Provo gives you two ways to place a detached garage or shop: inside the house setbacks, or in the rear yard with a 10% size cap. Here is how each works and what a steel building costs in Utah County.
| Provo at a glance | What it means for your building |
|---|---|
| Permit needed | A detached one-story building of 200 sq ft or less may not need a building permit. Garages need one. |
| Inside the buildable area | If it meets the house setbacks: footprint and height less than the house, with architecturally similar materials and colors. |
| Outside the buildable area | No larger than 10% of the lot, at least 3 ft from any property line, and no part over 12 ft tall within 10 ft of a property line. Not in the front or street-side yard or a utility easement. |
| Height | Never taller than the house. |
| Distance and coverage | 6 ft from the house. All buildings together: no more than 40% of the lot. |
| Garage doors | 20 ft behind the sidewalk (26 ft behind the curb with no sidewalk). Corner lots: a rear-yard garage at least 30 ft from the side-street line. |
| RA zone | Can sit on the rear property line if roof drainage stays on the lot; 20 ft from the house; up to 35 ft tall; 30% lot coverage; animal buildings 100 ft from any home. |
| Elevation | About 4,540 ft at City Hall, Utah County. |
From Provo's published code and permit pages, checked October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the city before you build. Snow, wind and seismic values: see the Utah County guide.
Building package estimates for Utah County from our live estimator (October 2026, 3:12 roof, 10×10-class roll-up doors). Foundation, site prep and erection are separate.
| Building | Utah County estimate |
|---|---|
| 24×30×12 garage or small shop | $17,200 – $21,500 |
| 30×40×14 shop, 2 roll-up doors | $29,900 – $37,200 |
| 40×60×16 shop, 2 roll-up doors | $60,000 – $74,700 |
Your written quote is the firm number. More on steel shop pricing in Utah →
For a steel shop in an R1 zone, the "similar materials and colors" rule matters most when the building sits inside the house setbacks. We offer wainscot, trim and panel colors to tie the building to your house; send us a photo and we will match it in the design.
Residential Agricultural (RA) lots are the easiest place in Provo for a big shop: taller buildings, room on the rear line, and more lot coverage.
445 W Center St, Suite 200, Provo, UT 84601 · Building (801) 852-6428 · Development Services (801) 852-6400. City permit page →
In R1 zones, a building outside the house setbacks can be no larger than 10 percent of the lot. One that meets the house setbacks must have a smaller footprint and height than the house. All buildings together are capped at 40 percent of the lot.
At least 3 feet, and no part of the building can be over 12 feet tall within 10 feet of a property line. In the RA zone a building can sit on the rear line if roof drainage stays on the lot.
If it sits inside the house setbacks, it must use architecturally similar materials and colors. We can match wainscot, trim and panel colors to your house.
A 30x40 shop with 14-foot walls and two roll-up doors estimates at about $29,900 to $37,200 for the building package in Utah County on our live estimator (October 2026). Foundation and erection are separate.
Get a live estimate now, then a firm quote with drawings engineered for your address.