Utah County, UT Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger for engineering
- slope exceeds Critical Angle of Repose
- Permit fee
- $101 flat fee, over 4 feet
- Larger grading/wall tier
- $303 flat fee, 10,000+ cubic yards
- Driveway grade cap
- 12 percent maximum
- Zone cited
- RA-5, repeated in other residential zones
Summary
Utah County's RA-5 zoning standards bar cutting or filling a building site, street, or driveway steeper than the soil's natural angle of repose unless an engineered retaining wall is approved and built first. A building permit is also required for any retaining wall over 4 feet, carrying a flat $101 fee under the county's fee schedule.
No Building site, street, driveway, or other cut or Fill shall be made so the side Slopes exceed the Critical Angle of Repose of the soil unless engineered retaining Structures are approved and constructed.
Full Breakdown
08, the RA-5 Residential Agricultural Zone's Special Requirements, prohibits cutting or filling a building site, street, or driveway so that the side slopes exceed the soil's Critical Angle of Repose unless engineered retaining structures are approved and constructed. 12, so a slope steeper than the natural angle of repose anywhere on a lot needs an engineered wall design reviewed by the county before the cut or fill can be made. 00 flat fee tier. The Building Official may reduce these permit fees if they substantially exceed the county's cost of providing the inspection service.
The same RA-5 chapter also caps driveway grades serving a dwelling or occupied structure at 12 percent and requires yards to stay free of debris, weeds, and other flammable material that could create a fire hazard, both enforced alongside the retaining wall standard as part of the zone's site-development rules.
Violations & Fines
Building a retaining wall over 4 feet without the required county building permit, or cutting a slope beyond the soil's Critical Angle of Repose without an approved engineered retaining structure, is enforced through Utah County's building permit and zoning compliance process; the county can require the wall removed, redesigned by an engineer, or the site regraded before further construction proceeds, and the flat $101 permit fee still applies once the work is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in unincorporated Utah County?
What happens if my retaining wall isn't engineered and my slope is too steep?
Does the retaining wall rule apply outside the RA-5 zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Utah County
Compare Utah County to another location·View the Utah fence regulations overview
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