Bolthole Index

Salt Lake County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cottonwood Heights, Utah

Cottonwood Heights, Utah requires a city building permit for all construction except a short list of minor work, and applications are online only12. The city administers its own zoning, including R-1, RR-1 and F-1 residential districts3. Septic permits for lots without sewer come from the Salt Lake County Health Department, not the city4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for all construction inside the city, with a short list of exceptions1
Who issues building permits
The City of Cottonwood Heights, online applications only2
Zoning
City zoning with R-1, RR-1 and F-1 residential districts and a zoning map35
Septic
Salt Lake County Health Department permits and inspects new systems where sewer is not available46
Sewer connection
Required if sewer is within 300 feet of the property7
Accessory dwellings
Internal ADUs permitted on lots of 6,000 sq ft or more; detached ADUs need a conditional use permit89
Owner-builder
The city's building permit page links an owner-builder certification form2
Wells
Utah requires a water right and a licensed driller for a domestic well10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Cottonwood Heights, Building Permits

Building permit applications, plan review and inspection requests inside Cottonwood Heights city limits

(801) 944-7000

2277 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

Zoning

City of Cottonwood Heights, Community Development (zoning)

Zoning, the zoning map and accessory dwelling unit applications inside Cottonwood Heights

(801) 944-7000

2277 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

Health department

Salt Lake County Health Department, Water Quality Bureau

Review, permitting and inspection of new septic (onsite wastewater) systems in Salt Lake County, city or not

385-468-3862

788 East Woodoak Lane (5380 South) Murray, Utah 84107

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 Cottonwood Heights means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Cottonwood Heights, Utah?

Yes. Cottonwood Heights requires a building permit for all construction inside the city, except for a short list of minor work1. The exceptions are one-story detached accessory buildings under 200 square feet that meet setback and height rules, floor and interior wall coverings on residential projects, and private fencing that meets city zoning1. Everything else, including a new house, an addition or a larger outbuilding, needs a permit. Fees are set by the construction cost valuation, and zoning review and impact fees may be added2. The city's published process starts with deciding whether a permit is needed, then preparing plans11.

Who issues building permits in Cottonwood Heights, and how do you reach them?

The City of Cottonwood Heights issues building permits itself, from city hall at 2277 Bengal Blvd, (801) 944-70002. The city accepts only online applications, and a permit application cannot be accepted without plans2. City hall is open Monday through Thursday only, and inspection requests are not available on Fridays12. The Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District and its building office serve unincorporated Salt Lake County, so that office is the wrong counter for a lot inside Cottonwood Heights. Which building code the city enforces, and which inspections are mandatory, we could not confirm; ask the city's permit staff.

Does Cottonwood Heights have zoning, and what does it mean for ADUs and lot rules?

Yes. Cottonwood Heights runs its own zoning, with R-1 single family, RR-1 rural residential and F-1 foothill residential districts, and a zoning map on the city website312. Salt Lake County's Title 19 zoning applies only to unincorporated land, not inside municipalities13. Internal accessory dwelling units are a permitted use on lots of 6,000 square feet or more in those three districts, and the record owner must live in either the main home or the ADU8. Detached ADUs need a conditional use permit9. We could not confirm minimum lot sizes, setbacks, height limits, or rules on RVs and tiny homes; the city's community development staff can tell you the numbers for a specific parcel.

How do septic permits work inside Cottonwood Heights?

Septic permits inside Cottonwood Heights come from the Salt Lake County Health Department, not the city4. A new system is allowed only where sewer is not available, and the county also inspects new systems614. Start by getting a letter from the sewer district confirming sewer is unavailable or that connection is not required6. Sewer connection is required if sewer lies within 300 feet of the property7. Expect extra review in watershed and drinking-water source protection zones6. In a county where about 4% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, plan on a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15. Call the Water Quality Bureau at 385-468-386216.

Building a home in Cottonwood Heights: the steps, in order

1. Check your lot's zoning district on the city zoning map and confirm with community development what the district allows12. 2. Confirm sewer: get the sewer district letter, because a lot within 300 feet of sewer must connect7. 3. If sewer is unavailable, begin the Salt Lake County Health Department septic process, including the water availability letter67. 4. Prepare plans and apply online for the city building permit; the city cannot accept an application without plans2. 5. Pay the permit fee, which depends on the construction cost valuation2. 6. Request inspections through the city, remembering that no inspection requests are taken on Fridays1. Owner-builders: the city's permit page links an owner-builder certification form, and Utah's statewide exemption covers contractor licensing only, not permits17.

What stays with Salt Lake County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic permits and inspections stay with Salt Lake County for every address in the county, city or not4. Domestic wells fall under Utah's State Engineer, which requires a valid water right and a start card before a well is built10. For land outside city limits, see the Salt Lake County page. Salt Lake County's effective property tax rate is about 0.6% and the median property tax bill is about $2,726 a year1819. The typical home value is about $576,00020. Cottonwood Heights lies close to Salt Lake City, with the nearest city of 100,000 or more about 6 miles from the county center21.

Watch-outs

  • City hall is open Monday through Thursday only, and inspection requests are not available on Fridays12.
  • Septic and sewer questions go to Salt Lake County, and sewer within 300 feet of a property triggers mandatory connection7.
  • We could not confirm Cottonwood Heights' building code edition, permit fee amounts, setbacks, minimum lot sizes, or RV and tiny-home rules; ask city permit and community development staff at (801) 944-7000 before you buy2.
  • Foothill and watershed lots face extra septic review, so ask the county health department before you commit to a site6.

Sources

  1. Building Permits - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Cottonwood Heights, Building Permits (cottonwoodheights.utah.gov)
  3. Accessory Dwelling Units - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic & Onsite Wastewater Systems - Salt Lake County Health Department (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  5. Accessory Dwelling Units - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  6. Septic & Onsite Wastewater Systems - Salt Lake County Health Department (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  7. Septic & Onsite Wastewater Systems - Salt Lake County Health Department (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  8. Accessory Dwelling Units - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. Accessory Dwelling Units - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  10. Water Well Drilling Information, quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Permits - Cottonwood Heights, UT (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Cottonwood Heights, Community Development (zoning) (cottonwoodheights.utah.gov)
  13. Title 19 Comprehensive Zoning Update, quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic & Onsite Wastewater Systems - Salt Lake County Health Department (Cottonwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. Salt Lake County Health Department, Water Quality Bureau (saltlakecounty.gov)
  17. Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55, Construction Trades Licensing Act exemptions (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
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  21. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: 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 Cottonwood Heights

Cottonwood Heights’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction and other building work inside Cottonwood Heights city

    • Exceptions listed on the same page: one-story detached accessory buildings less than 200 square feet that meet setback and height requirements; floor coverings for residential projects; interior wall coverings for residential projects; private fencing that meets city zoning requirements; fencing and clear zone standards.
    • Effective March 2, 2026, city hall is open Monday through Thursday only and inspection requests are not available on Fridays.
    “a building permit is required for all construction within the cottonwood heights, except for:”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Cottonwood Heights city limits; the city's own website administers R-1 (single family), RR-1 (rural residential) and F-1 (foothill residential) zones and a zoning map.

    • The Title 19 land use ordinance was seen only in third-party search snippets and was not opened on an official page; confirm section numbers against the official code.
    “you can check your property zoning using the cottonwood heights zoning map.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning map for land inside Cottonwood Heights city

    • The page names R-1, RR-1 and F-1 districts and links to a zoning map; district-by-district standards were not opened.
    “you can check your property zoning using the cottonwood heights zoning map.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed

    Internal accessory dwelling units (within the existing footprint of the main home) on lots inside Cottonwood Heights city in the R-1 (single family), RR-1 (rural residential) and F-1 (foothill residential) zones

    • Lot must have 6,000 sq. ft. or more.
    • Record owner must occupy either the primary dwelling or the ADU as permanent residence; proof of owner occupation required at application.
    • Every single-family property must provide two off-street parking spaces, plus one more for an ADU (per the page's parking FAQ).

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 sq ft

    “internal adus allowed as a permitted use on lots with 6,000 sq. ft. or more, within r-1 (single family) zones, rr-1 (rural residential) zones, and f-1 (foothill residential) zones”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Limited — Detached accessory dwelling units (outside the main home, such as a detached garage) on lots inside Cottonwood Heights city in the R-1, RR-1 and F-1 zones
      “detached adus allowed as conditional use in the city's r-1 (single family) zones, rr-1 (rural residential) zones, and f-1 (foothill residential) zones”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit application process inside Cottonwood Heights city

    • Process is published in steps: step 1 determine if a permit is needed; step 2 prepare plans (requirements vary by project); further steps and fees were not opened.
    “permit application process step 1: determine if you need a permit”

Rules another office applies inside Cottonwood Heights

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater (septic) systems on lots inside Cottonwood Heights city where sewer is not available; the county health department acts inside the city.

    • Scope recorded as countywide because the schema does not allow municipality-specific geography for a county authority; the page itself does not single out Cottonwood Heights.
    “salt lake county health department is responsible for reviewing and permitting new onsite wastewater system construction in salt lake county.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New onsite wastewater (septic) systems on lots inside Cottonwood Heights city where sewer is not available

    • Applicant must first obtain a letter from the sewer district confirming sewer is not available or that connection is not required (step 2 of the county process).
    • Watershed and drinking-water source protection zones carry additional requirements.
    “salt lake county health department is responsible for reviewing and permitting new onsite wastewater system construction in salt lake county.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New onsite wastewater (septic) systems inside Cottonwood Heights city, inspected by Salt Lake County Health Department

    • Inspection applies to new systems; the page says the county inspects new systems to meet standards.
    “we also inspect new systems to ensure they are installed to meet standards and will function properly to protect public and environmental health.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    New homes on lots inside Cottonwood Heights city, sewer connection rule as stated by the county health department

    • Sewer connection is required if sewer is available within 300 feet of the property.
    • Water availability is confirmed by a water availability letter from the public water system; the water connection rule itself was not stated on the page.

    sewer availability distance for mandatory connection: <= 300 feet (Stated as 'within 300 feet of the property'; the sewer district letter may document no connection needed.)

    “sewer connection is required if sewer is available within 300 feet of the property.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cottonwood Heights or Salt Lake County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit eligibility inside Cottonwood Heights city
  • Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Cottonwood Heights city
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Cottonwood Heights city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Cottonwood Heights city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-1 (single family) zone inside Cottonwood Heights city; RR-1 and F-1 not checked
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Cottonwood Heights publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Salt Lake County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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