Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
Building Permits and Inspections: 385-910-7138; inspection hotline: 385-910-5830; Planning/Zoning: 385-468-6700; MSD main: 385-910-5600
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District Planning & Development, Building Services is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Building Permits and Inspections: 385-910-7138; inspection hotline: 385-910-5830; Planning/Zoning: 385-468-6700; MSD main: 385-910-5600.
For a complex plan check such as a new home or second-story addition, the MSD states that review can take from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on backlog. Unimproved-land development approval can take approximately two months to one year before a building permit can be issued.
Call 385-910-5830 or email inspections@msd.utah.gov before 3:00 p.m. for the following business day, or request through the Cityworks portal. Provide the permit or business-license number, property address, inspection type, requested date, contact name, and daytime phone. For footing, foundation, or other concrete inspections, provide an approximate time between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. To coordinate the inspector's arrival, call 801-927-0914 between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. that morning. Full-size printed MSD-stamped plans must be onsite; covered or plan-deviating work may fail, and failed visits can incur a reinspection fee.
The MSD administers building permits for unincorporated Salt Lake County on the county's behalf and applies the current Utah State Construction Code and statewide amendments. Effective July 1, 2026, this includes the 2024 International Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code and Appendix AQ, 2024 International Plumbing Code, 2024 International Mechanical Code, 2024 International Fuel Gas Code, 2023 National Electrical Code, 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, 2024 International Existing Building Code, residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and applicable Utah amendments; the 2024 International Fire Code is the State Fire Code. The MSD also publishes local design criteria including 30-inch frost depth, site-specific snow loads, and Seismic Design Category D2 for residential and D for commercial work. No building permit is required to replace defective plumbing fixtures with equivalent fixtures; replace lights or receptacles with equivalent devices; build an unattached deck/platform under 200 square feet and under 18 inches above grade; build a one-story detached accessory structure under 200 square feet residential or 120 square feet commercial with no plumbing, mechanical, or electrical work; erect a fence no more than seven feet high; or install an uncovered driveway or patio. Planning/zoning approval is still required for exempt decks and accessory structures, and Public Works approval is required when altering sidewalk, curb, gutter, or a driveway approach.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.