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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in Unincorporated Uintah County, Utah

Required for a change in use or occupancy classification of an existing building in unincorporated Uintah County, and covers the Certificate of Occupancy sign-off that closes out any building, commercial, tenant-improvement, or change-of-use permit before the space may be occupied. Uintah County's Fee Schedule (Uintah County Code § 3.30.010, Ordinance No. 08-06-2025 O1, enacted 8/12/2025) prices two distinct change-of-use scenarios: (1) 'Change in Use of Occupancy' for a previously-approved building, billed at a flat $0.40 per square foot across all occupancies (Building Permit Fees table); and (2) 'Change of use for a non-approved (unconfirmed) building,' billed 'as per new occupancy classification' — i.e., at the applicable per-square-foot rate for the new occupancy type from the same table (Permit Fee by Activity & Flat Fee table), ranging $0.40-$1.25/sq ft depending on classification. No standalone Certificate of Occupancy application fee is separately published; a CO is issued as part of the final inspection sign-off on the underlying permit.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Change in use or occupancy classification of an existing, previously-approved commercial or other non-residential building — billed at a flat $0.40/sq ft across all occupancies
  • Change of use for a building whose existing use was never officially approved or confirmed by the county — billed 'as per new occupancy classification' at the applicable per-square-foot rate for the new use
  • Compliance review for the new use under the currently adopted IBC (2024 IBC per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a)), including egress, occupant load, and fire separation for the new occupancy
  • Final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy issuance before the new use may commence

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Change in Use of Occupancy (Previously-Approved Building), All Occupancies — per square footUintah County Fee Schedule — Uintah County Code § 3.30.010, Ordinance No. 08-06-2025 O1 (Entry 2025004950, Book 1921, Page 868, enacted 8/12/2025) — 'Community Development Fee Schedule,' Building Permit Fees table, 'All Occupancies / Change in Use of Occupancy / $0.40' row, verified directly against the rendered PDF page image (page 4 of 16) on 2026-07-22.
$0.40 per sq ft
Change of Use for a Non-Approved (Unconfirmed) BuildingUintah County Fee Schedule, same ordinance (Entry 2025004950, Book 1921, Page 869) — 'Permit Fee by Activity & Flat Fee' table, 'Change of use for a non-approved (unconfirmed) building / As per new occupancy classification' row, verified directly against the rendered PDF page image (page 5 of 16) on 2026-07-22. Applies when the building's existing use was never officially permitted/confirmed by the county, as distinct from the flat $0.40/sq ft rate for a previously-approved building changing use.
As per new occupancy classification (i.e., the applicable Building Permit Fees per-sq-ft rate for the new use, $0.40-$1.25/sq ft depending on classification)
Minimum Building Permit FeeUintah County Fee Schedule, Ord. 08-06-2025 O1 — Permit Fee by Activity & Flat Fee table.
$50.00
Plan Check FeeUintah County Fee Schedule, Ord. 08-06-2025 O1 — Review of Plans table.
Up to 65% of the building permit fee
Re-Inspection FeeUintah County Fee Schedule, Ord. 08-06-2025 O1 — Inspection/Re-Inspection fee line item.
$50.00

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Uintah County building department
~10–14 business days

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Uintah County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Life-Safety / Occupancy Compliance Inspection

    County inspector verifies the space meets IBC requirements for the new occupancy classification — egress, occupant load, fire separation — before sign-off.

  2. 2

    Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy

    All work required by the permit is complete; a Certificate of Occupancy is issued before the new use may commence, consistent with this file's other final-inspection entries.

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

Tips

  • Uintah County prices a change of use differently depending on whether the building's CURRENT use was ever officially approved: a previously-approved building changing use is a flat $0.40/sq ft across all occupancies, while a building whose existing use was never confirmed by the county is billed 'as per new occupancy classification' — i.e., the full per-square-foot Building Permit Fees rate for the new use (up to $1.25/sq ft for Hazardous/Institutional).
  • There is no standalone Certificate of Occupancy application or fee — a CO is issued as the final sign-off on the underlying building, commercial, tenant-improvement, or change-of-use permit once all required inspections pass.
  • A change of use that adds plumbing, mechanical, or electrical service to space that previously lacked it triggers the separate flat tiered fee ($150-$400 by square footage) documented in this file's commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry, in addition to the change-of-use fee.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Uintah County requires a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit for: Change in use or occupancy classification of an existing, previously-approved commercial or other non-residential building — billed at a flat $0.40/sq ft across all occupancies; Change of use for a building whose existing use was never officially approved or confirmed by the county — billed 'as per new occupancy classification' at the applicable per-square-foot rate for the new use; Compliance review for the new use under the currently adopted IBC (2024 IBC per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a)), including egress, occupant load, and fire separation for the new occupancy; Final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy issuance before the new use may commence. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Uintah County Community Development — Building Division at (435) 781-5336 before starting work.

No standalone Certificate of Occupancy fee is published. A CO is issued as the final inspection sign-off on the underlying building, commercial, tenant-improvement, or change-of-use permit — it is not a separately priced permit type.

Plan review for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit in Unincorporated Uintah County typically runs 10–14 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Uintah County Community Development — Building Division at (435) 781-5336.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application or Tenant Improvement/Remodel Application; Floor Plan Showing Existing and Proposed Use; Proof of Ownership or Tenant Authorization. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Uintah County requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Life-Safety / Occupancy Compliance Inspection, Final Inspection / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through Uintah County Community Development — Building Division ((435) 781-5336).

Apply through Uintah County Community Development — Building Division at 152 East 100 North, Vernal, UT 84078. Phone: (435) 781-5336. Official information: https://www.uintah.gov/departments/a_-_e_departments/community_development/building_permits.php.

Unincorporated Uintah County, 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); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here. Uintah County's own Building Code page (uintah.gov, live-checked 2026-07-16) is UNCHANGED and still states '2021 International Building Codes Effective July 1, 2023' — the county page has not been updated for either the 2021→2023 language it already had wrong stylistically or the 2024 statewide edition now in force; the statute governs.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — REMAINS CURRENT; Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b) did not change this edition in the 7/1/2026 statewide transition.; Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(c); not itemized on Uintah County's own Building Code page, added here per statute.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), single unsplit statewide edition — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here. Uintah County's FAQ page ('Do I need a permit for my building? It's portable on a skid?' article, live-checked 2026-07-16) is UNCHANGED and still cites 'Chapter 14 of the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)' and '2018 International Building Code (IBC)' / '2015 International Residential Code (IRC)' / 'IRC 2015 or IBC 2018' for relocated/moved structures — this is now a much larger lag (2015/2018 editions vs. the current 2024/2021 statewide editions) than previously flagged; the FAQ page's separate 'When are building permits required' article also still cites 'IBC 2015 & IRC 2015' verbatim. The statute governs; Uintah County's FAQ page has not been updated to reflect any statewide code cycle since at least 2015/2018.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — CURRENT statewide as of 7/1/2026 per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); supersedes the 2021 edition previously listed here.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — REMAINS CURRENT; Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g) did not change this edition in the 7/1/2026 statewide transition. Uintah County's Building Code Information page (live-checked 2026-07-16) is UNCHANGED and still lists '2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) Effective July 1, 2021' — that page remains not updated; the statewide 2023 NEC is the legally in-force edition per the statute.; 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 — the flip anticipated by this file's prior 'Effective July 1, 2026' note has now occurred and is confirmed live. IBC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IEBC/residential ISPSC are now 2024 statewide; IRC (2021) and NEC (2023) did NOT change. Uintah County's own Building Code page and FAQ page were both live-checked 2026-07-16 and remain unchanged/stale exactly as previously found (in the FAQ's case, considerably staler than previously documented — see the IEBC entry above) — the statute is cited directly as governing throughout, per this file's established recovery-avenue policy.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Uintah County overview page for the full list.

Yes. A previously-approved building changing use is billed a flat $0.40 per square foot across all occupancies. A building whose existing use was never officially confirmed by the county is billed 'as per new occupancy classification' — the applicable per-square-foot Building Permit Fees rate for the new use. Source: Uintah County Fee Schedule, Ordinance No. 08-06-2025 O1 (enacted 8/12/2025).

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