Administrative overview · FIPS 49053
Washington County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Washington County Community Development
For a project in or near Washington County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
435-301-7250
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
111 East Tabernacle St., St. George, UT 84770
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
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
Frequently asked questions for Washington County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Washington County Community Development is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 435-301-7250.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
Use the county's electronic permitting system and request an inspection only after the work is complete and ready. The county requires at least 24 hours' notice and the permit number when scheduling. Community Development can assist at 435-301-7250. The department inspects permitted structures through all construction phases; required agricultural-exemption setback inspections must occur before construction begins.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
County Code 9-1-4 adopts the most recent versions adopted by Utah of the International Building Code including Appendix J, International Residential Code including Appendix J, International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Fire Code including Appendices A-D as amended by Utah, National Electrical Code, HUD Code, and Model Manufactured Home Installation Standard. Effective July 1, 2026, the state editions include the 2024 IBC, 2021 IRC and Appendix AQ, 2024 IPC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IFGC, 2023 NEC, 2024 IECC, 2024 IEBC, residential provisions of the 2024 ISPSC, Utah amendments, and the 2024 IFC. County amendments establish location-specific frost depths, 90% compaction, 70 mph wind capacity, site-specific seismic design, and county Wildland-Urban Interface requirements. A structure may qualify for the county's agricultural-use exemption only when used solely for agriculture, not for human occupancy, located on qualifying land in unincorporated Washington County, compliant with zoning, and built without electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. The applicant must obtain zoning approval and schedule a setback inspection after footing trenches, holes, or pads are dug but before construction. Bathrooms, offices, other occupied areas, and electrical/plumbing/mechanical work defeat or fall outside the exemption; a later change from agricultural use requires a building permit and code compliance. No broader current county cosmetic/minor-work exemption list was published on the reviewed official pages.