Washington County, UT Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- SF zone main building height
- 35 feet maximum, § 10-8E-4
- SF/RE accessory building height
- 25 feet maximum
- RE zone limit
- Identical 35'/25' cap, § 10-8D-4
- FR zone
- 35 feet, or taller with a CUP, § 10-8A-4
- SF minimum lot area
- 10,000 or 12,000 square feet
- SF front setback
- 25 feet
Summary
In Washington County's SF Single-Family Residential zone, County Code § 10-8E-4 caps a main building at 35 feet and an accessory building at 25 feet. The RE Residential Estate zone carries the identical limits under § 10-8D-4, while the FR Forest Residential zone's § 10-8A-4 sets the same 35-foot cap but allows a conditional use permit to exceed it.
10-8E-4: HEIGHT REGULATIONS: No building shall be erected to a height greater than thirty five feet (35'). No accessory building shall be erected to a height greater than twenty five feet (25').
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-8E-4, governing the SF Single-Family Residential zone, states plainly: "No building shall be erected to a height greater than thirty five feet (35'). " The RE Residential Estate zone's § 10-8D-4 repeats the identical two limits word for word, and both sections trace to Ord. 2001-815-O, adopted December 17, 2001. The FR Forest Residential zone takes a different structure: § 10-8A-4 sets the same 35-foot ceiling but frames it as a conditional-use trigger, stating "No building shall be erected to a height greater than thirty five feet (35') without a conditional use permit," so an FR-zoned owner can seek planning commission approval to build taller, an option the SF and RE sections do not offer for the main dwelling.
Height is paired with area, width, and yard tables specific to each zone; the SF zone's § 10-8E-5 sets district area at 10,000 or 12,000 square feet with an 80-foot width and 25-foot front, 10-foot side, and 10-foot rear setbacks, while § 10-8E-6 lets a private garage or accessory building set back at least 10 feet behind the main dwelling reduce its side yard to 3 feet, except on a corner lot's street side, which must keep 25 feet. These height and yard standards apply only within the county's unincorporated residential zone articles under Title 10, Chapter 8.
Violations & Fines
Building above the 35-foot main-structure or 25-foot accessory-structure cap without an approved conditional use permit, where one is available, violates Title 10's zoning standards. Section 10-1-9 authorizes the building inspector to inspect buildings under construction for compliance, § 10-1-18 lets an inspector issue a stop-work "red tag" on a structure erected in violation, and § 10-1-11 lets the county attorney sue to compel removal of an oversized building as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be built in Washington County's single-family residential zone?
Is the residential height limit the same across all of Washington County's zones?
Can an accessory building like a shop or garage be taller than the house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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