Evanston building permits

Building department

Address

33 Allegiance Circle, Evanston, WY 82930

Phone

(307) 783-6470

Email

jhergert@evanstonwy.org

Office hours

Monday through Thursday 7:30 am–5 pm; Friday 7:30 am–1:30 pm (City Hall hours; contact Building Department directly for its own hours)

Website

Official site

Permit portal

Apply online at Evanston's portal

Inspection guide

See how inspections work in Evanston — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.

Codes adopted

Wyoming has no statewide-mandated building code for general private construction. Under Wyoming Statute § 35-9-106, the Council on Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety in Buildings adopts minimum fire, building, mechanical, existing-building, and fuel-gas standards (not exceeding the International Codes), but § 35-9-121 makes local enforcement an opt-in delegation: a municipality or county must apply to the State Fire Marshal for local enforcement authority and adopt, by ordinance or resolution, standards equivalent to or more stringent than the state's — otherwise no local building code applies at all. In practice this produces exactly the fragmented picture that describes most of the state: some cities and counties (e.g., Laramie County, Natrona County) have adopted and enforce their own building codes, while many unincorporated county areas genuinely require no building permit for general construction. Electrical is different: under § 35-9-119(a)(i), the Chief Electrical Inspector (Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office, Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety) enforces the National Electrical Code statewide by default, EXCEPT in localities that have been separately granted their own certified electrical-enforcement authority under § 35-9-121(a) — so electrical permitting may be issued by the state program or by the local jurisdiction depending on which one currently holds delegated authority. Always confirm both the current building-code adoption status (if any) and which entity — state or local — issues the electrical permit with the specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.

• 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — current edition per City of Evanston Building Permit Legal Requirements
• 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — residential construction incorporates current IRC requirements per Evanston City Code § 7-52.1
• 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) provision cited for irrigation backflow prevention (UPC 608.17.5); confirm current adopted plumbing code edition with the Building Department
• Evanston local design load values (wind, seismic, snow, frost depth) apply IN ADDITION TO the International codes — see localAmendments
• IMPORTANT: Electrical work in Evanston is NOT governed by a City-adopted electrical code — electrical permitting and inspection is performed by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office (Chief Electrical Inspector) under the state's default statewide electrical program (W.S. § 35-9-119), per the WSFM 'LOCAL AND STATE JURISDICTIONS' chart (Evanston = ELEC INSP/PR: S/S) and confirmed directly by the City's own Building Inspection Information sheet ('Electrical: Contact State of Wyoming Electrical Inspector')
• IMPORTANT: Building PLAN REVIEW in Evanston has a state-law overlay — per W.S. § 35-9-108, the Wyoming State Fire Marshal must review and approve plans (in addition to city review) for: buildings/structures owned or leased by state/local government; buildings for general public access exceeding 5,000 sq ft total floor area; buildings over one story (incl. apartments/condos); childcare centers for more than 10 children; public bars/lounges/restaurants/night clubs/lodge halls/theatres/churches/public meeting places regardless of size; aboveground fuel dispensing facilities; alternate energy generation feeding the utility (incl. solar); Type I commercial kitchen exhaust hoods; spray finish applications; and buildings changing occupancy type — this matches the WSFM jurisdictions chart classification of Evanston building plan review as having a State component (STATE BLDG INSP/PR designation) alongside the City's own local building permit issuance and inspection program

Permit types & fees

• Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

  Required for new single-family, manufactured, or trailer home construction in Evanston. Reviewed for compliance with zoning, Evanston design load values (wind/seismic/snow/frost), and current International Residential Code requirements per Evanston City Code § 7-52.1. The City's Building Department issues the permit and performs inspections locally; qualifying buildings under W.S. § 35-9-108 (see department notes) additionally require Wyoming State Fire Marshal plan review.

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• Residential Addition / Remodel Permit

  Required for room additions, structural remodels, garages/accessory buildings 120 sq ft or larger, decks, awnings, fences, and retaining walls in Evanston. Reviewed against Evanston design load values and current IRC requirements; issued and inspected locally by the City Building Department.

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• Electrical Permit (State Program)

  Electrical wiring permits and inspections in Evanston are issued and performed ENTIRELY by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office (Chief Electrical Inspector) under the state's default statewide electrical program (W.S. § 35-9-119) — the City of Evanston does NOT issue electrical permits or perform electrical inspections. This matches the WSFM 'LOCAL AND STATE JURISDICTIONS' chart classification of Evanston as ELEC INSP/PR: S/S, and is directly confirmed by the City's own Building Inspection Information sheet, which instructs permit holders to 'Contact State of Wyoming Electrical Inspector' for electrical inspections.

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• Plumbing Permit

  Required for new plumbing installations, alterations, and irrigation system backflow prevention in Evanston. Issued and inspected locally by the City Building Department; charged under the City's general valuation-based building-permit fee schedule (no separate flat plumbing fee line).

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• Mechanical / HVAC Permit

  Required for furnace, ductwork, and mechanical equipment installation in Evanston. Issued and inspected locally by the City Building Department; charged under the City's general valuation-based building-permit fee schedule (no separate flat mechanical fee line). Gas piping inspections are performed by the local gas provider, not the City.

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• Roofing Permit (Reroof)

  Same-type-for-same-type roof replacement does NOT require a permit in Evanston. A building permit IS required when changing roofing materials or structural elements.

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• Solar PV Permit

  Solar systems in Evanston require BOTH a City of Evanston building permit AND a Wyoming State Plan Review and Electrical Permit — a dual local/state review confirmed directly in the City's own Building Permit Legal Requirements ('Solar Systems require a building permit and a Wyoming State Plan Review and Electrical Permit'). This matches W.S. § 35-9-108's state plan-review trigger for 'alternate energy generation installation feeding to the utility' and the WSFM chart's state electrical classification for Evanston.

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• EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit

  Evanston has no separate EV charger permit or fee line — installation of an electric vehicle charging station (Level 1/2 EVSE) is wiring work and is billed and processed exactly like any other electrical installation under the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office statewide electrical program (W.S. § 35-9-119), the same State-administered mechanism documented in the electrical-permit entry. The City of Evanston does not permit or inspect electrical work of any kind, including EV chargers.

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• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit

  Evanston formally adopted an ADU ordinance (Ordinance No. 26-01, adopted March 3, 2026), amending Chapter 24 (Zoning) of the Evanston City Code to permit Accessory Dwelling Units, with detailed standards codified at Evanston City Code § 24-26.1. ADUs are a permitted or conditional use (by zoning district) only on lots with a detached single-family dwelling.

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• Demolition Permit

  Required for demolition of structures in Evanston. Residential demolition is a flat fee; commercial demolition is valuation-based, per the City's Engineering & Building Rate Sheet.

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• Commercial Construction / Tenant Improvement Permit

  Required for new commercial construction, tenant improvements, and renovations in Evanston. Engineer-stamped plans required incorporating Evanston design load values, zoning requirements, and current International Code design criteria. Some commercial buildings trigger mandatory Wyoming State Fire Marshal plan review and fire/electrical requirements per W.S. § 35-9-108.

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• Sign Permit

  Required for installation of most signs in Evanston under Evanston City Code Article IX (Signs), enforced by the Planning & Building Department. Off-premises signs additionally require a conditional use permit. The fee is calculated using the City's current valuation-based building-permit formula.

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• Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit

  Evanston has adopted the International Fire Code by resolution, with the Uinta County Fire Protection and Emergency Services Joint Powers Board (its chief administrative officer) designated as the local 'Chief'/'Fire Marshal' authority under City Code, including a permit-appeal path to the Evanston City Council. Separately, and regardless of size or valuation, installation, addition, or alteration of a fire alarm, fire sprinkler, or fire suppression system requires plan review by the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office (Uinta County/Bear River is assigned to WSFM regional inspector Travis Mayer). The City's own Engineering & Building Rate Sheet contains no separate fire-alarm/sprinkler fee line, consistent with this being a State-administered review.

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• Change of Use Permit

  Evanston does not maintain a separate stand-alone 'change of use' application or fee. Under City Code (Chapter 24, Zoning — Enforcement, Violations and Penalties), a building permit is valid only 'so long as the use of the building, structure or land remains the same as at the time of issuance'; a change of use therefore requires the property owner to obtain a NEW building permit through the standard Building Department process, charged under the same valuation-based fee schedule as any other building permit. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued at final inspection once the new-use permit's work and use are approved.

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