Skip to main content
PermitBase

Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in Unincorporated Rich County, Utah

Rich 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

When you need this permit

  • 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

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 3 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our paid checklist will assemble all of them, from $29 →

Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (valuation-based)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.
Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application
Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project costOrdinance Section 4 — returned after final inspection AND certificate of occupancy issuance; forfeited if occupancy begins first.
$500
Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project costOrdinance Section 4.
$1,000
Refundable Building Permit Deposit — over $200,000 project costOrdinance Section 4.
$2,000

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Rich County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    Building Inspector's final inspection of the building/structure under its new occupancy classification; a certificate of occupancy is issued only after this inspection passes, per Ordinance Section 4.C.

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

Tips

  • Rich County has no distinct 'change of use' permit or 'certificate of occupancy' application — both are processed through the same general Building Permit that covers new construction. Ordinance Section 2.A explicitly lists a change in 'occupancy type' among the triggers requiring a building permit.
  • Do not occupy the building, or the renovated portion, before the certificate of occupancy is issued — Ordinance Section 4.D(2) forfeits the refundable building-permit deposit ($500-$2,000 tiered by project cost) if occupancy begins first.
  • Get the Zoning Clearance Letter for the NEW use before applying — Ordinance Section 2.C bars the Building Inspector from issuing any building permit, including a change-of-occupancy permit, unless the project complies with zoning.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Rich County requires a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit for: 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). If your project isn't listed, confirm with Rich County Building Department at 801-564-0897 (Building Inspector Tyler D. Seaman, cell); 435-793-5155 (payments — text or email preferred); 435-793-2415 (Rich County Courthouse general line) before starting work.

In Unincorporated Rich County, the published Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) is: Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application. Additional published fees: Refundable Building Permit Deposit — under $100,000 project cost — $500; Refundable Building Permit Deposit — $100,000 to $200,000 project cost — $1,000; Refundable Building Permit Deposit — over $200,000 project cost — $2,000. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Rich County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Rich County Building Department at 801-564-0897 (Building Inspector Tyler D. Seaman, cell); 435-793-5155 (payments — text or email preferred); 435-793-2415 (Rich County Courthouse general line) for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (iWorQ online portal); Zoning Clearance Letter; Plans / Documentation of Existing and Proposed Occupancy. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Rich County requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through Rich County Building Department (801-564-0897 (Building Inspector Tyler D. Seaman, cell); 435-793-5155 (payments — text or email preferred); 435-793-2415 (Rich County Courthouse general line)).

Apply through Rich County Building Department at Rich County Courthouse, 20 S. Main, Randolph, UT 84064 (Building Inspector Tyler D. Seaman: 564 S Norway Spruce Dr, Layton, UT 84041 — inspector operates from this mailing address but permits/payments are processed through the Rich County Courthouse). Phone: 801-564-0897 (Building Inspector Tyler D. Seaman, cell); 435-793-5155 (payments — text or email preferred); 435-793-2415 (Rich County Courthouse general line), email: beaconcodeconsultants@gmail.com (Building Inspector). Office hours: Rich County Courthouse: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Building Inspector has no fixed office hours — contact by cell/text or email for the best response.. Official information: https://www.richcounty.gov/building-department/.

No. Per the county's Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (Ordinance No. 025-3, adopted January 8, 2025), changing the occupancy type of a building requires the same general Building Permit process used for new construction — the same IRC-based fee table and project-cost-tiered refundable deposit apply, with no distinct change-of-use application or fee.

A certificate of occupancy is issued by the Building Inspector after the final inspection of the permitted work passes — it is not a separate application. The county's refundable building-permit deposit is returned only once both the final inspection is complete and the certificate of occupancy has been issued; occupying the space beforehand forfeits the deposit.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.

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.

Other permits in Unincorporated Rich County

Residential Building PermitCommercial Building PermitCommercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish PermitSign PermitEV Charger / EVSE PermitSolar / Solar PV Installation PermitFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit

Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in other cities

Alpine, UtahAmerican Fork, UtahBountiful, UtahBrigham City, UtahCedar City, UtahCedar Hills, UtahCenterville, UtahClearfield, Utah

Compare change of use / certificate of occupancy permit fees across Utah →

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Unincorporated Rich County project checklist

Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Unincorporated Rich County — in one checklist. Sign up and pay once to generate it, or go unlimited with Pro.

Get started →