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Basement Finish Permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah

Required for finishing or remodeling an unfinished basement in unincorporated Salt Lake County, including framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Issued by MSD. Fee is valuation-based using MSD's supplemental valuation for Basement TI ($28 per square foot).

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Framing walls in an unfinished basement
  • Adding a bedroom (requires egress window)
  • Adding a bathroom (requires separate plumbing permit)
  • Electrical wiring for new rooms
  • Any structural modifications

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Basement Finish Permit (Basement TI)Grounded and re-confirmed 2026-07-01 against the current MSD FY2025/FY2026 Fee Schedule PDF (msd.utah.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1471/FY-2026-SLCo-Fee-Schedule), Supplemental Construction Valuation Table, page 7 (rendered to PNG and read positionally — the table separately lists "Basements – Finished" at $41.00/sqft and "Basement TI" at $28.00/sqft as distinct line items; this permit correctly cites the Basement TI figure for interior-finish/remodel work of an existing basement shell). Published, cited valuation-based fee — verified per the assessment rule. Example: 800 sqft basement = $22,400 valuation → $76.50 + (20 × $16.50) = $406.50 permit fee.
Valuation-based; Basement TI valuation = $28 per square foot, applied to standard building permit fee table (minimum $70)
Plan Check Fee — residentialFY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025.
40% of the building permit fee
Trade Sub-Permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical as applicable)FY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Each trade (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) requires its own separate permit.
$70 base per trade, plus $20 per additional appliance/fixture
Re-Inspection FeeFY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025.
$50.00 per occurrence

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Salt Lake County building department
~7–14 business days

How long did your Basement Finish Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Salt Lake County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Framing

    Wall framing, fire blocking, egress window wells and openings.

  2. 2

    MEP Rough-In

    Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-ins before walls closed.

  3. 3

    Insulation

    Insulation on exterior walls, vapor barrier placement.

  4. 4

    Final

    Drywall, fixtures, smoke/CO detectors, and all finishes complete.

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

Tips

  • Basement finish valuation at MSD is $28 per square foot (Basement TI) per the supplemental valuation table. An 800 sqft basement = $22,400 valuation.
  • Every basement bedroom requires an egress window — 5.7 sq ft minimum opening, sill no higher than 44 inches above floor.
  • Window wells deeper than 44 inches require a permanently attached ladder or steps.
  • The furnace/water heater room needs combustion air — do not fully enclose it without an air supply.
  • Smoke detectors are required in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, for any room used as a bedroom. MSD enforces the 2021 IRC requirement for egress windows with a minimum 5.7 sq ft opening, sill height no more than 44 inches above the floor, and a window well if below grade.

In Unincorporated Salt Lake County, the published Basement Finish Permit (Basement TI) is: Valuation-based; Basement TI valuation = $28 per square foot, applied to standard building permit fee table (minimum $70). Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — residential — 40% of the building permit fee; Trade Sub-Permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical as applicable) — $70 base per trade, plus $20 per additional appliance/fixture; Re-Inspection Fee — $50.00 per occurrence. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a basement finish permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County typically runs 7–14 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services at (385) 910-7138.

You'll need: Floor Plan; Electrical Plan; Mechanical Plan. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Salt Lake County may also ask for: Plumbing Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County requires 4 inspection(s) for a basement finish permit, in order: Framing, MEP Rough-In, Insulation, Final. Schedule each through Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services ((385) 910-7138).

Apply through Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services at 860 W. Levoy Drive, Suite 300, Taylorsville, UT 84123. Phone: (385) 910-7138, email: inspections@msd.utah.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Official information: https://msd.utah.gov/205/Building-Services.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(a) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html), in force statewide since 7/1/2026 and binding on counties under §15A-1-204. MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IBC (incl. Appendices C & J) adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, MSD's own page has not been updated to the current statewide edition.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix AQ (except residential energy Chapter 11) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. MSD's own page lists the same 2021 IRC + Appendix AQ exclusion, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, consistent with the current statute on the base edition.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(d). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IPC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(e). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IMC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(f). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IFGC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(g); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page still displays the 2020 NEC — live-checked 2026-07-16, not updated to the statewide edition; confirm the enforced edition with MSD before starting electrical work.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — one code, no residential/commercial split, per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(h). MSD's own page still splits it — 2015 IECC residential (IRC Chapter 11 residential energy provisions explicitly excluded from the 2021 IRC adoption) and 2021 IECC commercial — live-checked 2026-07-16, both lag the current statewide edition; the residential/commercial split itself is preserved here as MSD-published history, not carried into the governing statutory citation.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(i). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IEBC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(n). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 ISPSC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(o). Not listed on MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page — live-checked 2026-07-16.; 2006 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — adopted per Utah Code Title 65A, Chapter 8. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Salt Lake County overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-01.

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

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Basement Finish Permit in other cities

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