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Fire Alarm System Permit in Cottonwood Heights, Utah

Cottonwood 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

When you need this permit

  • 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

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Fee schedule

UFA Fire Alarm Permit / Plan Review FeeCottonwood 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.
Not published as a distinct dollar figure
Third-Party Peer Review Fee (paid directly to the 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.
Market rate, set independently by the applicant's chosen UFA-approved reviewing firm

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fire Alarm System Permit permit actually take in Cottonwood Heights?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Acceptance Testing

    Per the Unified Fire Authority Fire Prevention Division's published services list, UFA performs acceptance testing for fire alarm systems following installation, verified against the applicant's submitted Record of Completion form.

Tips

  • Cottonwood Heights contracts its fire services to the Unified Fire Authority (UFA) rather than operating its own fire department; fire alarm permitting and plan review are handled by UFA's Fire Prevention Division, not city building staff.
  • Installing or relocating fewer than 5 alarm/notification appliances is exempt from UFA's third-party peer-review requirement, per UFA's published Peer Review for Fire Protection Systems notice.
  • A Record of Completion form (UFA's official document) is required for fire alarm systems upon project completion, separate from the Material and Test Certificate used for sprinkler piping.
  • A distinct Cottonwood Heights Building Permit (for the underlying construction) is still required in addition to the UFA fire alarm permit.

Frequently asked questions

Cottonwood Heights requires a fire alarm system permit for: 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. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Cottonwood Heights Community and Economic Development (CED) — Building Permit Division, staffed by a contracted Building Official (James Short, Sunrise Engineering) at 801-944-7062 before starting work.

No distinct dollar figure is published. Cottonwood Heights' Fee Schedule defers to UFA's own fee schedule rather than listing a city fee, and UFA's own official adopted Fee Schedule (checked in both the FY24/25 and FY25/26 Budget Books) itemizes hazardous-materials/operational permits but does not list a fire alarm permit or plan-review fee. The third-party peer review is billed separately, directly by the reviewing firm, at a market rate.

Cottonwood Heights does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Cottonwood Heights Community and Economic Development (CED) — Building Permit Division, staffed by a contracted Building Official (James Short, Sunrise Engineering) at 801-944-7062 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fire Alarm Plan – Submittal Guide; Third-Party Peer Review Report; Record of Completion – Fire Alarm System. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cottonwood Heights requires 1 inspection(s) for a fire alarm system permit, in order: Acceptance Testing. Schedule each through Cottonwood Heights Community and Economic Development (CED) — Building Permit Division, staffed by a contracted Building Official (James Short, Sunrise Engineering) (801-944-7062).

Apply through Cottonwood Heights Community and Economic Development (CED) — Building Permit Division, staffed by a contracted Building Official (James Short, Sunrise Engineering) at 2277 E Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121. Phone: 801-944-7062. Office hours: City Hall regular business hours (specific daily hours not published on the Building Permits or Codes and Standards pages as of the dates verified below); contact 801-944-7060 (codes/standards) or 801-944-7062 (permits) to confirm.. Official information: https://www.cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/city-services/building-permits/.

Cottonwood Heights, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a), superseding the 2021 IBC. Cottonwood Heights' own Building Codes and Standards page, live-checked 2026-07-16, still lists '2021 International Building Code' verbatim — the city's page has NOT been updated to reflect the 7/1/2026 statewide flip. The statute controls regardless of the city page's lag.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — REMAINS CURRENT; Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b) did NOT change this edition in the 7/1/2026 amendment. Matches the city's Building Codes and Standards page (live-checked 2026-07-16: '2021 International Residential Code').; Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(c); not separately itemized on the city's own Building Codes and Standards page, added here per statute.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e), superseding the 2021 IMC. The city's Building Codes and Standards page still lists '2021 International Mechanical Code' — live-checked 2026-07-16, confirming lag. The statute controls.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f), superseding the 2021 IFGC. The city's Building Codes and Standards page still lists '2021 International Fuel Gas Code' — live-checked 2026-07-16, confirming lag. The statute controls.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d), superseding the 2021 IPC. The city's Building Codes and Standards page still lists '2021 International Plumbing Code' — live-checked 2026-07-16, confirming lag. The statute controls.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — statewide-mandatory edition per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); UNCHANGED by the 7/1/2026 amendment (the 2023 NEC baseline predates this code cycle). The city's Building Codes and Standards page lists '2020 National Electric Code' — one edition behind the statewide-mandatory floor, confirmed still unchanged via live-check 2026-07-16. Per Utah Code § 15A-1-204 (statewide-mandatory construction code), the 2023 NEC governs regardless of the city's own page.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), single unsplit statewide edition — CURRENT as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h) (no residential/commercial split under current law), superseding the 2018 IECC. The city's Building Codes and Standards page still lists '2018 international energy conservation code' — live-checked 2026-07-16, confirming lag (this was already one edition behind the pre-7/1/2026 2021 IECC baseline other Salt Lake County cities used, and is now two editions behind current). The statute controls.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); not listed on the city's own Building Codes and Standards page (live-checked 2026-07-16), added here per statute since the city's own materials omit it entirely.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); not listed on the city's own Building Codes and Standards page (live-checked 2026-07-16), added here per statute since the city's own materials omit it entirely.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(o); not listed on the city's own Building Codes and Standards page, added here per statute.; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), with Utah state amendments — per the city's official Building Codes and Standards page (live-checked 2026-07-16, unchanged). NOTE: the IFC is NOT among the codes adopted by Utah Code § 15A-2-103 (Title 15A Chapter 2, State Construction Code) — Utah's Fire Code is separately adopted under Title 15A Chapter 5, State Fire Code Act; left as published by the city, no statutory edition change applies via § 15A-2-103.; 2017 ANSI ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (referenced on the codes page as '2017 ANSI ADA CODE') — per the city's official Building Codes and Standards page, live-checked 2026-07-16, unchanged.; 2009 ANSI A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — also separately listed on the same official codes page (both 2017 and 2009 editions appear on the city's current list; reproduced verbatim rather than reconciled, since only the city's own text is authoritative here). Live-checked 2026-07-16, unchanged.; 2015 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings — per the city's official Building Codes and Standards page, live-checked 2026-07-16, unchanged.; Cottonwood Heights Code of Ordinances (local amendments to the above, referenced but not separately itemized on the Codes and Standards page) — see localAmendments below.; NOTE (2026-07-16 re-verification): Utah Code § 15A-2-103, version effective 7/1/2026 (superseded 1/1/2027), took effect 15 days before this re-verification. IBC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IEBC/residential ISPSC are now 2024 statewide; IRC (2021) and NEC (2023) did NOT change. The city's Building Codes and Standards page (cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/city-services/building/codes-and-standards) was live-checked 2026-07-16 via real-browser navigation and confirmed still lagging — it verbatim lists 2021 IBC/IMC/IFGC/IPC/IRC, 2020 National Electric Code, and 2018 IECC, and omits IEBC and ISPSC entirely. The statewide statute controls over the city's un-updated page; the prior version of this array presented the city's stale figures as simply 'the city's own page controls' without flagging that the statute itself had moved past them — this entry corrects that.. Local amendments apply — see the Cottonwood Heights overview page for the full list.

The Unified Fire Authority (UFA), not the city itself. Cottonwood Heights contracts its fire services to UFA; UFA's Fire Prevention Division reviews and permits fire alarm system installations under International Fire Code § 104.8.2, generally after a UFA-approved third-party reviewer completes a peer review of the plans, unless the scope is limited to fewer than 5 alarm/notification appliances.