Highland, Utah Building Permit Guide

Highland City’s Building Division issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits inside the city, and every application is filed and paid for in the My City Inspector portal. A new house carries a $500 deposit at submittal, a permit and plan check fee based on valuation, a $4,000 refundable lot bond and impact fees led by a $6,301 parks fee under the FY2027 fee schedule adopted June 16, 2026.

What requires a building permit in Highland?

A permit is needed whenever the structure changes, including adding, removing or changing floors, walls, roofs, windows or doors, and whenever a system such as the electrical system is added to or a furnace is replaced. The City’s April 2026 “When Do I Need a Building Permit?” sheet gives examples:

Drive approaches and curb cuts need no building permit, but Public Works decides where a curb can be cut.

Who issues building permits in Highland?

The Building Division in Highland’s Community Development Department reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction for property inside the city, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Jason Nelson is the Building Official. Land outside the city limits is unincorporated Utah County, permitted by Utah County Community Development.

Highland permit types and the My City Inspector portal

Create an account in My City Inspector, start a new application, choose the permit type, enter the builder and the property address, then the building details and valuation. A contractor’s licence must be current or the permit is rejected; an owner-builder leaves the builder fields blank and values the job at the cost of materials, while a builder uses materials plus labor. The required fees are paid by card in the portal before the application can be submitted, and you must press Submit so the record changes from PREP to SUBM.

The Building Division posts separate submittal checklists for accessory structures, detached ADUs, remodels, additions, basement finishes and basement entrances, dwelling units, new homes, retaining walls, solar and swimming pools, plus the state owner-builder form, an Architectural Committee Release and the Notice to all Builders, which can be signed digitally in the portal. A basement apartment or other ADU must also be registered online with a notarized Owner-Occupied Statement; it is approved at final inspection.

Highland permit costs and fees

The FY2027 Fee Schedule, adopted June 16, 2026, sets the permit and plan check fees by the International Code Council’s valuation standards and adds a state tax of 1% of the total permit fee. Solar is valued at $2.76 per watt. A deposit is paid when the application is submitted and is applied to the final permit.

Which sewer and water fees apply depends on the part of town and on what was already paid when the subdivision was built. The Building Division’s FAQ still shows older figures (a $5,854 parks fee, the police and fire amounts reversed, and smaller deposits for sheds, garages and remodels); the adopted FY2027 schedule above is the one that applies. The new-home checklist calls the $500 a non-refundable plan review fee, while the FAQ says it is credited to the final permit.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Highland

Trade work is permitted and inspected by the Building Division, not the State. Stand-alone mechanical, plumbing, electrical and re-roof permits take a $45 deposit, and furnace, boiler, water heater, air conditioning, fireplace and gas line work all need a permit. On a new home the electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins are inspected together with framing in the four-way inspection, followed by the gas pipe test, temporary and permanent power and the shower pan.

Since December 3, 2024, Highland has required automatic fire sprinklers wherever the state fire code allows a city to require them, including homes over 10,000 square feet, and a fire sprinkler inspection is on the standard list.

Application documents and plan review

Designs submitted after July 1, 2026 must meet the codes Highland enforces from that date: the 2021 IRC with Utah amendments, the 2023 NEC, the 2024 IBC and the other 2024 codes. For a new home the checklist requires:

• Stamped and signed plans where an architect or engineer prepared them, with a note that the house meets the 2021 IRC as amended by Utah.
• A site plan with all structures and setbacks, lot area, footprint area, the area of decks, porches, walks and driveway, and the driveway slope.
• Floor plans for every level, including unfinished basements and habitable attics.
• Elevations of the curb and gutter, final grade, garage slab, top of foundation, finished floors, top of walls and roof ridge.
• Thermal envelope sections, architectural and structural details, electrical and structural plans, and structural calculations.
• REScheck, a HERS rating or a prescriptive outline, plus ACCA Manual J/S heat loss and Manual D duct design.
• An estimated permit value covering materials and labor.

Deferred submittals have to be noted at application and received before the permit is issued. Highland does not publish a plan review time.

How to apply for a Highland building permit: 6 steps

Highland inspections

Book inspections in My City Inspector once the permit is issued, or call 801-772-4516, at least 24 hours ahead. Inspections run Monday to Thursday; Friday inspections may be available by appointment. The work must be complete when you book.

The standard sequence covers footings, foundations, temporary power, underground plumbing, the sewer connection, the four-way (electrical, plumbing, mechanical and framing), shear, the gas pipe test, permanent power, insulation, weather barrier, stucco lath, sheetrock, fire sprinkler, shower pan and the final; complex projects can need more. A re-inspection costs $100 and cancelling on the day costs $65.

A builder must keep a trash container on site and keep mud, rock and debris off the street; if the inspector finds otherwise, the Building Official may not inspect the work. The storm water schedule also fines tracking mud onto a City street $300 per occurrence.

Local Highland details that matter

Sewer areas: Highland charges a central or southeast sewer impact fee, and properties served by the Timpanogos Sanitary Sewer District (named the Timpanogos Special Service District until June 22, 2026) pay that district’s board-approved fee, which its Resolution 2026-11 of September 17, 2026 raises from $5,793 to $6,171 per ERU for permits issued from January 1, 2027.

Pressurized irrigation: the impact fee is $0.51 for each square foot of permeable lot surface, which is why the site plan must give the area of every hard surface.

Workers’ toilets and curb ramps: City Code 12.04.050 requires sanitary facilities on every new construction site and access over the curb only by curb ramps or 3/4-inch washed gravel, removed before final inspection.

Accessory dwelling units: registration is separate from the building permit, and the owner must sign a notarized owner-occupied statement for the City to record.

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 Highland permitting resources

City and state sources:

• Highland Building Division: portal, checklists and forms
• My City Inspector login, Highland
• When Do I Need a Building Permit? (April 2026)
• New home submittal requirements (2026)
• New permit submission guide
• Highland FY2027 Fee Schedule (adopted June 16, 2026)
• Timpanogos Sanitary Sewer District notices and impact fee resolutions
• Highland inspection scheduling
• Highland building inspection FAQs
• Utah Code 15A-2-103, adopted code editions
• Utah Division of Professional Licensing

Highland building permit FAQs

How much does a building permit cost in Highland?

The permit and plan check fees follow ICC valuation, plus a 1% state tax. A new house also pays a $500 deposit at submittal, a $4,000 refundable lot bond, a $1,500 storm water inspection fee and impact fees, including $6,301 for parks.

Do I need a permit for a shed or deck?

A one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less with no foundation or utilities needs none; larger or two-story sheds do. Decks more than 30 inches above grade need a permit.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or furnace?

Yes. Water heaters, furnaces, boilers and air conditioning all need a permit, with a $45 deposit for a mechanical, plumbing or electrical permit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

In My City Inspector or by calling 801-772-4516, at least 24 hours ahead, Monday to Thursday.

Can a homeowner pull the permit?

Yes. An owner build leaves the builder information blank, and the valuation is the cost of materials.

Which codes apply to new plans?

Plans submitted after July 1, 2026 must meet the 2021 IRC as amended by Utah, the 2023 NEC and the 2024 IBC and other 2024 codes.

Simplify Highland 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 Highland permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.