Utah County requires a grading permit for excavation or fill over 50 cubic yards or any grading on slopes over 30 percent, per the Land Use Ordinance and IBC Appendix J. Drainage cannot be redirected onto adjacent parcels. Wasatch foothill sites face stricter geotechnical review.
Utah County enforces IBC 2021 Appendix J Grading and the Land Use Ordinance grading provisions. A grading permit is required for earthwork over 50 cubic yards, any fill deeper than 2 feet, cuts deeper than 5 feet, or any grading on slopes steeper than 30 percent. Provo City Code §15.04 and Orem City Code §16-3 impose substantially similar thresholds within city limits. Retaining walls over 4 feet tall (measured bottom of footing to top of wall) require a separate building permit with engineered plans sealed by a Utah-licensed PE. Historic drainage patterns must be preserved; owners may not redirect concentrated flow onto neighboring properties, which violates Utah common law and county code. Engineered geotechnical reports are required on hillside lots because of landslide and debris-flow hazards mapped along the Wasatch Front. Compaction testing at 90–95 percent modified Proctor is required for structural fill. Final grade certification must match approved plans before certificate of occupancy.
Unpermitted grading over threshold: stop-work order and fines $250 to $2,500 plus retroactive permit fees. Redirecting drainage onto neighbors: civil liability under Utah common law plus corrective work. Slope failure from improper grading: owner liable for damages and remediation. Missing compaction tests: certificate of occupancy withheld.
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