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Deck Permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah

Required for new deck construction or structural modification of existing decks in unincorporated Salt Lake County. Permit fees are valuation-based using MSD's supplemental construction valuation of $22 per square foot for decks (any type).

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New deck construction attached to or detached from the house
  • Decks higher than 30 inches above grade
  • Structural modifications to existing decks
  • Adding or replacing a deck ledger

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Deck PermitGrounded 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): Decks (any type) = $22.00 per square foot, applied to the standard building-permit valuation fee table. Published, cited valuation-based fee — verified per the assessment rule. Example: 200 sqft deck = $4,400 valuation → $76.50 + (2 × $16.50) = $109.50 permit fee.
Valuation-based; deck valuation = $22 per square foot (any deck type), 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
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
~5–14 business days

How long did your Deck 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

    Footings

    Verify footing depth (below frost line, typically 30 inches in Wasatch Front area), diameter, and rebar before concrete pour.

  2. 2

    Framing

    Posts, beams, joists, ledger connection, and hardware.

  3. 3

    Final

    Decking, stairs, guards, and railings complete — 36-inch guard height required at 30+ inches above grade.

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

Tips

  • Deck valuation at MSD is $22 per square foot per the supplemental valuation table. A 200 sqft deck = $4,400 valuation.
  • Footings in unincorporated Salt Lake County must extend below the frost line — typically 30 inches in the Wasatch Front area.
  • Deck guards are required when the deck surface is 30 inches or more above grade.
  • Ledger boards must be positively attached with lag screws or through-bolts — nails are not permitted.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, in most cases. MSD requires a permit for decks over 30 inches above grade and decks attached to the house. The fee is valuation-based using $22 per square foot per the FY2025 Fee Schedule. Apply at msd.utah.gov/portal or call (385) 910-7138.

In Unincorporated Salt Lake County, the published Deck Permit is: Valuation-based; deck valuation = $22 per square foot (any deck type), applied to standard building permit fee table (minimum $70). Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — residential — 40% of the building permit fee; 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 deck permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County typically runs 5–14 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: Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings; Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County requires 3 inspection(s) for a deck permit, in order: Footings, Framing, 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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