South Jordan, UT Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Over 4 ft exposed height
- Single-wall cap
- 9 feet without City Engineer OK
- Terraced-wall cap
- 18 feet combined height
- Design requirement
- Utah-licensed professional engineer
Summary
South Jordan requires a building permit and licensed engineer's design for most retaining walls, caps a single wall at nine feet, and limits terraced walls to a combined eighteen feet unless the City Engineer approves an exception.
...all retaining walls require a building permit prior to construction or alteration. ... The following do not require a building permit: Retaining walls less than four feet (4') in exposed height with less than ten horizontal to one vertical (10H:1V) (horizontal:vertical) front and back slopes within ten feet (10') of the wall; ... A single retaining wall shall not exceed nine feet (9') in height, except that the City Engineer may approve a single retaining wall higher than nine feet (9').
Full Breakdown
City Code § 16.44.360 requires a building permit and a Utah-licensed engineer's design for retaining walls, with narrow exemptions for short walls under 4 feet (or 3 feet if tiered or steeply sloped). A single wall can't exceed 9 feet in exposed height without the City Engineer's discretionary approval, and terraced walls are capped at a combined 18 feet, with minimum horizontal separation between tiers. Permit applications must include stamped profile and cross-section drawings, soil and materials testing, and stability calculations showing at least 1.50 static and 1.10 seismic safety factors, plus a preconstruction meeting and final inspection report.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a retaining wall over the exempt height thresholds without a permit and engineer's design violates § 16.44.360; walls must also be kept structurally sound, and the City Engineer can require corrective work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a retaining wall be in South Jordan without a permit?
What's the tallest retaining wall South Jordan allows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Jordan
Compare South Jordan to another location·View the Utah fence regulations overview
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle retaining walls.