The Orem City Code is the set of local ordinances adopted by the Orem City Council, covering property upkeep, zoning, building permits, business licensing, animals, noise, and public safety. The full text is published online through the enCodePlus platform at online.encodeplus.com/regs/orem-ut/, and most of the rules that affect daily life sit in a handful of chapters you can pull up in a few clicks.1Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Code of Ordinances – Orem
How to Find and Search the Code
The code is organized by Chapter at the top level, with Articles and Sections underneath. Chapter 22 covers zoning. Chapter 16 covers property maintenance. Chapter 14 covers signs. If you already know a section number, browsing the table of contents is faster than searching.
The platform includes a keyword search, a document viewer for reading full chapters, and an archive for older versions of an ordinance. A built-in land use lookup and interactive maps are linked from the navigation menu, which is the quickest way to check what zoning district applies to a specific address.2Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Code of Ordinances – Orem
Property Maintenance Rules
Property maintenance rules live in Chapter 16. Section 16.1.6 requires property owners, tenants, and occupants to keep the public sidewalks, curbs, and gutters next to their property free from debris, dirt, rocks, weeds, snow, and ice.3City of Orem. Residential Property Maintenance Section 16.1.5 makes it unlawful to spill material or debris on a public street without immediately cleaning it up. If you fail to clear it within twelve hours, the city can do it and bill you.
The code also addresses junk vehicles and weed control. The specific height thresholds and notice timelines change, so confirm the current text on enCodePlus or contact the city’s Neighborhood Improvement Team before acting. Enforcement typically starts with a written notice giving you a window to fix the problem before fines apply. Under Utah law, both an infraction and a Class C misdemeanor carry a maximum fine of $750, and most Orem code violations fall within that range.4Utah Courts. Criminal Penalties
Zoning and Land Use
Chapter 22 divides Orem into residential, commercial, and mixed-use zones. Residential zones carry alphanumeric labels including R20, R12, R8, R7.5, R6.5, R6, and R5, where the number ties to lot-size or density requirements. Those classifications control what can be built, how close structures can sit to property lines, and how many dwelling units a lot can hold. Use the enCodePlus land use tool to look up any address.2Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Code of Ordinances – Orem
Fence rules vary by context. In planned developments, a patio or limited common area behind a dwelling can be enclosed with a fence up to six feet high, provided the fence includes an access gate from the common area and the path leading to the gate is at least fifteen feet wide and long.5Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Orem, UT Code of Ordinances – Fence Regulations Stacked residential units in those developments cannot have individual fences beyond the perimeter fence. Front-yard limits and rules for standard single-family lots sit elsewhere in Chapter 22; check them for your specific zone before building.
Accessory Apartments
Orem allows one accessory apartment per owner-occupied single-family home. The owner must live on the property, and only one family can occupy each unit. There is a narrow exception: if you leave temporarily for a job assignment, sabbatical, or voluntary service, you can keep the accessory apartment rented for up to three years, as long as you lived there before leaving and plan to return. Indefinite absences do not qualify.6Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Orem, UT Code of Ordinances – Accessory Apartments
Parking is the piece that surprises most homeowners. A single-family home with an accessory apartment must provide at least three off-street parking stalls, each at least eight feet by sixteen feet. None can sit inside a garage or carport unless you have a three-car garage, in which case the three stalls in front of the garage doors count. No more than two stalls can sit in the front-yard setback, and only one in the side-yard setback along a street. Parking areas and driveways must be paved with concrete, masonry, or concrete pavers. The property is limited to two meters each for water, gas, and electricity, all in the owner’s name.6Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Orem, UT Code of Ordinances – Accessory Apartments
Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO are prohibited under the Orem code, though enforcement has been inconsistent because of state-law limits. The city does not currently license or register them. Check the current code and recent council actions before listing a property, because this area can shift quickly.
Fair Housing Limits on Zoning
Orem’s zoning authority is limited by the federal Fair Housing Act. Cities cannot use zoning to exclude group homes or housing for people with disabilities from residential neighborhoods where other unrelated individuals are allowed to live. If a standard zoning rule blocks a person with a disability from living in a particular home, the city must consider a reasonable accommodation unless it would impose an undue burden or fundamentally change the zoning scheme.7Department of Justice. Joint Statement of the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Building Permits
Orem requires building permits for a wide range of residential projects, and the list is longer than most homeowners realize. Doing permitted work without one can lead to fines and forced removal of the work.
Common exterior projects that need a permit include room additions, detached or attached garages, patio covers and awnings, decks more than 30 inches above grade, storage sheds over 200 square feet, masonry or concrete fences, swimming pools, hot tubs, solar panels, retaining walls four feet or taller, reroofing, siding, and window or door replacements that change the size of the opening.
Common interior projects that need a permit include basement finishes, remodels that move walls or relocate windows and doors, structural modifications, fireplaces, water heater replacements, furnace and air conditioning installations, and any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work.
For straightforward replacements such as water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, or minor electrical work, Orem accepts an online permit application at secure2.orem.org/permitsite/application.aspx. Larger projects requiring plans go through the standard permit process.8City of Orem. When Do I Need a Building Permit The city’s own guidance notes the lists are not exhaustive. If your project is not listed, ask before starting work.
Business Licensing
Any business operating in Orem needs a city license, whether it runs from a home or a commercial storefront. Start by registering your business name with the State of Utah through corporations.utah.gov. If your business involves food, pools or spas with public access, tattooing or piercing, tanning beds, underground gas storage, or used oil collection, you need clearance from the Utah County Health Department before the city will issue a license.9City of Orem. Business Licensing
You then complete either the home business or commercial business application online, submit a copy of your driver’s license or photo ID, and handle any requirements specific to your business type. Home-based businesses have to comply with home occupation rules in the zoning code, which limit how much of the home can be used for business and restrict changes to the property’s residential character. Questions on additional requirements or fees go to the city’s licensing office at 801-229-7198.9City of Orem. Business Licensing
Animals
Orem limits pet ownership to two dogs and two cats per lot, counting animals four months of age or older.10Orem, UT Code of Ordinances. Orem, UT Code of Ordinances – Animals Dogs must be licensed through Utah County, which requires a current rabies vaccination. Licensing fees depend on whether the animal is spayed or neutered; contact the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter or the county for current rates. Dogs must be on a leash in public areas like parks and sidewalks.
A dog that bites, attacks, or menaces people or other animals while off the owner’s property can be designated as dangerous or vicious. That designation triggers restrictions on how the animal is confined and handled in public, typically including a leash of six feet or shorter when off the premises, along with other containment measures. If you receive a dangerous-animal notice, the code provides a hearing process for contesting the designation.
Noise Rules
Quiet hours run from 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. During those hours, construction within 200 feet of a residential zone is not allowed, and loud noise from a residential property that is plainly audible at a distance of 30 feet is prohibited. Operation of machinery and power equipment falls under the same restriction.
A noise violation is normally an infraction, which carries a maximum fine of $750 under Utah law. It escalates to a Class C misdemeanor if the noise continues after someone asks you to stop, or if it occurs during quiet hours.4Utah Courts. Criminal Penalties A Class C misdemeanor also carries a fine up to $750 and can include jail time up to 90 days. Jail time for a noise violation is extremely unlikely in practice, but the misdemeanor classification does mean a criminal record rather than just a ticket.
If You Get a Code Enforcement Notice
Orem’s Neighborhood Improvement Team handles code enforcement. When a violation is identified, whether from a complaint or an inspection, the process generally starts with a written notice describing the problem and setting a deadline. If you do not correct the issue within that window, the city can issue fines or, in nuisance cases, abate the problem itself and bill you.
If you disagree with a citation or enforcement action, Orem has an administrative appeal process. Due process requires adequate notice of the violation and a meaningful opportunity to be heard before penalties are imposed. Respond quickly, document what you have done to comply, and put your response in writing. That is the single most effective way to resolve the situation without letting costs climb.
Requesting Records the Code Does Not Contain
If you need something not in the online code itself, such as meeting minutes, legislative history, staff reports, or enforcement records, Orem accepts public records requests under Utah’s Government Records Access and Management Act. Submit a request through the city’s online GRAMA form or, for police records, through the separate police records form.11City of Orem. Records Request Form The city will review the request, apply any exemptions, and either provide the records or issue a written denial. GRAMA gives you the right to appeal a denial to the city’s chief administrative officer, and beyond that to the State Records Committee or district court.