Bolthole Index

Daggett County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Manila, Utah

The Town of Manila, Utah, in Daggett County, adopts its own building code and has its own zoning, so building permits and zoning questions inside town limits go to the town, not the county12. Septic systems in Daggett County are permitted by the TriCounty Health Department, which is the office to confirm with for a Manila lot3. The town's zoning text is not published online, so call the town office for district rules on RVs, tiny homes and lot size.

At a glance

Building permit
Town of Manila adopted its own building code; confirm when a permit is required with the town office1
Zoning
Manila has its own zoning ordinance, available from the town planning and zoning department2
Septic
TriCounty Health Department permits septic systems in Daggett County4
RV living
Not confirmed; depends on Manila's zoning district2
Subdivision
Final plat approval required before dividing or selling land5
Property tax
Daggett County effective rate 0.5%6

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Town of Manila (town office, planning and zoning, building permits)

Town of Manila planning and zoning, building permit package and inspections for land inside town limits

(435) 784-3143

145 East Highway 43, Manila, UT 84046

Septic permits

TriCounty Health Department Environmental Health

Septic system plan review, construction permits and inspections for Daggett County

(435) 247-1177

[email protected]

133 South 500 East, Vernal, UT, 84078

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 25, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Manila means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Manila, Utah have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Manila has a zoning ordinance of its own for land inside town limits, and the town's published code directs readers to the town planning and zoning department for the text2. The online code does not list district names or a district schedule7.

That gap matters for the questions buyers ask most. We could not confirm whether RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings are allowed on a Manila lot, or what minimum lot sizes and setbacks apply. Ask the Town of Manila planning and zoning office for the parcel's district and the ordinance before you make an offer8.

The county's zoning covers only unincorporated Daggett County, not land inside Manila9.

Do you need a building permit in Manila, and who issues it?

The Town of Manila adopted its own building code, the Uniform Building Code, Volume III, 1970 Edition, and its ordinance provides for issuing permits and collecting fees1. The town's website lists a Building Permit Package and a Building Permits & Inspections page8. We could not confirm from the published code exactly which projects need a permit, so ask the town office before starting work.

The Daggett County building permit rules apply to unincorporated Daggett County, where the county requires a written application and permit before construction begins10. Inside Manila, the town handles building permits rather than the county.

Utah's owner-builder exemption lets a sole owner build one residence per year on their own property without a contractor license, but that exemption does not remove permit or inspection requirements11.

How do septic permits work in Manila?

Septic systems in Daggett County are permitted by the TriCounty Health Department, which reviews and approves system plans, issues construction permits and inspects installations12. New onsite wastewater systems and drainfields need a TriCounty Health permit4. Call Environmental Health in Vernal13.

Manila's own code does not say who permits septic systems inside town limits, so confirm with the TriCounty office that your lot is covered, and ask whether town sewer service reaches the parcel. Septic and wells stay with the health department and the state, not with the town's planning office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Manila?

We could not confirm. The rules on RV occupancy, camping and tiny homes sit in Manila's zoning ordinance, which the online code does not publish2. Utah's statewide rule on tiny houses covers RV parks and says permission elsewhere depends on local land-use regulations14.

Before parking a trailer or placing a tiny home on a Manila lot, get the zoning district and its permitted uses in writing from the town planning and zoning office8.

Building a home in Manila: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Town of Manila planning and zoning office for the parcel's zoning district and permitted uses8.
  2. If the lot must be divided first, plan on subdivision review: a preliminary plat goes to the planning commission, and the normal review timeframe should not exceed 60 days15. Final plat approval is required before any sale or conveyance5.
  3. Contact TriCounty Health Department Environmental Health for septic plan review and a construction permit13.
  4. Get the town's building permit package and permit before construction starts8.
  5. In a subdivision, no certificate of occupancy is issued until the final plat is approved and recorded16.

What stays with Daggett County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside Manila's limits falls under unincorporated Daggett County rules; see the Daggett County page for those. Driveways onto a state highway need a conditional access permit from UDOT17. Inside Manila subdivisions, lots need direct access to a dedicated street, with private drives allowed only for subdivisions of three or fewer units18.

County figures: Daggett County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%6, and the county is about 84.1% federal land19, so private parcels are scarce. Typical home values run around $367,77920.

Watch-outs

  • Manila's zoning ordinance text is not published online, so district rules on RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks are unconfirmed; ask the town office7.
  • The town's adopted building code is the 1970 Uniform Building Code, but Utah's State Construction Code applies statewide, so ask the town which standards it enforces121.
  • Subdivision permit fees are set by town resolution and the amount was not stated in the code, so ask the town office for the current schedule22.

Sources

  1. Title 15: Buildings and Construction - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  2. Title 18: Zoning - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  3. TriCounty Health Department - Wastewater & Septic Systems (2026 county census)
  4. Wastewater & Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  6. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  7. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Manila (town office, planning and zoning, building permits) (manilautah.com)
  9. Planning and Zoning (2026 county census)
  10. Daggett County Code § 8-3-4: Building Permits (2026 county census)
  11. Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55, Construction Trades Licensing Act exemptions (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Wastewater & Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  13. TriCounty Health Department Environmental Health (tricountyhealthut.gov)
  14. OPRO Accessory Dwellings (ADU's) and other dwelling types (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  17. Conditional Access Permit (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked
  19. Federal land share: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  21. Utah Code § 15A-1-204, Adoption of State Construction Code (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 17.20: Subdivision Procedures - Town of Manila, UT (Town of Manila), quoted and re-checked

Written October 25, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Manila

Town of Manila’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures in Manila town.

    • The code identifies the adopted document as the Uniform Building Code, Volume III, 1970 Edition, published short form.
    • The ordinance says the code regulates erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area, and maintenance.

    adopted code edition: Uniform Building Code, Volume III, 1970 Edition

    “That certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the town clerk of the town of Manila, being marked and designated as "Uniform Building Code, Volume III, 1970 Edition, published short form by the International Conference of Building Officials," be and the same is hereby adopted as the building code of the town of Manila”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Required improvements in Manila subdivisions.

    • Applies after completion of required subdivision improvements and submission of as-built plans.
    • A final inspection occurs after the one-year warranty when requested by the developer.

    warranty period: 1 year (before final inspection requested by developer)

    “Following the completion of any required improvements and submission of the as-built plans, the building inspector shall conduct an inspection and if the improvements are in accordance with the requirements of these and other applicable regulations and construction standards shall issue a certificate of completion.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Property in a Manila subdivision with an approved preliminary plat.

    • No certificate of occupancy is issued until the final plat is approved and recorded.
    “Building permits may be issued for any property with an approved preliminary plat, but no certificate of occupancy shall be issued until a final plat is approved and recorded.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Manila town limits.

    • The published code reserves Title 18 and directs readers to the town planning and zoning department for the zoning ordinance; the zoning text and district schedule were not available in the opened code page.
    “(Reserved) Code reviser's note: For information regarding the zoning ordinance, contact the town planning and zoning department.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Land inside Manila town limits.

    • The code refers to residential zoning districts but the published Title 18 page is reserved and does not publish district names or a district schedule.
    “(Reserved) Code reviser's note: For information regarding the zoning ordinance, contact the town planning and zoning department.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Manila town limits.

    • Subdivider must consult informally with specified nearby property owners and town staff before processing.
    • The proposal is reviewed for conformance with town standards, master plan and zoning regulations, among other listed factors.
    • Final plat approval is required before subdivision, sale, or conveyance.

    adjacent-owner consultation distance: <= 100 feet (Owners of record adjoining or within this distance.)

    “The subdivision of land shall be accomplished in accordance with the procedures provided in this chapter.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Lots in Manila subdivisions.

    • Private access drives must meet town specifications and are only approvable for subdivisions with three or fewer units in residential zoning districts.
    • No direct access from a residential lot to an arterial street is permitted.

    maximum units for private access-drive exception: <= 3 units (Residential zoning districts; subject to town specifications and approval.)

    “All lots in the subdivision will have direct access to a dedicated street, subject to the following exception: private access drives, subject to town specifications, may be approved for subdivisions with a total of three or less units in the residential zoning district(s).”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Preliminary subdivision applications in Manila.

    • Fees are established by town resolution; the amount was not stated in the opened ordinance.
    “Following informal review when applicable, 10 copies of the preliminary plat on 11-inch by 17-inch paper along with a preliminary subdivision application, with fees as established by town resolution, and all required supplemental information as provided below, shall be submitted for planning commission review.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Manila subdivision preliminary-plat applications.

    • Upon complete submission and fee payment, the town schedules planning commission review.
    • Normal review timeframe should not exceed 60 days.
    • Preliminary approval remains effective one year; appeals are to the board of adjustment within 30 days.

    normal review timeframe: <= 60 days (Normal timeframe stated by the ordinance.) · preliminary approval duration: 1 year (From approval date.)

    “Upon complete submittal of all required information and payment of fees, the town of Manila shall schedule the preliminary plat before the planning commission's regularly scheduled meeting, who shall review and approve, or disapprove, or approve with modifications, the preliminary plat application. Normal review timeframe should not exceed 60 days.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Manila or Daggett County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Manila town limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Manila town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Manila town limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Manila town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Manila town limits.
14 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Manila publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Daggett County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Daggett County: county rules, score and offices