Bolthole Index

Garfield County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Boulder, Utah

The Town of Boulder, Utah has its own zoning, and a new building needs Town project approval first12. The building permit itself comes from the Garfield County Building Department3. Septic permits for Garfield County come from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department4. RV living on a lot is limited to 90 days a year with a Town Clerk permit5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, Boulder Town zoning districts and a Table of Uses16
Building permit
Required: Town project approval, then a Garfield County permit32
Building code
Utah's state construction codes, enforced by Garfield County7
Septic
Permit and approved design from Southwest Utah Public Health Department4
RV living
Temporary only, up to 90 days a year, Town Clerk permit5
Wells
Utah Division of Water Rights approval needed with the Town application8
Short-term rental
Conditional use permit in residential districts9

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Boulder Town Office (Town Clerk)

Town project approval and zoning compliance for building in Boulder; RV occupancy permits

435-335-7300

351 No 100 East

Building permits

Garfield County Building Department

Issues the building permit, reviews plans and inspects construction, including inside Boulder

(435) 676-1111

55 South Main St., Panguitch, UT 84759

Online permits →

Septic permits

Southwest Utah Public Health Department – Garfield County Office

Septic plan review, permits and inspections for Garfield County

(435) 710-5003

601 East Center, Panguitch, UT 84759

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 Town of Boulder means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Boulder, Utah have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. The Town of Boulder zones land inside Town limits, and uses are governed by the zoning district and the Town's Table of Uses1. The Table of Uses has columns for the GM, LDR, MDR, HDR and C districts6. Setbacks and building height are set by district, and the Zoning Administrator checks them before a project moves forward1011. Pick the district for your lot before you design anything.

RV living is allowed only temporarily: no more than 90 days a year, by the owner, family or guests, non-commercial, with a Town Clerk permit that carries no fee5. Residential short-term rentals in the GM, LDR, MDR and HDR districts need a conditional use permit9. We could not confirm a Boulder rule that specifically covers tiny homes, so ask the Town Office before buying for that purpose.

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

Yes, for buildings that are not exempt. Boulder requires Town project approval before construction, and then a building permit from the Garfield County Building Department3. Boulder has adopted the construction codes Utah has adopted, and Garfield County enforces them7. Project approval comes from the Town Clerk after the project passes zoning compliance2.

Agricultural buildings can be exempt if they need no permanent electrical, plumbing, septic or mechanical systems; the exemption does not cover a dwelling12. The Garfield County Building Department issues residential and commercial building permits and takes applications through City Inspect13. We could not find a Boulder rule on owner-builders, so ask the county department about its owner-builder certification before you start.

How do septic permits work in Boulder, Utah?

The Town does not issue septic permits. The Southwest Utah Public Health Department reviews plans, issues permits and inspects septic systems in its district, which covers Garfield County14. A permit and approved design are required before installing, replacing or modifying a system, and soil and percolation testing must be done by a Utah-certified onsite professional first4. The final inspection happens before backfilling15.

For an external accessory dwelling unit, Boulder requires adequate on-site wastewater disposal, or an upgrade, before it issues a certificate of occupancy16. We could not confirm the full Boulder-specific septic procedure, so call the health department's Garfield County office early17.

Do you need a well permit in Boulder, Utah?

Yes. A Town project application that proposes a well must include approval from the Utah Division of Water Rights8. Under state rules a valid water right comes first, and the Start Card issued when the water right is approved is essentially the permit to construct the well18. Wells must be built by a licensed well driller or a licensed shallow water well constructor19. Confirm the water right before you pay for land that depends on a well.

Building a home in Boulder: the steps, in order

  1. Identify your lot's zoning district and check the Table of Uses6.
  2. Get septic soil and percolation testing and an approved design from the health department4.
  3. If you plan a well, get Division of Water Rights approval to attach to your application8.
  4. Submit a Town project application; the Town Clerk issues project approval after zoning compliance2.
  5. Apply to the Garfield County Building Department for the building permit3.
  6. Schedule county inspections; the county does not perform a final inspection on an occupied building20.

What stays with Garfield County, and what to check before you buy in Boulder

The Town of Boulder handles zoning and project approval, while building permits, plan review and inspections sit with the Garfield County Building Department313. Septic permits and inspections sit with the Southwest Utah Public Health Department4. Land outside Town limits follows the county's rules instead; see the Garfield County page.

Before buying, confirm the zoning district, the water source, and the septic soils. About 14.1% of Garfield County soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so plan for a site evaluation or an engineered system21. Garfield County's effective property tax rate is 0.4%22.

Watch-outs

  • Town project approval comes before the county building permit, so a county application alone will not start construction in Boulder2.
  • Do not use Garfield County's unincorporated-area RV, lot-size or setback rules for a lot inside Boulder; the Town sets its own zoning1.
  • We could not confirm Boulder's lot-size minimums, floodplain rules, driveway access rules or tiny-home treatment; ask the Town Office before you close23.

Sources

  1. Boulder Town Code § 153.117, Table of Uses (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  2. Boulder Town Code § 151.02, Project Approval Required (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  3. Boulder Town Code § 151.05, Building Permits Required (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic Systems - Southwest Utah Public Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  5. Boulder Town Code § 153.201, Recreational Type Vehicle as a Temporary Dwelling (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  6. Boulder Town Code § 153.117, Table of Uses (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  7. Boulder Town Code § 151.10, Adoption of Codes (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  8. Boulder Town Code § 151.02, Project Approval Required (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  9. Boulder Town Code § 153.117, Table of Uses (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  10. Boulder Town Code § 153.137, Review and Approval Procedures (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  11. Boulder Town Code § 153.137, Review and Approval Procedures (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  12. Boulder Town Code § 151.04, Exemptions From Building Permits (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  13. Garfield County Building Department (garfield.utah.gov)
  14. Southwest Utah Public Health Department - Home, quoted and re-checked
  15. Septic System Checklist - Southwest Utah Public Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  16. Boulder Town Code § 153.203, Accessory Dwelling Units (Town of Boulder), quoted and re-checked
  17. Southwest Utah Public Health Department – Garfield County Office (swuhealth.gov)
  18. Water Well Drilling, quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Well Drilling Information, quoted and re-checked
  20. Inspection Information and Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  21. 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
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Boulder Town Office (Town Clerk) (boulder.utah.gov)

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 Town of Boulder

Town of Boulder’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction of buildings within Boulder Town limits that is not exempt under § 151.04.

    • Town project approval is required before construction.
    • A Garfield County Building Department permit is required.
    • The section does not apply to buildings exempt under § 151.04.
    “A building permit is obtained from the Garfield County Building Department.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Boulder Town limits.

    • The adopted construction codes are the most current editions adopted by Utah under UCA 15A-2-203 and are enforced by the Garfield County Building Department.
    “The most current editions of the construction codes adopted by the State of Utah under UCA 15A-2-203”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    External accessory dwelling units within Boulder Town limits.

    • Applicant must demonstrate adequate existing on-site wastewater disposal or upgrade it before the certificate is issued.
    “before a certificate of occupancy for the EADU is issued.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within Boulder Town limits.

    • Uses are governed by the applicable zoning district and Table of Uses.
    “identifies the uses allowed within each Zoning District.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Boulder Town zoning districts.

    • The published Table of Uses identifies GM, LDR, MDR, HDR, and C district columns.
    “Table of Uses Use | Zoning District GM | LDR | MDR | HDR | C Table of Uses Use | Zoning District GM | LDR | MDR | HDR | C”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Permitted-use development within Boulder Town zoning districts.

    • The Zoning Administrator reviews compliance with requirements applicable to the zoning district.
    “including minimum area, yard setbacks, height”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Permitted-use development within Boulder Town zoning districts.

    • The Zoning Administrator reviews compliance with requirements applicable to the zoning district.
    “yard setbacks, height and all other requirements applicable in the zoning district”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    RV occupancy on private property within Boulder Town limits.

    • Occupancy is limited to no more than 90 cumulative days per calendar year.
    • One of the listed sanitation/location conditions must be met.
    • A non-fee Town Clerk permit is required.
    • Occupancy must be non-commercial and by the owner, family, or guests.

    maximum cumulative occupancy: <= 90 days per calendar year

    “not more than 90 days accumulative in any given calendar year”
  • Well permitLimited

    Town project applications proposing development of a well inside Boulder Town limits.

    • The project application must include approval from the Utah Division of Water Rights for developing a well.
    “approval from Utah Division of Water Rights for developing a well.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Building permits for agricultural-use buildings within Boulder Town limits.

    • The building must be agricultural use under UCA 15A-14-202.
    • It may not require permanent electrical, plumbing, septic, or mechanical systems.
    • The exemption does not extend to a dwelling intended for human habitation.
    “Buildings intended or designed for “Agricultural use” per UCA 15A-14-202”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Residential short-term rentals in GM, LDR, MDR, and HDR zoning districts within Boulder Town limits.

    • The Table of Uses identifies residential short-term rental as PC, potentially compatible, which requires conditional-use-permit approval.
    “Residential short-term rental | PC | PC | PC | PC |”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Non-exempt building construction within Boulder Town limits.

    • Applicant submits a Town project application.
    • The Town issues project approval after zoning compliance.
    • Applicant then obtains a Garfield County building permit.
    • Exempt buildings under § 151.04 are excepted.
    “Project Approval is issued by the Town Clerk”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction within Boulder Town limits.
  • Inspections — Building work within Boulder Town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts within Boulder Town limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts within Boulder Town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential zoning districts within Boulder Town limits.
11 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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

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