Building permits, zoning and land rules in Cache County, Utah

Yes. Unincorporated Cache County requires a building permit for new homes, additions, sheds over 200 square feet, shops, garages, and commercial construction³. A one-story detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less, and a fence no taller than 7 feet, generally do not need one³. County-regulated construction follows the adopted building codes, including the 2021 residential code and current Utah amendments⁶. An agricultural building can qualify for an exemption only if it remains agricultural and nonresidential, with a recorded non-conversion acknowledgement; trade permits may still be required⁷. Cache County does not issue building permits inside Clarkston, Hyde Park, Lewiston, Mendon, Newton, Nibley, North Logan, or Logan City³.

Cache County's Building Department works at 179 North Main Street, Suite 305, Logan, Utah 84321¹. Call (435) 755-1650 and press 1; 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.m¹.. A Zoning Clearance comes before the building permit and can require a site plan, floor plans, elevations, and proof of culinary water and septic arrangements². The published fee schedule lists $75 for primary-use Zoning Clearance and $30 for accessory-use clearance; building fees vary by project type, valuation, area, permit category, and review needs⁸.

Yes. Cache County requires a Zoning Clearance for any structure in the unincorporated county, including a house, accessory structure, agricultural building, swimming pool, or pump house². The base districts are Rural 2, Rural 5, Agricultural, Forest Recreation, Commercial, Industrial, and Resort Recreation, with overlays adding possible restrictions⁶. Subdivision is also regulated: a proposed division must meet its base district's lot and development standards and proceed through the applicable county subdivision steps⁶. An agricultural subdivision is narrower; land must remain agricultural, and lots created through that process cannot support residential or commercial structures without completing a legal subdivision process⁶. Inside a city, ask that city about zoning³. Manufactured homes are allowed as single-family dwellings in unincorporated Cache County on a permanent foundation, at least 20 feet wide at the narrowest dimension, and listed as real property⁶. For accessory dwellings, one attached ADU is allowed per lot in the A10, RU2 and RUS zones, but detached ADUs are not allowed, the ADU may not exceed 1,200 square feet, and the owner must live on the property¹⁰.

Where sewer lines are unavailable, Bear River Health Department administers Cache County's onsite septic permits, while county requirements also call for compliance with Utah environmental and water authorities⁴. A permit is required before constructing, altering, or repairing a system, with design and location based on soil conditions, the site plan, and percolation results⁴. An onsite system can serve an off-grid home, but only through that permitting and site-review process⁴. Published charges include $200 per lot for feasibility evaluation, $800 for required water-table monitoring, $840 for a conventional permit, $1,040 for a commercial permit, $350 for alteration, and $0 for repair⁴. Only 0.6% of county soils lack severe conventional drain-field limitations, making site evaluation especially important before purchase¹¹. The health department can approve a vault or earthen pit privy only case by case, in remote locations for temporary or limited use¹². A new domestic well needs a water right and a Start Card from the Utah Division of Water Rights before construction, and shallow wells must be built by a licensed driller or licensed constructor¹³. Call the Logan Environmental Health office at (435) 792-6570¹⁴.

Cache County allows a travel trailer or similar housing vehicle on the same lot as a single-family home under construction for up to 180 days⁶. A county campground is a different use: it needs at least 2 campsites, is limited to transient stays of 30 days or less, and is conditional only in the Forest Recreation, Resort Recreation, and Commercial zones⁶. The campground rule does not establish a right to live in one RV on vacant private land. Utah's RV-park rule likewise governs parks, not that single-parcel question⁹. A mobile home, recreational vehicle or shipping container cannot serve as an ADU¹⁰. We could not confirm whether a tiny home is a permitted dwelling on ordinary unincorporated land; ask Cache County's Building Department before relying on one as a residence¹.

1. Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Cache County or a city, because cities issue their own permits³.
2. Confirm that the parcel is legal and buildable; an agricultural-subdivision lot cannot carry a residence without a legal subdivision process⁶.
3. Apply for Zoning Clearance with the required site, building, water, and sewage documents².
4. If sewer is unavailable, obtain Bear River Health Department approval before installing septic⁴.
5. Apply for the building permit through the Cache County Building Department¹.
6. If acting as owner-builder, confirm the home is for your noncommercial, nonpublic use and that everyone doing licensed-trade work is properly licensed; the exemption allows no more than 1 home per year or 3 in five years⁵. The statute moves to a new section in 2027 without changing those limits⁵.
7. Schedule inspections at least 24 hours ahead; bring the signed Public Works and Fire District checklist to the final inspection¹⁵.
8. Do not move in until the building official issues the certificate of occupancy; the county code requires one for use or occupancy of regulated buildings⁶.

Start with parcel jurisdiction, zoning, and legal lot status; unincorporated subdivisions must meet county standards, while agricultural-subdivision lots cannot be used for residential or commercial construction⁶. Only 32% of county land has a slope of 15% or less, and 38.8% is federal land, so verify usable area and legal access rather than relying on acreage alone¹¹. Just 0.6% of soils lack severe limits for conventional septic drain fields, so make the site evaluation a purchase contingency where sewer is unavailable¹¹. Confirm the culinary-water right and sewage plan required for Zoning Clearance². A driveway connecting to a state highway needs a Utah conditional access permit¹⁶. Published county charges also include $50 for minor encroachment, $750 for major encroachment, and $25 for a floodplain permit⁸.