Utah Code § 15A-1-101 Titles.
15A-1-101. Titles.
(1) This title is known as the "State Construction and Fire Codes Act."
(2) This chapter is known as "General Chapter."
Enacted by Chapter 14, 2011 General Session
General Provisions
Utah Code tit. 15A, ch. 15A-1, pt. 15A-1-P1
in effectUtah Code § 15A-1-102 Definitions.
15A-1-102. Definitions.
As used in this title:
(1) "Board" means the Utah Fire Prevention Board created in Section 53-7-203.
(2) "Division" means the Division of Professional Licensing created in Section 58-1-103, except as provided in:
(a) Part 4, State Fire Code Administration Act; and
(b) Chapter 5, State Fire Code Act.
(3) "State Construction Code" means the State Construction Code adopted by:
(a) Chapter 2, Adoption of State Construction Code;
(b) Chapter 2a, Tall Wood Buildings of Mass Timber Construction Incorporated as Part of State Construction Code;
(c) Chapter 3, Statewide Amendments Incorporated as Part of State Construction Code;
(d) Chapter 4, Local Amendments Incorporated as Part of State Construction Code; and
(e) Chapter 6, Additional Construction Requirements.
(4) "State Fire Code" means the State Fire Code adopted by Chapter 5, State Fire Code Act.
(5) "Utah Code" means the Utah Code Annotated (1953), as amended.
Amended by Chapter 415, 2022 General Session
Utah Code § 15A-1-103 Formatting powers.
15A-1-103. Formatting powers.
(1) As part of the division's compliance with Section 15A-1-205, the division may modify the format of the State Construction Code to provide accessibility to users of the State Construction Code.
(2) Consistent with Part 4, State Fire Code Administration Act, and Title 53, Chapter 7, Utah Fire Prevention and Safety Act, the State Fire Marshall Division under the direction of the board may modify the format of the State Fire Code to provide accessibility to users of the State Fire Code.
Enacted by Chapter 14, 2011 General Session
Utah Code § 15A-1-104 Permit approval required -- Certificate of occupancy valid.
15A-1-104. Permit approval required -- Certificate of occupancy valid.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Completed noncompliant structure" means a structure that was constructed and completed without:
(i) obtaining a building permit;
(ii) passing inspections; or
(iii) obtaining a certificate of occupancy as required by Section 15A-1-204.
(b) "Compliance agency" means the same as that term is defined in Section 15A-1-202.
(c) "Project" means the same as that term is defined in Section 15A-1-209.
(2) A compliance agency for a political subdivision may not reject a permit, or withhold approval of a project whenever approval is required, for failure to comply with the applicable provisions of this title unless the compliance agency:
(a) cites with specificity the applicable provision with which the project has failed to comply; and
(b) describes how the project has failed to comply.
(3) A municipality may not withhold a permit or project approval for a project because of a completed noncompliant structure on the same property provided that the completed noncompliant structure:
(a) has been completed for five years or more;
(b) does not pose a health, life, or safety concern;
(c) is unrelated to, independent from, and not affected by the project; and
(d) is outside the scope of work under the permit for the project.
(4) A municipality may require additional permitting, engineering, or inspections for a completed noncompliant structure if it:
(a) has been completed for ten years or less; or
(b) poses a health, life, or safety concern.
(5) If a compliance agency or a representative of a compliance agency issues a certificate of occupancy, the compliance agency may not withdraw the certificate of occupancy or exert additional jurisdiction over the elements of the project for which the certificate was issued unless additional changes or modifications requiring a building permit are made to elements of the project after the certificate was issued.
Amended by Chapter 505, 2024 General Session
Utah Code § 15A-1-105 Third-party inspection firms.
15A-1-105. Third-party inspection firms.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Building permit applicant" means an individual who applies to a local regulator for a building permit.
(b) "Inspection" means a physical examination of all aspects of a structure to ensure compliance with the State Construction Code.
(c) "Local regulator" means the same as that terms is defined in Section 15A-1-202.
(d) "Third-party inspection firm" means an entity that:
(i) employs or contracts with licensed building inspectors to enforce building codes adopted in this title;
(ii) is independent, but may include a building inspector for an adjacent city or county; and
(iii) is included on the local regulator's third-party inspection firm list.
(e) "Third-party inspection firm list" means a list of:
(i) for a first, second, third, or fourth class county, as classified under Section 17-60-104, or a municipality located within a first, second, third, or fourth class county, three or more third-party inspection firms approved by the local regulator; or
(ii) for a fifth or sixth class county, as classified under Section 17-60-104, or a municipality located within a fifth or sixth class county, one or more third-party inspection firms approved by the local regulator.
(2)
(a) Subject to the provisions of this section and Subsections 10-20-909(2) and 17-79-810(2), after submitting a request for inspection, a building permit applicant may engage a third-party inspection firm from the local regulator's third-party inspection firm list to conduct or complete an inspection for the scope of work identified under the original request for inspection.
(b) If a building permit applicant wishes to engage a third-party inspection firm in accordance with Subsection (2)(a), the building permit applicant shall first notify the local regulator of the third-party inspection firm the building permit applicant intends to engage.
(c) Upon completing the inspection, the third-party inspection firm shall submit the inspection report to the local regulator.
(d)
(i) The local regulator shall pay the cost of the inspection to the third-party inspection firm after the local regulator receives the third-party inspection report indicating the third-party inspection firm completed the inspection.
(ii) This section does not require a local regulator to pay for an inspection that exceeds the scope of work identified under the original request for inspection.
(3)
(a) The local regulator shall issue a certificate of occupancy to the building permit applicant if the third-party inspection firm:
(i) completes the inspection; and
(ii) submits the inspection report to the local regulator.
(b) The local regulator shall promptly issue the certificate of occupancy or letter of completion after the third-party inspection firm submits the final inspection report to the local regulator as described in Subsection (3)(a)(ii).
(4) A local regulator is not liable for any inspection performed by a third-party inspection firm.
Amended by Chapter 15, 2025 Special Session 1
Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter1/15A-1-P1.html?v=C15A-1-P1_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026