Salt Lake City reviews small jobs such as fences and re-roofs in 1 to 3 business days, while one- or two-family home plans get an initial review within 14 business days under Utah law.
If your property is inside Salt Lake City limits, Building Services handles building permits.
The city’s application process is online: start in Citizen Access, submit plans through ProjectDox when review is required, pay assessed fees, then schedule required inspections. Rules depend on the project and address, so confirm requirements with the city before work begins.
Last checked: October 5, 2026. Permit steps and links below are based on Salt Lake City Building Services’ current guidance. PermitCove is an independent guide, not a government agency.
First, confirm which agency serves the address
This guide covers properties within incorporated Salt Lake City. The city directs applicants to check its jurisdiction map when unsure. Some unincorporated Salt Lake County communities, including Magna, Kearns, and Emigration Canyon, are served through the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District. City rules and application steps may not apply there.
How to apply for a Salt Lake City building permit
- Check the project path. For a new structure, addition, commercial change of use, or exterior work in a historic district, the city recommends contacting the Planning Counter first. It handles planning and zoning guidance; Building Services handles building permits.
- Submit an application. Register or sign in to the city’s Citizen Access Portal and apply under the Building tab. The city says applications are submitted electronically.
- Upload plans if required. When plan review applies, the city sends upload instructions for ProjectDox. Use the relevant residential, commercial, or site development checklist.
- Complete prescreening and pay fees. Plan review enters the queue after prescreening acceptance and payment of the applicable plan review fee. Building and other applicable fees may be due before issuance. Check the city portal or invoice for your project’s amount.
- Address review comments and receive issuance instructions. City reviewers may approve the project to proceed or request corrections. The city says applicants have 180 days from the review email to respond to comments or obtain the permit.
- Schedule inspections. After issuance, request required inspections in Citizen Access. The city says requests made before 3 p.m. can be scheduled for the next business day, subject to availability. Do not cover work that must be inspected first.
See the city’s general permitting process and building permit application page for current instructions and forms.
What work needs a permit?
Salt Lake City’s guidance says permits are required for many construction and system projects, including new construction, additions, many renovations, and electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. The city also publishes specific exemptions and project handouts; details can depend on size, location, historic status, and scope. Don’t rely on a general nationwide size threshold. Check the city’s Building Services information and brochures or ask the permit office about your exact project before starting.
Small projects Salt Lake City lets you skip
The city's own FAQ is the clearest place to see what doesn't need a building permit. Its list includes painting, flooring and similar cosmetic work; playhouses, sheds and similar structures under 200 square feet on residential property; retaining walls no taller than 4 feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless they hold back a surcharge; and window awnings that project no more than 54 inches from the wall (Salt Lake City Building Services FAQ).
Two catches. First, "no building permit" doesn't mean "no rules." The Planning Division's accessory building handout says every zoning standard (setbacks, yard coverage, height) still has to be met even when a permit isn't required. Second, if the property is in a local historic district, a Certificate of Appropriateness is always required (SLC accessory buildings handout (PDF)).
Fences and walls: a permit even for a short one
This is where Salt Lake City surprises people who moved from somewhere else. Many cities let you put up a 6-foot wood fence with no paperwork. Salt Lake City's design guidance says "a Building Permit is required prior to construction of any fence or wall," so the city can check zoning and structural safety (SLC Residential Fences, Walls and Hedges (PDF)).
The same handout sets the height limits you'll be held to:
- In front of the house: fences, walls and hedges between the front property line and the front of the house can't go over 4 feet.
- Beside and behind the house: at or behind the front facade, up to 6 feet is allowed.
- Near driveways and corners: nothing over 30 inches inside the 10-foot sight triangle at a driveway, and no solid fence over 3 feet within 30 feet of a street intersection. See-through fences that are at least 50% open can go to 4 feet in those triangles.
- Masonry, concrete, or anything over 7 feet (where allowed) needs construction plans showing reinforcement and foundation details.
The process is the same portal as everything else: apply for a Residential Fence Permit in Citizen Access (walls go in as a Residential Building Permit), upload a site plan showing location and height to ProjectDox, then schedule an inspection to close the permit once the fence is up (same handout). Our fence permit guide explains how corner lots and sight triangles work in other cities.
Sheds and detached garages: the zoning numbers
Even a permit-exempt shed has to sit in the right spot. The Planning Division handout for single- and two-family zoning districts lists these standards:
| Rule | What the handout says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | Accessory buildings are prohibited in the required front yard and must be set back at least as far as the house |
| Rear and side yards | At least 1 ft from the lot line (side-yard structures must also be behind the house) |
| Distance from houses | Not closer than 4 ft to your house, eaves included, or 10 ft to a house on the next lot |
| Height (FR, R-1, R-2, SR districts) | 17 ft with a pitched roof, 12 ft with a flat roof |
| Rear yard coverage | No more than 50% of the area between the back of the house and the rear lot line |
| Power lines | Rocky Mountain Power approval if the structure is within 10 ft of a power source or under a line |
Source: SLC Planning Division, Accessory Buildings for Residential Zoning (PDF). The city's brochure page notes this handout is being updated for new ordinances, so call the Planning Counter if your plan is close to any of these limits.
Can you pull the permit yourself?
Yes, if the house is owner-occupied and it's your primary residence. Utah requires owners who do this to submit an Owner/Builder Certification with their plan documents. Rentals and commercial property need a contractor, with one exception the city spells out: general maintenance or repair under $3,000 in valuation, which can include roofing but not structural work like cutting in a new window (SLC FAQ). If you hire someone, state law puts the permit and inspections on the contractor, and the city points homeowners to Utah DOPL's licensing lookup to check them first (SLC FAQ). Our owner-builder guide covers the trade-offs of doing it yourself.
Fees and review times
There is no single permit price: the city assesses fees based on the application and project. Use the balance shown in Citizen Access or the city’s payment system, and verify an invoice with Building Services if anything looks unexpected. The city says its target for a first review of one- or two-family dwelling and townhome plans is 14 business days after the submission is accepted into the appropriate queue. This is a target for the first review, not a guaranteed permit-issuance date; corrections and later reviews add time.
Quick reviews, standard reviews, and paying to go faster
Not every permit waits in the same line. Salt Lake City sends minor reviews such as fences, re-roofs and small interior or exterior repairs through a quick turnaround (QTA) queue that it says gets them done in 1 to 3 business days (SLC FAQ).
Bigger residential plans go through the standard queue. For one- or two-family homes and townhomes, the city points to Utah Code Section 10-20-909, which sets a 14-business-day window for the review. After that, resubmitted corrections are generally reviewed in 7 to 10 business days. If time matters more than money, you can tick "expedited" on the application: first review drops to 10 business days, but the city charges double the plan check fee (SLC FAQ).
Keep an eye on the clock after review, too. You have 180 days from the city's review email to answer comments or pick up the permit (SLC permitting process).
Design numbers your drawings should use
If you're drawing your own plans for a deck, garage or addition, Building Services publishes the local design criteria it reviews against. A few that come up on small residential jobs (SLC Design Criteria (PDF)):
- Codes: the 2021 International Residential Code with Utah amendments, per the criteria effective July 1, 2026.
- Frost depth: 30 inches, which drives how deep deck and garage footings go.
- Ground snow load: at least 28 pounds per square foot at or below 4,239 feet elevation; higher sites use the Utah Snow Load Study.
- Seismic design category: D2 for residential.
- Soils report: required for homes on a slope of 15% or more, among other triggers.
What happens if work starts without a permit
The city is direct about this. If it learns of unpermitted work, it issues a stop-work "red tag" on the address and may charge a double fee. If a permit still isn't obtained, a citation can follow, and eventually the city files a Certificate of Non-Compliance on the property, which it says "can hold up the sale of the property until it is resolved" (SLC FAQ).
True emergencies are treated differently. If urgent work couldn't wait, you're expected to get the permit as soon as practical, generally the next day; an unreasonable delay brings the double fee back (SLC FAQ).
Common mistakes in Salt Lake City
- Building a fence without a permit because it's "only 6 feet." Here, every fence and wall needs one.
- Putting a shed right against the house. The 4-foot separation includes eaves.
- Skipping the Planning Counter for an addition or a historic-district exterior change. The city says that should be your first contact.
- Letting the 180-day window lapse after review comments arrive.
- Paying a fee by wire because an email asked. Confirm through Citizen Access or the office first, as the city warns above.
Salt Lake City review clocks and permit records
Building Services publishes its timelines and record rules in its FAQ (Salt Lake City Building Services FAQs):
| Situation | What Salt Lake City says |
|---|---|
| Minor reviews (fences, re-roofs, minor repairs) | Quick turnaround queue, usually 1 to 3 business days |
| One- or two-family dwelling or townhome | Initial review within 14 business days (Utah Code 10-20-909) |
| Resubmitted corrections | Generally 7 to 10 business days |
| Expedited review | 10 business days for the first review, at double the plan check fee |
| Plan changes after the permit is issued | Small changes often handled by the inspector; formal re-review in 1 to 2 business days |
| Replacing windows | Permit required, with a window schedule listing size, type, and room |
| Old permit records | Public building permit records from 1979 on are in the Citizen Access Portal; construction plans are kept 7 years and released only to the original applicant |
Source: Salt Lake City Building Services FAQs.
For how these limits compare across cities, see our permit-free limits by city table.
FAQ
Do I need a permit for a shed in Salt Lake City?
Not for a residential shed or playhouse under 200 square feet, according to the city FAQ. It still has to meet setbacks, height and yard coverage, and in a local historic district you'll need a Certificate of Appropriateness (accessory buildings handout).
Do I need a permit to replace an old fence?
The city's fence handout says a permit is required before building any fence or wall, so plan on applying through Citizen Access and passing a final inspection.
How long does a simple permit take?
Fences, re-roofs and minor repairs go through the quick turnaround queue, which the city says takes 1 to 3 business days (SLC FAQ).
Can I get the permit for a rental I own?
Generally no. A contractor has to pull it unless the job is non-structural maintenance or repair under $3,000 in valuation (SLC FAQ).
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Salt Lake City?
Yes. The city requires permits to replace exterior doors or windows, and a window schedule with each window’s size, type, and room goes in with the plan review.
How far back do Salt Lake City permit records go online?
Public building permit records and inspection reports from 1979 to the present are searchable in the Citizen Access Portal.
Where to get help
- Permit processing: 801-535-7968; slcpermits@slc.gov.
- Planning and zoning: 801-535-7700; zoning@slc.gov.
- Inspection scheduling: 801-535-6000.
Salt Lake City warns that it will not send unsolicited email requests to pay permit fees by wire transfer. Confirm payment requests through the official portal or directly with the city.
Official sources
- Salt Lake City Building Permit Applications
- General Permitting Process Information
- Electronic Plan Review
- Building Services
- Salt Lake City Building Services: FAQs
- Salt Lake City: Residential Fences, Walls and Hedges (PDF)
- Salt Lake City Planning: Accessory Buildings for Residential Zoning (PDF)
- Salt Lake City Building Services: Design Criteria (PDF)
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