Permit and setback guide
Detached Garage Permits in South Jordan and Nearby Utah Cities
Every garage in Utah has to clear three checks: the city zoning rules, the building permit and your HOA. This guide explains how each works in the six cities we build in.
The short answer
Yes, you need a permit. A garage is a building, and cities review it for where it sits, how tall it is and how it is built. A detached garage also runs into your HOA if you have one. The three checks work together, so a plan that passes one can still fail another. We prepare the plans, submit to the city and handle the HOA package, and this guide explains what each of them looks at.
Rules change, and each city sets its own numbers. Treat this guide as a map, and confirm the final numbers with your city before you commit to a design.
The three checks every garage faces
1. Zoning rules
Zoning decides where the building can go and how big it can be. It covers setbacks from property lines, height, lot coverage, distance from the house and whether the building can sit in front of the house. Each city writes its own accessory building standards, and they differ more than most owners expect.
2. The building permit
The building permit covers how the structure is built: foundation, framing, roof, electrical and fire safety. It is reviewed on drawings and verified by inspection. A garage with power, or one over a size threshold, needs one. In West Jordan the line is 200 square feet, any building over 17 feet tall, or any structure with utilities.
3. HOA architectural review
An HOA has its own rules on top of the city's. It usually reviews exterior materials, color, roof pitch and placement, and many require approval before the city permit is issued. The city does not enforce the HOA, and the HOA does not replace the city. You need both to say yes.
City-by-city rules at a glance
This table shows the main numbers for a detached garage in each city we serve. It leaves out many details, so use the city pages for the full list.
| City | Height | Side and rear setback | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Jordan | Up to 5 feet above the house, never over 25 feet | Rear typically 3 feet. Side typically 10 feet at 10 feet tall or more | 40 percent in R-1.8 to R-4, 50 percent in R-5 |
| Herriman | 25 feet or the house height on lots to 21,780 sq ft. Up to 30 feet on larger lots | Increases past 16 feet on smaller lots. Check the city for the base number | Capped by lot size |
| Riverton | 20 feet, or 25 feet on lots of 10,000 sq ft or more | Generally 5 feet. 15 feet over 20 feet tall or with a second story | 10 percent of the lot for all accessory structures |
| Draper | Walls to 15 feet, 25 feet to the peak | 10 feet from property lines for buildings over 200 sq ft | 8 percent of the lot |
| West Jordan | 20 feet in R-1 to R-3, 25 feet in R-R and R-E | Chart lists 8 feet side and 3 feet rear with a permit. Adds 1 foot per foot over 17 feet | 20 percent of the rear yard |
| Bluffdale | 18 feet | 5 or 10 feet depending on the zone | 40 to 50 percent depending on the zone |
What triggers a building permit
The common line is 200 square feet. A building bigger than that is usually permitted, and cities such as West Jordan write the threshold into code. Utilities change the answer. A structure with electrical service needs a permit and an inspection in many places no matter how small. Height matters too, and West Jordan requires a permit over 17 feet. Every garage we build meets at least one of those triggers, so we plan for a permit on every job.
Setbacks and height
Setbacks set how far the building sits from each property line. They are usually smaller for accessory buildings than for the house, and they grow as the building gets taller. South Jordan adds one foot of setback for each foot over 16 feet. West Jordan does the same above 17 feet. Herriman does it above 16 feet on smaller lots and above 20 feet on larger ones. Riverton jumps from 5 to 15 feet once a building passes 20 feet or has a second story.
Height caps work the same way. Most cities cap accessory buildings between 18 and 25 feet. RV garages and garage apartments push against those caps, so we design the roof pitch and door height around the limit first.
Lot coverage
Coverage caps how much of the lot your buildings can fill, and every city counts it differently. South Jordan caps the whole lot, house included, at 40 to 50 percent in its residential zones. Draper caps all detached accessory buildings at 8 percent of the lot. Riverton caps them at 10 percent. West Jordan limits an accessory building to 20 percent of the rear yard. Bluffdale caps total coverage at 40 to 50 percent by zone. Herriman ties its cap to lot size.
That is why lot size matters more than it seems. Under Draper's 8 percent rule, a 30x40 shop needs a lot of at least 15,000 square feet. We run this math before we draw anything.
Easements and utilities
Many lots carry public utility easements along the property lines, and cities restrict building in them. South Jordan requires an easement release letter. Riverton requires written permission from every party with rights to the easement. Draper does not allow accessory buildings to encroach on an easement or right-of-way. We read your plat for easements at the start, since an easement can move the footprint more than a setback does.
Exterior materials and design rules
Some cities write exterior rules into code. Riverton requires buildings over 200 square feet to use materials already on the house, and bans wood siding, exposed plywood and corrugated metal. Herriman applies architectural standards to buildings over 200 square feet. South Jordan has privacy rules for windows and doors more than 4 feet above grade. These rules shape the design, and they are the reason a standard metal building does not fit every lot.
Garage apartments and accessory dwelling units
Utah law sets a statewide frame for accessory dwelling units, and cities decide how detached units are handled. Each city has its own rules for size, parking and use. South Jordan requires an accessory dwelling unit at least 10 feet from any property line and bans exterior stairs, decks and balconies within 20 feet of a property line. Riverton limits above-ground decks on those structures to 80 square feet and bans rooftop decks. Draper does not allow separate water, sewer or gas meters for an accessory building. See the garage apartment page for more.
HOA review, step by step
HOA review runs on its own schedule. Many associations meet monthly, so the timing can set your start date. We get your HOA guidelines at the site visit and build the design around them. A typical submittal includes a site plan, elevations, a materials list with samples, and roof and color details. A clean first submittal is the fastest path, and a close match to the house is what gets most plans approved.
From plans to final inspection
- Site visit. We measure the lot, find easements and read your HOA rules.
- Plans. We draw a site plan and building plans that meet the city's rules.
- HOA and city submittals. We submit both, and answer reviewer comments.
- Build. Inspections follow the work, typically at footings, framing, electrical and final.
- Final inspection. The city signs off and you can use the building.
Common mistakes that get plans sent back
- Drawing the building too close to a property line or easement.
- Designing a roof that pushes the height past the city cap or the setback step.
- Ignoring a lot coverage cap that already counts the house and other buildings.
- Submitting to the city before the HOA has approved the exterior.
- Leaving out the electrical plan on a shop or apartment.
We avoid these by checking your lot and your city before the first drawing. For what the build costs, see the garage cost guide.
Questions
Garage permit questions
Do I need a permit to build a detached garage?
Yes, nearly every garage you can park in needs a building permit. West Jordan, for example, requires one for any accessory structure over 200 square feet, any building over 17 feet tall, and any structure with power, water, gas or sewer. We prepare the plans and handle the permit package.
How close to my property line can a detached garage be?
It depends on the city and the building. Common numbers run 3 to 10 feet from side and rear lines, and taller buildings need more room. The table in this guide lists the rule for each city we serve, and each city page has more detail.
Does an HOA approve the garage before the city?
Many HOAs review the design before the city permit, or alongside it. They look at exterior materials, color, roof pitch and placement. We collect your HOA guidelines at the site visit and prepare the submittal with the permit package.
What happens if I build in a utility easement?
Cities do not allow it without written permission. South Jordan requires an easement release letter, and Riverton requires written permission from every party with rights to the easement. We check your plat for easements before we draw the footprint.
How long does a garage permit take?
It depends on the city's review queue and on how complete the plans are. A clean submittal moves faster than one sent back for corrections. We prepare plans to the city rules so the first review has the best chance of passing. Ask your city for its current timeline.
Can I build a garage apartment?
Possibly. Cities set their own rules for accessory dwelling units, including distance from property lines, stairs and utilities. South Jordan, for example, requires a 10 foot setback and bans exterior stairs within 20 feet of a property line. We check your lot and zone first.
Service area
Cities covered in this guide
Each city page lists the local rules in more detail.
Ready when you are
Let us check your lot before you design
Tell us your city and what you want to build. We will check the rules, then come back with a plan and a price range.