You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-16.
Unincorporated Rich County building permits
VerifiedUnincorporated Rich County, Utah — as published 2026-07-16.
Verified 2026-07-08 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit
VerifiedRequired for new residential construction, additions, alterations, and most structural work anywhere in unincorporated Rich County, and in the towns of Randolph, Woodruff, and Laketown (each requires a town zoning clearance first; the Rich County Building Department then reviews plans, issues the permit, and performs inspections). Garden City is NOT covered by this file — it operates its own independent building department and permitting process.
Verified 2026-07-08 · Source
Requirements
- New single-family dwelling construction
- Additions to existing residential structures
- Any structural modification, alteration, repair, move, or demolition of a building, or change of occupancy type
- Structures over 200 square feet (structures 200 sq ft or less do not require a permit)
- Zoning Clearance Letter from the applicable city/town planning and zoning committee (or the county, for unincorporated land), or an approved conditional use permit, obtained before the county will process the building permit
- Property survey narrative from a licensed surveyor, or flagged existing survey markers
- Non-structural repair and maintenance does not require a permit
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Completed online through the county's iWorQ permitting system, or a paper application obtained at the County Treasurer's Office
- RequiredSurvey NarrativeCopy of the survey narrative from a licensed surveyor — all properties must be surveyed, or existing survey markers must be flagged
- RequiredZoning Clearance LetterFrom the applicable city/town planning and zoning committee (Randolph, Woodruff, or Laketown), the county planning and zoning committee (for unincorporated land), the homeowners association, or an approved conditional use permit
- RequiredLegal Description / Tax Serial NumberObtained from the Rich County Recorder's Office, (435) 793-2005
- RequiredSewer/Septic and Water DocumentationReceipt of payment to the sewer district for sewer hookup, OR a permit from the Bear River Health Department for a septic tank; and certification of culinary water from the State Engineer's Office (or receipt of payment for city water hookup if city water is available)
- RequiredSigned Construction BidSigned copy of the bid showing project price including all materials and labor, used together with square footage to establish project valuation
- RequiredPlot PlanDrawn to scale, indicating north arrow, distances to all property lines, and the fronting street(s)
- RequiredComplete Set of Plans and SpecificationsFloor plans with dimensions for all levels/garages/decks/porches, plumbing plan, electrical plan, HVAC plan, elevations of all four sides, footing/foundation/truss/roof section details, egress details, complete elevation diagrams, plumbing diagram from the plumber, electrical diagram from the electrician, and a MEC (energy) compliance check report. Must be stamped by a licensed Utah architect/engineer when required (daylight basements, more than 3 ft of elevation change at footings, unusual geometry, vaulted or TJI ceilings, or excessively large structures); all commercial plans must be stamped.
- RequiredContractor and Subcontractor ListContractor's name, address, phone, email, Utah license number, and a complete list of subcontractors with the same information
- RequiredFire Hazard Severity FormObtained from the Rich County Fire Warden, Travis Hobbs (385-835-2799, trhobbs@utah.gov)
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application — Rich County does not publish a separate dollar-figure fee schedule; per Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D: 'The County adopts the building permit fees set out in the International Residential Code applicable at the time of application.' | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025). Because the project's declared valuation (signed contractor bid + square footage) is plugged into the standard IRC valuation fee table, this is a legitimate, verifiable master fee schedule rather than a county-specific invented figure — contact the Building Inspector for the exact dollar amount for a given project valuation. |
| Electrical Inspection (bundled) | Included in the building permit fee when a building permit is issued; $50.00 if electrical work is inspected without an accompanying building permit | Rich County Building Permit Information handout (Building Department). Electrical work requires inspection and a work order number from Rocky Mountain Power before hookup. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project cost | $500 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. Refunded after final inspection and certificate of occupancy, unless forfeited (permit expires without required inspections, or occupancy begins before CO issuance). |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project cost | $1,000 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — over $200,000 project cost | $2,000 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. |
| Permit Renewal (expired 30 days or less) | $200 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 3.B — requires Building Inspector approval and a new inspection. |
| Permit Renewal (expired 31–90 days) | $500 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 3.B — requires Building Inspector approval and a new inspection. A permit expired over 90 days is void and must be re-applied for as new. |
| Standard 6-Month Extension Renewal Fee | $100 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 3.B — for a timely extension request before expiration, requires a new inspection. |
Commercial Building Permit
Required for new commercial construction anywhere in unincorporated Rich County, and in the towns of Randolph, Woodruff, and Laketown (each requires a town zoning clearance first; the Rich County Building Department then reviews plans, issues the permit, and performs inspections), regulated by the statewide-adopted 2024 IBC (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a), effective July 1, 2026). Garden City is NOT covered — it operates its own independent building department. Notably, Rich County's own 2025 Building Permit ordinance sets fees using the International Residential Code (IRC) fee table 'applicable at the time of application' without a documented separate commercial/IBC-based fee table — this is reported as-published rather than assumed to be an error.
Reviewed 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- New commercial construction anywhere in unincorporated Rich County, or in Randolph, Woodruff, or Laketown
- Zoning Clearance Letter from the applicable city/town planning and zoning committee (or the county, for unincorporated land) obtained before the county will process the building permit
- All commercial plans must be stamped by a licensed Utah architect or engineer, per the county's Complete Set of Plans and Specifications requirement — unlike residential plans, which require a stamp only under specific trigger conditions (daylight basements, elevation change over 3 ft, unusual geometry, vaulted/TJI ceilings, or excessively large structures)
- Fire Hazard Severity Form obtained from the Rich County Fire Warden
- Sewer/septic and water documentation, same as required for residential permits
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Completed online through the county's iWorQ permitting system, or a paper application obtained at the County Treasurer's Office — same application used for residential permits; no separate commercial-only application form was located as of 2026-07-19.
- RequiredZoning Clearance LetterFrom the applicable city/town planning and zoning committee (Randolph, Woodruff, or Laketown), the county planning and zoning committee (for unincorporated land), or an approved conditional use permit.
- RequiredComplete Set of Plans and Specifications (architect/engineer-stamped)Floor plans, elevations of all four sides, structural details, MEP plans, and a MEC (energy) compliance check report. Rich County's own requirement states plans must be stamped by a licensed Utah architect/engineer for specific residential trigger conditions, and separately states 'all commercial plans must be stamped' as a blanket rule.
- RequiredFire Hazard Severity FormObtained from the Rich County Fire Warden, Travis Hobbs (385-835-2799, trhobbs@utah.gov) — same requirement documented for residential permits.
- RequiredSigned Construction BidSigned copy of the bid showing project price including all materials and labor, used together with square footage to establish project valuation.
- RequiredContractor and Subcontractor ListContractor's name, address, phone, email, Utah license number, and a complete list of subcontractors with the same information.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D: 'The County adopts the building permit fees set out in the International Residential Code applicable at the time of application.' The ordinance text does not separately name an IBC-based commercial fee table — this is reported as-published; the same IRC-based valuation fee table documented on this file's Residential Building Permit entry appears to be the only fee mechanism the county has adopted by ordinance, applied to the project's declared commercial valuation. Confirm with the Building Inspector (801-564-0897) whether a separate commercial rate is applied in practice. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project cost | $500 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4 — tiered by project cost, not by use classification, so this deposit structure applies to commercial projects on the same cost basis as residential. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project cost | $1,000 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — over $200,000 project cost | $2,000 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. |
| Electrical Inspection (bundled) | Included in the building permit fee when a building permit is issued; $50.00 if electrical work is inspected without an accompanying building permit | Rich County Building Permit Information handout — same fee structure documented for residential permits. |
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit
Required for tenant improvement and tenant finish work in existing commercial buildings anywhere the Rich County Building Department has jurisdiction — unincorporated county land and the towns of Randolph, Woodruff, and Laketown. Rich County does not publish a distinct tenant-improvement permit type, application, or fee tier separate from its general Commercial Building Permit process; the same IRC-based fee table, refundable project-cost-tiered deposit, and mandatory architect/engineer stamp on commercial plans apply. Garden City is NOT covered by this file.
Reviewed 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- Tenant improvement or tenant finish work in an existing commercial building within unincorporated Rich County, or in Randolph, Woodruff, or Laketown
- Zoning Clearance Letter from the applicable city/town or county planning and zoning committee before the county will process the building permit
- All commercial plans must be stamped by a licensed Utah architect or engineer, per Rich County's blanket commercial-plans requirement
- Structures of 200 sq ft or less do not require a permit — same threshold documented for residential permits in this county
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Same application used for new commercial construction and residential permits — no separate tenant-improvement-specific form was located as of 2026-07-19.
- RequiredZoning Clearance LetterFrom the applicable city/town or county planning and zoning committee.
- RequiredConstruction Plans and Specifications (architect/engineer-stamped)Plans showing the tenant-space scope of work; must be stamped by a licensed Utah architect or engineer per Rich County's blanket commercial-plans requirement.
- RequiredSigned Construction BidUsed together with square footage to establish project valuation for the IRC-based fee table.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application | Same fee basis documented on this file's Commercial Building Permit entry — Rich County's 2025 ordinance does not carve out a separate, lower tenant-improvement rate. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project cost | $500 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4 — tiered by project cost, applicable to tenant-improvement projects on the same basis as new construction. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project cost | $1,000 | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 4. |
Sign Permit
Required for erecting, relocating, or enlarging most signs in unincorporated Rich County, under Rich County Development Code Chapter 11 (Sign Regulations). The Building Inspector approves the sign plan and issues the permit; the same Chapter 11 sets detailed dimensional, setback, and zone-based standards. Name plates, for-sale signs, and temporary signs in place under three months are exempt from the permit requirement.
Reviewed 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- No sign may be erected, relocated, or enlarged until the plan is approved and a permit issued by the Building Inspector (Development Code Ch. 11, § 1)
- Exempt from the permit requirement: name plates, signs for the sale of property, and temporary signs in place for less than three months, provided they otherwise conform to the Code (Ch. 11, § 1)
- Number of freestanding signs allowed by lot frontage: 1 sign for lots with 300 ft or less of street frontage; 2 signs for lots with more than 300 ft of frontage on one street; lots over 2 acres get 1 sign per each 300 continuous feet of frontage; corner lots under 2 acres get 1 sign per street frontage if each sign sits at least 100 ft from the intersection and is no larger than half the minimum area otherwise allowed (Ch. 11, § 2)
- Freestanding signs must be set back at least 5 feet from any property or right-of-way line (Ch. 11, § 3)
- Sign size: 1 square foot of sign area per 2 linear feet of continuous street frontage of the lot, capped at a maximum of 100 square feet (Ch. 11, § 4)
- No spotlight, floodlight, luminous tube, or lighted sign may direct light into a residential zone or onto residentially used property; flashing lights are not permitted (Ch. 11, § 5)
- Signs advertising commercial districts may exceed the standard size limits only with Planning Commission approval of design/content/size/location, capped at 2 signs per intersection or highway interchange, and may only draw attention to the district generally — not advertise specific businesses (Ch. 11, § 9)
- Animated, flashing, or intermittent signs are prohibited in all zones (Ch. 11, § 11)
- Roof signs are permitted only in the Commercial (C) zone; ground signs may not project above the roofline of the tallest building on the same premises (Ch. 11, § 15)
- No sign may be erected on publicly owned land except by a public agency for public direction/safety (Ch. 11, § 7)
Required documents
- RequiredSign Plan / Permit ApplicationSubmitted to the Building Inspector for approval before a sign permit is issued, per Development Code Ch. 11 § 1.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
VerifiedRich County does not publish a distinct EV charger, EVSE, or electric vehicle charging station permit or fee. The Rich County Building Permit Information handout explicitly confirms electrical work is bundled into the general Building Permit: "Electrical Inspection (bundled) — Included in the building permit fee when a building permit is issued; $50.00 if electrical work is inspected without an accompanying building permit." A new dedicated EV charger circuit is therefore covered under the same general, valuation-based Building Permit issued by the Rich County Building Department, with no separate EV-specific line item.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
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, inspected as part of the bundled Building Permit electrical inspection
- A work order number from Rocky Mountain Power before electrical hookup, per the Rich County Building Permit Information handout
- Compliance with the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted statewide by Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)
Required documents
- RequiredRich County Building Permit ApplicationApplication submitted to the Rich County Building Department/Inspector; the building permit fee bundles the electrical inspection.
- RequiredRocky Mountain Power Work Order NumberRequired before electrical hookup for the new circuit, per the Rich County Building Permit Information handout.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application — Rich County does not publish a separate dollar-figure fee schedule | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D. Electrical work, including an EV charger circuit, is bundled into this fee when accompanied by a building permit. |
| Electrical Inspection (standalone, no accompanying building permit) | $50.00 | Rich County Building Permit Information handout (Building Department). Applies if electrical work — including a standalone EV charger circuit — is inspected without an accompanying building permit; otherwise the electrical inspection is bundled into the building permit fee at no additional charge. |
Solar / Solar PV Installation Permit
VerifiedRich County does not publish a distinct solar, solar PV, or renewable-energy installation permit or fee. A full-text review of the county's Building Permit Application Information packet, its 2025 Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy ordinance, its Building Permit Information (design-parameters) handout, its Development Code (both the 2020 version and the July 2025 revision), and its full Code & Ordinances index turned up no solar-specific permit type, application, fee line, or zoning provision anywhere. A rooftop or ground-mount solar PV installation is therefore processed as a standard Rich County Building Permit — the same valuation-based IRC fee table applies, and the electrical work (inverter, new circuit, interconnection wiring) is inspected as part of the bundled Building Permit electrical inspection, exactly as documented for this county's general Building Permit and EV Charger / EVSE Permit entries.
Verified 2026-07-21 · Source
Requirements
- Installation of a residential or commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system, rooftop-mounted or ground-mount, anywhere the Rich County Building Department has jurisdiction (unincorporated county land, or Randolph/Woodruff/Laketown after the town's zoning clearance)
- New or modified electrical circuit, inverter, and interconnection equipment, inspected as part of the bundled Building Permit electrical inspection
- A work order number from Rocky Mountain Power before interconnection/hookup, per the Rich County Building Permit Information handout — the same requirement documented for the general Building Permit and EV Charger Permit
- Compliance with the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), which contains the solar-photovoltaic-systems article, as adopted statewide by Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)
- Zoning Clearance Letter from the applicable town or county planning and zoning committee, same as required for the general Building Permit, before the county will process the application
Required documents
- RequiredRich County Building Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Same application used for the general Building Permit — no separate solar-specific application form was located.
- RequiredRocky Mountain Power Work Order Number / Interconnection AgreementRequired before interconnection/hookup for a grid-tied solar PV system, per the Rich County Building Permit Information handout's utility work-order requirement.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application — Rich County does not publish a separate dollar-figure solar fee schedule | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D. The solar PV installation's declared valuation is plugged into the same standard IRC valuation fee table used for all other building permits in this county. |
| Electrical Inspection (standalone, no accompanying building permit) | $50.00 | Rich County Building Permit Information handout (Building Department). Applies if the solar PV system's electrical work is inspected without an accompanying building permit; otherwise the electrical inspection is bundled into the building permit fee at no additional charge — the same rule documented for this county's general Building Permit and EV Charger Permit. |
Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit
Rich County does not publish its own fire-sprinkler or fire-alarm plan-review process, fee, or dedicated fire-code plan reviewer. The county's Fire Warden (Travis Hobbs) is a wildland-fire role tied to the Fire Hazard Severity Form used on building permit applications, not a structural fire-code Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Randolph, Woodruff, and Laketown each maintain their own local volunteer fire department/district, but none was found to publish a fire-sprinkler or fire-alarm plan-review process or fee. Under Utah Code Title 15A Chapter 5 (State Fire Code Act, adopting the 2021 International Fire Code) and Utah Admin. Code R710-9-8, the 'authority having jurisdiction' for fire and life-safety plan review is the State Fire Marshal (SFM), an authorized deputy, or the local fire enforcement authority — but R710-9-8's SFM-review provisions are written primarily around state-owned buildings, schools, and (as a backstop) publicly-owned/institutional buildings, not an explicit blanket mandate over all private commercial construction in every county. Absent any documented Rich County or town-level fire-code plan-review authority, the SFM's statewide submittal process (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form; Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form) is the most concrete, verifiable path located, but its applicability to a specific private Rich County project is not independently confirmed and should be verified directly with the SFM's Plan Review section before relying on it. Installation of the physical system also still requires the standard Rich County Building Permit, per the county's Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.A, which requires a building permit for installation of any system 'regulated by this building codes.'
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Automatic fire sprinkler system and/or fire alarm system installation, alteration, or replacement in a building within Rich County Building Department jurisdiction (unincorporated county land, or Randolph/Woodruff/Laketown after the town's zoning clearance)
- Underlying Rich County Building Permit from the Building Inspector for the work, per the county's Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.A
- Fire sprinkler plans submitted to the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office for plan review (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form) — the practical fallback given no documented local fire-code AHJ with plan-review capacity in Rich County
- Fire alarm plans submitted to the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office for plan review (Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form) — same fallback
- Water supply analysis (static pressure, residual pressure, flow in gpm) required for sprinkler submittals per Utah Admin. Code R710-4-5
- Compliance with the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted statewide (Utah Code Title 15A, Chapter 5, State Fire Code Act) and the NFPA standards incorporated with it
Required documents
- RequiredAutomatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form (Utah State Fire Marshal's Office)Submitted to planreviews@utah.gov; requires project/company/architect contact information, water supply analysis data, and sprinkler drawing/hydraulic calculation counts.
- RequiredFire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form (Utah State Fire Marshal's Office)Submitted to planreviews@utah.gov; requires a floor plan, occupancy type, project code analysis, device locations, battery/voltage-drop calculations, and manufacturer cut sheets.
- RequiredRich County Building Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Underlying building permit required for the physical installation work, per Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy, Section 2.A.
- RequiredWater Supply AnalysisStatic pressure, residual pressure, and flow (gpm) data, sourced from contract specifications, a water supply analysis, the water purveyor, or a flow test, per Utah Admin. Code R710-4-5.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Sprinkler Plan Review Fee (Utah State Fire Marshal's Office) | $0.022 per square foot of review scope; $75.00 minimum fee | Confirmed directly from the SFM's Automatic Fire Sprinkler Plan Submittal Form (2022 edition): 'SQUARE FEET x .022$ = $______ Note: Minimum fee is $75.' Fees must be paid before plan review is released. |
| Fire Alarm Plan Review Fee (Utah State Fire Marshal's Office) | $0.022 per square foot of review scope; $75.00 minimum fee | Confirmed directly from the SFM's Fire Alarm Plan Review Submittal Form (2023D edition): 'SQUARE FT x .022$ = $ Note: Minimum fee is $75.' Fees must be paid before plan review is released. |
| Underlying Rich County Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D — same fee basis documented for this file's other building permit entries; applies to the underlying building permit for the sprinkler/alarm installation work. |
Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit
VerifiedRich County does not publish a distinct change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy application separate from its general Building Permit process. Per the Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (Ordinance No. 025-3, adopted January 8, 2025), Section 2.A explicitly requires a building permit from the Building Inspector for anyone who intends to 'change the occupancy type of a building or structure' — the same building-permit application, IRC-based fee table, and refundable project-cost-tiered deposit documented on this file's Residential and Commercial Building Permit entries. A certificate of occupancy (CO) is issued as the outcome of the final inspection under that same permit (Ordinance Sections 3-4), not through a separate CO application or fee: the refundable building-permit deposit is returned only after (1) the final inspection is completed and (2) a certificate of occupancy has been issued, and it is forfeited if anyone begins occupying the building, residence, or renovated portion before the CO is issued.
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Change of occupancy type of an existing building or structure, per Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.A
- Zoning Clearance Letter from the applicable town or county planning and zoning committee confirming the new use complies with zoning, before the Building Inspector will process the permit — Ordinance Section 2.C bars issuance of any building permit 'unless the contemplated project complies with all zoning regulations, county ordinances, and state law'
- Final inspection by the Building Inspector before a certificate of occupancy will be issued, per Ordinance Section 4.C
- No occupancy of the building, residence, or the renovated portion, before the certificate of occupancy is issued — occupying early forfeits the refundable building-permit deposit, per Ordinance Section 4.D(2)
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorQ online portal)Same application used for new construction and other building permits, describing the change-of-occupancy scope of work; no separate change-of-use-specific application form was located.
- RequiredZoning Clearance LetterFrom the applicable city/town or county planning and zoning committee, confirming the new occupancy/use is permitted before the county will process the permit.
- RequiredPlans / Documentation of Existing and Proposed OccupancySufficient description of the existing and proposed use/occupancy classification for the Building Inspector to evaluate code compliance for the new occupancy.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application | Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D — same fee basis documented for this file's other building permit entries; no distinct change-of-use or CO-specific fee is itemized anywhere in the ordinance. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project cost | $500 | Ordinance Section 4 — returned after final inspection AND certificate of occupancy issuance; forfeited if occupancy begins first. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project cost | $1,000 | Ordinance Section 4. |
| Refundable Building Permit Deposit — over $200,000 project cost | $2,000 | Ordinance Section 4. |
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 Rich County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.