North Salt Lake, Utah Building Permit Guide

North Salt Lake’s Building Department at 10 East Center Street issues building permits, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, and takes every application through City Inspect. A permit with no plan review costs $50.50 and is normally issued the next business day after payment, while a new house pays a $500 plan check deposit and a residential plan check fee of 50% of the permit fee under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2026.

What requires a building permit in North Salt Lake?

The City requires a building permit and inspection for all new construction, additions, basement finishes and remodeling, and for siding, re-roofing, window replacement and water heater or furnace replacement. Its design criteria add that most repairs and alterations need a building, plumbing, electrical or mechanical permit.

Who issues building permits in North Salt Lake?

The City’s Building Department reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction inside North Salt Lake, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Cameron Wright is the Chief Building Official. The City Engineer handles geologic hazard reviews in the Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone, street dumpster permits and engineering sign-off, and the City Planner reviews land use permits. Unincorporated Davis County is permitted by Davis County Community and Economic Development.

North Salt Lake permit types and approvals

Every application goes through City Inspect, where you also upload plans, follow plan review and request inspections. After submission, each reviewing department posts redlines, corrections or approvals, and you answer a correction by opening it and attaching a comment or revised document. Once all departments approve, the City emails the fees; pay them in the portal, by phone to the permit technician or in person, and the permit is emailed to you.

Applications and forms on the City’s Forms page:

• New Residential SFD Permit Packet, and the New Residential Permit Application for basements, garages, electrical and mechanical work.
• Residential Remodel and Commercial Remodel permit applications, and the New Commercial Permit Application.
• Owner/Builder Certification Form, for an owner who is also the builder.
• Pre-Construction Meeting Application for commercial and multi-family projects, and the Certificate of Occupancy Sign Off Sheet.
• Land use permit forms for sheds, accessory dwelling units and residential or commercial fences, emailed to permits@nslcity.org.

North Salt Lake permit costs and fees

Fees are set by the City’s Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Resolution 2026-24R, approved June 16, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026. The building permit fee follows the most recent ICC Building Valuation Data, applied to the value of the work as the Building Official determines it from square-foot costs. Fees for plan-reviewed permits are set after review is complete.

All development fees are due when the building permit is issued. Credit card payments carry a 2% service fee.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

North Salt Lake’s Building Department issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits itself. Stand-alone mechanical and plumbing permits, such as a water heater or furnace replacement, usually need no plan review: they cost $50.50 and are normally issued the next business day after the fees are paid. Residential electrical and mechanical permits use the New Residential Permit Application, and commercial ones the Commercial Remodel Permit Application. A new house submittal must include a gas line drawing and Manual J and D calculations with the HVAC equipment and duct design.

Re-roofs follow the Building Official’s Re-roof and Roof Repair Policy (revised March 2026), which requires a final inspection of vents, flashings and drip edges and covers tear-off, recover limits and plank decking.

Application documents and plan review

For a new house, the residential checklist asks for:

• A site plan with lot lines and dimensions, all permanent structures, drainage and grading, sewer and water tie-ins, and elevations and contours.
• Construction drawings and footing and foundation plans, one set wet-stamped and signed, plus floor plans with electrical diagrams and elevations showing final grade.
• Framing details and a diagram of each wall type, structural calculations and engineering packets.
• A soils report and retaining wall engineering where they apply.
• REScheck, Manual J and D, and the gas line drawing.
• The $500 plan review deposit.

Design to the City’s criteria: 30-inch frost depth, roof snow loads of 30 to 46 psf by elevation (engineered design above 5,000 feet) and seismic category D-2 or E depending on the Wasatch Fault and soil. New commercial buildings, commercial additions or structural remodels, and nonstructural remodels over 3,000 sq ft need a Utah-licensed professional’s stamp. The City does not publish a plan review time, but says that attaching every required document speeds the application along.

How to apply in North Salt Lake: 6 steps

North Salt Lake building inspections

Inspections are requested through your City Inspect account and are not available the same day; the City says most are done the next day, with some exceptions. Inspectors work Monday to Thursday, with morning (8:00 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1:00 to 4:00 p.m.) windows; for a closer time estimate, call on the day. The permit in the portal lists the inspections your scope needs.

A $50 re-inspection fee applies when an inspection needs a second re-inspection for incomplete work or corrections. Every construction site must have a trash container and toilet facilities, and commercial projects close out with the Certificate of Occupancy Sign Off Sheet.

Local details for North Salt Lake projects

Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone: new homes, retaining walls, pools and sports courts there go through a geologic hazard review: site plan and planning approval, a scoping fee and bond, a scoping meeting, a geotechnical report reviewed for the City by GeoStrata, then a soils observation report after footing excavation before the permit is issued.

Street use: dumpsters and portable storage containers may sit in a City street for up to 14 days with a permit from City Engineering, and driveway approaches carry a $500 cash completion bond.

Accessory dwelling units: basement and mother-in-law apartments and tiny homes need a land use permit as well as any building permit.

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 North Salt Lake permitting resources

City sources:

• North Salt Lake Building Department
• City Inspect login, North Salt Lake
• Permitting Process Quick Facts Sheet (2025)
• Building permit and land use forms
• Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Resolution 2026-24R (effective July 1, 2026)
• Residential new build permit checklist
• North Salt Lake design criteria
• Geologic Hazard Investigation Application Form
• Re-roof and Roof Repair Policy (2026)
• Utah Division of Professional Licensing

North Salt Lake building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in North Salt Lake?

Simple permits with no plan review, such as most re-roofs and water heater or furnace replacements, are $50.50. Larger projects pay a fee based on ICC valuation data plus a plan check fee (50% residential, 65% commercial), with a $500 deposit for a new house.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof or windows?

Yes. Re-roofs, siding and window replacement all need a permit; a residential re-roof is $50.50.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

A shed of 200 sq ft or more, or any shed with power, plumbing or heat, needs a building permit. Smaller sheds need a free land use permit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Request it in City Inspect. There are no same-day inspections, and inspectors work Monday to Thursday in morning or afternoon windows.

What if my lot is in the Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone?

File the Geologic Hazard Investigation application before the building permit and expect a scoping meeting and geotechnical review; the City Engineer is at 801-335-8722.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes. Include the Owner/Builder Certification Form with the application if you are both owner and builder.

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