Skip to main content
PermitBase

Commercial Building Permit in Unincorporated Wayne County, Utah

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.

Reviewed 2026-07-19 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New commercial construction, using the county's Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy form (Occupancy Group field; New/Alteration/Addition/Demolish/Repair/Move checkboxes)
  • Proof of ownership of property
  • Utah law requires commercial building plans to be designed, drawn, and stamped by a Utah Licensed Architect or Engineer (Utah Code §§ 58-22-305 and 58-3a-304 — the exemption from stamped plans applies only to one- and two-family dwellings, not commercial structures)
  • Waste water system permit (septic) must accompany the application where applicable, per the county's application instructions (coordinate with the Central Utah Public Health Department, Waste Water Feasibility per Utah Admin Code R317-4-4)
  • Plot plan showing lot dimensions, existing streets, building dimensions, and distances from the structure to all four property lines

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet0 of 4 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our paid checklist will assemble all of them, from $29

Fee schedule

Filing fee
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Wayne County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Initial (before work begins)

    Required initial inspection before construction work begins, per the county's Inspection Record form.

  2. 2

    Footings

    Before concrete pour — footing excavation, rebar.

  3. 3

    Foundation

    After forms are in place, but before concrete is poured.

  4. 4

    Rough Framing

    When finished and before covering.

  5. 5

    Rough Plumbing / Electrical / Mechanical

    After concealed piping, wiring, and ductwork are in place, but before covering.

  6. 6

    Building Final

    Final building inspection — required before occupancy; occupancy of the structure is prohibited until after final inspection.

  7. 7

    Plumbing / Electrical Final

    Final plumbing and electrical inspections.

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

Tips

  • Wayne County runs ONE county-wide Building Department covering both unincorporated and incorporated (Loa, Bicknell, Torrey, Hanksville) commercial and residential projects — there is no separate commercial division.
  • It is the General Contractor's responsibility to contact the Building Inspector for inspections and to give 24-hour notice.
  • No county-wide published dollar fee schedule for commercial building permits exists on the Wayne County website or in the Wayne County Administrative Manual (Ch. 15, Application Fee and Review Fee Schedules) — the same gap already documented for the residential-building-permit entry in this file. The Administrative Manual's fee schedule forms show blank 'Fee Amount: $___' lines to be filled in per-application, and the Building Permit Application form itself has blank 'Rate ___ Permit Fee ___ Plan Review Fee ___' fields completed by county staff at intake for all project types, including the form's 'Occupancy Group' field used for commercial projects — there is no indication the county prices commercial and residential differently, only that neither is published as a rate table. The county's FY2026 budget shows a single county-wide 'Building Permit' revenue line (10-32-20000, $80,000 budgeted for 2026) covering all permit types combined. Applicants should call (435) 836-1302 or the Building Inspector directly for a fee quote before applying. RE-CHASED 2026-07-23 (new avenues, still open): Wayne County confirmed NOT codified on American Legal Publishing or Municode (checked live); Utah Public Notice Website (utah.gov/pmn) sitemap for the Wayne County Commission, the live /agendas archive, and the live /documents resolution listing all checked afresh — no fee-schedule resolution found among any of them. No dollar figure recoverable.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Wayne County requires a commercial building permit for: New commercial construction, using the county's Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy form (Occupancy Group field; New/Alteration/Addition/Demolish/Repair/Move checkboxes); Proof of ownership of property; Utah law requires commercial building plans to be designed, drawn, and stamped by a Utah Licensed Architect or Engineer (Utah Code §§ 58-22-305 and 58-3a-304 — the exemption from stamped plans applies only to one- and two-family dwellings, not commercial structures); Waste water system permit (septic) must accompany the application where applicable, per the county's application instructions (coordinate with the Central Utah Public Health Department, Waste Water Feasibility per Utah Admin Code R317-4-4); Plot plan showing lot dimensions, existing streets, building dimensions, and distances from the structure to all four property lines. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Wayne County Building Department at (435) 836-1302 before starting work.

Wayne County has not published a commercial-specific or general review-timeline commitment. Utah Code § 17-79-810's statutory floors (14/21 business days) apply only to residential dwelling/townhome and other-residential structures, not true commercial construction, so no statutory ceiling governs this permit type.

You'll need: Application for Building Permit and/or Certificate of Occupancy; Proof of Ownership; Stamped Plans (Utah Licensed Architect or Engineer); Plot Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Wayne County requires 7 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit, in order: Initial (before work begins), Footings, Foundation, Rough Framing, Rough Plumbing / Electrical / Mechanical, Building Final, Plumbing / Electrical Final. Schedule each through Wayne County Building Department ((435) 836-1302).

Apply through Wayne County Building Department at 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. Official information: https://waynecountyutah.gov/pages/county-offices.

Unincorporated Wayne 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; 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..

Wayne County has not published a fee schedule with dollar amounts for commercial (or residential) building permits. The official Building Permit Application form has blank Rate, Permit Fee, and Plan Review Fee fields completed by county staff when the application is submitted. Applicants should call the Building Department at (435) 836-1302 for a current fee quote.

This one’s complicated · Get an expediter

Tell us about your project and we’ll connect you with a permit expediter who works in Unincorporated Wayne County.

PermitBase may receive a referral fee from the expediter. This is a service introduction, not verified permit data or legal advice.