West Valley City, UT Accessory Structures: Garage Conversions (2026)
Garage conversion rules in West Valley City, UT, sometimes called garage-to-ADU or accessory living unit conversions, govern permits, ceiling height, egress, and parking replacement.
Key Facts
- Pre-3/3/1998 homes
- 2 spaces, hard surface
- 1998-2015 homes
- 2-car garage, 20x20 ft interior
- Post-4/15/2015 homes
- 3-car garage, 20x30 ft interior
- Grandfathered
- permitted conversions before 12/29/2008
- Unpermitted conversions
- illegal at any date
- Occupancy tied to
- completed replacement parking
Summary
Converting a home's garage into living space in West Valley City requires replacing every lost parking space first. Municipal Code Section 7-11-208 sets minimum replacement garage sizes by construction era, from two hard-surfaced spaces for pre-1998 homes up to a three-car, 20-by-30-foot garage for homes built after April 15, 2015, and any conversion done without a permit is illegal.
Any conversion of covered Parking Spaces to non-parking Uses shall comply with the following standards: (1) Homes constructed prior to March 3, 1998, must provide a minimum of two Parking Spaces per unit, located on hard surfacing outside of the Front Yard setback. (2) Homes constructed after March 3, 1998, and before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Section, must provide a double car garage with interior minimum dimensions of 20 feet by 20 feet. Homes constructed after April 15, 2015, must provide a three-car garage with interior minimum dimensions of 20 feet by 30 feet. (3) The replacement parking shall be completed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the converted living space. (6) The garage door, and all necessary remnants, shall be removed and the garage door opening finished with Building materials and design details to match the remaining house. (8) Garage conversions constructed with a building permit prior to December 29, 2008, are considered legal non-conforming Uses. (9) Garage conversions undertaken without a building permit, regardless of when it occurred, are considered illegal.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-30, passed June 23, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-11-208, Conversion of Covered Parking, lets a homeowner convert a garage to living space only if replacement parking is built first, and the replacement standard depends on when the house was built. Homes built before March 3, 1998 must replace the garage with at least two Parking Spaces on hard surfacing outside the Front Yard setback (1). Homes built between March 3, 1998 and the ordinance's effective date must replace it with a double-car garage at least 20 feet by 20 feet inside (2); homes built after April 15, 2015 must replace it with a three-car garage at least 20 feet by 30 feet inside.
The replacement parking must be finished before the City issues a certificate of occupancy for the new living space (3), must stay continuously maintained and accessible from a public right-of-way (4), and its driveway access must meet Chapter 7-9's surfacing standards (5). The old garage door and every mounting remnant must be removed and the opening finished with materials matching the rest of the house (6), and if the converted area is used as living space it must connect to the house through an interior doorway (7).
Conversions built under a valid building permit before December 29, 2008 are grandfathered as legal nonconforming uses (8); any conversion done without a permit, no matter when it happened, is flatly illegal (9). The section was renumbered from former Section 7-11-209 by Ordinance No. 21-42 in 2021.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted garage conversion is illegal under Section 7-11-208(9) regardless of age, and the Community Preservation Department can pursue it through Title 10's administrative hearing program, civil action, or any other method under Section 7-1-113. Because occupancy of a converted living space requires a certificate of occupancy tied to completed replacement parking, the City can withhold occupancy approval until the replacement garage is built. Appeals of a staff determination go to the Board of Adjustment within 10 days under Section 7-1-114.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert my garage into a bedroom in West Valley City?
Is my garage conversion from the 1990s legal without a permit?
What has to happen to the old garage door after a conversion?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Valley City
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Garage Conversions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle garage conversions.