Bolthole Index

Washington County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ivins, Utah

Ivins, Utah (Washington County) sets its own zoning inside city limits1 and has adopted the 2021 Utah State Building Code for buildings in the city2. Septic is the catch: a new home must connect to the public sewer when it is within 300 feet of the property line, and a private system is allowed only on a qualifying lot of at least one acre3. Call the Ivins Building/Zoning office first4.

At a glance

Zoning
Ivins City zones land inside city limits; development must follow the zoning district1
Building code
2021 Utah State Building Code, with local changes under chapter 14.012
Sewer connection
Required before occupancy if public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line3
Private septic
Limited to a single residential lot outside a platted subdivision, at least one acre, with a city agreement and a state-health permit5
Manufactured homes
Must meet the Building Code and sit on a permanent foundation6
Wells
Shallow water wells need a state permit statewide; Ivins-specific well rules unconfirmed7
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed for Ivins; ask the city Building/Zoning office4

Who to call

Building permits

Ivins City Building/Zoning

Building and zoning questions inside Ivins city limits

(435) 634-9753

Septic permits

Southwest Utah Public Health Department — Washington County

Septic (onsite wastewater) permits, plan review and inspections in Washington County

(435) 673-3528

620 South 400 East, St. George, UT 84770

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Ivins, Utah have zoning?

Yes. Ivins City zones the land inside its limits, and development must comply with the zoning district and the city's land-use ordinances1. The districts include Residential Agriculture, Residential Estates, Single-Family Residential, Two-Family Residential, Multiple Residential, commercial and special-purpose or overlay districts8.

The city's zoning code names an RV Resort district, but we could not confirm the rules for living in an RV or tiny home on private land in Ivins, nor the lot-size, setback and height tables by district. Ask the Ivins Building/Zoning office,4, which district a parcel is in and what that district allows before you make an offer.

Zoning inside Ivins is the city's job; Washington County's zoning applies only to unincorporated land, and its rules do not govern a lot inside Ivins.9

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

Ivins has adopted the 2021 Utah State Building Code, together with local additions and changes, for property, buildings and structures inside the city2. The city lists a Building/Zoning office on its own website4.

We could not confirm the exact trigger for a residential building permit, the inspection schedule or when a certificate of occupancy is required in Ivins, so call the city before you start any work. Manufactured homes must meet the applicable Building Code requirements and sit on a permanent foundation6.

A building permit cannot issue for land divided or developed contrary to the city's subdivision rules, so confirm that a parcel is a legal lot first10. Utah's owner-builder exemption covers contractor licensing only; it does not by itself remove permit, inspection or code requirements11.

How do septic permits work inside Ivins?

Most new homes in Ivins connect to the city sewer: a new house or building for human occupancy must connect to the public sewer before occupancy if the sewer is within 300 feet of the owner's property line3. To connect, the applicant applies to the city's water services director and pays the required fees12.

A private septic system is the narrow exception. It is allowed only on a single residential lot outside a platted subdivision that is at least one acre, with a city-approved delay improvement agreement, required easements and a written installation permit from the state health department5. The system must be operated and maintained at no cost to the city13.

Outside the city, septic permits in Washington County come from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department14, reachable through15. We could not confirm who inspects private systems inside Ivins.

Building a home in Ivins: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Ivins Building/Zoning office for the parcel's zoning district and whether it is a legal lot410.
  2. Find out whether public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line; if it is, plan to connect3.
  3. If you want a private system, confirm the lot is a single residential lot outside a platted subdivision of at least one acre, then arrange the city agreement and easements5.
  4. Get the state-health installation permit before any septic construction starts16.
  5. Build to the 2021 Utah State Building Code and the city's local changes2.
  6. Ask the city about permit fees, inspections and the certificate of occupancy, which we could not confirm.

What stays with Washington County and the state?

The county's own planning, building and floodplain rules cover unincorporated Washington County, not lots inside Ivins9. Shallow water wells require a state permit anywhere in Utah7, and the county's septic program is run by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department14. Driveways onto a state highway are subject to UDOT access rules17.

For land outside city limits, see the Washington County page. Property tax is set at the county level: the effective rate is about 0.4%18 and the median bill is about $2,076 a year19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm when a residential building permit, inspection or certificate of occupancy is required in Ivins; ask the city Building/Zoning office before you buy or start work4.
  • Private septic inside Ivins is limited to qualifying lots of at least one acre and needs a city agreement plus a state-health permit, so a small lot in a platted subdivision should plan on sewer5.
  • Rules for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, setbacks and lot size in Ivins districts were not confirmed; get the answer for your parcel's district in writing from the city8.

Sources

  1. 16.06.102: Zoning Districts Purpose (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  2. 14.01.101: International Building Code Adopted (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  3. 10.03.204: Connection to Public Sewer Required (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  4. Ivins City Building/Zoning (ivinsutah.gov)
  5. 10.06.207: Wastewater System (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  6. 16.11.124: General Building Requirements (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  7. Water Well Drilling Information (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. 16.06.102: Zoning Districts Purpose (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  9. Washington County General Plan, quoted and re-checked
  10. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  11. Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55, Construction Trades Licensing Act exemptions (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. 10.06.207: Wastewater System (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  13. 10.06.207: Wastewater System (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic Systems - Southwest Utah Public Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  15. Southwest Utah Public Health Department — Washington County (swuhealth.gov)
  16. 10.06.207: Wastewater System (Ivins), quoted and re-checked
  17. Conditional Access Permit (Utah statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Ivins

Ivins’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Property, buildings, and structures inside Ivins City.

    • Ivins adopted the 2021 Utah State Building Code together with local additions, insertions, and changes under chapter 14.01.

    adopted code edition: 2021 Utah State Building Code (Together with additions, insertions, and changes specifically set forth in chapter 14.01.)

    “adopted as the Building Code for Ivins City”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ivins City limits.

    • Development must comply with the applicable zoning district and land-use ordinances.
    “The zoning districts of the City are provided to achieve the purposes of the General Plan, the purposes of all land use ordinances, including this title, and the purposes of the Act.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Ivins City limits.

    • Districts include Residential Agriculture, Residential Estates, Single-Family Residential, Two-Family Residential, Multiple Residential, commercial, and special-purpose/overlay districts.
    “Residential Agriculture Districts: The Residential Agriculture Districts (RA-5 and RA-1) are provided to allow low density residential uses with the opportunity for the keeping of domestic livestock and the operation and maintenance of small farms and hobby farms.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes established inside Ivins City limits.

    • Manufactured homes must meet applicable Building Code requirements for construction, establishment, and location.
    • All buildings must be permanently attached to a site-built permanent foundation meeting the adopted Building Code.
    “All manufactured homes shall meet the applicable requirements of the Building Code”
  • Who permits septicState (with conditions)

    Private wastewater disposal systems inside Ivins City limits where the city ordinance's exception applies.

    • The lot must be a single residential lot not within a platted subdivision and at least one acre.
    • A delay improvement agreement must be approved and executed with the city; required easements must be provided.
    • Plans and specifications must be submitted to the Utah Department of Health, which must issue a written installation permit.
    • The system must comply with Utah Department of Health requirements and be operated and maintained sanitarily at no city expense.

    minimum lot area for private-system exception: >= 1 acre (Single residential lot not within a platted subdivision.)

    “Before commencement of construction of any private wastewater disposal system, the property owner or person seeking to install a private wastewater system shall submit plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary to the Utah Department of Health, and obtain a written permit from it for installation thereof.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    A qualifying private wastewater disposal system inside Ivins City limits.

    • Applies only to the private-system exception for a single residential lot not within a platted subdivision that is one acre or greater.
    • A city-approved delay improvement agreement and required easements are prerequisites.
    • A written Utah Department of Health installation permit is required before construction.
    “Before commencement of construction of any private wastewater disposal system, the property owner or person seeking to install a private wastewater system shall submit plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary to the Utah Department of Health, and obtain a written permit from it for installation thereof.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private wastewater disposal for a residential lot inside Ivins City limits.

    • Only a single residential lot not within a platted subdivision and one acre or greater qualifies.
    • The city must approve and execute a delay improvement agreement, and required easements must be provided.
    • The owner must obtain a written Utah Department of Health installation permit and operate and maintain the system sanitarily at no expense to the city.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (Single residential lot not within a platted subdivision.)

    “a private wastewater disposal system may be utilized”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    New houses or buildings for human occupancy inside Ivins City limits.

    • Public-sewer connection is required before occupancy if the public sewer is within 300 feet of the owner's property line.
    • Existing buildings with private septic have a separate notice-based connection requirement and stated exceptions.
    • A qualifying single residential lot outside a platted subdivision that is at least one acre may use a private system only under the city agreement, easement, state-permit, and operational conditions.

    public sewer availability distance: <= 300 feet (Measured from the owner's property line for a new building used for human occupancy.)

    “required to connect to the public sewer system prior to occupancy”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division, subdivision, reconfiguration, development, or redevelopment of land inside Ivins City limits.

    • All divisions and developments must conform with title 15, the zoning ordinance, and other applicable ordinances and regulations.
    • No plat, condominium, subdivision amendment, or property reconfiguration may be recorded except according to title 15 and the zoning ordinance.
    • A building permit cannot issue for land divided or developed contrary to those requirements.
    “No tract of land shall be divided, subdivided, reconfigured, developed or redeveloped”
  • Permit processPartial

    Wastewater connections and qualifying private wastewater systems inside Ivins City limits.

    • For city wastewater service, the applicant must apply to the water services director or designee and pay required fees before connection approval.
    • For a qualifying private system, city agreement/easements and a written Utah Department of Health permit are required before construction.
    “shall apply to the water services director”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Ivins or Washington County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Ivins City limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Ivins City limits.
  • Inspections — Residential building construction inside Ivins City limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Ivins City limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Ivins City limits.
14 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees

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 Ivins publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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