Skip to main content
PermitBase

This is PermitBase’s published record for Unincorporated Albany County as of 2026-07-01. It has since been superseded — see the current record. A historical record reflects what PermitBase had verified at that time; it may not capture a real-world change the jurisdiction had made but PermitBase had not yet verified, and it includes any errors we later corrected. Snapshots are never edited retroactively.

Unincorporated Albany County building permits

Verified

Unincorporated Albany County, Wyoming — as published 2026-07-01.

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

Codes adopted

Albany County has NOT adopted a countywide building code and does NOT issue a general IBC/IRC-style building permit for private construction in unincorporated areas. Under Wyoming's local-option delegation statute (W.S. § 35-9-121), county-level building-code enforcement authority is opt-in via application to the State Fire Marshal; Albany County has not taken that authority, so the State Fire Marshal's Office retains BOTH building and electrical jurisdiction countywide (WSFM 'Local and State Jurisdictions' chart, updated 5/11/2026, embedded at https://wsfm.wyo.gov/electrical-safety, lists Albany County BLDG INSP/PR = S and ELEC INSP/PR = S).The county's OWN site confirms this: Albany County Planning's permit menu and Land Use Permit Fee Schedule (https://www.albanycountywy.gov/253/Planning ; fee schedule PDF https://www.albanycountywy.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6249/Fee-Schedule) contain NO International Building Code / International Residential Code adoption and NO 'building permit' fee line — only zoning, floodplain, wastewater, subdivision, sign, tower, and wind/solar fees. The county's own application labels its zoning approval for new residential/commercial structures 'Zoning Certificate & Rural Address (Building Permit)' — i.e., the county's stand-in for a building permit is a ZONING review against the Albany County Zoning Resolution, not a state building-code plan review/inspection.The Albany County Zoning Certificate application (https://www.albanycountywy.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4521/Zoning-Certificate-Application) confirms review is 'by the Planning Department' for compliance with 'the Albany County Zoning Resolution' — land-use/setback/use compliance, not IBC/IRC structural or life-safety code compliance.Practical takeaway: if you are building in unincorporated Albany County, you generally do NOT need a county building permit for the construction itself, but you DO need the county's Zoning Certificate (a land-use/placement approval, sometimes informally called the 'building permit' by the county) plus any of the real exceptions below that apply to your project (floodplain, septic/small wastewater, driveway access, state electrical).

Permit types & fees

Zoning Certificate & Rural Address (county's "Building Permit" stand-in)

Verified

Albany County has no general building-code building permit; instead, new principal structures, additions, accessory structures, and structure-use changes in unincorporated Albany County require a Zoning Certificate from the Planning Department — a land-use/placement/setback review against the Albany County Zoning Resolution, not an IBC/IRC construction-code review. The county's own application literally labels this "Zoning Certificate & Rural Address (Building Permit)" — confirming it is the closest local analog to a building permit, but it is a zoning approval, not a state-code inspection permit.

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

Requirements

  • Complete Zoning Certificate application form
  • Site plan showing structure location, setbacks, driveway, easements
  • Approach License (driveway/road-access authorization) for any driveway accessing a state, county, or city road — obtained from WYDOT, Albany County Road & Bridge Department, or the City of Laramie depending on the road
  • Proof of ownership (deed, lease, or contract for deed)
  • Documentation of easements, plats (if in a platted subdivision)
  • Additional aquifer-protection documentation if the property lies in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ)
  • A $200 late fee applies if construction begins before the Zoning Certificate is approved

Required documents

  • RequiredZoning Certificate Application (residential/general)Application form for Zoning Certificate & Rural Address covering principal and accessory residential structures
  • OptionalZoning Certificate Application — Commercial/IndustrialSeparate application track for commercial/industrial structures
  • OptionalZoning Certificate — Land Use ApplicationUsed for land-use-only zoning certificates not tied to a specific structure

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes
Zoning Certificate — Site Built Home (principal structure)$300.00
Zoning Certificate — Modular Home (principal structure)$300.00
Zoning Certificate — Mobile Home (principal structure)$200.00
Zoning Certificate — Addition to Principal Structure$200.00
Zoning Certificate — Multi-Family (principal structure)$300.00
Zoning Certificate — First Accessory Structure (not used as dwelling)$200.00
Zoning Certificate — Attached Accessory Dwelling$200.00
Zoning Certificate — Detached Accessory Dwelling$300.00
Zoning Certificate — Small Accessory Building (under 500 sq ft)$100.00
Zoning Certificate — Accessory Building (general)$200.00
Zoning Certificate — Addition to Accessory Structure$100.00
Zoning Certificate — Structure Change of Use$100.00
Zoning Certificate — Commercial/Industrial 1st Structure$500.00
Zoning Certificate — Land Use$100.00
Rural Address Assignment$100.00
Late fee (construction begun prior to approval)$200.00

Floodplain Development Permit

Verified

Required for any development (including new structures, substantial improvements, or grading) within a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area in unincorporated Albany County. Issued by the Planning Department under the Albany County Flood Damage Prevention Resolution.

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

Requirements

  • Complete Floodplain Development Application
  • Site plan and building plan certified by a professional engineer or architect if flood-proofing is required
  • Documentation of access and proof of ownership
  • Elevation certification (lowest floor elevation relative to mean sea level) for new/substantially improved structures
  • Narrative description of the project and any watercourse alteration
  • A $200 late fee applies if construction begins before the permit is approved

Required documents

  • RequiredFloodplain Development ApplicationCounty application form; fee table on the form itself lists $400.00

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes
Floodplain Development Application$400.00Confirmed in both the Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule (approved April 7, 2026) and the Floodplain Development Application's own fee table; an older sentence elsewhere on the same application form cites $350, but the form's authoritative fee table and the current master fee schedule both show $400.
Late fee (construction begun prior to approval)$200.00

Small Wastewater Treatment Facility Permit (Septic)

Verified

Required to construct, install, discharge, or modify an on-site (septic) wastewater system in unincorporated Albany County. Issued directly by the Albany County Planning Department (not the state DEQ) under the Albany County Wastewater Regulations; must be installed by a licensed installer, though property owners may install their own system under county guidance.

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

Requirements

  • Complete Small Wastewater Treatment Facility application
  • Site plan, easements (if applicable), proof of ownership
  • Completed percolation test with photos, and exploratory pit inspection/photos
  • For engineered (PE-designed) systems: stamped, signed, and dated engineering documentation
  • An Authorization to Construct letter must be issued BEFORE construction begins ($200 late fee if construction starts first)
  • Post-installation inspection required before backfilling
  • If the site is within the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ), the septic field must be designed by a Wyoming-licensed Professional Engineer or Professional Geologist

Required documents

  • RequiredApplication for Small Wastewater Treatment FacilityCounty application form and fee table

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes
Small Wastewater Treatment Facility Application$400.00
Late fee (construction begun prior to authorization)$200.00
Wastewater Installer & Hauler Licensure$100.00

Driveway / Road Access (Approach License)

Verified

Any new driveway accessing a state, county, or city road in unincorporated Albany County requires an Approach License from the road authority that owns that road segment — the Wyoming Department of Transportation (state highways), the Albany County Road & Bridge Department (county roads), or the City of Laramie (city roads), depending on which road the driveway connects to. The Approach License (or equivalent access documentation) is a required attachment to the county's Zoning Certificate application.

Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

Requirements

  • Identify which authority owns the road the driveway will access (WYDOT / Albany County Road & Bridge / City of Laramie)
  • Obtain an Approach License / access authorization from that authority
  • Submit a copy of the Approach License with the Zoning Certificate application

Required documents

    Fee schedule

    Fee typeAmountNotes

    Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program — informational)

    Verified

    Albany County has not been granted delegated electrical-enforcement authority, so electrical wiring permits and inspections in unincorporated Albany County are issued by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office — Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety (Chief Electrical Inspector) under W.S. § 35-9-119, enforcing the 2023 NEC statewide by default. This is not a county-issued permit; it is included here so applicants know who to contact.

    Verified 2026-07-01 · Source

    Requirements

    • Apply through the state electrical program's online portal (wyelectrician.imagetrendlicense.com) rather than through Albany County

    Required documents

      Fee schedule

      Fee typeAmountNotes
      Standard wiring permit$50.00Wyoming State Fire Marshal electrical program; temporary/90-day permit is $40. Permit fee is waived if an inspection is requested and paid for.
      Residential inspection (100A service, includes $50 permit)$70.00
      Residential inspection (125A service, includes $50 permit)$82.50
      Residential inspection (150A service, includes $50 permit)$95.00
      Residential inspection (200A service, includes $50 permit)$120.00
      Residential inspection (300A service, includes $50 permit)$170.00
      Residential inspection (400A service, includes $50 permit)$220.00

      Sources & verification

      Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-01.

      Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Unincorporated Albany County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

      Later version (2026-07-17) →View current record →All versions →

      Permalink: /wyoming/albany-county/unincorporated-albany/as-of/2026-07-01/

      Snapshot date: 2026-07-01

      Commit: 9e5cbba

      Reproducible from PermitBase’s version-controlled dataset, commit 9e5cbba.