You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-16.
Cottonwood Heights building permits
VerifiedCottonwood Heights, Utah — as published 2026-07-16.
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Dwelling / Remodel)
VerifiedRequired for new single-family residential construction and residential remodels regulated by the adopted 2021 IRC/IBC suite. Cottonwood Heights uses a single valuation-based fee structure (no separate flat-fee table) administered by its contracted Building Official.
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source
Requirements
- New residential dwelling construction or residential remodel regulated by the adopted 2021 IRC/IBC
- Online application only, submitted via the city's iWorq-based Building Permit Application portal
- Building plans uploaded with the application — the city will not accept an application without accompanying plans (oversized plans emailed directly to the permits team)
- Zoning and setbacks compliance per the city's published Zoning and Setbacks standards
Required documents
- RequiredResidential Checklist – New ConstructionOfficial checklist for new residential dwelling plan submittals, linked from the Building Permit / Codes and Standards pages.
- RequiredResidential Remodel ChecklistOfficial checklist for residential remodel plan submittals.
- OptionalOwner-Builder Certification / DOPL Owner Builder FormRequired for applicants pursuing an owner-builder permit, per the city's official Owner-Builder Certification page and linked DOPL form.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee | 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current IBC edition adopted in Utah | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, 'Community and economic development > Building fees (code title 15)': 'Building permit fee — 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current version of the international building code (IBC) adopted in Utah.' |
| Plan Review Fee (residential) | 65% of base building permit fee | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Plan review fee (residential) — 65% of base building permit.' |
Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing Permit
VerifiedCovers standalone or combined electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work. Cottonwood Heights charges each trade at a flat 5% of the base building permit fee when applied for together with the building permit; if applied for separately, the fee instead follows the IBC fee schedule. EV charger/EVSE installation is electrical work and falls under this general Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing Permit; the city's official Fee Schedule page (live-checked 2026-07-19) publishes no separate EV-specific line item or process.
Verified 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- Electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work regulated statewide by the 2024 IPC / 2024 IMC / 2024 IFGC (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d)/(e)/(f), effective 7/1/2026) and the 2023 NEC (§ 15A-2-103(1)(g), unchanged); the city's own Building Codes and Standards page still lists the 2021 IPC/IMC/IFGC and 2020 NEC as of live-check 2026-07-16, but the statute controls
- Online application via the city's iWorq Building Permit Application portal
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorq portal)Submitted online only; the city does not accept paper or in-person-only applications.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Mechanical, or Plumbing Fee (applied with building permit) | 5% of base building permit fee, each trade | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees — Each is 5% of base building permit fee when applying with the building permit.' |
| Electrical, Mechanical, or Plumbing Fee (applied separately) | Follows the IBC fee schedule (valuation-based) | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'If you apply separately, fee follows the IBC schedule.' No further separate flat-dollar figure is published; left as described verbatim rather than converted to an estimated dollar amount. |
Solar Installation Permit
VerifiedRequired for residential and commercial solar photovoltaic installations. Cottonwood Heights publishes a dedicated Solar Installation Checklist as part of its supplemental residential plans/standards, but does not publish a separate flat solar permit fee distinct from the general valuation-based building permit fee.
Verified 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- Solar installation plans meeting the city's published Solar Installation Checklist
- Online application via the city's iWorq Building Permit Application portal
Required documents
- RequiredSolar Installation ChecklistOfficial supplemental residential checklist for solar installation plan submittals, linked from the Building Permits page.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee (applies — no solar-specific flat fee published) | 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current IBC edition adopted in Utah | No solar-specific line item appears on the city's official Fee Schedule page; solar installations are billed under the same general Building Permit Fee / Plan Review Fee structure as other permits, per that page's Community and Economic Development > Building fees section. |
Commercial Building Permit
VerifiedRequired for new commercial construction in Cottonwood Heights, administered by a contracted Building Official (Sunrise Engineering). The building permit fee is 100% of the IBC building valuation data table — the same method used for residential — and the non-residential plan review fee is 65% of the base building permit fee, matching the residential rate.
Verified 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- New commercial construction, per the city's New Commercial Checklist
- Design-professional (architect) stamp required for spaces 3,000 sq ft or larger, or for structural changes, per state law
- Geotechnical report and structural footing/foundation plan
- Signed site-plan mylar with Engineering/Water/Storm Water sign-off
- Fire Marshal-approved sprinkler plans where applicable
Required documents
- RequiredCode Analysis TablePer the city's New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredElectrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Plan DetailsPer the New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredADA-Dimensioned PlansPer the New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredWall Sections and Fire-Rated Assembly DetailsPer the New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredGeotechnical ReportPer the New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredStructural Footing/Foundation PlanPer the New Commercial Checklist.
- RequiredSigned Site-Plan Mylar (Engineering/Water/Storm Water)Per the New Commercial Checklist.
- OptionalDesign Professional Stamp (Architect)Required for projects 3,000 sq ft or larger per state law.
- OptionalStucco ICC ReportRequired only where stucco is part of the exterior assembly.
- OptionalFire Marshal-Approved Sprinkler PlansRequired where a fire sprinkler system is part of the scope.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee | 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current IBC edition adopted in Utah | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, 'Community and economic development > Building fees (code title 15)': 'Building permit fee — 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current version of the international building code (IBC) adopted in Utah.' |
| Plan Review Fee (Non-Residential) | 65% of base building permit fee | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Plan review fee (non-residential) — 65% of base building permit.' Same rate as the residential plan review fee. |
| Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Fees | 5% each of the base building permit fee when applied with the building permit | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees — Each is 5% of base building permit fee when applying with the building permit. If you apply separately, fee follows the IBC schedule.' |
| Zoning Review — Commercial Building Permit | $150 | Cottonwood Heights Fee Schedule, Zoning review section: 'Commercial building permit review — $150' (vs. $75 for residential building permit review). |
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit
VerifiedRequired for commercial remodel and tenant-improvement work in Cottonwood Heights per the city's Commercial TI Checklist, which is lighter-weight than new commercial construction (no geotechnical, foundation, or site-plan mylar requirement). The building permit fee is 100% of the IBC building valuation data table; the non-residential plan review fee is 65% of the base building permit fee, the same rate as new construction.
Verified 2026-07-19 · Source
Requirements
- Commercial remodel or tenant-improvement scope
- Plans must indicate shell construction vs. tenant finish, per the Commercial TI Checklist
- Design-professional (architect) stamp required for spaces 3,000 sq ft or larger, per state law
- Fees based on the valuation of the project; plan review fee due at time of submittal
Required documents
- RequiredCode Analysis TablePer the city's Commercial TI Checklist.
- RequiredElectrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Plan DetailsPer the Commercial TI Checklist.
- RequiredADA-Dimensioned PlansPer the Commercial TI Checklist.
- RequiredWall Sections and Fire-Rated Assembly DetailsPer the Commercial TI Checklist.
- RequiredShell vs. Tenant Finish DesignationPlans must indicate shell construction vs. tenant finish, per the Commercial TI Checklist.
- OptionalDesign Professional Stamp (Architect)Required for projects 3,000 sq ft or larger per state law.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee | 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current IBC edition adopted in Utah | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, 'Community and economic development > Building fees (code title 15)': 'Building permit fee — 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current version of the international building code (IBC) adopted in Utah.' |
| Plan Review Fee (Non-Residential) | 65% of base building permit fee | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Plan review fee (non-residential) — 65% of base building permit.' Same rate as the residential plan review fee. |
| Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Fees | 5% each of the base building permit fee when applied with the building permit | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees — Each is 5% of base building permit fee when applying with the building permit. If you apply separately, fee follows the IBC schedule.' |
Sign Permit
Required to erect, convert, or display most signs in Cottonwood Heights under City Code chapter 19.82 (Signs). Monument, wall, and projecting signs are each independently regulated by size/height/setback charts specific to the zoning district. The city's Fee Schedule lists a $150 zoning review fee under 'Signs and building permits.' Re-chased 2026-07-20: the live fee schedule page (previously only reachable via a Wayback snapshot because a direct curl returned HTTP 403) was successfully re-fetched through a reader-proxy, confirming it is CURRENT (not a stale artifact) and that 'Wall signs — $150' remains the only sign-specific line item in the 'Zoning review: Signs and building permits' table — no monument or projecting sign line exists anywhere in that table. The enabling ordinance for the fee schedule (City Code § 3.16.010) was also fetched in full and simply defers to 'the city's consolidated fee schedule, as amended' without itemizing sign sub-types itself, and the full text of City Code § 19.82.140.D (Fees) likewise only states fees 'shall be as specified in the city's consolidated fee schedule' with no further sign-type breakdown. A separate, valuation-based general Building Permit Fee (City Code Title 15, 100% of the IBC building valuation data table) also applies to any sign requiring structural/electrical work, layered on top of whichever zoning-review fee applies. Whether monument and projecting signs are billed under the same $150 'Wall signs' line, a different unpublished amount, or are simply not subject to a distinct zoning-review fee, could not be resolved from any city-published source — this appears to be a genuine gap in the city's own fee schedule rather than a retrieval failure.
Reviewed 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- No person may erect, convert, or display a sign unless the department has issued a permit or the sign is exempted under City Code § 19.82.140.F (City Code § 19.82.140.A)
- Monument signs are limited to one per street/highway frontage in NC, CR, O-R-D, PF, RO, and MU zones and at religious institutions, sized per Chart 19.82.03-01 (e.g., NC/CR/PF monument: 36 sq ft, 6 ft max height, 18 in. setback; RO monument: 32 sq ft, 4 ft max height, 36 in. setback)
- Wall signs are limited to an aggregate of 15% of the wall area where displayed, may not project more than 12 inches from the wall, and cabinet signs are not permitted as wall signs (City Code § 19.82.040)
- Projecting signs require at least 8 feet of sidewalk clearance, may project no more than 4 feet from the building (or one-third the sidewalk width, whichever is less), and must not exceed 18 feet in height or the roofline, whichever is lower (City Code § 19.82.050)
- Temporary signs (max 20 sq ft, max 6 ft height) may be displayed for no more than 20 days in any 12 consecutive months and require a permit under § 19.82.140 unless otherwise exempted (City Code §§ 19.82.070, 19.82.125)
Required documents
- RequiredSign Permit ApplicationFiled with the department; must include the sign contractor's name/address/phone, the property owner/occupant's information, the proposed erection/conversion/display date, the zoning district (and Area of Special Character, if any), and any approved variance (City Code § 19.82.140.B.1)
- RequiredScaled Color DrawingMust show all existing signs on the premises, the location/height/size of proposed signs, the items of information to be displayed, and the percentage of signable area the proposed sign(s) will cover (City Code § 19.82.140.B.2)
- RequiredConstruction/Illumination SpecificationsSpecifications for the sign's construction or display and for its illumination and mechanical movement, if any (City Code § 19.82.140.B.3)
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wall Sign — Zoning Review | $150.00 | Cottonwood Heights Fee Schedule, Zoning review: Signs and building permits section, line item Wall signs. Originally confirmed via a Wayback Machine snapshot (2026-07-09) because the city's live page returned HTTP 403 to a direct curl fetch; RE-CONFIRMED 2026-07-20 by fetching the live page through a reader-proxy (which bypasses the 403), verifying this is still the current, non-stale figure. This remains the ONLY sign-specific dollar figure the published fee schedule itemizes anywhere. Also checked: the enabling ordinance (City Code 3.16.010, Consolidated Fee Schedule, which just defers to the schedule as amended without itemizing sign sub-types), and the full text of the sign ordinance's own fee clause (City Code 19.82.140.D, which likewise just cross-references the city's consolidated fee schedule with no further breakdown). No monument-sign or projecting-sign-specific line exists in any of these three sources. This is treated as a genuine gap in the city's own publication, not a retrieval failure — confirm with Community and Economic Development (801-944-7062) whether non-wall sign types are billed at this same $150 rate before budgeting. THIRD re-chase pass 2026-07-20: attempted to pull the FY2026 Budget Book Final (cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10679/639046075839100000), which often contains a more granular Consolidated Fee Schedule appendix than the summary webpage -- the document returned HTTP 403 to a direct fetch and returned empty content even through the r.jina.ai reader-proxy that successfully bypassed the 403 for the plain HTML fee-schedule page, suggesting the PDF itself is not text-extractable via this route; could not confirm or rule out a more detailed sign fee table inside it. Also searched engine-indexed snippets for 'Cottonwood Heights' + monument/projecting sign fee dollar amounts -- no indexed page or PDF surfaces a figure beyond the $150 Wall signs line already on file. Checked a similarly-named cottonwoodheights.com domain fee document -- it redirects to chparksandrecut.gov, the separate Parks and Recreation Service Area board (a different governmental entity from the city, with its own budget/fee process for parks/rec programs only) -- correctly ruled out as inapplicable to city sign permits. Checked Planning Commission and City Council agendas for any sign-ordinance fee amendment -- found only a 2024 zoning-text edit about monument-sign placement at religious institutions, no fee change. Genuinely appears to be a gap in the city's own publication rather than a retrieval failure; the FY2026 Budget Book PDF is the one remaining unread avenue and would require manual/browser access to fully rule out. |
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
VerifiedCottonwood Heights does not publish a separate EV-charger/EVSE permit or fee category. Installing an EV charger is electrical work and is processed under the city's general Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing Permit — the city's own Fee Schedule page and Codes and Standards guidance (live-checked 2026-07-19) confirm there is no EV-specific line item or process, and this permit type exists here so EV charger installs are searchable in their own right.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- Installation of a Level 2 or DC fast EV charger (EVSE) at a residential or commercial property in Cottonwood Heights
- Electrical work regulated statewide by the 2023 NEC (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g))
- Online application via the city's iWorq Building Permit Application portal, filed as an Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing Permit
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (iWorq portal)Submitted online only under the Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing Permit category; the city does not accept paper or in-person-only applications.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Fee (applied with building permit) | 5% of base building permit fee | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees — Each is 5% of base building permit fee when applying with the building permit.' EV chargers are billed under this same electrical fee; the city publishes no EV-specific dollar figure. |
| Electrical Fee (applied separately, e.g. standalone EV charger install) | Follows the IBC fee schedule (valuation-based) | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'If you apply separately, fee follows the IBC schedule.' No further separate flat-dollar figure is published for standalone electrical work. |
Fire Sprinkler System Permit
VerifiedCottonwood Heights is served by the Unified Fire Authority (UFA), a regional fire authority, not an in-house city fire department. Per International Fire Code § 104.8.2 as enforced by UFA, installation or modification of an automatic fire protection (sprinkler) system requires its own permit and, in most cases, a third-party 'peer review' (a design professional's technical opinion and report) — a distinct process from the general Building Permit. Neither the city's own Fee Schedule nor UFA's own official adopted Fee Schedule (verified in both the FY24/25 and FY25/26 UFA Budget Books) publishes a specific dollar figure for this permit or its plan review; the city's Fee Schedule instead defers entirely to UFA via a 'Fire department: Unified Fire Authority fee schedule' link, and UFA's own itemized 'Prevention Fees & Permits' table only lists hazardous-materials/operational permits (tanks, hazmat storage, fireworks, etc.), not a fire sprinkler construction-permit line.
Verified 2026-07-21 · Source
Requirements
- Installation or modification of an automatic fire protection (sprinkler) system, fire pump, jockey pump, controller, or standpipe system, per International Fire Code § 104.8.2 as enforced by the Unified Fire Authority
- Third-party peer review (a UFA-approved design professional's technical opinion and report) required, UNLESS the scope is limited to installation or relocation of fewer than 20 sprinkler heads (exempted per UFA's published Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems notice)
- Plans first submitted to a UFA-approved third-party reviewing firm of the applicant's choice (UFA publishes an approved-reviewer list); after that review and written comments are complete, plans are submitted to ufaplansubmittal@unifiedfire.org for UFA final review and permitting
- Any associated construction work (e.g. new building, tenant improvement) still requires the applicable Cottonwood Heights Building Permit (Residential, Commercial, or Commercial TI) through the city's iWorq portal
Required documents
- RequiredFire Sprinkler Plan – Submittal GuideUFA's official submittal guide for fire sprinkler system plans, linked from UFA's Plan Reviews page.
- RequiredThird-Party Peer Review ReportTechnical opinion and report from a UFA-approved third-party reviewing firm (e.g. Protection Consultants Inc., Spectrum Engineers, West Coast Code Consultants, and others on UFA's published approved-reviewer list); not required for installation/relocation of fewer than 20 sprinkler heads.
- OptionalMaterial and Test Certificate – Aboveground or Underground PipingUFA's official completion-verification form for sprinkler system piping, submitted per UFA's Plan Reviews page.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UFA Fire Sprinkler Permit / Plan Review Fee | Not published as a distinct dollar figure | Cottonwood Heights' own official Fee Schedule page states only 'Fire department: Unified Fire Authority fee schedule' with a link out to UFA (unifiedfireut.gov/member-fee-system/) rather than listing a city-side fire fee. UFA's own official adopted Fee Schedule, checked in BOTH the FY24/25 Budget Book (Fee Schedule section, 'Prevention Fees & Permits' table, page 43 of the PDF) and the FY25/26 Adopted Budget Book (same section, page 44 of the PDF), itemizes only hazardous-materials and operational permits (above/below-ground tank installation, hazardous materials dispensing/use/storage, fireworks, open flame events, flammable finishes application, body shop/repair garage, LPG tank exchange cabinet, aerosol products, flammable cryogenic fluid, pyroxylin plastics) plus an '$85/hour Extra Inspection Fee' and a 'Hazardous Materials Combo Permit' rule — no fire sprinkler system permit or construction plan-review line item appears in either budget year's fee table. This was cross-checked against UFA's own 'Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems' notice (unifiedfireut.gov/wp-content/uploads/Peer-Review-for-Fire-Protection-Systems-4.25.pdf) and UFA's Plan Reviews and Fire Prevention Division web pages, none of which state a dollar figure either. This is treated as a genuine gap in UFA's own publication rather than a retrieval failure — confirm directly with UFA's Fire Prevention Division (801-743-7200 / ufaprevention@unifiedfire.org) before budgeting. |
| Third-Party Peer Review Fee (paid directly to the reviewing firm) | Market rate, set independently by the applicant's chosen UFA-approved reviewing firm | UFA's Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems notice directs applicants to 'submit plans to the company of your choice' from its approved-reviewer list; this is a private engagement between the applicant and the reviewing firm, not a government-set fee, and no rate card is published by UFA or the city. |
Fire Alarm System Permit
VerifiedCottonwood Heights is served by the Unified Fire Authority (UFA), not an in-house city fire department. Per International Fire Code § 104.8.2 as enforced by UFA, installation or modification of a fire alarm and detection system requires its own permit and, in most cases, a third-party 'peer review' — a distinct process from the general Building Permit. As with fire sprinkler systems, neither the city's own Fee Schedule nor UFA's own official adopted Fee Schedule (FY24/25 and FY25/26 UFA Budget Books) publishes a specific dollar figure for this permit or its plan review; the city's Fee Schedule defers entirely to UFA via a 'Fire department: Unified Fire Authority fee schedule' link.
Verified 2026-07-21 · Source
Requirements
- Installation or modification of a fire alarm and detection system or related equipment, per International Fire Code § 104.8.2 as enforced by the Unified Fire Authority
- Third-party peer review (a UFA-approved design professional's technical opinion and report) required, UNLESS the scope is limited to installation or relocation of fewer than 5 alarm/notification appliances (exempted per UFA's published Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems notice)
- Plans first submitted to a UFA-approved third-party reviewing firm of the applicant's choice; after that review and written comments are complete, plans are submitted to ufaplansubmittal@unifiedfire.org for UFA final review and permitting
- A Record of Completion for the fire alarm system, per UFA's published form, upon project completion
- Any associated construction work still requires the applicable Cottonwood Heights Building Permit through the city's iWorq portal
Required documents
- RequiredFire Alarm Plan – Submittal GuideUFA's official submittal guide for fire alarm system plans, linked from UFA's Plan Reviews page.
- RequiredThird-Party Peer Review ReportTechnical opinion and report from a UFA-approved third-party reviewing firm; not required for installation/relocation of fewer than 5 alarm/notification appliances.
- RequiredRecord of Completion – Fire Alarm SystemUFA's official completion-verification form for fire alarm systems.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UFA Fire Alarm Permit / Plan Review Fee | Not published as a distinct dollar figure | Cottonwood Heights' own official Fee Schedule page states only 'Fire department: Unified Fire Authority fee schedule' with a link out to UFA rather than listing a city-side fire fee. UFA's own official adopted Fee Schedule, checked in BOTH the FY24/25 Budget Book and the FY25/26 Adopted Budget Book (Fee Schedule section, 'Prevention Fees & Permits' table in each), itemizes only hazardous-materials and operational permits — no fire alarm system permit or construction plan-review line item appears in either budget year's fee table. This was cross-checked against UFA's own 'Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems' notice and UFA's Plan Reviews and Fire Prevention Division web pages, none of which state a dollar figure either. This is treated as a genuine gap in UFA's own publication rather than a retrieval failure — confirm directly with UFA's Fire Prevention Division (801-743-7200 / ufaprevention@unifiedfire.org) before budgeting. |
| Third-Party Peer Review Fee (paid directly to the reviewing firm) | Market rate, set independently by the applicant's chosen UFA-approved reviewing firm | UFA's Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems notice directs applicants to submit plans to the company of their choice from its approved-reviewer list; this is a private engagement between the applicant and the reviewing firm, not a government-set fee, and no rate card is published by UFA or the city. |
Change of Use / Nonconforming Use Permit
VerifiedCottonwood Heights has no single permit literally named 'Change of Use Permit.' Depending on the specific scenario, a change of use is instead processed through one of several distinct, separately fee'd mechanisms: (1) a Zoning Verification Letter ($150) confirming a property's current zoning/use status; (2) if the change is between two legally nonconforming uses, a Conditional Use application under City Code § 19.88.090(4) ($350 base fee, 'Conditional uses not requiring site plan approval'), reviewed by the Planning Commission; (3) if the change involves addition, enlargement, or reconstruction of a nonconforming building under City Code § 19.88.070, a 'Nonconforming Building or Use Application' ($900), reviewed by the Board of Adjustment / appeals hearing officer; and (4) for an ordinary new-tenant occupancy change in an existing commercial space, a Commercial Business License Change (Major Change, $170) that triggers zoning, fire, and health department review when the change involves a location/use change (vs. a $50 Minor Change for name/ownership changes requiring no departmental review). A same-use or code-conforming occupancy-classification change accompanied by construction is instead processed as the Commercial or Commercial Tenant Improvement Building Permit.
Verified 2026-07-21 · Source
Requirements
- No construction, only a zoning-status question: file for a Zoning Verification Letter ($150) confirming the property's current zoning/use status for a lender, buyer, or tenant
- Change from one legally nonconforming use to another nonconforming use: subject to Planning Commission review as a Conditional Use per City Code § 19.88.090(4), which cross-references Chapters 19.78 (Conditional Uses) and 19.84 (Board of Adjustment)
- Change to a use allowed in the most restrictive zone where the existing nonconforming use is allowed: Planning Commission must find the new use 'would not be more intensive than the most recent existing legal nonconforming use,' per City Code § 19.88.090
- Addition, enlargement, or reconstruction of a nonconforming building or use: requires a permit authorized by the appeals hearing officer after a hearing, per City Code § 19.88.070, funded by the 'Nonconforming Building or Use Application' fee under the Fee Schedule's Board of Adjustment section
- New tenant/business occupying an existing commercial space with a location or use change: file a Commercial Business License Change (Major Change) triggering zoning, fire, and health department review
- Use change accompanied by construction or a change in IBC occupancy classification: processed as the standard Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit rather than as a standalone change-of-use product
Required documents
- OptionalZoning Verification Letter RequestRequested from Community and Economic Development to confirm a property's current zoning/use status; not a construction-code Certificate of Occupancy.
- OptionalConditional Use ApplicationFiled for a change from one nonconforming use to another, per City Code § 19.88.090(4); reviewed by the Planning Commission per Chapter 19.78.
- OptionalNonconforming Building or Use ApplicationFiled with the Board of Adjustment / appeals hearing officer for addition, enlargement, or reconstruction of a nonconforming building or use, per City Code § 19.88.070.
- OptionalCommercial Business License Change ApplicationFiled with Community and Economic Development for a business location, name, or ownership change; a 'Major Change' (location/use change) triggers zoning, fire, and health department review.
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zoning Verification Letter | $150 | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, Zoning review section: 'Zoning verification letter — $150.' Confirms current zoning/use status; not a construction-code Certificate of Occupancy. |
| Conditional Use (change of nonconforming use to another nonconforming use) | $350 base fee, plus $150 noticing fee | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: 'Conditional uses not requiring site plan approval — $350 base fee (covers two staff and engineering reviews)' plus a separate 'Conditional use application noticing fee — $150' in addition to the application fee. City Code § 19.88.090(4) requires this pathway when a nonconforming use changes to another nonconforming use. |
| Nonconforming Building or Use Application (Board of Adjustment) | $900 | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, Board of Adjustment section: 'Nonconforming building or use application — $900,' alongside 'Appeal — $600' and 'Variance application — $900' in the same section. This funds the City Code § 19.88.070 process (addition, enlargement, or reconstruction of a nonconforming building/use via the appeals hearing officer) — distinct from the Planning Commission's Conditional Use track under § 19.88.090. |
| Commercial Business License Change — Major Change | $170 | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page, Community and Economic Development section: Major Change fee applies to changes such as business location changes that necessitate zoning, fire, and health department review — the closest city-published analog to a same-space change-of-use/occupant review for an ordinary (non-nonconforming) tenant change. |
| Commercial Business License Change — Minor Change | $50 | Cottonwood Heights official Fee Schedule page: Minor Change fee applies to name or ownership changes that do not require zoning, fire, or health department evaluation — included here for contrast; this tier does NOT represent a change of use. |
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.
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 Cottonwood Heights building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.