Unincorporated Wayne County building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Unincorporated Wayne County, Utah.
Last verified 2026-07-08 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 18 South Main St, PO Box 189, Loa, UT 84747
- Phone
- (435) 836-1302
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:00 PM for lunch); Wayne County Courthouse hours per County Offices page
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Unincorporated Wayne County — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Utah adopts construction codes statewide under Utah Code Title 15A (State Construction and Fire Codes Act), enforced by every jurisdiction. Chapter 4 of Title 15A codifies Legislature-enacted amendments for specific named jurisdictions (e.g., Park City, Salt Lake City, Sandy City) as part of the state construction code. Through June 30, 2026, the editions in force under Utah Code § 15A-2-103 are the 2021 IBC (with Appendices C and J), 2021 IRC, 2021 IPC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 IEBC, and 2021 ISPSC (residential provisions), together with the 2023 NEC. Effective July 1, 2026, § 15A-2-103 adopts the 2024 editions of the IBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, and ISPSC; the IRC remains the 2021 edition and the NEC remains the 2023 edition. Note: residential energy requirements are modified by statewide amendments, and several Utah jurisdictions document their residential energy provisions at the 2015 IECC level rather than the adopted IECC year — confirm the applicable residential energy code with your local jurisdiction. Always confirm the edition in force with your local jurisdiction.
- 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
- 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b); REMAINS CURRENT, UNCHANGED by the 7/1/2026 amendment
- Appendix AQ of the 2021 IRC — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(c); not itemized on any Wayne County page found, 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
- Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(n); not itemized on any Wayne County page found, added here per statute since this file had previously omitted it entirely
- 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(g); statewide in force, UNCHANGED by the 7/1/2026 amendment
- MBI 1200 and MBI 1205 (manufactured/modular construction standards) — statewide per Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(o); not itemized on any Wayne County page found, added here per statute since this file had previously omitted it entirely
- NOTE (2026-07-16 re-verification): The Utah Code § 15A-2-103 version effective 7/1/2026 (superseded 1/1/2027) took effect 15 days before this re-verification. This entry previously described the 2024-cycle codes in future tense ('effective through June 30, 2026' / codes 'effective July 1, 2026'); that date has now passed, so IBC/IPC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/IEBC/residential ISPSC are now stated as CURRENT (2024 editions), while IRC (2021) and NEC (2023) remain unchanged. These are statewide mandatory minimum codes adopted by reference; Wayne County has not published any local code amendments or its own code-edition page beyond referencing the statewide codes generally, so there is no city-page lag to record.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit
Required for new construction, additions, alterations, repairs, demolition, and moving of structures in unincorporated Wayne County. The Wayne County Building Department, via its single county-wide Building Inspector, issues and reviews all building permits under the standard 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy — Building Department - Wayne County' form. The same form and inspector serve incorporated towns within the county (confirmed via Loa Town's own building-permits page, which lists the identical inspector and directs residents to the county process) as well as unincorporated areas.
Commercial Building Permit
Required for new commercial building construction in unincorporated Wayne County. Wayne County runs a single county-wide Building Department with one Building Inspector (Eric Torgerson) who reviews all project types — including commercial — using the same 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy' form, which includes an 'Occupancy Group' field and project-type checkboxes (New/Alteration/Addition/Demolish/Repair/Move). No separate commercial application, fee schedule, or plan-review process is published; the same inspector and form serve incorporated towns within the county (Loa, Bicknell, Torrey, Hanksville) as well as unincorporated land.
Commercial Tenant Improvement / Tenant Finish Permit
Required for tenant improvement / tenant finish work inside an existing commercial building in unincorporated Wayne County. The county's single Building Department and Building Inspector process TI/remodel work under the same 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy' form used for new construction — the form's 'Alteration' project-type checkbox covers this scope — with no separate tenant-improvement fee tier or application published.
Sign Permit
Required for erecting, moving, reconstructing, enlarging, or structurally altering a sign in unincorporated Wayne County, governed by a dedicated Chapter 19, SIGN STANDARDS, of the Wayne County Zoning Ordinance (A Land Use Ordinance, Effective January 1, 2011). A sign requires BOTH a Land Use Application (Permitted P-1 Sign, Permitted P-2 Sign, or Conditional Sign Application, depending on the nature of the associated use) AND a valid Building Permit issued by the Building Official (Section 1902(3), Section 1903). No sign-specific dollar fee is published in the ordinance itself — Land Use Application fees are set separately by BOCC Resolution per Chapter 14 of the county's Administrative Manual, which does not embed a fee table in the ordinance text.
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
Wayne County does not publish a distinct EV charger / EVSE permit type, fee, or checklist anywhere on its site (checked 2026-07-19, re-checked 2026-07-20). EV charger (EVSE) installation is treated as standard electrical work under the county's single, unified 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy' form — the same form and single county-wide Building Inspector (Eric Torgerson) used for all other permit types in this file. The form's only electrical-related categories are the 'Electrician' trade-contractor line and the 'Rough Electrical'/'Electrical Final' inspection items; no separate electrical or EV-specific permit category exists. As with every other permit type in this file, Wayne County has not published a dollar fee schedule — the Building Permit Application form's Rate/Permit Fee/Plan Review Fee fields are left blank and completed by county staff at intake.
Solar PV / Solar Panel Installation Permit
Wayne County does not publish a distinct solar / solar-PV installation permit type, fee, or checklist anywhere on its site (re-verified 2026-07-21: county-offices page, full Official Documents & Links listing, Administrative Manual, and FY2026 budget all checked directly, plus a full Wayback Machine CDX sweep of the county domain filtered for 'solar' — zero results). Solar PV installation is treated as standard construction/electrical work under the county's single, unified 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy' form — the same form and single county-wide Building Inspector (Eric Torgerson) used for all other permit types in this file. The form's trade-contractor lines are Permittee, Architect/Engineer, Building Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, and Heating — there is no solar or photovoltaic-specific line item or checkbox. As with every other permit type in this file, Wayne County has not published a dollar fee schedule — the Building Permit Application form's Rate/Permit Fee/Plan Review Fee fields are left blank and completed by county staff at intake.
Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit
Wayne County does not publish a distinct fire sprinkler or fire alarm system permit application, fee, or checklist anywhere on its site, and neither does the local fire authority (checked 2026-07-22). Under Utah Code Title 15A, Chapter 5 (State Fire Code), the 'Authority Having Jurisdiction' for fire code matters is the State Fire Marshal (or a deputy) OR the 'local fire enforcement authority.' The Utah State Fire Marshal's Office's own published scope (firemarshal.utah.gov/services/about) covers state-owned buildings, public and private K-12 schools, hospitals, jails/prisons, and universities -- not ordinary private commercial construction -- so SFM review does not automatically apply here. For unincorporated Wayne County, the applicable local fire authority is 'Special Service District #3 Fire District' (branded publicly as the Wayne County Fire District), a Special Service District formed 2018-2023 by consolidation of the Loa, Lyman, Bicknell, Teasdale, Torrey, and Hanksville town fire departments, covering all of Wayne County including unincorporated land. The county's own official Emergency Services page lists a 'Fire Inspections & Code Questions' contact for the district -- Eric Torgerson, the SAME individual who serves as the County's single Building Inspector for every other permit type in this file -- but publishes only a seasonal Burn Permit process; no sprinkler/alarm plan-review submittal process, fee, or checklist is published there or on the Fire District's own site (waynecountyfire.org), which lists only 'Burn Permits' and 'Wood Chipping' under Services.
Change of Use Permit / Certificate of Occupancy
Unincorporated Wayne County does not publish a standalone 'change of use' application separate from its general Land Use Application / Permitted Use Application process, and does not publish a standalone Certificate of Occupancy (CO) application separate from the county's unified 'Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy' form (see this file's residential-building-permit and commercial-building-permit entries). Two distinct ordinance provisions govern this permit type: (1) Section 1632/1003 of the Wayne County Zoning/Subdivision Ordinance ('Certificate of Occupancy Required') makes it unlawful to occupy or use any building or structure requiring a building permit until the Building Official has issued a CO; and (2) Section 204 of the county's Administrative Manual ('Land Use Permit Required') states that 'no use, activity, or construction shall be established or commenced' without the necessary Land Use approvals -- meaning establishing a new or different use in an existing building (a change of use) requires a Permitted P-1 Use, Permitted P-2 Use, or Conditional Use Application (decided respectively by the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, or BOCC, per the same Land Use Authority structure already documented in this file's sign-permit entry) before the new use may lawfully begin, in addition to any CO required for the underlying building.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- 3units
3 buildings · $1.1M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 23units
12 of 12 months reported · #79 in Utah coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 7units
7 buildings · $3M valuation
- Full year 2025
- 29units
29 buildings · $10.9M valuation
County-wide figures: Wayne County, Utah — rural county seat Loa. The county-wide Building Department (single Building Inspector, Eric Torgerson) issues all building permits for unincorporated county areas AND for incorporated towns within the county (confirmed: Loa Town's own 'Building Permits & Inspections' page lists the same inspector, same contact, and directs applicants to the same county-form application — no separate town-level building department or budget line exists). Towns known to route through the county program: Loa (county seat), Bicknell, Torrey, Hanksville; Lyman is unincorporated and administered directly by the county. This file covers the unincorporated-county / county-wide building-permit process.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Utah building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Wayne County runs ONE county-wide Building Department (single Building Inspector, Eric Torgerson, cell 435-979-1279) covering both unincorporated county areas and incorporated towns. Loa Town's own official government website's 'Building Permits & Inspections' page lists the identical inspector and does not describe any separate town review process — confirming Loa, and very likely Bicknell, Torrey, and Hanksville, route their building permits through the same county program. Lyman is unincorporated and is administered directly by the county.
- Building permit applications are handled through the Wayne County Clerk/Auditor's Office (Wayne County Courthouse, 18 S Main, PO Box 189, Loa, UT 84747) — call (435) 836-1302 for building permit questions.
- No published dollar-amount fee schedule exists for Wayne County building permits as of this verification. The Building Permit Application form and the county's 2011 Administrative Manual fee-schedule forms both leave fee amounts blank for per-application/staff determination — this is a genuinely rural county without a formal public fee table. The FY2026 budget shows aggregate county-wide Building Permit revenue ($80,000 budgeted) and Building Inspector personnel cost ($65,000 budgeted) but no itemized per-permit-type pricing.
- No statutory review timeline is published by the county itself; the applicable floor is Utah Code § 17-79-810 (effective 11/6/2025, renumbered from former § 17-36-55): 3-business-day completeness screening, then 14 business days to complete plan review of a one- or two-family dwelling or townhome (21 business days for other residential structures).
- A waste water (septic) system permit must accompany the building permit application per the application form's own instructions — coordinate with the Central Utah Public Health Department (waste water feasibility study governed by Utah Admin Code R317-4-4).
- Permits become null and void if work does not commence within 180 days of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days at any time after commencement.
- Subdivision in Wayne County requires, among other things, a letter of water approval, a waste water feasibility study, Fire Marshal approval, and (for 3-or-fewer-lot subdivisions) a minimum 1-acre parcel size (½ acre if within an unincorporated designated city boundary) — per the Wayne County Zoning Ordinance (adopted 1/1/2011).
- Wayne County's Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance were both last adopted/updated effective 1/1/2011 and remain the county's governing land-use ordinances as of this verification — no newer consolidated zoning ordinance was found published on the county website.