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Residential Building Permit in Unincorporated Grand County, Utah

Required for new single-family residential construction, additions, and structural alterations in unincorporated Grand County, Utah (outside Moab city limits). The Grand County Building Department issues permits for all of Grand County including Castle Valley and the unincorporated area, and also serves as the county Floodplain Administrator.

Verified 2026-07-08 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 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 Contractor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — Valuation $1 to $500Grand County Ordinance No. 688 (2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule, repealing Ord. 669), § 3.06.100(A). Valuations set using ICC Building Valuation Data, updated Feb/Aug each year.
$65.00
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $501 to $2,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$65.00 for the first $500 plus $3.66 for each additional $100, or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $2,001 to $25,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$119.90 for the first $2,000 plus $16.80 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $25,001 to $50,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$506.30 for the first $25,000 plus $12.12 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $50,001 to $100,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$809.30 for the first $50,000 plus $8.40 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $100,001 to $500,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$1,229.30 for the first $100,000 plus $6.72 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000Grand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$3,917.30 for the first $500,000 plus $6.72 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000
Building Permit Fee — Valuation $1,000,001 and upGrand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(A)
$7,277.30 for the first $1,000,000 plus $6.72 for each additional $1,000, or fraction thereof
Residential Plan Review DepositGrand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(B). Credited toward, not additional to, plan review costs; small/additional plan review beyond the deposit billed at $65/hour (1-hour minimum).
$130.00 per permit (non-refundable, new construction only)
State SurchargeGrand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(B) note 1; Utah statewide building permit surcharge
1% of permit fee
Re-Inspection FeeGrand County Ordinance No. 688, § 3.06.100(B); assessed after the second failed inspection of the same kind, due prior to the 3rd or subsequent re-inspection(s). One re-inspection per required inspection is included in the base permit fee.
$65.00 per hour
Permit Renewal (if expired)Grand County Building Permit Application Requirements — Residential document. Permits expire 180 days after issuance or after the last inspection; a one-time 6-month extension may be requested in writing before expiration.
$65.00 (may be charged depending on length of time since expiration)

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated Grand County’s published plan-review target
1–14 business days

How long did your Residential Building Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Grand County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Sewer and Water Service Lines

    Installation from road to structure — before excavation is covered

  2. 2

    Electrical Trench

    Underground electrical service trench before backfill

  3. 3

    Footing

    Excavation complete, forms and reinforcing steel in place — before any concrete is poured

  4. 4

    Foundation

    Forms and reinforcing steel in place — before any concrete is poured

  5. 5

    Underground / Under-Slab / Interior Shovel Footings

    Sub-rough plumbing and heating in place, pressure tested — before pipes are buried and floor slab poured

  6. 6

    Slab

    Before concrete pour on slab

  7. 7

    Temporary Power

    Construction power contracted by contractor — Rocky Mountain Power work order number required when scheduling

  8. 8

    Weather Barrier / Lath & Flashing

    Before or after the four-way — before any brick or stucco is installed on a foundation ledge

  9. 9

    Duct Blaster Test

    Performed by third-party inspector; report must be submitted to building@grandcountyutah.net prior to requesting the four-way inspection

  10. 10

    Four-Way (Framing, Rough Electrical, Rough Plumbing, Mechanical)

    All roof/wall/floor framing, fire stopping, and bracing complete with truss calculations on site; wiring, plumbing, and mechanical rough-in complete before concealment

  11. 11

    Gas Line

    Gas piping installed and pressure tested

  12. 12

    Insulation

    After insulation installed, before drywall

  13. 13

    Drywall

    After nailing and before taping of required firewalls and braced walls

  14. 14

    Shower Pan

    Before tile/finish installed over shower pan liner

  15. 15

    Power to Panel / Permanent Power

    Electrical meter base placed and ready to energize — Rocky Mountain Power work order number required when scheduling

  16. 16

    Mechanical

    After all dust-producing work complete, equipment installed/vented, combustion air supplied

  17. 17

    Final

    All work complete, prior to occupancy. Final Floodplain inspection (post-construction Elevation Certificate) also required prior to Certificate of Occupancy if the site is within a flood hazard area.

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

Tips

  • Plans are reviewed first-come, first-served for complete submittals; the Building Department publishes a plan review timeline of 'up to two (2) weeks depending on current demand' — apply with buffer time.
  • Incomplete submittals are rejected and returned for resubmittal (inaccurate design criteria, irrelevant general notes, missing or invalid designer stamps are common rejection reasons) — this resets the review clock, so submit a complete packet the first time.
  • Contact Zoning first, before applying for a building permit, to confirm what you can build and where on your parcel — zoning sign-off is required as part of the online application routing.
  • Inspections require a minimum 24-hour notice and can only be scheduled by phone at (435) 259-4134 — email, text, and voicemail requests are not accepted.
  • Rocky Mountain Power work order numbers are required when scheduling both Temporary Power and Power to Panel/Permanent Power inspections.
  • Building permits expire 180 days (six months) after issuance or after the last inspection; a one-time 6-month extension may be requested in writing before expiration; a $65 renewal fee may apply if the permit lapses.
  • One re-inspection per required inspection type is included in the base permit fee; a $65/hour fee applies starting with the 3rd or subsequent re-inspection of the same kind.
  • CC&Rs are enforced by the property's HOA, not by Grand County.
  • EV charger / EVSE installation is not itemized as its own line item in Grand County's 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 688) — a full-text review found no 'EV,' 'electric vehicle,' or 'charging station' entry among the schedule's 'Specific Projects' fees (which do separately list Solar roof mount $65.00/permit and Solar ground mount $130.00/permit). A standalone EV charging circuit is standard electrical work and would be expected to fall under the schedule's existing 'Mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing separate permits' line item, billed at $65.00 per inspection, per Ordinance No. 688 § 3.06.100(B).

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Grand County requires a residential building permit for: 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. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Grand County Building Department at (435) 259-4134 before starting work.

Fees are valuation-based per Grand County Ordinance No. 688 (2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule): $65 for valuations up to $500, scaling up through tiers to $7,277.30 for the first $1,000,000 plus $6.72 per additional $1,000 for higher valuations. A non-refundable $130 residential plan review deposit is also required for new construction, plus a 1% state surcharge on the permit fee.

The Grand County Building Department's published residential permit checklist states plan review 'may take up to two (2) weeks depending on the current demand' for complete submittals, reviewed first-come, first-served. Incomplete submittals are rejected outright and must be resubmitted, which restarts the review clock.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Site Plan; Construction Documents. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Grand County may also ask for: Floodplain Development Permit Application; Owner/Builder Certification. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Grand County requires 17 inspection(s) for a residential building permit, in order: Sewer and Water Service Lines, Electrical Trench, Footing, Foundation, Underground / Under-Slab / Interior Shovel Footings, Slab, Temporary Power, Weather Barrier / Lath & Flashing, Duct Blaster Test, Four-Way (Framing, Rough Electrical, Rough Plumbing, Mechanical), Gas Line, Insulation, Drywall, Shower Pan, Power to Panel / Permanent Power, Mechanical, Final. Schedule each through Grand County Building Department ((435) 259-4134).

Applications are submitted online through the Grand County iworq portal at grandcounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/grandcounty. The Building Department office is at 59 N 200 E, Moab, UT 84532 — call (435) 259-4134 for an appointment before visiting in person.

Unincorporated Grand County, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(a) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html), in force statewide since 7/1/2026 and binding on counties under §15A-1-204. Grand County's own Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IBC with Appendix J (with Utah State Amendments; no Appendix C cited) — live-checked 2026-07-16, the county's own page has not been updated to the current statewide edition.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix AQ — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. Grand County's own Design Criteria page lists the 2021 IRC with Utah State Amendments (no distinct Appendix AQ citation) — live-checked 2026-07-16, consistent with the current statute on the base edition.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(d). Grand County's own Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IPC — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(e). Grand County's own Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IMC — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(f). Grand County's own Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IFGC — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(g); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. Grand County's own Design Criteria page lists the 2020 NEC with Utah State Amendments — live-checked 2026-07-16, one cycle behind the current statewide edition; verify current edition in force with the Building Department at time of application.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — one code, no residential/commercial split, per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(h). Grand County's own Design Criteria page still splits it — 2021 IECC for commercial and 2015 IECC for residential — live-checked 2026-07-16, both lag the current statewide edition; the residential/commercial split itself is preserved here as county-published history, not carried into the governing statutory citation.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(i). Grand County's own Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IEBC with Utah State Amendments — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(n). Grand County's own Design Criteria page text reads '2018 edition of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code' while its hyperlink label reads '2021 ISPSC' (an internal inconsistency on the county's own page, live-checked 2026-07-16, quoted verbatim as history) — both lag the current statewide edition.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(o). Not listed on Grand County's own Design Criteria page — live-checked 2026-07-16.; ICC A117.1-2009 (Accessibility); 2006 Utah Wildland-Urban Interface Code; HUD Code (manufactured/mobile homes). Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Grand County overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-08.

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

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