ADU Design in Emigration Canyon metro township, UT

ADU Design in Utah: what governs your project

Utah's HB 82 (2021) requires cities to allow internal accessory dwelling units — such as basement apartments — in areas zoned primarily for residential use, and limits the local restrictions municipalities can impose. The law was aimed at expanding housing options within existing neighborhoods.

Energy code

Local rules typically address parking, owner-occupancy declarations, and separate utility metering through standard residential permits. Detached ADUs are governed by each city's zoning and are less uniformly protected than internal units.

Permitting & plan check

Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, and other Wasatch Front cities run full-service permit centers with electronic review. Rapid growth has made review timelines a planning factor along the Wasatch Front. Smaller rural jurisdictions commonly use third-party reviewers.

Good to know

• The Wasatch Front is in Seismic Design Category D due to the Wasatch fault.
• Lake Bonneville clays create widespread liquefaction and collapsible-soil concerns.
• Utah DEQ administers the UPDES program for construction stormwater.

Every discipline, one team