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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in West Valley City, Utah

West Valley City does not sell a separate, individually-priced 'change of use permit' product. Per Municipal Code § 7-1-108(3), the use of land or a structure may not be commenced or changed except upon issuance of a written Use Permit by the Community and Economic Development Department (agricultural and animal-keeping uses are exempted). For single-family dwellings, 'changing the use of a room or area' is explicitly listed on the WVC Permit Requirements page as an activity that requires a standard residential Building Permit rather than a distinct product. For non-single-family uses, the Planning & Zoning Division's codified 'Permitted use' review ($350) is the closest standalone fee product to a change-of-use approval; a Certificate of Occupancy (or Certificate of Completion) is then issued at project closeout per the WVC Commercial Certificate of Occupancy Checklist, with no separate CO fee published anywhere in the full Community and Economic Development fee schedule (§ 1-2-103) as confirmed live on 2026-07-22.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A written Use Permit from the Community and Economic Development Department is required before commencing or changing the use of land or a structure, per § 7-1-108(3) — except land used for agricultural purposes or the keeping/raising of animals
  • For single-family dwellings, changing the use of a room or area (e.g. converting a garage to habitable space) requires a standard residential Building Permit per the WVC Permit Requirements page — it is not a distinct 'change of use' product
  • For commercial/tenant space, a change in occupancy classification is reviewed through the Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit process for IBC/IEBC compliance, not as a standalone change-of-use permit
  • A Certificate of Occupancy requires a passing final inspection from both the WVC Building Inspection Division and the WVC Fire Marshal before the space may be occupied
  • The Structure or land shall not be used for any use not identified within the zone where the property exists, per § 7-1-108(2)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Permitted Use review (Planning & Zoning, excluding single-family dwellings)West Valley City Municipal Code § 1-2-103(2)(i), Consolidated Fee Schedule, Planning and Zoning Division: 'Permitted use (excluding single-family dwellings) – $350.' This is the codified fee product that implements the § 7-1-108(3) Use Permit requirement for non-SFD uses.
$350
Zoning Determination Letter (lower-cost alternative to confirm zoning compliance)West Valley City Municipal Code § 1-2-103(2)(q): 'Zoning determination letter – $35.' Confirm with Planning & Zoning (801-963-3282) whether your specific tenant/use change requires the full $350 Permitted Use review or only this letter.
$35
Certificate of Occupancy issuanceThe Certificate of Occupancy is issued as a closeout step of the underlying Building Permit, Commercial Building Permit, or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit at no separate charge. Confirmed against the full, live-fetched Community and Economic Development Consolidated Fee Schedule (§ 1-2-103, all Building Inspection Division and Planning and Zoning Division line items) on 2026-07-22 — no distinct 'certificate of occupancy' or 'change of use' fee line item exists anywhere in that schedule.
No standalone fee published
Civil penalty — occupancy before approvalWest Valley City Municipal Code § 1-2-105(4)(e), implementing IFC 105.3.3 and 901.5.1: 'Occupancy before approval ... double the cost of the required permit.'
Double the cost of the required permit

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in West Valley City?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Building Final

    WVC Building Inspection Division field final verifying life-safety and code compliance for the new use or occupancy

  2. 2

    Fire Marshal Final

    Required before Certificate of Occupancy issuance per the WVC Commercial Certificate of Occupancy Checklist; contact Fire Inspector Lance Nielson at (801) 963-3551 or Marcus Duarte at (801) 965-5811

See the full West Valley City inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • West Valley City does not sell a standalone, individually-priced 'change of use' or 'certificate of occupancy' permit — the Certificate of Occupancy rides along with whatever underlying permit (Building, Commercial Building, or Commercial Tenant Improvement) governs the project, and the closest codified standalone fee is the $350 Planning & Zoning 'Permitted use' review under § 1-2-103(2)(i).
  • For a lower-cost path when you only need to confirm zoning compliance rather than a full use review, ask Planning & Zoning about the $35 Zoning Determination Letter (§ 1-2-103(2)(q)) before assuming the full $350 Permitted Use fee applies.
  • For single-family dwellings, changing the use of a room or area (e.g., garage conversion) is processed as a standard residential Building Permit — see this jurisdiction's Residential Building Permit entry — not as a distinct change-of-use product.
  • Occupying a space before the Building Inspection Division and Fire Marshal both sign off doubles the cost of the required permit, per § 1-2-105(4)(e) — do not move in or open for business before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

Frequently asked questions

West Valley City requires a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit for: A written Use Permit from the Community and Economic Development Department is required before commencing or changing the use of land or a structure, per § 7-1-108(3) — except land used for agricultural purposes or the keeping/raising of animals; For single-family dwellings, changing the use of a room or area (e.g. converting a garage to habitable space) requires a standard residential Building Permit per the WVC Permit Requirements page — it is not a distinct 'change of use' product; For commercial/tenant space, a change in occupancy classification is reviewed through the Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit process for IBC/IEBC compliance, not as a standalone change-of-use permit; A Certificate of Occupancy requires a passing final inspection from both the WVC Building Inspection Division and the WVC Fire Marshal before the space may be occupied; The Structure or land shall not be used for any use not identified within the zone where the property exists, per § 7-1-108(2). If your project isn't listed, confirm with West Valley City Building Inspection Division at (801) 963-3283 before starting work.

No separate CO fee is published anywhere in the city's Consolidated Fee Schedule (§ 1-2-103) as of 2026-07-22 — the Certificate of Occupancy is issued at closeout of the underlying Building, Commercial Building, or Tenant Improvement permit at no additional charge, once both the Building Inspection Division and the Fire Marshal sign off.

West Valley City does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact West Valley City Building Inspection Division at (801) 963-3283 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Permitted Use Application (Planning & Zoning); As-Built Drawings; Contractor Verification Form. Depending on your project, West Valley City may also ask for: Special Inspector Letter of Compliance / Final Structural Engineer Letter; HVAC Balance Report. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

West Valley City requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Building Final, Fire Marshal Final. Schedule each through West Valley City Building Inspection Division ((801) 963-3283).

Apply through West Valley City Building Inspection Division at 3600 S Constitution Boulevard, Suite 220, West Valley City, UT 84119. Phone: (801) 963-3283, email: building@wvc-ut.gov. Office hours: Monday–Thursday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Official information: https://www.wvc-ut.gov/294/Building-Inspections.

West Valley City, Utah has adopted: 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted by West Valley City; 2021 IRC Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) per Utah State Amendments; confirmed in WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; consistent with Utah Code § 15A-2-103 effective July 1, 2026; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2016 (commercial energy) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); 2009 ICC A117.1 Accessibility Standard — WVC Design Criteria effective April 18, 2026; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103; referenced in West Valley City Municipal Code Title 16 (Chapter 16-15). Local amendments apply — see the West Valley City overview page for the full list.

Not as a standalone priced product. Per § 7-1-108(3), a written Use Permit from the Community and Economic Development Department is required before changing a use, and the codified fee that implements this for non-single-family uses is the $350 'Permitted use' review (§ 1-2-103(2)(i)). Single-family dwelling use changes are instead processed as a standard residential Building Permit.

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