Bolthole Index

Davis County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clinton, Utah

Clinton, Utah adopts its own zoning ordinance and issues building permits through the city's Community Development Department, not Davis County12. Septic permits for lots inside Clinton come from the Davis County Health Department3. Plans are submitted and inspections requested online through the city's portal4.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by Clinton City's Building division2
Zoning
Clinton's own zoning ordinance, Title 281
Building code
Utah's state construction code, residential code edition 20215
Septic permits
Davis County Health Department, even inside city limits3
Septic construction permit fee
$550 for a septic tank only6
A-1 (agricultural) minimum lot
1 acre, 125 feet wide7
Property tax (Davis County)
Effective rate about 0.5%8

Who to call

Building permits

Clinton City Community Development, Building division

Building permits, plan review and building inspections inside Clinton city limits

(801) 614-0740

2267 N 1500 West Clinton, UT 84015

Planning & zoning

Clinton City Community Development Department

Zoning and subdivision ordinances, site plan review, building permits and zoning enforcement inside Clinton city limits

(801) 614-0740

2267 N 1500 West Clinton, UT 84015

Septic permits

Davis County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) feasibility determinations, permits, plan review and inspections countywide

(801) 525-5000

Clearfield Main Campus 22 South State Street Clearfield, Utah 84015

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Clinton, Utah have zoning?

Yes. Clinton adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Title 28, and it applies to lots inside the city limits1. The Community Development Department administers the city's zoning and subdivision ordinances4.

Districts matter. In the A-1 agricultural zone, a lot needs at least 1 acre and 125 feet of width, and the main dwelling is limited to 35 feet or 2½ stories79. Subdividing land inside Clinton is regulated, and the planning commission approves subdivision plans at preliminary plat10.

We could not confirm Clinton's rules on RVs, camper trailers, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings. Ask Community Development at (801) 614-0740 which zone a parcel is in and what that zone allows before you buy4.

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

Clinton City's Building division issues building permits and reviews construction drawings for compliance with the adopted building codes2. Inside the city limits, Davis County's building permit office is not the right counter.

Utah's state construction code applies in Clinton, with the 2021 International Residential Code as the residential edition5. We did not find a Clinton amendment to those codes, so ask the building division whether any local changes apply.

All building permit submittals and inspection requests go through the city's online portal4. We could not confirm a certificate-of-occupancy rule or an owner-builder provision for Clinton; ask the Building division before you act as your own contractor.

How do septic permits work inside Clinton?

Septic permits for land inside Clinton are issued by the Davis County Health Department, not the city311. Installing a system requires a county permit, with a feasibility statement first for raw land: a site assessment, soil evaluation and groundwater determination come before the permit6.

A construction permit for a septic tank only costs $550, and a wastewater holding tank permit is $7506. Add $200 for the initial site assessment, $200 for a one-pit soil evaluation and $600 for a maximum groundwater determination6. The county inspects the system, and the trench cannot be back-filled until the health inspector gives final approval11.

Not every property meets state requirements for a septic system12. Davis County soils reinforce that: only about 6% are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation13.

Does Clinton require a sewer connection instead of septic?

Where a public sewer is near, septic may not be the route. Utah municipal and state laws allow the city or county to require sewer connection for occupied buildings within 300 feet of a public sewer11. A building sewer that connects to the sanitary sewer must bypass the septic tank6. We could not verify Clinton's own sewer service rules, so ask Community Development or the Public Works department before you plan a septic system3.

Building a home in Clinton: the steps, in order

  1. Call Community Development at (801) 614-0740 to confirm the parcel's zone and what that zone allows4.
  2. Ask whether public sewer reaches the lot, and if not, start the Davis County Health Department feasibility process at (801) 525-5000611.
  3. Submit building permit plans through Clinton's online portal4.
  4. Build to Utah's state construction code, with plan review by the city's Building division52.
  5. Request inspections through the same portal, and get the septic system inspected by the county before any trench is back-filled411.

What stays with Davis County, and what to check before you buy in Clinton

Septic permits stay with the Davis County Health Department even for lots inside Clinton3. For land outside city limits, use the Davis County page, because the county's own zoning map covers only unincorporated areas14.

Before you buy, confirm the zone, sewer availability and septic feasibility. Davis County's effective property tax rate is about 0.5%8.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Clinton's rules on RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, well permits, driveways or floodplain development; ask Community Development at (801) 614-07404.
  • The city's building-permit exemption handout is old, and Utah's state construction code edition changes on a schedule, so confirm current requirements with the Building division5.
  • Septic fees are Davis County's published fees and may change; confirm them with the Environmental Health Division at (801) 525-500011.

Sources

  1. Clinton City Zoning Ordinance Title 28 Chapter 14 - Residential, Single Family (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  2. Clinton City Community Development, Building division (clinton.utah.gov)
  3. Davis County Health Department - Onsite Wastewater Systems (New) (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  4. Clinton City Community Development Department (clinton.utah.gov)
  5. Utah Code 15A-2-103 - Construction codes adopted (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  6. Davis County Health Department - Onsite Wastewater Systems (New) (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  7. Clinton City Zoning Ordinance Title 28 Chapter 12 - Agricultural Zone (A-1) (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  8. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  9. Clinton City Zoning Ordinance Title 28 Chapter 12 - Agricultural Zone (A-1) (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  10. Clinton City Zoning Ordinance Title 28 Chapter 14 - Residential, Single Family (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  11. Davis County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (daviscountyutah.gov)
  12. Davis County Health Department - Onsite Wastewater Systems (New) (Clinton), quoted and re-checked
  13. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  14. Planning, quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 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 Clinton

Clinton’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Replacement of concealed trap, drain, water, soil, waste or vent piping in Clinton city (only the plumbing-repair case the handout addresses).

    • The handout does not state a general inspection schedule for new construction; inspections 'as provided in the code' refer to a code the handout does not identify.
    • Repairs limited to clearing stoppages or fixing leaks without replacing valves, pipes or fixtures are exempt from permit and inspection.
    “such work shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be obtained and inspection made as provided in the code”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Clinton city limits: Clinton city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Title 28, 'Clinton City Zoning Ordinance').

    • Zoning use, dimensional and district standards in Title 28 apply to lots inside the city limits.
    • The zoning map and text are amended by ordinance, as listed in Chapter 24 of Title 28.
    “clinton city zoning ordinance residential, single family”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts of Clinton city

    • Official PDFs for the A-1 (Chapter 12) and R-1 (Chapter 14) zones were opened; the R-M (Chapter 15) and other chapters were not.
    • The zoning map was not opened.
    “clinton city zoning ordinance agricultural zone (a-1) title 28 chapter 12”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwelling in the R-1-8 zone inside Clinton city

    • Footnote i of Table 14.3: applies to subdivisions approved for after March 30, 2005; for subdivisions approved prior to March 30, 2005, the single dwelling unit footprint is 950 square feet and minimum living space is 950 feet for all 'r' zones.
    • Values are mapped to zones from a garbled text extraction of Table 14.3 (six zone columns, six values); confirm against the PDF table.

    minimum living space (R-1-8): >= 950 square feet (subdivisions approved after March 30, 2005; footnote i)

    “minimum living space 950 950 950 1080 i 1250 i 1250 i”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the A-1 (Agricultural) zone inside Clinton city

    • Lot width of 125 feet is also required.
    • Minimum lot development standards are in Section 28-12-4.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre · minimum lot width: >= 125 feet

    “(1) acre - 1 acre (2) width - 125 feet (3) yard setback”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Rear yard of a lot in the R-1 zones inside Clinton city (rear-yard impervious surface ratio, not whole-lot coverage)

    • Accessory buildings are also limited by the rear-yard impervious surface ratio, per Table 14.3 footnote g.
    • Values are mapped to zones from a garbled text extraction; the first value is taken as R-1-6 and the 25% value as R-1-8.

    rear yard impervious surface ratio, R-1-8: 25 percent (mapped from column order)

    “6. rear yard impervious surface ratio 9, h 35% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Main dwelling in the A-1 (Agricultural) zone inside Clinton city

    • Accessory building height limits are in Table 12.4.2 and were not recorded here.
    • The city's text reads '2 ½ stories or 35 feet' for the main building maximum.

    maximum height, main dwelling: <= 35 feet (alternative limit of 2 1/2 stories)

    “minimum maximum 1 story 2 ½ stories or 35 feet 12 feet 25 feet 12 feet 25 feet”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdividing land inside Clinton city, including averaging subdivisions in R-1 zones

    • Averaging plans are approved at preliminary plat by the planning commission.
    • Easements are required under the Clinton City Subdivision Ordinance, which was not opened.
    “the averaging plan for a subdivision will be approved during the preliminary plat approval process and will not be changed without reevaluation of the preliminary plat by the planning commission”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit application process in Clinton city

    • The handout names the Community Development office at 2267 North 1500 West and the phone line only; it does not describe application steps, plan review or inspection scheduling.
    “please call our office at (801) 614-0740 for any further clarification regarding building related issues”

Rules another office applies inside Clinton

Clinton does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction, alteration and repair inside Clinton city: the Utah state construction code (state-adopted codes) applies there.

    • The same statutory provision also adopts the 2024 International Building Code, 2024 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas codes, 2023 NEC and other editions; only the 2021 IRC clause was extracted.
    • No Clinton city adoption ordinance or local amendment to the state codes was located; confirm with the city building department.
    • The statute page URL carries a 2026-07-01 version stamp; no effective date is quoted from the text, so effective_at is left null.

    residential building code edition: 2021 International Residential Code

    “the 2021 edition of the international residential code, issued by the international code council”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Clinton city where municipal sewer is not used. Davis County administers this countywide program, which applies inside Clinton city.

    • The county page describes the onsite wastewater program that applies across the county; it is not a Clinton-specific ordinance.
    • Where a municipal sewer is available, connection is the usual requirement (see utility_connection claim).
    • Clinton city's own sewer service rules were not verified.
    “permits must be obtained from this office to install an ows”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installing an onsite wastewater system (septic) on land inside Clinton city where sewer is not connected; countywide county permit that applies inside Clinton city.

    • Permit fees are tied to approval of the site location and to intermediate and final inspections.
    • A feasibility statement is required before developing raw land; a site assessment, soil evaluation and groundwater determination come first.
    • When connecting to sanitary sewer, the building sewer must bypass the septic tank, and an abandoned septic tank must be pumped and removed or crushed and filled.
    • Fee schedule date not stated on the page.

    construction permit, septic tank only or vault privy: 550 USD · construction permit, wastewater holding tank: 750 USD · initial site assessment: 200 USD · soil evaluation (one pit): 200 USD · maximum ground water determination: 600 USD

    “permits must be obtained from this office to install an ows”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite wastewater (septic) system installed on land inside Clinton city; countywide county inspection requirement that applies inside Clinton city.

    • Inspections are tied to the permit: intermediate and final inspections of the system.
    • The county's 72-hour notice requirement before excavation or construction applies where a septic system is removed.
    “fees must be paid corresponding to the approval of the location along with intermediate and final inspections of the system”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Non-sewer wastewater disposal for a building inside Clinton city, under the countywide onsite permit program.

    • Allowed only through a county onsite wastewater permit with feasibility, site and soil approval.
    • Not all properties meet state law requirements for onsite systems.
    “not all properties meet requirements of state law for the installation of onsite wastewater systems (ows).”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater (septic) permit fees for land inside Clinton city; county fees, not city fees.

    • Fee schedule date not stated on the page.

    construction permit, septic tank only or vault privy: 550 USD

    “construction permit septic tank only or vault privy $550 wastewater holding tank $750”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a home inside Clinton city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Clinton city
  • Living in an RV — Occupancy of an RV or camper trailer on private land inside Clinton city
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Clinton city
  • Tiny homes — Occupancy of a tiny home inside Clinton city
7 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Clinton publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Davis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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