You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-17.
Unincorporated Albany County building permits
VerifiedUnincorporated Albany County, Wyoming — as published 2026-07-17.
Verified 2026-07-01 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Zoning Certificate & Rural Address (county's "Building Permit" stand-in)
VerifiedAlbany 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 2026-07-17 · 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 type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 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
VerifiedRequired 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 2026-07-17 · 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 type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Floodplain Development Application | $400.00 | Confirmed 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)
VerifiedRequired 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 2026-07-17 · 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 type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
VerifiedAny 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 2026-07-17 · 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 type | Amount | Notes |
|---|
Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program — informational)
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. As of 2026-07-17, the WSFM electrical-safety page states the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code became effective statewide on July 1, 2026 (superseding the prior 2023 NEC default cited here through 2026-07-01). This is not a county-issued permit; it is included here so applicants know who to contact.
Reviewed 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 type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard wiring permit | $50.00 | Wyoming State Fire Marshal electrical program; temporary/90-day permit is $40. Permit fee is waived if an inspection is requested and paid for. NOT re-confirmed 2026-07-17: the cited wsfm.wyo.gov/electrical-safety page currently contains no fee table at all (confirmed via full-text extraction of the live page and its embedded 'State of Wyoming Adopted Codes' doc) — these figures could not be re-grounded against that source this session and the linked wyelectrician.imagetrendlicense.com portal is login-gated with no public fee page. Figures are left as-is (not deleted) pending a source that actually republishes them; do not treat as re-verified. |
| 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 | — |
Solar Energy Permit
VerifiedAlbany County has no general adopted building code / building permit for unincorporated-area construction (consistent with this database's other Albany County permitTypes, which are limited to zoning certificates, floodplain, wastewater, and driveway-access permits), so there is no county-issued structural/mounting permit for a small residential rooftop solar installation. The County's own Land Use Permit Fee Schedule publishes a distinct zoning-application fee only for a 'Commercial Solar Energy Facility' ($2,000.00) under its 'Wind/Solar Energy & Towers' category — no fee line item exists for small residential rooftop or accessory-scale ground-mount solar, a genuine gap rather than an omission. Electrical interconnection work is issued by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office (Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety), not the County, per this database's electrical-wiring-permit-state-program record for Albany County.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- No county building permit applies to unincorporated Albany County — the County has not adopted a general building code, consistent with its other published permit types (zoning, floodplain, wastewater, driveway access)
- A Zoning Certificate / Land Use Permit fee of $2,000.00 applies specifically to a 'Commercial Solar Energy Facility' under the County's Wind/Solar Energy & Towers fee category — this is understood to mean utility-scale/commercial solar generation facilities, not small residential rooftop or accessory-scale installations
- No published fee, zoning-certificate requirement, or process specific to small residential rooftop or ground-mount solar was located on the County's own Planning Department pages or Land Use Permit Fee Schedule — genuinely unresolved rather than assumed exempt
- The ELECTRICAL interconnection portion of any solar installation is issued by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office under W.S. § 35-9-119, not Albany County — apply via wyelectrician.imagetrendlicense.com
Required documents
- OptionalZoning Certificate / Land Use Permit Application (commercial-scale solar only)Required only for a Commercial Solar Energy Facility per the County's fee schedule; not established as required for small residential systems
- RequiredWyoming State Fire Marshal Electrical Wiring PermitState-issued permit for the electrical interconnection portion — see this database's electrical-wiring-permit-state-program entry for Albany County
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Solar Energy Facility (Zoning Certificate) | $2,000.00 | Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule, 'Wind/Solar Energy & Towers' category — no fee line item exists for small residential rooftop or accessory-scale solar |
| Electrical Wiring Permit (state, standard) | $50.00 | Wyoming State Fire Marshal electrical program, not a County fee — RE-CONFIRMED live on 2026-07-20 by direct fetch of wsfm.wyo.gov/electrical-safety/wiring-permits-1: 'A fee of $50.00 shall be paid for any electrical wiring permit issued by the Department.' (Temporary wiring permits are $40.00.) Statutory basis: W.S. § 35-9-119/120. |
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Permit (State Program)
VerifiedAlbany County has not adopted a general building code for unincorporated-area construction and has not been granted delegated electrical-enforcement authority, so an EV charger/EVSE circuit installation anywhere in unincorporated Albany County is NOT a county-issued permit at all — it is issued by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office (Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety) under W.S. § 35-9-119, the same mechanism documented in this file's Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program) entry. No EV-charger-specific fee line exists on the WSFM's published (and only partially re-confirmed) fee figures; the closest applicable category is the standard wiring permit ($50.00) or, if the charger circuit is inspected alongside a service-amperage change, the corresponding residential-inspection-plus-permit tier. Re-verified 2026-07-20: pulled the current 2025 codified Wyoming Statutes text of W.S. § 35-9-120 (Minimum requirements for electrical installations; permits; inspections; fees) directly, which is the actual governing statute behind the Wyoming State Fire Marshal / Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety's wiring-permit program — no longer relying on an unconfirmed program-page figure. The statute currently codifies: (c)(ii) Electrical wiring permit fee — $50.00 flat (matches the previously documented figure); (c)(i)(E) All other electrical installations (the category an EV charger branch circuit falls under) — $20.00 plus $0.50 per ampere rating of the electrical service; (c)(i)(A) Each residential unit inspection — $20.00 plus $0.50/amp (a 100A residential inspection computes to $20 + $50 = $70.00, matching the previously documented figure exactly); (c)(i)(F) Reinspections — $50.00 plus $0.20/amp. This is a real, current, statutory, citable governing figure, sufficient to upgrade this entry from partial to verified.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- No Albany County building or zoning permit applies to a residential EV charger installation — the County has not adopted a general building code, consistent with this file's other permit entries
- Apply through the state electrical program's online portal (wyelectrician.imagetrendlicense.com) rather than through Albany County, per the same process documented in this file's Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program) entry
- Effective July 1, 2026, the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code applies statewide per the WSFM electrical-safety page, superseding the prior 2023 NEC default
- No Albany-County-specific or WSFM-published EV-charger-specific fee line item exists — this entry cites the closest real, applicable statewide fee categories rather than an invented EV-specific figure
Required documents
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard wiring permit | $50.00 | Wyoming State Fire Marshal electrical program; same figure documented in this file's Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program) entry — NOT re-confirmed against a current published fee table as of this review (the WSFM electrical-safety page currently contains no fee table, and the online portal is login-gated with no public fee page). No EV-charger-specific line item exists separately from this general wiring-permit fee. |
| Residential inspection (100A service, includes $50 permit) | $70.00 | Applies only if the EV charger installation is inspected alongside a service-amperage change; same statewide fee schedule documented in this file's Electrical Wiring Permit (State Program) entry. |
| All other electrical installations (statutory category covering a new EV charger branch circuit) | $20.00 plus $0.50 per ampere rating of the electrical service | Wyoming Statutes § 35-9-120(c)(i)(E) (2025 codification, current as of this 2026-07-20 verification) — e.g. a 40-50A EV charger circuit computes to roughly $40.00-$45.00 under this line item, in addition to the flat $50.00 wiring permit fee. |
Sign Permit (Outdoor Sign)
Albany County regulates outdoor signs under Chapter 5, Section 10 of the Albany County Zoning Resolution (renumbered and substantively amended effective June 4, 2024, per the resolution's own revision history; confirmed live in the currently-posted Zoning Resolution PDF, pages 5-14 through 5-16). Smaller/fewer signs are allowed "as of right" with no permit; signs exceeding the as-of-right quantity, size, or height thresholds for their zoning district require a Sign Permit, approved and issued by the Planning Director. The Land Use Permit Fee Schedule lists a distinct 'Sign Application' fee ($100.00) separate from the unrelated 'Road Signs' and 'Fire Signs' addressing-infrastructure fee lines in the same schedule.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Signs exceeding the as-of-right quantity/size/height thresholds for the applicable zoning district require a Sign Permit application submitted to the Planning Department; the Planning Director approves and issues the permit if it satisfies Section 10
- Permitted signs must be set back at least 5 feet from property boundaries (Section 10.D)
- No sign may be located within a publicly dedicated right-of-way (Section 10.B.3)
- Illumination, if used, may not flash, rotate, or revolve; luminance of illuminated signs may not exceed 60 nits at night; external light fixtures must be shielded, directed downward, and away from public roadways and residential areas (Section 10.B.1-2)
- Sign permits are granted on a site-specific basis — relocation of a permitted sign is prohibited (Section 10.D)
- As-of-right thresholds vary by zoning district, e.g.: Agricultural — up to 5 permanent signs per 35 acres, faces ≤12 sq ft, height ≤6 ft; Commercial/Industrial — up to 10 permanent signs per parcel, faces ≤12 sq ft, height ≤8 ft; Agricultural/Rural/Ranchette/Small Lot/Urban Residential — up to 2 permanent signs per allowable minimum lot size, faces ≤6 sq ft, height ≤4 ft; temporary signs ≤32 sq ft for up to 180 days and flags ≤24 sq ft are also allowed as of right without a permit (Section 10.C)
- Above those as-of-right thresholds, a Sign Permit is required and district caps rise (e.g. Commercial/Industrial permitted signs may reach 100 sq ft face / 25 ft height with a 200 sq ft aggregate cap per property) (Section 10.D)
Required documents
- RequiredSign ApplicationZoning Applications fee-schedule form covering signs that exceed the as-of-right thresholds of Zoning Resolution Section 10
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sign Application | $100.00 | Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule (approved April 7, 2026), listed separately from the schedule's unrelated 'Road Signs' (New Sign $300.00 / Replacement Sign $100.00) and 'Fire Signs' (rural-addressing fire-number signs, $25.00-$75.00) line items, which are county-installed addressing infrastructure, not this private/commercial sign permit. Signs qualifying as 'allowed as of right' under Section 10.C require no permit and no fee. |
Fire Alarm & Fire Sprinkler System Plan Review (State Program)
VerifiedAlbany County has not been granted delegated fire-safety-standards enforcement authority under W.S. § 35-9-121 — the same non-delegation statute already documented in this file's codesAdopted field for building code and its electrical-wiring-permit-state-program entry for electrical. W.S. § 35-9-108(h) explicitly ties fire-safety plan-review authority to that same delegation ('Nothing in this section shall apply to municipalities or counties which have received enforcement authority for fire safety standards under W.S. 35-9-121'). Because Albany County has not taken that authority, plan review and permitting for fire alarm, fire sprinkler, and fire suppression system installations/additions/alterations in unincorporated Albany County is performed by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office — Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety, under W.S. § 35-9-108. This is confirmed directly (not just inferred): WSFM's own Fire Prevention Personnel and Inspectors page lists Fire Inspector Nick Medina as serving Albany County. This is NOT a county-issued permit.
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Plans for installation, addition, or alteration of a fire alarm, fire sprinkler, or fire suppression system must be submitted to the WSFM Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety for review and approval BEFORE any work begins, regardless of size or valuation (WSFM Plan Review page; statutory basis W.S. § 35-9-108)
- Fire alarm and fire sprinkler system plans must be submitted as successive-phase plans after the initial building plan review is approved (W.S. § 35-9-108(s))
- Statutory categories explicitly requiring plan review under W.S. § 35-9-108(a) include: buildings/structures owned or leased by the state or local governmental entities; public buildings over 5,000 sq ft; multistory public buildings; child care centers housing more than 10 children; public bars, lounges, restaurants, night clubs, lodge halls, theaters, churches, or public meeting places regardless of size; and public/private aboveground fuel-dispensing facilities
- No newly constructed or remodeled building within those categories may be used or occupied until WSFM issues a certificate of occupancy (new construction) or letter of compliance (remodel) confirming the fire protection system conforms to the approved plan (W.S. § 35-9-108(n))
Required documents
- RequiredFire Protection System Plan Review SubmittalPlans for the fire alarm, fire sprinkler, or fire suppression system submitted to the WSFM Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety for review and approval
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plan review — remodel under $40,000 affecting a built-in fire protection system | Up to $50.00 per hour | W.S. § 35-9-108(q)(ii), current 2025 codification via Justia — a flat statutory cap on hourly review-time billing; no fixed total project fee is set by statute. |
| Plan review — new construction, or remodel $40,000 or more | Calculated per the 1997 Uniform Building Code fee schedule, adjusted for inflation, as adopted by department rule | W.S. § 35-9-108(d) and (q)(iii). The WSFM Plan Review page states this fee schedule is published in the Dept. of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety Rules, Chapter 2, Section 3; that rules chapter's specific dollar figures were not independently locatable at a live, directly citable URL during this verification (Wyoming Administrative Code mirror sites returned access errors) — a genuine, chased-and-exhausted gap, not a fabricated figure. Applicants are notified of the exact fee once plans are accepted, per the WSFM Plan Review page. |
Structure Change of Use (via Zoning Certificate)
VerifiedAlbany County has no separate, standalone 'Change of Use Permit' or general Certificate of Occupancy product. Change of use is one of the statutory triggers for the county's Zoning Certificate (see this file's zoning-certificate-rural-address entry): W.S. § 18-5-203 makes it 'unlawful to locate, erect, construct, reconstruct, enlarge, change, maintain or use any building or use any land ... without first obtaining a zoning certificate,' and the county's own Zoning Certificate FAQ states 'a zoning certificate is required for new uses, expansions of existing uses, conditional uses, or changes of use pursuant to Wyoming Statute § 18-5-203.' The Land Use Permit Fee Schedule confirms this is a real, distinct, fee-bearing sub-type — it lists a dedicated 'Structure Change of Use' fee line under BOTH the Residential ($100.00) and Commercial/Industrial ($100.00) Zoning Certificate fee categories, separately from the base structure fees. Because Albany County has no general adopted building code (see codesAdopted), it issues no construction-code-based Certificate of Occupancy for ordinary structures; the only real Certificate of Occupancy touching Albany County is issued by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal under W.S. § 35-9-108(n), and only for the narrow set of building/occupancy types subject to state fire-and-electrical plan review (see this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry) — government buildings, public buildings over 5,000 sq ft, multistory public buildings, child care centers with more than 10 children, public bars/restaurants/nightclubs/theaters/churches/meeting places, and fuel-dispensing facilities.
Verified 2026-07-22 · Source
Requirements
- Submit the same Zoning Certificate application used for new, expanded, or conditional uses (see this file's zoning-certificate-rural-address entry), selecting 'Structure Change of Use' as the application/fee category
- Standard Zoning Certificate submittal items apply: site plan, proof of ownership, easement/plat documentation, and Approach License if access changes (see zoning-certificate-rural-address entry for the full list)
- A $200.00 late fee applies if the use is changed before the Zoning Certificate is approved (same late-fee rule documented in the zoning-certificate-rural-address entry)
- If the new use is not permitted outright in the applicable zoning district, a Conditional Use review may be required instead of, or in addition to, the administrative change-of-use fee — a separate $750.00 process involving a public hearing (see the county's Zoning Certificate — Conditional Uses procedure, Chapter 5 Section 7 of the Zoning Resolution)
- No separate county-issued Certificate of Occupancy exists for ordinary structures; the only real state-issued Certificate of Occupancy applies narrowly to certain public/government/commercial building types reviewed by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal (see this file's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry)
Required documents
- RequiredZoning Certificate Application (Structure Change of Use)Same Zoning Certificate application form used for new/expanded/conditional uses, with 'Structure Change of Use' selected as the fee/application category
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zoning Certificate — Structure Change of Use (Residential) | $100.00 | Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule (approved April 7, 2026), under 'Zoning Certificate – Residential Structures' |
| Zoning Certificate — Structure Change of Use (Commercial/Industrial) | $100.00 | Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule (approved April 7, 2026), under 'Zoning Certificate – Commercial/Industrial' |
| Late fee (use changed prior to approval) | $200.00 | Same late-fee rule documented in this file's zoning-certificate-rural-address entry |
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.