Bolthole Index

Weber County, Utah

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Farr West, Utah

Farr West, Utah, in Weber County, adopts its own zoning ordinance and building codes, so zoning approval and building permits for a house inside city limits come from Farr West City rather than the county123. Septic permits in Weber County come from the Weber-Morgan Health Department4, but Farr West's code makes private septic tanks unlawful where public sewer is available5.

At a glance

Zoning
Farr West City's own Uniform Zoning Ordinance1
Building permit
Applied for through Farr West City's online permit portal67
Building codes
City adopts the IBC, IRC, NEC, IPC and other standards2
Septic
Private septic tanks are unlawful where public sewer is available; Weber-Morgan Health issues Weber County septic permits54
Minimum lot size
43,560 sq ft in A-1 and A-1-R; 15,000 sq ft in R-1-158
Accessory dwelling
Detached units need a city conditional use permit9
Short-term rental of a DADU
Rentals under 30 days are prohibited10
Wells
Utah water right and Start Card required11

Who to call

Building permits

Farr West City Building Department

Building permit applications, plan review and inspections inside Farr West city limits

801-731-4187

1896 North 1800 West, Farr West, UT 84404

Online permits →

Septic permits

Weber-Morgan Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) permits, plan review and inspections, and private well permits for Weber and Morgan Counties

801-399-7160

477 23rd Street, Ogden, UT 84401

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

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Does Farr West, Utah have zoning, and what does it mean for lots, setbacks and homes?

Yes. Farr West City enforces its own Uniform Zoning Ordinance for land inside city limits1. Weber County's zoning covers only unincorporated land, so the county's residential estates zone rules do not govern a Farr West lot12.

The city's residential standards are published by district. In the A-1 and A-1-R zones a single-family lot needs at least 43,560 square feet, and in R-1-15 the minimum is 15,000 square feet8. Single-family dwellings in these zones must sit at least 30 feet back from a city road and 40 feet from a state road, with a 30-foot rear setback and a 10-foot minimum side setback13. Maximum building height is 35 feet14.

Which district a parcel is in depends on the official zoning map, so confirm it with Farr West City before you buy15. We could not confirm Farr West's rules on living in an RV, camping, or a tiny home on a lot; ask city hall at7 before you plan on any of them.

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

Farr West City adopts the International Building Code, International Residential Code, National Electrical Code and other standards for all construction in the city2. A new home application goes through the city's online portal and the city's building official reviews the plans6. Weber County's Building Inspection Division issues building permits only for unincorporated Weber County, so it is the wrong counter for a Farr West address3.

We could not find the city's general rule on exactly which projects need a permit, so ask the7 before starting work on a shed, deck or remodel. The city's page does say that owner-builder forms apply when homeowners act as their own general contractor, and that accessory buildings do not need one7.

How do septic permits work inside Farr West?

Start with sewer. Farr West's code requires a house or building used for occupancy to connect to the public sewer when the property abuts a street or right-of-way holding the system, or when the sewer is within 300 feet of the property line16. Connection is at the owner's expense and is due within 60 days after official notice16. The same chapter makes private privies, septic tanks and cesspools unlawful, subject to its stated exceptions5.

For a lot that is allowed an onsite system, the Weber-Morgan Health Department handles septic permits in Weber County4. Its permit requires a site and soil evaluation, and a conventional system carries a $375 permit fee plus a $40 state fee17. We could not confirm which agency administers septic permits specifically inside the city, so call the18 to verify before you rely on a septic design.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Farr West?

We could not confirm any Farr West rule on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home living, so do not assume any of them is allowed; ask Farr West City before you buy or move anything onto a lot7.

The city does allow one related option, a detached accessory dwelling unit, with conditions. A DADU needs a city conditional use permit and must meet city building, health and fire codes9. It must be a single-family slab-on-grade unit of 400 to 1,000 square feet, and the owner must live in the main residence9. Renting a DADU for fewer than 30 days is prohibited10. A DADU or group of accessory buildings may cover no more than 20 percent of a rear yard19.

Building a home in Farr West: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and lot standards with Farr West City15.
  2. Check whether public sewer reaches the lot, because the city's code limits private septic where it does16. If it does not, contact the18 about an onsite system4.
  3. Get site plan approval, which the city requires before a building permit is submitted7.
  4. Gather the application package: engineered plans, a site plan, RESCheck, structural calculations, SWPPP documents, and culinary and secondary water receipts6.
  5. Submit through the city's online portal; the city's stated average for the permit process is 10-14 days6.
  6. Pay the invoice the city sends after the building official and the storm-water manager approve; the permit opens once payment is processed6.
  7. Schedule inspections with 24 hours notice7.

What stays with Weber County, and what should you check before buying in Farr West?

The county's rules for unincorporated land are on the Weber County page; they do not apply inside Farr West3.

Water: a Utah water right must exist before a shallow well is built, and the Start Card issued on approval of the water right is the permit to construct the well11. The Weber-Morgan Health Department lists a private well or spring permit fee of $80018. A new-home application also needs culinary and secondary water receipts6.

Costs: Weber County's effective property tax rate is 0.6 percent20, with a median annual bill of $2,41521. These are county-level figures, not Farr West's alone.

Watch-outs

  • Farr West's septic rule has exceptions the city code states, and we could not confirm which agency permits septic inside city limits, so confirm with the Weber-Morgan Health Department and the city before buying a lot without sewer access518.
  • Zoning district standards differ by zone, so confirm a parcel's district on the official zoning map or with Farr West City before relying on lot size or setback numbers15.
  • We could not confirm Farr West's floodplain, RV, tiny-home or agricultural-building rules; ask the Farr West City Building Department before you buy7.
  • Weber County's building, driveway and floodplain offices serve unincorporated land, so do not use them for a Farr West address3.

Sources

  1. Farr West City Code § 17.04.010, Short Title (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  2. Farr West City Code § 15.04.010, Codes and Standards (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  3. Building Inspection, quoted and re-checked
  4. Utah Administrative Code R317-4, Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. Farr West City Code § 13.04.030, Use of Public Sewers Required (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  6. Building a New Residential Home — Farr West City (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  7. Farr West City Building Department (farrwestcity.net)
  8. Farr West City Code § 17.44.190, Site Development Standards for All Residential Zones (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  9. Farr West City Code § 17.44.220, Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  10. Farr West City Code § 17.44.220, Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  11. Utah Division of Water Rights — Water Well Drilling Information (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  12. webercountyutah.gov, quoted and re-checked
  13. Farr West City Code § 17.44.190, Site Development Standards for All Residential Zones (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  14. Farr West City Code § 17.44.190, Site Development Standards for All Residential Zones (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  15. Farr West City Code § 17.44.190, Site Development Standards for All Residential Zones (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  16. Farr West City Code § 13.04.030, Use of Public Sewers Required (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  17. Water Quality | Weber-Morgan Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  18. Weber-Morgan Health Department, Environmental Health Division (webermorganhealth.gov)
  19. Farr West City Code § 17.44.220, Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (Farr West), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. 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 Farr West

Farr West’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction performed in Farr West City.

    • The city adopts IBC, IRC, NEC, IPC, IMC, International Fuel Gas Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Existing Building Code, HUD Code, and stated manufactured-home installation standards; several are as amended and adopted by the Utah State Legislature.
    “Farr West City hereby adopts the following building standards to govern all construction performed in Farr West City:”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Farr West city limits.

    • Development remains subject to Farr West City's Uniform Zoning Ordinance.
    “This title shall be known as the UNIFORM ZONING ORDINANCE OF FARR WEST CITY, UTAH.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Farr West city limits.

    • The reviewed City code publishes residential-zone controls for A-1, A-1-R, and R-1-15; parcel-specific applicability requires the official zoning map or City confirmation.
    “Minimum lot area | 43,560 sq. ft. | 43,560 sq. ft. | 15,000 sq. ft.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) inside Farr West city limits.

    • A City conditional-use permit and compliance with City building, health, and fire code are required.
    • The DADU must be a single-family slab-on-grade unit; duplexes and multifamily dwellings are not permitted.
    • The owner must reside in the primary residence except for bona fide temporary absences.
    • DADU rental or offering for rental for less than 30 days is prohibited.

    minimum DADU size: >= 400 sq ft · maximum DADU size: <= 1000 sq ft

    “shall require a city conditional use permit”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Private privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other facilities intended or used to dispose of wastewater inside Farr West City.

    • The prohibition is expressly subject to the chapter's later exceptions: “Except as hereinafter provided.”
    “Except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, septic tank, cesspool”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses, buildings, and properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Farr West City.

    • The property must abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing an existing or future public sanitary or combined sewer, or be within 300 feet of the system and have the sewer within 300 feet of its property line.
    • Connection is at the owner's expense and is due within 60 days after official notice.
    • The cited provision separately makes private privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other wastewater-disposal facilities unlawful except as otherwise provided.

    sewer availability distance: <= 300 ft (Measured to the system and stated property-line condition applies.) · connection deadline after official notice: <= 60 days

    “within sixty (60) days after date of official notice to do so”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Tracts located wholly or partly inside Farr West City.

    • Pre-existing lots in subdivisions created and recorded before the effective date of Farr West's initial subdivision regulations are excepted under the stated provision.
    “No person shall subdivide any tract of land which is located wholly or in part in the city”
  • Short-term rentalsProhibited

    Rental or offering for rental of a detached accessory dwelling unit inside Farr West city limits for less than 30 days.

    • This claim is limited to DADUs and does not establish a rule for other dwelling types.

    prohibited rental period: < 30 days (Detached accessory dwelling units only.)

    “prohibits the rental or offering for rental”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    New residential-home permit applications in Farr West City.

    • Required submission materials include engineered plans, site plan, RESCheck, structural calculations, SWPPP documents, and culinary and secondary-water receipts.
    • The building official reviews plans and documents; the storm-water manager reviews and verifies SWPPP documents.
    • After both approvals, the City sends an invoice; after payment, the permit becomes open and valid.

    stated average permit-process duration: 10-14 days

    “The building permit process takes on average 10-14 days.”

Rules another office applies inside Farr West

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

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family lots in Farr West A-1, A-1-R, and R-1-15 residential zones.

    • The cited table applies to single-family dwellings.

    A-1 minimum lot area: >= 43560 sq ft · A-1-R minimum lot area: >= 43560 sq ft · R-1-15 minimum lot area: >= 15000 sq ft

    “Minimum lot area | 43,560 sq. ft. | 43,560 sq. ft. | 15,000 sq. ft.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in all Farr West residential zones, including A-1, A-1-R, and R-1-15.

    • Setback is measured from the foundation wall, carport support posts, or edge of a doublewide parking pad.
    • Cul-de-sac front setback has a separate stated measurement method.

    front setback, city road: >= 30 ft · front setback, state road: >= 40 ft · rear setback: >= 30 ft · minimum side setback: >= 10 ft

    “Minimum setbacks from property line 1: | Side total | 24 ft. | Side minimum | 10 ft. | Interior side (corner) | 15 ft. | Front: city road | 30 ft. | Front: state road | 40 ft. | Rear | 30 ft. | Side facing street (corner) | 20 ft. | Rear (corner) | 15 ft.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    DADUs or groups of accessory buildings on the same lot inside Farr West city limits.

    • The cap applies to the rear yard.

    maximum rear-yard coverage: <= 20 percent (DADU or group of accessory buildings on the same lot.)

    “In no case may a DADU or group of accessory buildings on the same lot cover more than twenty percent (20%) of a rear yard.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in all Farr West residential zones, including A-1, A-1-R, and R-1-15.

    • The cited requirements are in the City table for single-family dwellings.

    minimum building height: >= 8 ft (Or one story, whichever is greater.) · maximum building height: <= 35 ft

    “Height of buildings: | Minimum height | 8 ft. or 1 story, whichever is greater | Maximum height | 35 ft.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Regulated water wells inside Farr West city limits under Utah statewide rules.

    • A valid water right is required before shallow-well construction and beneficial groundwater use.
    • A Start Card is issued upon approval of the water right and is the permit to construct the well.
    • The statewide source says regulated wells must be constructed by a currently licensed well driller, subject to its stated shallow-water-well constructor option.
    “A Start Card is issued upon approval of the water right, which is essentially the permit to construct the well.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Farr West or Weber County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Farr West city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Farr West city limits.
  • Inspections — Building work inside Farr West city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Farr West city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Farr West city limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • 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 Farr West publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Weber County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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