Building Setbacks & Zoning in Salt Lake County, UT (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Setback Rules

In unincorporated Salt Lake County's R-1 single-family zones, front, side and rear yard minimums scale with lot size: R-1-3 through R-1-5 need only a 20-foot front yard, while R-1-10 through R-1-43 need 30 feet. Accessory buildings get a one-foot side yard but must sit in the rear yard, six feet from the house. Development Services enforces the table under Code Section 19.14.050.

Salt Lake County R-1 Zone Yard Setback Minimums

Some Restrictions

Salt Lake County Code § 19.14.050(A)-(B) - Yards

A. Dwellings: The minimum yard requirements for a private garage or dwelling are as follows: Zone Front Yard Side Yard (Interior) Side Yard (Facing a public street) Rear Yard Without Garage Rear Yard With Garage R-1-3, R-1-4, R-1-5 20 feet 5 feet unless attached to a dwelling on an adjacent lot 20 feet 20 feet 15 feet R-1-6, R-1-7, R-1-8 25 feet 5 feet one side and 11 feet on the garage or driv...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Structure Height Limits

In Salt Lake County's unincorporated R-1 single-family zones, homes are capped at 35 feet, dropping to 30 feet on lots where the original slope exceeds 15 percent or in the hillside protection zone; every dwelling must have at least one story.

Salt Lake County Single-Family Height Limit: 35 Feet

Some Restrictions

Salt Lake County Code §19.14.060(A)

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this title no building or structure shall exceed the following height (see Section 19.04.095 (A) for definition of "height"): A.Main Buildings.1.Thirty feet on property where the slope of the original ground surface exceeds fifteen percent or the property is located in the hillside protection zone. The slope shall be determined using a line drawn ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Lot Coverage Limits

Salt Lake County does not print one lot coverage number for accessory dwelling units. Section 19.15.080 sends every addition and every detached ADU back to the lot or rear yard coverage standard of the underlying zone, after the setbacks in section 19.15.050 are met. In the R-1 single-family zones, accessory buildings are capped at twenty-five percent of the rear yard.

Salt Lake County Lot Coverage Limits for ADUs

Some Restrictions

Salt Lake County Code § 19.15.080 - Lot coverage

Lot coverage maximums as outlined per each zone. Any additions to an existing building or construction of a detached ADU shall comply with Section 19.15.050 and except as provided in that section, shall not exceed the allowable lot or rear yard coverage standard for the underlying zone. (Ord. No. 1924, § II, 6-4-2024; Ord. No. 1886, § II, 11-2-2021)

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Salt Lake County

5 cities in Salt Lake County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

Salt Lake CityPop. 199,723