction and tenant improvement/remodel work, per the county's own Commercial Building Permit Requirements page (no separate TI-specific checklist was found).
• RequiredConstruction Documents (scope of remodel)Plans showing existing vs. new construction, room use, and any MEP changes for the tenant space, consistent with the general commercial construction-document requirement.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Roof-mount or ground-mount solar photovoltaic installation
• Compliance with the statewide adopted 2023 NEC (rapid shutdown and bonding requirements) per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)
• Utah State 1% surcharge and one hour of plan review are added to the base permit fee

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationGrand County Building Department application, submitted to building@grandcountyutah.net.
• RequiredElectrical Single-Line DiagramSystem wiring from panels to inverter to main panel and utility meter.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Sign permit required prior to erecting, constructing, reconstructing, altering, painting, or repainting a sign, per Grand County Land Use Code § 6.5.6
• Non-residential zone district signs limited to: wall-mounted/painted signs (max 40 sq ft, projecting no more than 6 inches, max height 24 ft not extending above the facade), projecting signs (max 8 sq ft, 6 inches from wall, 4 ft max width), painted window/door signs, and free-standing signs (1 per business, max 24 ft height, max 2 faces of 40 sq ft each, or up to 8 ft x 24 ft per face in the Highway Commercial District) — LUC § 6.5.5(A)
• Residential zone district signs limited to: a 24 sq ft wall sign per multi-family building/complex, monument-style subdivision/complex entrance signs (max 12 ft height, single face, 20 sq ft per face), and a free-standing bed-and-breakfast/home-occupation sign (max 12 ft height, 4 sq ft per face) — LUC § 6.5.5(B)
• Off-premises directional signs (for B&Bs, RV/travel trailer parks, recreational facilities, natural areas/parks, or agricultural value-added product vendors) limited to one per use per intersection, shared pole mounting, matched 18 in x 54 in faces, and are not issued where Moab City or UDOT already serves the location — LUC § 6.5.5(C)
• Illumination must be stationary and shielded so the light source is not visible beyond the property line; flashing, intermittent, or moving lights (including LED/LCD digital displays) are prohibited — LUC § 6.5.5(D), § 6.5.4(H)
• Certain sign types are exempt from permitting: temporary civic/political/cultural posters (45 days or less), temporary promotional/sale signs (30 days or less), temporary for-sale/lease signs (8 sq ft or less), on-site agricultural/institutional identification signs (20 sq ft or less, 24 sq ft if building-mounted), warning signs (1.5 sq ft or less), government flags, official traffic control signs, and seasonal holiday decorations — LUC § 6.5.3
• Off-premises advertising (billboards), mercury-vapor/sodium/plastic-panel rear-lit signs, roof/dormer/balcony signs, obscene signs, and moving or animated signs are prohibited outright — LUC § 6.5.4

Required documents

• RequiredSign Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Grand County Planning & Zoning Department per Grand County Land Use Code § 6.5.6.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• New construction, tenant finish, or major remodel involving an automatic fire sprinkler system in MVFD's service area requires a non-refundable Commercial Fire Plan review deposit of $460.00 per permit (covers up to 4 hours), or for residential new construction only, a non-refundable Residential Fire Plan review deposit of $230.00 per permit (covers up to 2 hours)
• Automatic Fire Sprinkler System Plan Review is priced by sprinkler head count: $250.00 flat for systems with fewer than 100 sprinkler heads, plus $0.75 per additional sprinkler head over 100; an Additional Fire Riser System is $115.00 per system
• Fire Alarm System Plan Review is priced per building: $230.00 for new construction, $200.00 for a remodel; Inspection and Acceptance testing (pre-system) is $115.00 per hour (minimum one-hour charge)
• Plan review time beyond the initial deposit-covered hours (due to changes, corrections, additions, deferred submittals, or revisions) is billed at $115.00 per hour, with a one-hour minimum
• A separate Non-Refundable Deferred Submittal Deposit of $230.00 per submittal applies if a portion of the plan is deferred for later Fire Inspector approval
• These are Moab Valley Fire Protection District fees, charged in addition to (not instead of) Grand County's own Building Permit fees documented on this file's Commercial Building Permit and Residential Building Permit entries

Required documents

• RequiredFire Plan Review Submittal (Residential or Commercial)Plans submitted to Moab Valley Fire Protection District for fire sprinkler and/or fire alarm plan review, alongside (not instead of) the standard Grand County building permit plan set.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Installation of a Level 2 or DC fast EV charger (EVSE) at a residential or commercial property
• New dedicated electrical circuit and/or panel capacity to serve the charger, per the county's electrical permit scope (non-exempt electrical alteration work)
• Compliance with the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted statewide by Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)

Required documents

• RequiredGrand County Building Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Grand County Building Department; covers electrical alteration work including EV charger circuit installation.
• OptionalElectrical Plan / Single-Line DiagramRecommended for panel or service-capacity changes needed to support the charger, though not separately itemized as an EV-specific document by the county.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to change the occupancy classification of a building or structure must first apply to the Building Official and obtain a permit, per Grand County's adopted permit-requirement language on its 'What Requires a Permit' page — this is the same general Building Permit application used for construction, alteration, or demolition, not a separate change-of-use form
• Zoning sign-off is required before permit issuance, consistent with the county's standard building-permit routing — contact Grand County Zoning first to confirm the proposed new use is allowed in the parcel's zoning district
• Southeastern Utah District Health Department, Moab Valley Fire Department, and/or Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency (GWSSA) sign-off may be required if the new occupancy classification changes life-safety, food-service, or water/sewer demand requirements, per the same multi-agency routing documented on this file's Commercial Building Permit entry
• A written Certificate of Occupancy must be issued before the space may be used or occupied under its new classification — the completed building/space cannot be used until the CO is issued, per the county's Building Permit Process page
• All contractors/subcontractors performing any associated alteration work must hold a current Utah State Contractor's license

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFully completed and signed digital Building Permit Application, submitted through the Grand County iworq portal (grandcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grandcounty) — Grand County does not publish a separate change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy application form.
• RequiredFloor Plan / Site Plan (existing vs. proposed use)Plan showing the existing use/occupancy and the proposed new use/occupancy, consistent with the general construction-document requirement documented for this file's other Building Department permit types; not separately itemized as a change-of-use-specific document by the county.
• OptionalHealth/Fire Department Sign-OffSoutheastern Utah District Health Department and/or Moab Valley Fire Department approval, required only if the new occupancy classification is a use subject to their review (e.g., a change to food service or an assembly occupancy).

Fee schedule