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Residential Building Permit in Provo, Utah

Required for new residential construction, additions, structural alterations, and any work regulated by the adopted 2021 IRC or 2024 IBC. The permit covers plumbing, electrical, and mechanical (MEP) for residential structures with four or fewer dwelling units — no separate MEP permits are required for those projects.

Verified 2026-06-29 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New single-family or multi-family residential construction (up to 4 units)
  • Additions or enlargements to existing residential structures
  • Structural modifications — load-bearing wall removal, foundation alterations, beam additions
  • Conversion of non-habitable space to habitable space
  • Any work regulated by the 2021 IRC, per IRC § R105.1 as cited in Provo Building FAQ

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (1997 UBC Fee Chart)Provo City Consolidated Fee Schedule (provo.municipal.codes/Code/CFS, current through Ordinance 2026-13 passed April 28, 2026), Inspection Fees: 'For residential structures with not more than 4 units the building permit fee includes the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permit fees.' — no separate MEP permits required for those structures.
Building permit fee is 'Based on the 1997 UBC Fee Chart' with building valuation 'Based upon International Code Council Building Valuation Data' (Provo City Consolidated Fee Schedule, Inspection Fees). The 1997 UBC Table 1-A brackets: $23.50 for the first $500; $3.05 per additional $100 to $2,000; $69.25 + $14 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $391.75 + $10.10 per additional $1,000 to $50,000; $643.75 + $7 per additional $1,000 to $100,000; $993.75 + $5.60 per additional $1,000 to $500,000; $3,233.75 + $4.75 per additional $1,000 to $1,000,000; $5,608.75 + $3.65 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000.
Plan Review FeeProvo City Consolidated Fee Schedule (provo.municipal.codes/Code/CFS), Inspection Fees: 'Plan review — 65% of the Building Permit Fee.' Nonprofit organizations: 100%.
65% of the building permit fee
Reinspection FeeProvo City Consolidated Fee Schedule (provo.municipal.codes/Code/CFS), Inspection Fees: 'Reinspection fee — $100.00 per system.'
$100.00 per system

Review timeline

Plan reviewProvo’s published plan-review target
10–20 business days

How long did your Residential Building Permit permit actually take in Provo?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation / Footing

    Before concrete pour — forms, rebar, anchor bolts, and hold-down locations verified.

  2. 2

    Framing

    After framing, sheathing, and roof installed — before insulation or wall cover. Includes MEP rough-in verification.

  3. 3

    Insulation

    After insulation installed, before drywall. Includes insulation certification card which must be installed in the attic, visible through the access opening.

  4. 4

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    All work complete per the Residential Occupancy Final Inspection Checklist (Doc 833): smoke detectors in each bedroom and on each floor; GFCI protection at exterior, bathrooms, kitchen counter, garage, and unfinished basement outlets; seismic strapping on water heater; bedroom egress windows of adequate size and openable; combustion air to appliances; safety glazing; garage fire separation complete.

See the full Provo inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Provo City offices are Mon–Thu only (7 AM–6 PM) — closed Fridays. Plan accordingly for permit submittals and inspection scheduling.
  • Apply online at provo.org/portal. Inspections are scheduled at provo.gov/1019/Schedule-Building-Inspection.
  • For residential structures with four or fewer dwelling units, the building permit fee includes plumbing, electrical, and mechanical — do not pay separate MEP permits.
  • Homes on the east side of Provo (hillside/fault-zone areas) require a soils report for all new construction.
  • All contractors must be licensed with Utah DOPL. Owner-builders must submit the DOPL Owner/Builder Certification form. Owner-builderContractor

Frequently asked questions

Provo requires a residential building permit for: New single-family or multi-family residential construction (up to 4 units); Additions or enlargements to existing residential structures; Structural modifications — load-bearing wall removal, foundation alterations, beam additions; Conversion of non-habitable space to habitable space; Any work regulated by the 2021 IRC, per IRC § R105.1 as cited in Provo Building FAQ. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Provo City Development Services — Building Division at (801) 852-6428 before starting work.

Per Provo's Consolidated Fee Schedule, the building permit fee is based on the 1997 UBC Fee Chart using ICC Building Valuation Data, plus a plan review fee of 65% of the permit fee. Example: a $250,000 home falls in the 1997 UBC $100,000–$500,000 bracket: $993.75 + (150 × $5.60) = $1,833.75 permit fee, plus 65% plan review ($1,191.94). For residential structures with four or fewer units, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical are included in the building permit fee — no separate MEP permits.

Provo's building FAQ indicates approximately 10–20 business days (2–4 weeks) for residential building permit review, depending on project scope and completeness of submitted plans.

You'll need: Building Plans; Site Plan; Energy Code Compliance (REScheck or equivalent). Depending on your project, Provo may also ask for: Engineered Truss Plans; Structural/Engineering Calculations; Owner/Builder Certification. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Provo requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential building permit, in order: Foundation / Footing, Framing, Insulation, Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through Provo City Development Services — Building Division ((801) 852-6428).

Apply online at provo.org/portal. Submit plans in PDF format. The Provo Building Division is at 445 W Center St, Suite 200 — open Mon–Thu 7 AM–6 PM, closed Fridays. Permits are issued until 5:30 PM. Call (801) 852-6428 for assistance.

Provo, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 IBC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a)); Provo's own Building FAQ still lists 2021 IBC as of 2026-07-16 — see NOTE below.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — currently in effect; unchanged by the July 1, 2026 statewide code-edition update (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b)).; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 IPC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d)).; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 IMC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e)).; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 IFGC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f)).; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — per Provo City Building FAQ (provo.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=88) listing codes adopted as of July 1, 2021 (not adopted under Utah Code § 15A-2-103, which does not list an IFC edition; edition unconfirmed for the current period beyond this FAQ citation).; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — currently in effect statewide as of July 1, 2026, a single edition with no residential/commercial split under current law (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h)); superseding the 2021 IECC (commercial and residential editions) that Provo's Building FAQ had cited and that was in effect through June 30, 2026.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 IEBC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i)).; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — currently in effect (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g)); unchanged by the July 1, 2026 statewide code-edition update. NOTE: Provo's own Building FAQ (provo.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=88) still listed 'National Electric Code 2020 Edition' as of 2026-07-16 (re-confirmed live) — this is STALE and always has been, independent of the 7/1/2026 transition; the statewide statute mandates the 2023 NEC, which supersedes the city FAQ.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — currently in effect as of July 1, 2026, superseding the 2021 ISPSC that was in effect through June 30, 2026 (Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n)).; NOTE (updated 2026-07-16): the July 1, 2026 transition forecast in the prior version of this entry has now occurred — confirmed live against Utah Code § 15A-2-103, current version (effective 7/1/2026, superseded 1/1/2027), read at le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html. Provo's own Building FAQ (provo.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=88), re-fetched live 2026-07-16, still lists every code at its pre-transition July 1, 2021 edition (2021 IBC/IMC/IPC/IFGC/IRC/IFC, 2021 commercial and residential IECC, plus the already-stale 2020 NEC) — the city FAQ has not been updated to reflect either the 2023 NEC statewide mandate or the 7/1/2026 edition change; the state statute governs regardless.. Local amendments apply — see the Provo overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-29.

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

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