Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City building permit fees
A Salt Lake City building permit is priced from total project valuation on the Consolidated Fee Schedule:
a flat $55.97 up to $500, then rates that step from $4.00 per $100 through $20.00 per $1,000 down to $5.00 per $1,000 above $1,000,000 — each partial increment rounding up, and plan review adding 65% of the permit fee. A $150,000 project prices $1,825.97 in permit fees.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permit, $50,000.01-$100,000 ($925.97 + $10.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $925.97 + $10.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $50,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $50,000 and up to $100,000 | — |
| Building permit, $500,000.01-$1,000,000 ($4,625.97 + $7.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $4,625.97 + $7.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $500,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $500,000 and up to $1,000,000 | — |
| Building permit, $2,000.01-$25,000 ($115.97 + $20.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $115.97 + $20.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $2,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $2,000 and up to $25,000 | — |
| Building permit, $500.01-$2,000 ($55.97 + $4.00 per $100)Permit fee | $55.97 + $40.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $500, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $500 and up to $2,000 | — |
| Building permit, valuation to $500 ($55.97 flat)Permit fee | $55.97 flat fee | Project valuation up to $500 | — |
| Building permit, $100,000.01-$500,000 ($1,425.97 + $8.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $1,425.97 + $8.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $100,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $100,000 and up to $500,000 | — |
| Building permit, $25,000.01-$50,000 ($575.97 + $14.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $575.97 + $14.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $25,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $25,000 and up to $50,000 | — |
| Building permit, above $1,000,000 ($8,125.97 + $5.00 per $1,000)Permit fee | $8,125.97 + $5.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $1,000,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $1,000,000 | — |
| Plan review fee (65% of the building permit fee)Plan review | 65% of calculated permit fee | Every permit of this type | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A commercial tenant improvement in Salt Lake City with a total project valuation of $150,000.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $150,000 |
| Occupancy class | Commercial |
Example total
$3,012.85
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 2Rules considered 9
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Building permit, $100,000.01-$500,000 ($1,425.97 + $8.00 per $1,000)Permit fee18.32.035 sixth row: $1,425.97 for the first $100,000 plus $8.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000. Chains the fifth row exactly ($925.97 + 50 x $10.00 = $1,425.97).Show the working
| $1,425.97 + $8.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $100,000, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $1,825.97 |
Plan review fee (65% of the building permit fee)Plan reviewConsolidated Fee Schedule 18.32.035: plan review fee is 65% of the building permit fee. Hourly plan review ($146) applies to deferred items, post-issuance changes and non-building permits; expedited review is twice the standard fee (18.20.050).Show the working
| 65% of calculated permit fee | $1,186.88 |
| Total | $3,012.85 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Building permit, $50,000.01-$100,000 ($925.97 + $10.00 per $1,000) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, $500,000.01-$1,000,000 ($4,625.97 + $7.00 per $1,000) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, $2,000.01-$25,000 ($115.97 + $20.00 per $1,000) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, $500.01-$2,000 ($55.97 + $4.00 per $100) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, valuation to $500 ($55.97 flat) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, $25,000.01-$50,000 ($575.97 + $14.00 per $1,000) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Building permit, above $1,000,000 ($8,125.97 + $5.00 per $1,000) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Sixth band: $1,425.97 for the first $100,000 plus $8.00 for each of the 50 thousands above: $1,425.97 + 50 x $8.00 = $1,825.97.
Plan review adds 65%: $1,825.97 x 0.65 = $1,186.88, for $3,012.85 total where plans are reviewed.
What is different in Salt Lake City
The City's fee law is one consolidated document — the Consolidated Fee Schedule, amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026-29 — and the building ladder inside it (18.32.035) is where a Salt Lake City permit is priced. The bands chain with no gaps: the $4-per-$100 row reaches exactly $115.97 at $2,000, and every later base follows from the arithmetic of the row before it, so no valuation falls between printed bases.
Reading the fee is a matter of finding the band: a $12,000 garage sits in the third band at $115.97 + 10 x $20.00 = $315.97; a $150,000 addition sits in the sixth at $1,425.97 + 50 x $8.00 = $1,825.97; a $2,000,000 build reaches the top band at $8,125.97 + 1,000 x $5.00 = $13,125.97. Each partial $1,000 rounds up — a $26,100 job pays the full 26 thousands' worth of $14.00 increments.
Plan review is the second charge on most projects: 65% of the permit fee. That takes the $150,000 example from $1,825.97 to $1,825.97 + $1,186.88 = $3,012.85 with plan review included. The schedule also prints a $146 hourly plan-review rate for deferred items and post-issuance changes, and expedited review at twice the standard fee (18.20.050).
Applications run through Building Services & Civil Enforcement (451 South State Street, room 215), whose permit page links the fee schedule, fee-calculation forms and the City's OpenCounter estimator.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This is the Consolidated Fee Schedule's building permit fee. It excludes:
- Impact fees for water, sewer, transportation and parks, charged separately by service area.
- Expedited plan review (2x standard) and the $146 hourly plan-review rate for deferred or changed plans.
- Mechanical (HVAC) permits — separate 18.52.050 rows not priced here.
- Re-inspection, after-hours and working-without-permit penalties.
Common questions
How much is a building permit in Salt Lake City?
It depends on project valuation: $55.97 flat to $500, then $4.00 per $100 to $2,000, $20.00 per $1,000 to $25,000, stepping down to $5.00 per $1,000 above $1,000,000. A $150,000 project prices $1,825.97.
What is the plan review fee?
65% of the building permit fee. Deferred items, post-issuance changes and non-building permits use a $146 hourly rate instead; expedited review costs twice the standard fee.
Where do Salt Lake City's permit fees come from?
The Consolidated Fee Schedule, adopted by Ordinance 2011-25 and amended by Council — currently the 06/16/2026 amendment (Ord. 2026-29). Building fees are codified at SLC Code 18.32.035.
How is a partial $1,000 charged?
Up — the schedule's 'or fraction thereof' wording rounds every partial increment to the next full $1,000 (or $100 in the second band).
Do the band bases line up with each other?
Exactly: $55.97 + 15 x $4.00 = $115.97, and each later base follows the same arithmetic, so no valuation falls between the printed bases.
Is there a minimum permit fee?
Yes — $55.97, the schedule's first row, covers all projects valued at $500 or less.
Does the fee differ for residential and commercial work?
No — the 18.32.035 ladder reads total project valuation regardless of occupancy.
Are trade permits included in the building permit?
No — unlike some Utah cities, Salt Lake City issues separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, each opening at a $59 base fee.
What counts as total project valuation?
The total value of the proposed project as shown on the consolidated fee schedule — the declared construction cost, which the plan-review desk can adjust.
How do I apply?
Through Building Services & Civil Enforcement — 451 South State Street, room 215 — whose application page links the fee schedule and fee-calculation forms.
When did the current fees take effect?
June 16, 2026, by Ordinance 2026-29; the schedule was originally adopted by Ordinance 2011-25 and has been amended periodically since.
Is there an expedited option?
Yes — expedited building plan review costs twice the standard plan-review fee under 18.20.050.
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
Salt Lake City Consolidated Fee Schedule (amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026-29)
Read 2026-09-26 from the City's official fee schedule viewer. Building Permits (18.32.035): $55.97 to $500; $55.97 + $4.00/$100 to $2,000; $115.97 + $20.00/$1,000 to $25,000; $575.97 + $14.00/$1,000 to $50,000; $925.97 + $10.00/$1,000 to $100,000; $1,425.97 + $8.00/$1,000 to $500,000; $4,625.97 + $7.00/$1,000 to $1,000,000; $8,125.97 + $5.00/$1,000 above. Plan review fee 65% of building permit fee; hourly plan review $146. Electrical base fee $59 (18.36.100); plumbing base fee $59 (18.56.040). Band bases chain exactly at every seam.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.