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

Yes. Grand County generally requires a building permit before erecting, constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, improving, removing, converting, or demolishing a building or structure¹. The Building Department serves all of Grand County, including Castle Valley and unincorporated areas, and conducts inspections during construction¹². Utah's statewide construction code governs covered construction, alteration, remodeling, and repair, together with state and local amendments¹³. Inside Moab city limits, Moab Planning and Zoning staff enforce the city's building and construction title and zoning title instead³. A few limited jobs are permit-exempt, including a qualifying detached accessory structure no larger than 200 square feet¹. Even exempt building work still needs a zoning development permit and must comply with applicable codes and ordinances¹. A written Certificate of Occupancy is required before a completed covered building is used¹⁴.

The Grand County Building Department reviews plans, issues permits, and schedules inspections for county projects, including work in Castle Valley and unincorporated areas¹². Building permit applications are submitted through the county's online portal¹². For appointments or permit questions, call 435-259-4134 or email building@grandcountyutah.net; the office is at 59 N 200 E, Moab, UT 84532¹². Planning and zoning questions go to the Grand County Planning & Zoning Department at Planning@GrandCountyUtah.gov or 59 N 200 East, Moab, UT 84532¹¹. Residential new-construction applications carry a $130 plan-review deposit, while solar applications carry a $65 deposit¹. An owner-builder exemption is available for a qualifying sole owner building for personal, noncommercial use, but the certification and statutory conditions still apply^8,9.

Yes, in unincorporated areas. Grand County administers land-use controls there, while Moab and Castle Valley administer their own municipal zoning rules⁵. Inside Moab, Title 17 of the Moab Municipal Code is the zoning portion, and its districts set allowed uses, height and setbacks³. Identify the jurisdiction and zoning district before relying on a listing description^11,15. Grand County allows one accessory dwelling unit with an otherwise allowed primary residence on a lot of at least 5,000 square feet; the ADU is capped at 1,000 square feet and cannot be a travel trailer, boat, or similar recreational vehicle¹⁶. Internal ADUs require owner occupancy of either unit and a recorded deed restriction before the building permit is issued¹⁷. We could not confirm a countywide minimum dwelling size, so ask Planning & Zoning for the current district standard¹¹. Agricultural buildings used solely for agriculture and not human occupancy may qualify for an exemption, but zoning setbacks apply and plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work can still require permits¹⁸.

Where public sewer is unavailable, the Southeast Utah Health Department requires a permit and plan-design approval for an onsite wastewater system serving a home or business⁴. Contact the Moab office at 435-259-5602 or visit 575 S. Kane Creek Blvd., Moab, UT 84532⁴. The regulatory authority must inspect the full installation before backfilling, and final approval is required before operation¹⁹. Conventional drain fields may be difficult: only about 18.6% of Grand County soils are rated without severe limitations for that use, so make septic feasibility an early contingency rather than a post-purchase detail²⁰. If accepted public sewer becomes available and notice is served, the private system must be discontinued and the plumbing connected after 20 days²¹. Greywater is not a permit-free workaround; it requires a permit and certified professionals for evaluation and design²².

Grand County prohibits camping outside a permitted recreational vehicle park, campground, or travel-trailer park in every zone, so camping in an RV on vacant private land is not a general option while building²³. RVs and travel trailers may be placed in a manufactured housing park on a concrete or gravel pad under the park rules, and relocatable housing that is not a manufactured home is limited to 30% of the community's units¹⁶. Sand Flats allows temporary camping only in designated sites under posted rules; campsites are first-come, first-served²⁴. Grand County's older tiny-home guidance describes paths for some units as primary homes, ADUs, manufactured homes, or campground units, but current parcel-specific permission could not be confirmed⁷. HUD-approved tiny homes follow the same regulations as other manufactured homes, which does not make them permissible on every parcel⁷. Ask Planning & Zoning to classify the proposed unit before buying or placing it¹¹.

1. Ask Grand County Planning & Zoning to confirm the parcel's jurisdiction, zoning district, allowed residential use, and applicable development standards^2,11.

1. If public sewer is unavailable, obtain septic plan-design approval and a construction permit from the Southeast Utah Health Department before installation⁴.

1. If the home will use a private well, secure a valid water right and the Start Card that serves as the well-construction permit¹⁰.

1. If construction is in or touches the Special Flood Hazard Area, obtain a Floodplain Development Permit and preconstruction Elevation Certificate²⁵.

1. Submit the building application through the county portal and complete plan review¹².

1. Schedule required phase inspections with the Building Department, and have the septic installation inspected before backfilling^12,19.

1. Obtain the written Certificate of Occupancy before using the completed home¹⁴.

Start with legal access, zoning, water, wastewater, and flood exposure rather than the view. A driveway connecting to a Utah state highway requires a conditional access permit, including when land use or access intensity changes²⁶. For covered commercial projects, Grand County also requires the scaled site plan to show driveway access²⁷. A private well requires an approved water right and Start Card, so groundwater alone does not establish a legal water supply¹⁰. Only about 18.6% of Grand County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, making septic feasibility an early purchase contingency²⁰. Grand County averages about 11.9 inches of annual precipitation and has experienced severe drought in about 34.3% of years, reinforcing the need to verify dependable legal water²⁰. A parcel touching a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area may require floodplain documents and elevation certificates²⁵.