South Salt Lake, Utah Building Permit Guide

Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in South Salt Lake are issued by the City’s Building Permits Division, part of Community & Economic Development at 220 E Morris Avenue. You submit the application, a notarized property owner affidavit and plans in person or by email, pay a plan check fee of 65% of the building fee at submittal, and the City reviews complete applications within 15 business days.

What requires a building permit in South Salt Lake?

The City allows construction work only after a permit is issued. Its Building Permits page lists the project types that need one, and its code adds flat over-the-counter fees for many small jobs.

If you are unsure, the division answers on 801-483-6063 (press 2, then 2). Accessory dwelling units, conditional uses and other land-use approvals go through Planning first.

Who issues building permits in South Salt Lake?

The Building Permits Division processes applications, reviews plans and inspects the work, then issues a Certificate of Occupancy or a Certificate of Completion. Jeff Banman is the Chief Building Official. The division works with the City’s Engineering department and the Fire Marshal’s Office, which carries out its own plan review and issues fire sprinkler and alarm permits.

The division covers property inside South Salt Lake only. Neighboring cities issue their own permits, and unincorporated Salt Lake County is served by the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District.

Applications and forms

South Salt Lake uses a paper or emailed application rather than a permit portal. Submit the Building Permit Application at the office or by email to permits@sslc.gov; some permits can also be requested through the City’s Online Building Permits Form. Incomplete applications are not accepted.

• Building Permit Application (revised May 1, 2026), with a notarized property owner affidavit, which is required for every application.
• Plan submittal checklists for new residential, residential remodel or addition, tenant improvement, commercial, miscellaneous projects, and converting a single-family home into a commercial business.
• Sign, paving or concrete and interior demolition permit applications. Engineering takes applications for demolition and right-of-way permits.
• State of Utah Owner Builder Form (2026). The City’s remodel checklist notes that owners can do their own work if it meets the current codes.
• Certificate of Occupancy and Certificate of Completion sign-off forms.

The application lists the property owner, the general contractor and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors with their state licence numbers, and the architect. A business must hold a South Salt Lake business license, or have one pending, at the location.

South Salt Lake permit fees

Fees are set in section 3.11.040 of the City code (consolidated fee schedule, last amended by Ordinance 2025-17 on May 28, 2025). A calculated permit has three parts, all based on the building’s valuation under the latest ICC Building Valuation Data:

• Building fee: the gross ICC valuation of the project times the City’s local multiplier, due before the permit is issued.
• Plan check fee: 65% of the building fee, due when you apply. It covers the first review and two resubmittals; further review time is $56 an hour.
• State surcharge: 1% of the building fee, due before issuance.

The code does not print the multiplier, so ask the division for a fee estimate before you budget. All permit fees are non-refundable, and starting work before the permit is issued adds 100% of the building fee.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits

Trade work is permitted and inspected by the Building Permits Division. Replacement furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters and service upgrades of 200 amps or less use the flat fees above; larger trade work is part of a calculated permit. Every electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractor on the job is named on the application with a state licence number.

The Fire Marshal’s Office reviews fire protection systems under its own fees in the same code section: sprinkler systems are $150 up to 8,000 sq ft and $300 above, fire alarms $120 up to 5,000 sq ft and $300 above, and hood, clean agent and paint booth systems $200. It publishes submittal guides for high-piled storage, spray booths and pyrotechnics.

Application documents and plan review

Every submittal needs the completed application and notarized affidavit, one paper set of plans at 24 x 36 inches and one digital set on CD, Google Drive or by email (flash drives are not accepted). New construction, additions and changes of use also need a landscape plan. The new residential checklist adds:

• A REScheck energy report and a geotechnical (soils) report from your architect or engineer
• Engineered plans stamped by a Utah-licensed engineer unless the house is conventional light-frame construction
• Site plan with property lines and setbacks, plus a landscaping plan
• Elevations, footing, foundation and floor plans, wall sections, and floor and roof framing layouts
• Plumbing (water service size, gas piping plan, backwater valve where needed), electrical (service size and panel location) and mechanical (equipment sizes, combustion air, venting) information
• Stormwater best management practices, arranged with the Public Works inspector

The City reviews complete applications within 15 business days and emails comments to the contact on the application. A resubmittal includes the review letters, a response letter showing where the plans changed, and a full new paper and digital set. Inactive applications are void after 180 days.

How to get a building permit in South Salt Lake

South Salt Lake inspections

Every building permit requires inspection. Call 801-483-6032 to schedule an on-site visit. If work is covered without an inspection, the applicant has to remove and replace the uninspected work. On remodels and additions that use trusses, the truss specifications must be on site when the framing inspection is booked. A re-inspection costs $56.

Before anyone moves in, complete all inspections and collect signatures on the Certificate of Occupancy application: Planning & Zoning, the Fire Marshal, Engineering (with as-built plans and the hydrant meter returned), a lab culinary water test, release letters from Mount Olympus Improvement District for sewer and Jordan Valley Water for the water hookup, Salt Lake Public Utilities, the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspectors, Business Licensing for commercial or rental projects, and the Salt Lake County Health Department for commercial projects. Forms marked N/A still need a signature, and the form is filed in person.

Local South Salt Lake details

Impact fees: the City code sets a culinary water impact fee of $6,345 for a 3/4-inch or 1-inch meter, a parks impact fee of $1,677 per single-family home or $1,608 per multi-family unit, and a wastewater impact fee of $11,560 per typical residential connection ($1,160 for properties the code lists as PID members, which do not pay the collection component).

Accessory dwelling units: since February 7, 2024, internal and external ADUs are allowed in the R1 and RM zones. The Planning Department must approve an ADU Predevelopment Application ($50, in person or by email to planning@sslc.gov) before a building permit is processed. The owner or an immediate family member must live on the property, rentals must be for 30 days or more, one extra parking space is required, and the ADU cannot have its own utility meters.

Planning fees: an allowed use application is $150, a conditional use $600 plus $10 per unit and a variance $300.

Permit reports: the division posts a monthly list of the building permits it has issued.

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 South Salt Lake permitting resources

• South Salt Lake Building Permits Division
• South Salt Lake Building Permit Application (revised May 2026)
• New Residential Plan Submittal Checklist
• Residential Remodel or Addition checklist
• Certificate of Occupancy application and sign-off sheet
• State of Utah Owner Builder Form (posted by the City)
• South Salt Lake consolidated fee schedule, City code chapter 3.11
• South Salt Lake accessory dwelling units
• South Salt Lake Fire Marshal & Fire Prevention
• South Salt Lake Engineering (right-of-way and demolition permits)

South Salt Lake building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in South Salt Lake?

The City’s Building Permits Division, 220 E Morris Avenue, Suite 150 (801-483-6063 ext. 2, permits@sslc.gov). Jeff Banman is the Chief Building Official.

How much does a building permit cost in South Salt Lake?

Calculated permits are a building fee based on ICC valuation, plus a 65% plan check fee and a 1% state surcharge. Small jobs have flat fees, such as $30 for a residential water heater or furnace replacement.

How long does plan review take?

The City reviews complete applications within 15 business days and emails its comments.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Not for a wood fence under 6 feet. Masonry fences of any height and fences over 6 feet need a building permit.

Do I need a permit to re-roof?

Yes. Every re-roof needs a permit; a residential re-roof is a $75 flat fee.

Can a homeowner do the work?

Yes. The City’s remodel checklist says owners can do their own work if it meets current codes, and it posts the State owner-builder form.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call 801-483-6032. Every permit needs inspection.

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