Unincorporated Cache County, Utah requires a building permit for a home, and a Zoning Clearance comes first, both issued by county Development Services12. Septic systems go through the Bear River Health Department, which serves Cache, Box Elder, and Rich counties under Utah Department of Environmental Quality rules3. Utah lets a sole property owner build up to one residential structure a year, and no more than three in five years, on their own land without a contractor's license4. Eight cities inside Cache County, including Logan, issue their own building permits instead of the county5.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required in unincorporated county, issued by the county Building Department1
- Zoning
- Yes; a Zoning Clearance is required for any structure2
- Septic permit
- Bear River Health Department; fees run $200 to $1,040 by permit type6
- Owner-builder exemption
- Up to 1 home a year, no more than 3 in five years, on your own property4
- RV during construction
- Allowed on the same lot as a home under construction, up to 180 days7
- Shed / fence exemptions
- Sheds 200 sq ft or less and fences up to 7 ft may not need a permit5
- Zoning districts
- Rural 2, Rural 5, Agricultural, Forest Recreation, Commercial, Industrial, Resort Recreation8
- Tiny home outside an RV park
- Unconfirmed for Cache County; local land-use rules govern9
Who to call
Building permits
Cache County Building Department
Building permits and inspections for unincorporated Cache County; also the office that starts a Zoning Clearance application
179 North Main St., Suite 305, Logan, UT 84321
Septic permits
Bear River Health Department, Environmental Health (Logan)
Septic (onsite wastewater) system permits and inspections for Cache County
85 East 1800 North, Logan, UT 84341
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 24, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Cache County, Utah?
Yes. Unincorporated Cache County requires a building permit for all new homes, additions, sheds over 200 square feet, shops, garages, and commercial construction, issued by the county Building Department5. A one-story detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less, and a fence no taller than 7 feet, generally don't need one5. Cache County automatically adopts the current versions of the state's construction codes, presently the 2024 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2024 IPC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IFGC, 2024 IECC, and 2023 NEC, each with Utah's legislative amendments10. Utah's own State Construction Code sets those same base codes statewide as of 202611. Cache County does not issue building permits inside Clarkston, Hyde Park, Lewiston, Mendon, Newton, Nibley, North Logan, or Logan City; if your land is inside one of those cities, contact that city's own building office instead5.
Who is the Cache County building department, and how do you reach them?
Cache County's Building Department works out of 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan, Utah 8432112. Call (435) 755-1650 and press 1 for building; the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., though permit pickup and payment end at 4:45 p.m.12. Before you apply for a building permit, you'll need a Zoning Clearance, which can require a site plan, floor plans, elevations, and proof of your culinary water right and septic system2. If your land sits inside Logan or one of Cache County's other incorporated cities, this office doesn't issue your permit at all; call that city instead12.
Does Cache County have zoning?
Yes. Cache County requires a Zoning Clearance for any structure you build in the unincorporated county, including a house, an accessory structure, an agricultural building, a swimming pool, or a pump house13. The county's base zoning districts are Rural 2, Rural 5, Agricultural (A10), Forest Recreation (FR40), Commercial, Industrial, and Resort Recreation, and overlay districts can add further restrictions on top of those8. Utah law lets a county enact zoning and other land-use controls for its unincorporated area, which is the authority behind Cache County's own code14. If your land is inside a city rather than the unincorporated county, Cache County directs you to that city for zoning instead, since county Planning and Zoning only determines parcel legality and restrictions outside city limits15.
How do septic permits work in Cache County?
Septic systems in Cache County are permitted by the Bear River Health Department, which covers Cache, Box Elder, and Rich counties under Utah Department of Environmental Quality oversight3. You need a Bear River Health Department permit before you construct, alter, or repair a system, and the department sets design and location standards based on your soil conditions, site plan, and a percolation test6. Expect to budget for it: a site evaluation runs $200 a lot, water table monitoring is $800 when required, a standard conventional septic permit is $840, a commercial system is $1,040, an alteration permit is $350, and a straight repair permit is free6. Reach the Logan Environmental Health Building at 85 East 1800 North, Logan, Utah 84341, phone (435) 792-657016. On soils, only 0.6% of Cache County's soil is rated suitable, meaning not 'very limited,' for a conventional septic drain field, so plan on an engineered or alternative system on nearly every rural lot here17.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Cache County?
Cache County has one clear, on-point rule for an RV: a travel trailer or similar vehicle used for housing can sit on the same lot as a single-family home that's actually under construction, for up to 180 days7. That's a construction-period allowance, not a right to live in an RV on vacant land with no home being built. Outside a licensed RV park, Utah's state RV-park sanitation rule doesn't answer the question either, since it only governs parks with two or more RVs, not a single RV on private land18. A tiny house can be sited inside a licensed RV park under that same state rule, but whether a tiny home counts as a permitted dwelling on ordinary Cache County land depends on local land-use rules we could not confirm from an accessible county page9. Call Cache County's Building Department at (435) 755-1650 before you plan around living in a tiny home or RV on your land long-term12.
Building a home in Cache County: the steps, in order
- Confirm whether your land is unincorporated county or inside one of Cache County's cities; if it's inside a city, that city issues your permits, not the county5.
- Apply for a Zoning Clearance with proof of your culinary water right, septic plan, and site plan before you apply for a building permit2.
- Apply for your building permit at 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan, and expect review under the 2021 IRC and the other current codes Cache County adopts1210.
- If you're building your own home, confirm you're within Utah's owner-builder limits: no more than one residential structure a year, and no more than three in five years, on your own property4.
- Apply for your septic permit through the Bear River Health Department before installing, altering, or repairing any system; budget $200 for the site evaluation and $840 or more for the permit itself166.
- Schedule your inspections at least 24 hours in advance, by 4:00 p.m. the prior business day, be ready by 8:00 a.m., and budget for a possible $75 re-inspection fee if the site isn't ready when the inspector arrives19.
- Get your Public Works and Fire District pre-occupancy sign-off at final inspection, then get your certificate of occupancy before you move in20.
What to check before you buy land in Cache County
Cache County is a mountain valley, not flat farmland everywhere: only 32% of its land sits at 15% slope or less, and 38.8% of the county is federal land, which can limit access or expansion near your parcel2122. Typical home value is $476,734, with a median property tax bill of $1,929 a year at an effective rate around 0.5%232425. Typical homeowner's insurance runs about $1,054 a year, among the lower premiums we track, and the county has seen severe drought in about 17.9% of recent years, with only 28.6 inches of rain annually262728. The nearest metro area is roughly 64 miles away29. Soils are the biggest constraint here: just 0.6% of Cache County's soil rates suitable for a conventional septic drain field, so assume you'll need an engineered or alternative system and budget accordingly before you close17. If your driveway will connect to a state highway, get a conditional access permit from the Utah Department of Transportation before you build it, since a change in access, land use, or intensity all trigger that permit30.
Watch-outs
- Cache County does not issue building permits inside Clarkston, Hyde Park, Lewiston, Mendon, Newton, Nibley, North Logan, or Logan City; confirm which government has jurisdiction over your parcel before you call the county5.
- We could not confirm from an accessible Cache County page whether short-term rentals, tiny-home occupancy outside an RV park, or a countywide minimum dwelling size are allowed, limited, or set at all; ask the Building Department directly before you assume an answer12.
Sources
- Cache County Building Department (2026 county census)
- Build a House, Accessory or Agricultural Building, Etc. (2026 county census)
- Bear River Health Department - Environmental (2026 county census)
- Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55, Construction Trades Licensing Act exemptions (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Health - Bear River Health Department, quoted and re-checked
- Cache County Code of Ordinances, Title 17 Land Use Regulations, quoted and re-checked
- Cache County Code, quoted and re-checked
- OPRO Accessory Dwellings (ADU's) and other dwelling types (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Cache County Code, Title 15 Buildings and Construction, quoted and re-checked
- Utah Code § 15A-1-204, Adoption of State Construction Code (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Cache County Building Department (cachecounty.gov)
- Build a House, Accessory or Agricultural Building, Etc., quoted and re-checked
- Utah Code, Title 17, Chapter 79, Section 17-79-101 (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
- Bear River Health Department, Environmental Health (Logan) (brhdut.gov)
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Utah Administrative Code Rule R392-301, Recreational Vehicle Parks (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Building Inspections, quoted and re-checked
- Cache County Code, Title 15, quoted and re-checked
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Federal land share: Bolthole Index county data
- Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of years in severe drought: Bolthole Index county data
- Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
- Distance to the nearest metro area: Bolthole Index county data
- Conditional Access Permit (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
Written September 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.