Saratoga Springs, Utah Building Permit Guide

The Saratoga Springs Building Department reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects all construction inside the city, and it is paperless: applications, resubmittals and payments go through the City’s Cityworks Public Portal. A house application carries a $200 deposit credited to the permit, plan review is 65% of the permit fee, and the City says a single-family plan takes about 10 working days to process.

What requires a building permit in Saratoga Springs?

The Building Department permits and inspects commercial buildings, new homes, additions, remodels and basement finishes, along with the electrical, plumbing and mechanical work in them. Demolition needs a permit when the Building Official requires one. Before any ground is disturbed, a storm water (SWPPP) permit is also required.

A permit-exempt shed must still follow City Code 19.05.11: no taller than 15 feet outside the A, RA-5 and RR zones, and if it sits inside a setback, no more than 10 feet high, with no openings and one-hour fire-rated walls facing the neighbors. A shed that needs a permit must meet the zone’s accessory setbacks and may cover no more than 30% of a side or rear yard.

Who handles permitting in Saratoga Springs?

The City’s Building Department issues building permits for property inside Saratoga Springs, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Caleb Fishnick is the Chief Building Official. Before most permits are issued, Planning and Zoning, Public Works and the Fire Department must also approve the project, and the Plans Examiner, City Engineer and City Planner each review the plans. Unincorporated land around the city is permitted by Utah County Community Development.

Saratoga Springs permit applications and forms

Since January 1, 2024 every building permit submittal, resubmittal and payment has gone through the Cityworks Public Portal. Complete the portal application in full, attach all required documents and pay the deposit when you submit, or the application waits. Basement finishes have their own Basement Permit Application in the portal.

The Building Department’s Applications & Forms page provides:

• Owner Builder Certificate (also fillable), for homeowners doing their own work.
• Contractor Statement of Responsibility and Special Inspection Agreement, for projects that need special inspections.
• Commercial Inspection sign off list.

Plans must be prepared by a Utah-licensed engineer or architect for buildings of more than 4 dwelling units, new commercial buildings, commercial remodels over 3,000 sq ft and any work involving structural changes, and the Building Official can ask for them on other projects.

Permit fees in Saratoga Springs

Under the City’s Consolidated Fee Schedule, a building is valued at 75% of the International Code Council’s Building Valuation Data, and the permit fee is read from the permit-fee table of the International Residential Code, which the schedule names; the Building Department posts a printed copy of that model-code table as its Building Permit Fee Schedule:

Where weather keeps work from being finished before the final inspection, the City holds refundable escrow bonds, for example $200 a lot for final grade, $100 per sidewalk section and $500 for a two-car drive approach.

The Engineering Division’s impact fee summary (FY2024-25, updated June 17, 2025) is out of date: it lists the City sewer fee at $1,217.18, parks at $5,607.45, public safety at $466.28 and the sewer district fee at $5,931. City Code Title 7 now sets the City sewer fee at $1,489.55 and steps the parks fee up each January 1. The Timpanogos Sanitary Sewer District (renamed from the Timpanogos Special Service District on June 22, 2026) sets its own fee: $5,793 per ERU since January 23, 2026 under its Resolution 2026-01, and $6,171 from January 1, 2027 under Resolution 2026-11, adopted September 17, 2026; the fee owed is the one in effect when the City issues the building permit.

Storm drain fees are paid before plat recording for subdivisions filed since November 23, 2017, and once it has been paid the storm drain fee at the building permit is zero. The City Council adopted Ordinance 26-44 on October 6, 2026 to amend the storm drain fee; its hearing draft raises the rate from $2,585 to $2,814 per acre, effective 90 days after the ordinance is published. Water rights and secondary water are charged separately when the subdivision plat is recorded.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Saratoga Springs

Trade work on a building project is part of the building permit and is inspected by the City’s inspectors; the plans must show the plumbing, electrical and mechanical layouts, gas piping and venting. Stand-alone electrical work is priced on the electrical schedule in the Consolidated Fee Schedule: a $22 issuance fee plus unit fees, for example $1 each for the first 20 outlets or light fixtures and $4.25 per fixed appliance. The Fire Department is one of the departments that must approve most projects before the permit is issued.

Application documents and plan review

Plans must show only the options that apply to the building being permitted. A house or commercial submittal includes:

• Site and plot plans, footing and foundation plans, a floor plan for each floor and elevations.
• Wall cross sections and details, and the species and grade of lumber.
• Plumbing, electrical and mechanical layouts, gas piping and venting details.
• Energy code compliance (REScheck for homes, COMcheck for commercial) and Manual J, D and S heat loss calculations.
• Engineering calculation packets with stamped plans, and truss manufacturer detail sheets.

Design to the City’s criteria: frost depth 30 inches, roof snow load 30 psf and ground snow load 31 psf, seismic category D2, wind speed 103 mph, and an assumed soil bearing capacity of 1,500 psf (1,200 psf in Dalmore Meadows). A basement plan must label each room and show lights, outlets, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, door and window sizes, and the mechanical room and electrical panel.

The City says single-family plans are processed in about 10 working days, and commercial or complex plans take longer. Any change to approved plans must be resubmitted before it is built.

How to apply: 6-step Saratoga Springs permit process

Building inspections in Saratoga Springs

Inspection requests go to the Building Department’s inspection request email or to 801-766-6507, ext. 120. Inspectors work Monday to Thursday, with a limited number of Friday inspections. All permit documents and a printed set of the approved plans, at least 18 by 24 inches, must be on site for every inspection.

A re-inspection is billed at $47 an hour with a one-hour minimum, and inspections outside business hours at $47 an hour with a two-hour minimum. Commercial projects follow the City’s Commercial Inspection sign off list.

Local Saratoga Springs details that matter

Storm water first: a SWPPP permit is required before any land disturbance. The storm drain impact fee is normally paid when the subdivision plat is recorded; it is charged on the gross lot area at the building permit only where that did not happen.

Sewer district: new homes pay both a City sewer impact fee and the Timpanogos Sanitary Sewer District impact fee, which the district sets (district office 801-756-5231).

Water rights: a new subdivision must buy secondary water rights from the City or dedicate acceptable water rights when its plat is recorded, so check what was paid at plat stage before budgeting a lot.

Basement egress: each basement bedroom window needs a net opening of at least 5.7 sq ft, a sill no higher than 44 inches, a window well extending at least 36 inches out from the wall, and a fixed ladder when the well is deeper than 44 inches.

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 Saratoga Springs permitting resources

City and state sources:

• Saratoga Springs Building Department
• Cityworks Public Portal login
• Obtaining a Building Permit: deposits and design professionals
• Additional Building Permit Requirements: submittal list
• IRC permit-fee table, posted as the Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Saratoga Springs Consolidated Fee Schedule
• Summary of Impact Fees for Residential Developments (FY2024-25)
• City Code Title 7, Assessment and Fees
• Notice of adoption of Ordinance 26-44, storm drainage impact fee (October 6, 2026)
• Timpanogos Sanitary Sewer District notices and impact fee resolutions
• When you need a building permit for a shed
• Building design criteria
• Utah Code 15A-2-103, adopted code editions

Saratoga Springs permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Saratoga Springs?

The permit fee comes from the IRC permit-fee table applied to 75% of the ICC valuation, plus 65% of that fee for plan review and a 1% state surcharge. A house application starts with a $200 deposit that counts toward the permit, and impact fees are charged on top.

Does Saratoga Springs accept paper plans?

No. The Building Department is paperless; apply and resubmit through the Cityworks Public Portal.

How long does plan review take?

About 10 working days for a single-family home, according to the City; commercial and complex plans take longer.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Not for a one-story detached shed of 200 sq ft or less, but it must still meet City Code 19.05.11. Larger sheds need a permit and must meet the zone’s setbacks.

How do I request an inspection?

Email the inspection request address on the Building page or call 801-766-6507, ext. 120.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, with the Owner Builder Certificate from the Applications & Forms page.

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