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Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Conditional Use Permit in Santa Clara, Utah

Required for construction of an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Santa Clara, in addition to the standard building permit. Governed by Zoning Ordinance #2022-04; reviewed by a weekly Technical Review Committee (TRC) as an Administrative Conditional Use.

Verified 2026-07-08 · Source

When you need this permit

  • ADU must be located on the same lot as an existing single-family owner-occupied dwelling on residentially zoned property Owner-builder
  • ADU must contain complete cooking and bathroom facilities independent from the primary dwelling
  • ADU must maintain the single-family appearance and character of the neighborhood
  • ADU must be served by the same power and culinary water meters as the primary dwelling
  • ADU must be rented for periods of 30 consecutive days or more (short-term rental use is prohibited)
  • One ADU per property is permitted
  • One additional off-street parking space required
  • Building permit required for all new, remodel, and finish work associated with the ADU; compliance with the adopted IRC and state amendments is required

Required documents

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Fee schedule

ADU Conditional Use Filing FeeSanta Clara City ADU Conditional Use Application (rev. August 2025): 'Filing Fees: $100.00,' as provided by Santa Clara, Utah Zoning Ordinance #2022-04. This is separate from and in addition to the standard building permit fees for the ADU construction itself (see residential-building-permit entry).
$100.00

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Technical Review Committee (TRC) Review

    Weekly TRC meeting reviews the ADU Conditional Use Application for zoning compliance prior to approval, per the official ADU application form.

  2. 2

    Building Permit Inspections

    Standard building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspections apply to ADU construction once the associated building permit is issued (see residential-building-permit entry).

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

Tips

  • An ADU requires two separate approvals: the $100 Conditional Use Application (zoning/TRC) and a standard building permit (construction) — no ADU construction work may begin until the building permit itself is approved and issued, per the application form.
  • ADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals — the minimum rental period is 30 consecutive days, per the official application.
  • An Internal Accessory Dwelling Unit (IADU) uses a separate application (IADU Application) from the standalone/detached ADU form — confirm which form applies to your project type on the Building Department's document library.

Frequently asked questions

Santa Clara requires an accessory dwelling unit (adu) conditional use permit for: ADU must be located on the same lot as an existing single-family owner-occupied dwelling on residentially zoned property; ADU must contain complete cooking and bathroom facilities independent from the primary dwelling; ADU must maintain the single-family appearance and character of the neighborhood; ADU must be served by the same power and culinary water meters as the primary dwelling; ADU must be rented for periods of 30 consecutive days or more (short-term rental use is prohibited); One ADU per property is permitted; One additional off-street parking space required; Building permit required for all new, remodel, and finish work associated with the ADU; compliance with the adopted IRC and state amendments is required. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Santa Clara City Building Department at (435) 656-4690 before starting work.

The Conditional Use Application filing fee is $100.00, per Santa Clara's official ADU Conditional Use Application (Zoning Ordinance #2022-04). This is separate from the standard valuation-based building permit fees charged for the ADU's construction.

Santa Clara does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Santa Clara City Building Department at (435) 656-4690 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Conditional Use Application; Building Permit Application; Legal Description of Property (Washington County Recorder's Office). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Santa Clara requires 2 inspection(s) for an accessory dwelling unit (adu) conditional use permit, in order: Technical Review Committee (TRC) Review, Building Permit Inspections. Schedule each through Santa Clara City Building Department ((435) 656-4690).

Apply through Santa Clara City Building Department at 2603 Santa Clara Drive, Santa Clara, UT 84765. Phone: (435) 656-4690. Office hours: Mon–Thurs 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Fri 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Official information: https://www.santaclarautah.gov/departments/building/.

Santa Clara, Utah has adopted: GOVERNING LAW: Utah Code § 15A-2-103 (le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html), version effective 7/1/2026 (amended by Ch. 47, 2026 General Session), sets the statewide-mandatory construction code suite — Utah Code § 15A-1-204 binds 'the state and each political subdivision.' Santa Clara's own municipal code (Title 15, Chapter 15.04) does not separately enumerate code editions by number, and the city's own site does not publish a distinct codes-adopted page listing specific editions — re-checked live 2026-07-16 (santaclarautah.gov/departments/building/ document library contains no edition-labeled code list, only an undated 'International Fuel Gas Code' document title). Santa Clara therefore has no locally-published edition list to lag behind; the statewide baseline below is current law, not merely consistent with an assumed 2021 cycle as this file previously stated.; 2024 International Building Code (IBC) with Utah state amendments — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(a), effective 7/1/2026 (statewide baseline; no Santa Clara-specific edition ordinance found distinct from it, per live re-check 2026-07-16).; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) with Utah state amendments, plus Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); did NOT change in the 7/1/2026 flip. Matches Santa Clara's official ADU Conditional Use Application (August 2025 rev.): 'Compliance with the International Residential Code, IRC and state amendments is required.'; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with Utah state amendments — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(d), effective 7/1/2026 (statewide baseline; no Santa Clara-specific edition found).; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) with Utah state amendments — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(e), effective 7/1/2026 (statewide baseline; no Santa Clara-specific edition found).; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) with Utah state amendments — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(f), effective 7/1/2026. Santa Clara's Building Department document library separately publishes an undated 'International Fuel Gas Code' document title (no edition number given, per live re-check 2026-07-16); statewide baseline edition applies.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); did NOT change in the 7/1/2026 flip. No Santa Clara-specific NEC edition is published on the city's site as of live re-check 2026-07-16; statewide baseline applies. (This file previously omitted an NEC codesAdopted entry entirely — added here, not previously stale.); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), one statewide edition (no residential/commercial split) — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(h), effective 7/1/2026 (statewide baseline; no Santa Clara-specific edition found).; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(i), effective 7/1/2026. Not mentioned on Santa Clara's site as of live re-check 2026-07-16; added as a statute-sourced omission, not fabricated.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n), effective 7/1/2026. Not mentioned on Santa Clara's site as of live re-check 2026-07-16; added as a statute-sourced omission.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(o), statewide-mandated for modular units. Not mentioned on Santa Clara's site as of live re-check 2026-07-16; added as a statute-sourced omission.; No International Fire Code (IFC) entry: § 15A-2-103 does not adopt the IFC — it is separately governed under Title 15A Chapter 5, outside the scope of this section. Santa Clara's site does not list an IFC edition either, so there is no mis-citation to correct here.; Utah state amendments to the above codes apply per Utah Code § 15A-1-204, which sets a single statewide adopted edition that local jurisdictions may amend but not substitute.. Local amendments apply — see the Santa Clara overview page for the full list.

No. Per the city's official ADU Conditional Use Application, an ADU must be rented for periods of 30 consecutive days or more and is explicitly not permitted as a short-term rental.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-08.

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

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