Skip to main content
PermitBase

Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Compliance in Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City has no separately named or separately priced 'Change of Use Permit' product. Instead, SLC City Code § 18.20.190 ('Final Inspection and Certificate of Occupancy') makes it unlawful to use or occupy, or to change the occupancy of, any building or structure until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy for it, and allows the building official to revoke an existing certificate of occupancy if the property has been changed or modified — including a change in occupancy classification — without obtaining the required permits. Separately, the city's own Building Permits FAQ confirms in plain language that 'if you are changing the use of a building or space (e.g., converting a residential property into a commercial space), a permit may be needed to ensure compliance with zoning and building codes.' Where a change of use also increases demand on city infrastructure, a Development Impact Fee Assessment (SLC Code Title 18.98) may apply, and where the new use is not already permitted outright in the property's zone, the standard Planning Division zoning fee schedule (Administrative Interpretation, Determination of Nonconforming Use, Conditional Use, etc.) applies rather than a distinct change-of-use fee.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A building or structure shall not be used or occupied in whole or in part, and a change in occupancy of a building or structure or portion thereof shall not occur, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefor (SLC Code § 18.20.190)
  • A certificate of occupancy may be revoked by the building official, upon notice, if elements of the property have been changed or modified — including a change in occupancy classification — without obtaining the requisite permits required by Title 18 (SLC Code § 18.20.190)
  • Changing the use of a building or space (e.g., converting a residential property into a commercial space) may require a permit to ensure compliance with zoning and building codes, per SLC Building Services' own Building Permits FAQ
  • A contractor is required on any commercial project, per SLC Building Services FAQ
  • A Development Impact Fee Assessment (SLC Code Title 18.98) may be required for remodels that include a change in use of space, per SLC Building Services' Impact Fee Assessment Schedule worksheet
  • Where the new use is not already permitted outright in the applicable zoning district, a Planning Division zoning approval (Administrative Interpretation, Determination of Nonconforming Use, or Conditional Use, among others) is required before the certificate of occupancy can be reissued

Required documents

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

Not ready yet — 0 of 1 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

Certificate of Occupancy (issuance/reissuance)No Certificate of Occupancy or Change of Use fee line item appears anywhere in SLC's Consolidated Fee Schedule (Ord. 2025-34, fetched and searched in full 2026-07-22) — the only reference to 'Certificate of Occupancy' in that document is as a billing trigger for sewer accounts, not a permit fee. SLC Code § 18.20.190 confirms the certificate of occupancy is issued by the building official as part of final inspection approval rather than as a separately priced product.
No separate fee — bundled into the standard building-permit / final-inspection process
Administrative Interpretation (if a zoning determination is needed for the new use)SLC Consolidated Fee Schedule, Ord. 2025-34, Zoning Fees table (p.23), SLC Code § 21A.12.040.A.6.
$81, plus $61 per hour for research after the first hour
Determination of Nonconforming Use (if the new/existing use relies on nonconforming status)SLC Consolidated Fee Schedule, Ord. 2025-34, Zoning Fees table (p.23), SLC Code § 14.52.030.A.5. Fee waiver available if adequate signatures are obtained, per the fee schedule.
$326
Development Impact Fees (if the change of use increases demand on city infrastructure)SLC Consolidated Fee Schedule, Ord. 2025-34, Impact Fees table (p.32), SLC Code § 18.98.090. SLC Building Services' Impact Fee Assessment Schedule worksheet states impact fees apply to 'most new primary structure construction, adding additional residential structures (including ADUs), commercial additions, and some remodels that include a change in use of space' — not to every change of use, only those with a net increase in demand.
Fire: $171 per unit (single/multi-family), $250 per 1,000 SF (office), $53 per 1,000 SF (industrial), $25 per 1,000 SF (commercial/retail). Park: $5,173 per unit (single-family), $3,078 per unit (multi-family), $0 (office/industrial/commercial). Police: $59 per unit (single/multi-family), $20 per 1,000 SF (office), $10 per 1,000 SF (industrial), $86 per 1,000 SF (commercial/retail). Transportation: $429 per unit (single-family), $242 per unit (multi-family), $498 per 1,000 SF (office), $290 per 1,000 SF (industrial), $1,955 per 1,000 SF (commercial/retail). Storm Water: $374 per 1/4 acre.

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Compliance permit actually take in Salt Lake City?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection (New/Reissued Certificate of Occupancy)

    Required before any change in occupancy of a building or structure may occur; the building official issues a new certificate of occupancy only after this inspection (SLC Code § 18.20.190).

See the full Salt Lake City inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Salt Lake City has no single, distinctly-named 'Change of Use Permit' — SLC Code § 18.20.190 instead requires a new certificate of occupancy any time a building's occupancy changes, and lets the building official revoke an existing certificate if the property was changed or modified, including a change in occupancy classification, without the required permits.
  • SLC Building Services' own Building Permits FAQ states plainly: 'If you are changing the use of a building or space (e.g., converting a residential property into a commercial space), a permit may be needed to ensure compliance with zoning and building codes.'
  • There is no distinct fee for certificate-of-occupancy issuance or reissuance in the Consolidated Fee Schedule — it is bundled into the standard building-permit final-inspection process at no additional charge.
  • A change of use that adds a change in use of space to a remodel can trigger a Development Impact Fee Assessment (Fire, Police, Park, Transportation, Storm Water) under SLC Code Title 18.98 — check with Building Services (801-535-6000) before assuming a use change is fee-free.
  • If the new use is not already permitted outright in the property's zoning district, expect to go through SLC's Planning Division zoning approval track (Administrative Interpretation $81+, Determination of Nonconforming Use $326, or Conditional Use) before a new certificate of occupancy can be issued.
  • Certificates of Occupancy are searchable on the Citizen Access Portal (www.slcpermits.com) back to 2008; prior to 2016, SLC only issued Certificates of Occupancy for new building construction, so an existing building's change of use may not have a certificate on file even where none is required by code compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Salt Lake City requires a change of use / certificate of occupancy compliance permit for: A building or structure shall not be used or occupied in whole or in part, and a change in occupancy of a building or structure or portion thereof shall not occur, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefor (SLC Code § 18.20.190); A certificate of occupancy may be revoked by the building official, upon notice, if elements of the property have been changed or modified — including a change in occupancy classification — without obtaining the requisite permits required by Title 18 (SLC Code § 18.20.190); Changing the use of a building or space (e.g., converting a residential property into a commercial space) may require a permit to ensure compliance with zoning and building codes, per SLC Building Services' own Building Permits FAQ; A contractor is required on any commercial project, per SLC Building Services FAQ; A Development Impact Fee Assessment (SLC Code Title 18.98) may be required for remodels that include a change in use of space, per SLC Building Services' Impact Fee Assessment Schedule worksheet; Where the new use is not already permitted outright in the applicable zoning district, a Planning Division zoning approval (Administrative Interpretation, Determination of Nonconforming Use, or Conditional Use, among others) is required before the certificate of occupancy can be reissued. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Salt Lake City Building Services at (801) 535-7968 before starting work.

Reissuing the certificate of occupancy has no separate fee — it is bundled into the building permit final-inspection process. If the new use requires Planning Division zoning approval, standard Zoning Fees apply (e.g., Administrative Interpretation $81 plus $61/hour research, Determination of Nonconforming Use $326). If the change of use increases demand on city infrastructure, a Development Impact Fee Assessment under SLC Code Title 18.98 may also apply (Fire, Police, Park, Transportation, and Storm Water fees).

Salt Lake City does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Salt Lake City Building Services at (801) 535-7968 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Citizen Access Portal). Depending on your project, Salt Lake City may also ask for: Impact Fee Assessment Schedule; Administrative Interpretation / Determination of Nonconforming Use / Conditional Use Application (Planning Division). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Salt Lake City requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy compliance permit, in order: Final Inspection (New/Reissued Certificate of Occupancy). Schedule each through Salt Lake City Building Services ((801) 535-7968).

Apply through Salt Lake City Building Services at 451 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Phone: (801) 535-7968, email: permits@slcgov.com. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.slc.gov/buildingservices/.

Salt Lake City, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b); unchanged by the 7/1/2026 code cycle; Appendix AQ of the 2021 International Residential Code — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(c); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); unchanged by the 7/1/2026 code cycle; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), residential provisions — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); effective 2026-07-01, superseding the 2021 edition (in force through 2026-06-30); NOTE (verified 2026-07-16): The 2024 editions of IBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, and ISPSC took effect 2026-07-01 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103, superseding the 2021 editions that governed through 2026-06-30. The 2021 IRC and 2023 NEC were NOT changed by this cycle. Confirmed directly against the version of § 15A-2-103 effective 7/1/2026 (superseded 1/1/2027) at le.utah.gov; the next scheduled version (1/1/2027) carries identical code editions, so this entry is not expected to go stale before then.. Local amendments apply — see the Salt Lake City overview page for the full list.

Not as a distinctly named or separately priced product. SLC Code § 18.20.190 requires a new certificate of occupancy any time a building's occupancy changes, and the city's Building Permits FAQ confirms a permit may be needed when changing the use of a building or space to ensure zoning and building code compliance. The certificate of occupancy itself is issued as part of the standard building-permit final-inspection process at no separate fee.

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 Salt Lake City building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Other permits in Salt Lake City

Residential Building PermitElectrical PermitEV Charger / EVSE PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRoofing PermitSolar Panel PermitFence PermitDemolition PermitWater Heater PermitFire Sprinkler & Fire Extinguishing System PermitDeck PermitBasement Finish PermitCommercial Building PermitCommercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish PermitSign Permit

Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Compliance in other cities

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

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

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Salt Lake City project checklist

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

Get started →