Building permits in Cache County outside the larger cities are issued by the county Building Division, part of Development Services, at 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan (435-755-1650, option 1; Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm). It covers all unincorporated land and fifteen towns that do not run their own building departments, including Hyrum, Smithfield, Providence and Wellsville. Logan and seven other cities permit their own work.
This guide covers what requires a permit in unincorporated Cache County, how Utah's statewide Title 15A codes apply here, the agricultural and canyon conditions that shape building in Cache Valley, the statutory third-party inspection route, and what to confirm directly before you file.
This guide covers the unincorporated county and the fifteen towns the county permits. Logan, North Logan, Hyde Park, Nibley, Clarkston, Lewiston, Mendon and Newton are separate.
The code edition is the one thing you do not have to ask about. Utah sets construction code editions statewide, so a rural county here enforces the same editions as Salt Lake City — including the current split. Unlike states where small counties run years behind, there is no older local code set to discover. What you do need to ask about is the local layer: zoning, submittal requirements, fees and inspection logistics.
What requires a permit in Cache County?
The Cache County Building Division, part of Development Services, reviews plans, issues permits and performs inspections for all unincorporated areas of Cache County and for Amalga, Avon, Benson, Cornish, Cove, Hyrum, Millville, Paradise, Petersboro, Providence, Richmond, River Heights, Smithfield, Trenton and Wellsville. Logan — the county seat and much the largest city — permits its own work, as do North Logan, Hyde Park, Nibley, Clarkston, Lewiston, Mendon and Newton. The office is at 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan (435-755-1650, option 1; Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm); permit pickup and payment end at 4:45pm.
Utah has one construction code for the whole state, so what varies is the local amendments, zoning, fire authority and service district on top of it. That matters more in a county like this one than in the metro counties, because it means a small rural jurisdiction is not free to run an older code set: the editions here are the same ones in force in Salt Lake City.
Cache Valley sits in the far north of the state against the Idaho line, at meaningful elevation and ringed by mountains. Snow load, agricultural land use, canyon access and on-site wastewater are the conditions that actually shape a project here — rather than the code edition, which the state has already settled.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions and remodels
- Structural alterations, relocation and demolition
- Agricultural buildings, subject to the county's treatment of farm structures
- On-site wastewater systems, permitted through the health department
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work
- Solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage
- Manufactured home placement
- Work in canyon and wildland urban interface areas
Typically exempt
- Purely cosmetic finish work that alters no regulated system
- Like-for-like minor repairs not affecting structure or a system
- Routine maintenance that does not extend or reroute a system
- Any agricultural exemption the county applies — confirm the criteria directly
Utah adopts one construction code for the whole state; cities and counties enforce it, and any local amendments are set by the Legislature. Utah rules
Cache County building department: who handles permitting
Development Services is the county's combined planning and building function, which is the usual pattern in Utah's mid-sized counties: zoning, land use and building review sit in one organisation rather than separate departments. That is an advantage on a rural parcel, where the zoning question and the building question are usually the same conversation.
On-site wastewater is a separate authority. In Utah, septic permitting runs through the local health department rather than the building counter, and on a parcel without a public sewer connection that approval is a gating item rather than a parallel one. Establish the wastewater position before committing to a house design.
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Get a free quote →Agricultural land is the defining feature of this valley, and it changes the permitting question in two directions. Some genuinely agricultural structures are treated differently from ordinary buildings — the criteria vary by county in Utah and are worth confirming rather than assuming from a neighbouring county's rule. And agricultural zoning can constrain what may be built on a parcel at all, independently of the building code.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Cache County Building Division (Development Services), 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan, UT 84321; 435-755-1650, option 1; Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm |
| Jurisdiction | All unincorporated areas plus Amalga, Avon, Benson, Cornish, Cove, Hyrum, Millville, Paradise, Petersboro, Providence, Richmond, River Heights, Smithfield, Trenton and Wellsville |
| Governing code | Utah Title 15A statewide adopted editions |
| Local layer | County land use ordinances and zoning |
| Wastewater | Permitted through the local health department |
| Third-party route | Available where the county cannot inspect within three business days |
| Design conditions | Snow load at valley and canyon elevations |
| Contractor licence | Utah DOPL, with qualifiers on several classifications |
| Lien registry | Permit information transmitted to the State Construction Registry |
| Confirm directly | Submittal checklists, fee basis and inspection notice |
The code edition is the one thing you do not have to ask about. Utah sets construction code editions statewide under Title 15A, so Cache County enforces the same editions as Salt Lake City — including the current split, where the building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy, existing building and pool codes moved to their 2024 editions while the residential code stayed on 2021 and the electrical code on 2023. What you do need to ask about is the local layer: zoning, submittal requirements, fees and inspection logistics.
Cache County is not Logan. Logan is the county seat, the valley’s largest city and home to the state’s land-grant university, and it runs its own building department. North Logan, Hyde Park, Nibley, Clarkston, Lewiston, Mendon and Newton permit their own work too. Every other town in the county — Amalga, Avon, Benson, Cornish, Cove, Hyrum, Millville, Paradise, Petersboro, Providence, Richmond, River Heights, Smithfield, Trenton and Wellsville — is permitted by the county, along with the unincorporated farmland and canyon areas. Note also that Cache Valley continues north into Idaho, which is a different state’s regime entirely.
In 2025, building permits issued in unincorporated Cache County authorized 424 new privately owned housing units, all of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Cache County permits: record types and what each covers
The record catalog here is the rural Utah set, with the wastewater and land use records mattering as much as the building permit on most parcels.
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Get a free quote →Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures above the local size threshold | Plan review against the state-adopted 2021 International Residential Code with Utah amendments, plus zoning and setbacks | Valuation-based |
| Addition | Added conditioned or unconditioned space attached to an existing dwelling | Structural and energy review; since 1 July 2026 houses follow Utah's own energy chapter in the residential code, with one set of insulation values statewide | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural changes, layout changes, or added plumbing, mechanical, or electrical | Plan review scaled to scope; a change that alters egress, structure, or a system is reviewed even where the footprint does not move | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement, recover, and structural deck repair | Deck and dry-in inspection; plan review rarely required, but a change of assembly type can trigger a structural check | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount arrays, with or without battery storage | Single local review covering both the structural attachment and the electrical scope; there is no separate state electrical record in Utah | Flat or system-size based |
| Battery energy storage | Wall or floor-mounted storage added to a dwelling | Electrical review plus fire separation, ventilation, and location check | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, EV chargers, meter sets, and rewiring | Local trade review and local inspection against the 2023 National Electrical Code, which applies statewide | Per-permit or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, fixtures, gas piping, and water heater replacement | Local trade review; performed by a contractor holding the matching state licence classification and qualifier | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts, new ductwork, and refrigeration | Local trade review; changeout volume is heavy given Utah heating loads and wide seasonal swings | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Patio cover and shade structure | Attached and detached covers, ramadas, and carports | Structural review for wind uplift and attachment, plus zoning for setbacks and lot coverage | Valuation or flat |
| Swimming pool | In-ground and above-ground pools and spas | Barrier, bonding, and electrical review; the state code adopts the residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code | Valuation or flat |
| Manufactured home set-up | Placing or re-siting a manufactured or modular home | Federal HUD label for manufactured homes or a state decal for modular units, with local zoning, floodplain, foundation, and utility connection review | Flat or per-unit |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a dwelling or accessory structure | Utility disconnect confirmation, dust control where earthmoving is involved, and site restoration check | Flat |
| Agricultural structure | Farm buildings on agricultural land | Treatment varies between Utah counties; confirm the criteria directly | Confirm with the county |
| On-site wastewater | Parcels without a sewer connection | Permitted through the local health department | Assessed by the health department |
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New commercial construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings | Concurrent review against the state-adopted 2024 International Building Code with Utah amendments, plus fire and zoning | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement / upfit | Interior fit-out of an existing tenant space | Building, trade, and life-safety review; accessibility attaches on change of use | Valuation-based |
| Change of occupancy | Converting a building or space to a different use group | Occupancy classification, egress, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Commercial electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | Local trade review and local inspection; Utah has no central state electrical permit for either residential or commercial work | Per-permit or valuation |
| Commercial plumbing | Process piping, fixtures, backflow, and grease waste | Local trade review; backflow and grease interceptor sign-off where applicable | Per-fixture or valuation |
| Commercial mechanical | Rooftop units, kitchen exhaust and hood systems, and refrigeration | Local trade review; hood and suppression systems draw fire review alongside mechanical | Per-unit or valuation |
| Commercial reroof | Roof covering replacement on a commercial structure | Deck, dry-in, and attachment inspection | Valuation or squares |
| Signage | Wall, ground, and illuminated signs | Zoning review for size and placement, plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Grading and drainage | Clearing, grading, and site work that alters drainage | Civil review of grading and drainage, separate from the building permit | Acreage or valuation |
| Dust control permit | Earthmoving, trenching, and construction dust on a qualifying site | Utah Division of Air Quality, not the building department; a fugitive dust control plan is required for qualifying sites larger than a quarter acre | Set by the Utah Division of Air Quality where a dust control plan is required |
| Commercial demolition | Full or partial demolition of a commercial structure | Utility disconnect, asbestos notification, dust control, and site restoration | Flat or valuation |
| Land use approval | Development requiring zoning review | Development Services combines land use and building review | Per the county schedule |
| Third-party inspection | Where the county cannot inspect within three business days | Notify the county first; not authorised until confirmed | Arranged under the statutory route |
Residential
- Building and trade permits are issued and inspected by the same local authority
- There is no separate state electrical permit — electrical is a local record
- A state contractor licence in the correct classification is required, with a named qualifier where the classification demands one
- Properties on septic need on-site wastewater approval before ground is broken
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, trades, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans across every affected discipline
- The licensee's classification must match the actual scope of work
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to any change of occupancy
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Get a free quote →Records you will actually see in Cache County
| Record | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Construction and alteration in the unincorporated county and the fifteen towns the county permits |
| Agricultural structure | Treated under the county's own criteria; confirm directly |
| Trade permit | Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas by the licensed contractor |
| On-site wastewater permit | Through the local health department |
| Manufactured home permit | Placement on a private parcel |
| Solar photovoltaic permit | Arrays, inverters and battery storage |
| Land use and zoning approval | Under the county's land use ordinances |
| Third-party inspection | Where the county cannot inspect within three business days |
| Certificate of occupancy | Once every required inspection and sign-off is clear |
Solar permits in Cache County
Solar in unincorporated Cache County is permitted and inspected by the county under Utah's statewide adopted editions. The Utah point that governs every trade here is the edition split: the building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas and energy codes moved to their 2024 editions in July 2026, while the residential code stayed on 2021 and the electrical code on 2023. A designer who reads the building code year and infers the electrical year gets rapid shutdown, labelling and conductor requirements wrong. Cache Valley carries one of the heavier snow loads in inhabited Utah, so the added dead load of an array, drifting behind panel rows and sliding loads at the eave are all genuine structural considerations rather than formalities.
Roofing permits in Cache County
A roof covering replacement is permitted work and follows the ordinary sequence. Cache Valley is one of the colder and snowier inhabited parts of Utah, so roofing here is designed against snow load, ice damming and freeze-thaw, and the working season is genuinely shorter than on the Wasatch Front. Confirm the county's inspection notice period when you first make contact, since it varies between Utah counties.
Solar and roofing work follow the statewide code, and utilities run interconnection on their own timeline. Utah rules
Cache County permit cost
Permit fees follow the county's adopted fee schedule, with building fees valuation-driven and plan review assessed alongside. Confirm the current basis with Development Services rather than working from a figure quoted elsewhere.
On a Cache Valley parcel the costs outside the permit usually dominate. Snow load engineering at valley and canyon elevations, on-site wastewater design and permitting through the health department, and water supply on parcels without a connection are all separate scopes with their own timelines. Utah jurisdictions commonly double permit fees where work has been started or completed without a permit, and several publish that rule explicitly. Treat it as the default expectation rather than an unusual penalty.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit fee | Under the county's adopted fee schedule; confirm the basis |
| Plan review | Assessed alongside the building permit |
| Trade permits | Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas per discipline |
| On-site wastewater | Permitted and assessed through the health department |
| Snow load engineering | A design cost at valley and canyon elevations |
| Water supply | A project cost on parcels without a connection |
| Re-inspection | Charged where an inspection has to be repeated |
Want a precise number for a specific Cache County project? Send us the scope and we will price the permit path before you file.
Cache County trade permits
The trades are permitted and inspected by the county under Utah's statewide adopted editions. There is no central state electrical permit, and wastewater sits with the health department rather than the building counter.
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Required for service changes, panel work, new circuits, solar and EV charging. Utah's adopted electrical code did not move in the 2026 transition, so confirm the edition rather than inferring it from the building code year.
Plumbing and gas permits
Required for new piping, repipes, fixtures, water heaters and gas piping. On a rural Cache Valley parcel the plumbing scope connects to an on-site wastewater system permitted by the health department, and often to a private water supply.
Mechanical permits
Required for furnaces, boilers, air conditioning, heat pumps and ductwork. Cache Valley is one of the colder inhabited parts of Utah, so heating load dominates the design and cooling is the secondary consideration — the reverse of the state's south-west.
Structural and snow load
Not a trade permit, but the discipline that most often drives cost here. Snow load at Cache Valley and canyon elevations is a substantial design input, and a prototype drawn for the Wasatch Front or the southern desert will not transfer without re-engineering.
Contractors are licensed by the state Division of Professional Licensing, and a business licence must name a qualifier. Utah rules
Cache County permit application: how to apply step by step
Here is how to get a building permit in Cache County, from confirming the requirement through to close-out. Each step below corresponds to a real decision point where projects commonly stall.
The county permits the unincorporated areas and fifteen towns, including Hyrum, Smithfield, Providence and Wellsville. Logan, North Logan, Hyde Park, Nibley, Clarkston, Lewiston, Mendon and Newton permit their own work.
Establish the submittal requirements for your permit type, the current fee basis, the inspection route and notice period, and how the county treats agricultural structures — in one conversation.
Septic runs through the health department, and on a parcel without a connection the water supply is a project cost. Both can decide whether a parcel is buildable.
The edition question is answered by Title 15A. The snow load question is local and substantial, so engineer to the valley or canyon condition rather than a Wasatch Front default.
Development Services combines land use and building review, and agricultural zoning can constrain what may be built independently of the building code.
Keep the permit and approved plans on site, and remember the statutory third-party route if the county cannot inspect within three business days.
Inspections in Cache County
Inspections are scheduled by phone on 435-755-1650 (option 1) at least 24 hours ahead, by 4:00pm on the prior business day; same-day inspections are not available and the permit must be paid first. The county recommends calling two to three days ahead, because its inspectors cover a spread-out valley plus canyon areas. Projects must be ready by 8:00am, and a $75 re-inspection fee may be assessed when work is not ready.
Winter is a genuine programme constraint in Cache Valley. This is one of the colder and snowier inhabited parts of Utah, and site access, concrete placement, roofing and the practicality of inspection are all seasonal here in a way they are not in the state's south-west. Build weather contingency in at the programme stage rather than absorbing it later.
Close-out follows the ordinary sequence to occupancy once every required inspection has passed and the applicable departments have signed off. On a rural parcel expect the health department wastewater approval to be part of getting there.
Utah law lets you use a third-party inspection firm when the building department cannot inspect within three business days. Utah rules
Cache County permit search and official resources
These are the primary Utah sources behind this guide. Because Cache County publishes less procedural detail online than the metro counties, confirm department specifics directly with Development Services.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Utah Code Title 15A, State Construction and Fire Codes Act
- Utah Code Section 15A-2-103, adopted code editions
- Utah DOPL contracting
- Utah DOPL licence lookup
- Utah State Fire Marshal plan review
- Utah State Construction Registry
- Utah Division of Water Rights
Frequently asked questions
Does Cache County permit my project?
If the parcel is in the unincorporated county or in one of the fifteen towns the county permits: Amalga, Avon, Benson, Cornish, Cove, Hyrum, Millville, Paradise, Petersboro, Providence, Richmond, River Heights, Smithfield, Trenton and Wellsville. Logan, North Logan, Hyde Park, Nibley, Clarkston, Lewiston, Mendon and Newton permit their own work.
Which codes does the county enforce?
Utah's statewide adopted editions under Title 15A — the same editions in force in Salt Lake City. Note the current split: the building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy, existing building and pool codes moved to 2024 editions in July 2026, while the residential code stayed on 2021 and the electrical code on 2023.
Can a rural county in Utah use an older code?
No, and that is the significance of the statewide regime. Unlike states where each jurisdiction adopts its own editions and small counties often run years behind, Utah sets the editions centrally, so a rural county enforces the same code set as the largest city.
What should I confirm before filing?
The submittal requirements for your permit type, the current fee basis, the inspection scheduling route and notice period, and how the county treats agricultural structures. Cache County publishes less procedural detail online than the metro counties, so one conversation is worth more than extended searching.
Who permits my septic system?
The local health department rather than the building counter. In Utah septic permitting sits with health departments, and on a parcel without a public sewer connection that approval gates the project rather than running alongside it.
Are agricultural buildings treated differently?
Often, but the criteria vary between Utah counties and are worth confirming with Development Services rather than assuming from a neighbouring county's rule. Agricultural zoning can also constrain what may be built on a parcel independently of the building code.
What snow load applies?
It is substantial here and varies with elevation across the valley and into the canyons. Cache Valley is one of the colder and snowier inhabited parts of Utah, so a structural prototype drawn for the Wasatch Front or the southern desert will need re-engineering.
What if the county cannot inspect in time?
Utah law lets you use a third-party inspection firm when the city or county cannot inspect within three business days of your request. Pick a firm from the building department's approved list and tell the building department which firm you will use before you hire it.
Does my permit affect lien rights?
Yes. A city, town or county that issues a building permit for a private project must send the permit information to the State Construction Registry within 15 days, and the contractor must post a copy of the permit at the site. The permit holder is responsible for its accuracy.
Do I need fire sprinklers in a new house?
Not by force of the state residential code, which Utah amended to remove the model requirement for automatic sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. Local fire and wildland urban interface requirements can still apply.
Does Cache Valley extend into Idaho?
Yes, geographically — the valley continues north across the state line. That is an entirely different state's regulatory regime, so confirm which side of the line a parcel sits on before assuming Utah rules apply.
Do I need a licensed contractor?
In almost all cases. Utah licenses contractors through the Division of Professional Licensing, and a business licence must name a qualifier. The licence is valid statewide.
Simplify Cache County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Cache County is a rural valley jurisdiction where the code question is already answered by the state and the real variables are zoning, wastewater, water and snow load. One good conversation up front settles most of it. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Cache County permits through issuance.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Cache County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm submittal requirements, fees and inspection logistics directly rather than assuming.
- We settle wastewater and water supply before a design budget is committed.
- We engineer to the local snow load rather than transferring a Wasatch Front prototype.
- We check the agricultural treatment of farm structures against the county's own criteria.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service in Utah. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
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More Utah permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cache County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.