Emery County, Utah Building Permit Guide

Emery County Building & Zoning (435-381-3555), at 75 East Main in Castle Dale, issues building permits in the unincorporated county and inside its towns. Every structure needs zoning clearance first, from the town or from the County, and the application package is emailed to building@emery.utah.gov. Permit fees are based on the project’s valuation, with a $50 minimum.

What needs a building permit in Emery County?

The County requires zoning approval for every structure, and a building permit for:

A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issue or stops for 180 days; the building official can grant written extensions of up to 180 days each.

Who issues building permits in Emery County?

Emery County Building & Zoning is the building permit office for the county. The County’s permit process sends anyone building inside a city to that city office first: the city signs a zoning form or letter, which is then submitted with the County building permit application. Outside the towns, the County’s Zoning Administrator gives the zoning clearance.

The County’s current (October 2024) permit packets treat Green River like the other towns: zoning clearance from the City, then the County building permit. Green River’s City Code, carried over from its 1995 code, still says applications go to a city building inspector and the city recorder issues permits, so check with the City Offices (435-564-3448) before applying.

Permit packets and how to file

The County posts three packets with checklists, forms and contacts: Inside City Limits, Outside City Limits and Manufactured Homes. The completed application and every document are emailed to building@emery.utah.gov.

• Inside a town: fee paid, signed application, the town’s zoning clearance, plat with the property ID and County-issued address, plot plan, one PDF plan set, Health Department septic approval if needed, Emery Telcom fiber service request, Form PT24 residential property declaration, and an Owner Builder Certification if no contractor is used.
• Outside the towns: the same items plus proof of ownership of at least 10 acres (or a lot in a minor subdivision of lots of at least 2 acres), County zoning approval, a road encroachment permit, a letter of intent for water and sewer, and the Building Permit Point System form.
• Manufactured homes: zoning allows homes built on or after June 18, 1976. The packet asks for the floor plan, a model-specific footing and foundation plan, pier and tie-down layout, utility locations and the installation manual on site at delivery.

Log and metal-frame houses and other metal buildings count as unconventional construction and need an architect’s or engineer’s stamp. Commercial plans must be drawn by an architect or engineer and built by a certified contractor.

Emery County permit fees

The County calculates the building permit fee from the project’s valuation, set on a cost-per-square-foot basis following the 1997 Uniform Building Code fee schedule recommendations. The County does not post the fee table itself.

Septic design and permits come from the Southeast Utah Health Department (Price 435-637-3671, Castle Dale 435-381-2252), and water hook-ups from the water district or town that serves the lot; their fees are separate from the County permit.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

Building & Zoning permits electrical and gas work and new water heater installations, and its inspection list covers each trade at the sub-rough, rough and final stages. A new home’s plan set must include the electrical plan. Utility connections have their own inspections: temporary pedestal, power to panel and gas line.

Plans and site requirements

A stick-built home, garage, addition or large shed needs a complete set of plans and specifications: footing and foundation or basement plan, floor plan, electrical plan, elevations, and wall cross-sections and details. Documents that cannot be read are not accepted.

Outside the towns the plot plan shows the lot, the size and location of the structure, other buildings, easements, drainage and a north arrow. Dwellings must be at least 800 sq ft. Setbacks in the unincorporated county:

• Front: 55 ft from the centre of a public road or 30 ft from the right of way, whichever is greater; 50 ft from the right of way of a state or federal highway
• Side and rear: 10 ft, with no side or rear setback for barns, coops, sheds and other accessory buildings more than 100 ft from the nearest dwelling
• Feed lots for over 100 animals: at least 1/4 mile from the nearest dwelling, town boundary or federal highway

Once the plans meet the codes, the permit can be issued in anything from 24 hours to a couple of weeks, longer for complicated plans.

How to get an Emery County building permit

Emery County inspections

Give at least 24 business hours’ notice for every inspection; the County’s Inspections page asks for 24 to 48 hours and says a same-day visit is sometimes possible but not assured. The County’s required inspection list sends requests to 1-800-560-6151, the number its contact sheet gives for Sunrise Engineering. The stages are temporary pedestal, power to panel and gas line; sub-rough (footings, foundation, electrical, mechanical, plumbing); rough (building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, insulation, weather barrier, shear nailing, shower pan, stucco lath, bond beam and block); and final (building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and grading).

The County warns against ordering concrete before the inspection: if the inspector cannot come before the truck arrives, the order must be cancelled, because pouring without an inspection is not allowed. Work not marked approved must be corrected and re-inspected before continuing.

Local Emery County rules

Point system: outside the towns, a home site must score 1,000 points on the County’s form: up to 250 for being within a mile of a town, up to 250 for being within 250 ft of an improved road, 50 to 200 for lot size (10 to 40 acres), 200 for municipal water (100 for a well, spring or cistern), 200 for public power, 200 for an approved sewage system, and 25 to 100 for the size of the dwelling.

Design values: roof snow load 30 lb (90 lb in the mountains), ground snow load 43 lb, wind 90 mph exposure C, seismic zone D0 and a 30-inch frost depth.

Utah building code

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

Official Emery County permitting resources

• Emery County Building & Zoning
• Emery County building permit requirements
• Emery County permit process
• Emery County Building & Zoning contact and hours
• Emery County Inside City Limits building permit packet (2024)
• Emery County Outside City Limits building permit packet (2024)
• Emery County manufactured home building permit packet
• Huntington City mobile home zoning clearance form
• Green River City Code 9-1-2, permit procedure

Emery County building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Castle Dale, Huntington or Ferron?

Emery County Building & Zoning, after the town’s zoning office signs a zoning clearance.

How much is a building permit in Emery County?

The fee is based on the project’s valuation per square foot, with a $50 minimum; a plan check fee may be added.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes for an outbuilding of 200 sq ft or more; a one-story shed under that size is exempt, though it still needs zoning approval.

Can I build a house on a small rural lot?

Outside the towns the County asks for at least 10 acres, or a minor subdivision of lots of at least 2 acres, and a site scoring 1,000 points.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call 1-800-560-6151 with 24 to 48 hours’ notice.

Who approves septic systems?

The Southeast Utah Health Department, after a percolation test; its approval is part of the permit package.

Simplify Emery County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Utah. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Emery County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.