Wyoming building permits

Where to get a building permit in Wyoming

Apply to the building department of the city, town or county where the property is (the steps).

Wyoming state agencies

These offices set statewide codes or license the trades. They do not issue permits for most home projects.

Building code in Wyoming

For homes, the residential code is the IRC incorporated only as referenced in chapters 1-10 of the IBC, IFC, IMC and IFGC⁵ (adopted locally¹).

Every code family, edition and effective date is on Wyoming building codes.

State rules on which work needs a permit

W.S. §§ 35-9-108(q), 35-9-118(a), 35-9-120(e), 35-9-163(b)

• State plan review not required for remodeling exempt from permitting under the International Code. Not required for remodeling that is exempt from permitting under the International Code…¹
• $40,000. Required for remodeling that costs forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) or more, provided the department shall collect a fee pursuant to subsection (d) of this section…¹
• Remodels under $40,000 affecting a built-in fire protection system need review; fee max $50/hour. Required for remodeling that costs less than forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00) and affects a built-in fire protection system for the building, provided a fee of no more than fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour shall be paid to the department for the review…¹
• Farms or ranches of 40+ acres on deeded land are exempt from the state fire-safety plan-review provisions. Farms or ranches of forty (40) acres or more on deeded land…¹
• (a) W.S. 35-9-106 through 35-9-117 do not apply to. W.S. 35-9-106 through 35-9-117 do not apply to…¹
• Farms or ranches of 40+ acres on deeded land are exempt from the licensed-electrician requirement and the state wiring permit. Farms or ranches of forty (40) acres or more on deeded land…¹
• State electrical wiring permit required for new construction, and for remodeling that requires the utility to disconnect/reconnect power, outside local-enforcement jurisdictions. No person shall install electrical equipment in new construction or remodeling, if the remodeling requires a public utility to connect or disconnect and restore electrical power, of a building, mobile home or premises without obtaining an electrical wiring permit.¹
• Wiring permit rule does not apply in local-enforcement jurisdictions or to exempt installations under 35-9-123(a)(ii)-(v). This subsection does not apply to municipalities and counties granted local enforcement authority for electrical safety standards under W.S. 35-9-121(a) and to exempt installations under W.S. 35-9-123(a)(ii) through (v).¹
• Short-term rental of detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes is not a commercial use under fire, building and electrical standards and is not subject to the IBC. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, short term rental of detached one (1) and two (2) family dwellings and townhomes shall not be regulated as a commercial use for purposes of fire, building and electrical standards and shall not be subject to regulation under the International Building Code.¹

Homeowners doing their own work

W.S. § 35-9-123(a)(i), (b)

• Property owned or leased by a person when the person, his partner or a major stockholder of a family corporation is installing the equipment and the property is not for immediate resale…¹
• Waiver does not exempt the owner from code requirements. This requirement is waived for the following, however the waiver does not exempt the following persons from meeting all other code requirements under this act…¹
• Exceptions do not extend to contractors hired by the exempt person. (b) Exceptions shall not apply to anyone who contracts or subcontracts to or for any exempt person, partnership or corporation.¹
• Owner-installed wiring is not exempt from the state wiring permit. This subsection does not apply to municipalities and counties granted local enforcement authority for electrical safety standards under W.S. 35-9-121(a) and to exempt installations under W.S. 35-9-123(a)(ii) through (v).¹

Applies to

Statewide, for electrical work¹

Contractor licensing

W.S. §§ 35-9-122, 35-9-123; Title 33 (no general contractor chapter)

• State licenses electrical contractors and electricians (chief electrical inspector). The chief electrical inspector is responsible for licensing electrical contractors, master electricians, journeyman electricians, low voltage electrical contractors, limited electrical contractors, low voltage technicians and limited technicians and shall pass on the fitness and qualifications of applicants for licenses.¹
• Electrical work must be done by licensed electrical contractors employing licensed electricians/registered apprentices. (a) Licensed electrical contractors employing licensed master or journeymen electricians, or registered apprentice electricians supervised by a licensed master or journeyman electrician shall install all electrical equipment.¹
• Only master of record / contractor administrators can apply for wiring permits online. Note: Only Master of Records and Contractor Administrators will be able to access the wiring permit application.⁴

Deadlines for permit decisions and inspections

W.S. §§ 35-9-108(b)-(c), 35-9-120(b)(iii); 16-13-101, 16-13-102

• 21 business days. (b) If the state fire marshal does not notify the sender in writing of violations of the fire or electrical safety standards within twenty-one (21) working days of receiving the plans, they are approved as submitted.¹
• 10 business days. If the state fire marshal does not notify the sender in writing of violations of the fire and electrical safety standards within ten (10) working days of receiving the corrected plans, they are approved as resubmitted.¹
• 5 business days. Plans shall be Accepted or Rejected for Review within 5 business days of date of receipt.³
• 5 business days. (iii) Shall inspect any building or structure within five (5) business days of the request of the owner or the general or electrical contractor installing the electrical equipment.¹
• County zoning certificate applications must be acted on promptly (no day count). The board of county commissioners or its designee shall act promptly upon any application filed with it and shall grant certificates when the proposed construction or use complies with the requirements of the zoning resolution.⁶
• 30 days. (c) A local government entity shall approve or deny an applicant's completed application not later than thirty (30) calendar days after the date the completed application is submitted.⁷
• 10 business days. (b) A local government entity shall provide written notice to the applicant not later than ten (10) business days after receipt of an application, notifying the applicant if the applicant's application is deemed complete or incomplete.⁷
• Completed application deemed approved as submitted if the 30-day deadline is missed (unless extended by written agreement); inspections still required before a certificate of occupancy. (g) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, if a local government entity fails to comply with the deadline established under subsection (c) of this section the applicant's completed application shall be deemed approved as submitted on the day after the deadline has lapsed.⁷
• Applies to counties and cities/towns that regulate land use under W.S. 18-5-201 / 15-1-601 and have adopted a version of the International Residential Code. (ii) Any governing body of a city or town that regulates and restricts the location and use of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry, residence or other purposes, pursuant to W.S. 15-1-601 and that has adopted a version of the International Residential Code.⁷

Private plan review and inspections

• State fire marshal may deputize fire department members or approved local building inspectors (not private inspectors). Deputize a member of a fire department who is approved by the chief of his department, or a local building inspector approved by the local governmental entity, provided that the person is qualified to inspect, investigate and carry out orders for the state fire marshal under the rules adopted by the department…¹

Limits on permit fees

W.S. §§ 35-9-108(d), 35-9-120(c)

• State plan review fees based on the 1997 Uniform Building Code, adjusted for inflation by rule. (d) The department shall collect fees for plan reviews and other inspections except as provided in subsections (q) and (r) of this section, in the amount provided in the 1997 Uniform Building Code and adjusted for inflation as adopted by rule or regulation by the department.¹
• No inspection fees for school buildings. (r) There shall be no inspection fees for school buildings.¹
• Statutory caps on state electrical fees. The fees established by the department shall not exceed the following…¹
• Residential unit inspection cap: $20 plus $0.50 per ampere of service. Each residential unit $20.00 plus $.50 per ampere rating of the electrical service…¹
• $50. Electrical wiring permit fees. $50.00…¹

Selling a home with unpermitted work

W.S. § 34-1-151 (vacant land only)

• Statutory seller disclosure statement applies to vacant land. Unless disclosure is waived as provided in subsection (b) of this section, every seller of vacant land shall provide [...] to any prospective buyer a property disclosure statement that includes, but is not limited to, the following information…⁸
• "Vacant land" means land with no habitable dwelling. With no habitable dwelling…⁸
• Buyer may waive. (b) A buyer may waive disclosure of the information required under subsections (a) and (e) of this section.⁸

What local governments may change

W.S. § 35-9-163; § 35-9-121

• Officials may not interpret or enforce adopted codes more stringently than the codes require (except in local-enforcement jurisdictions). (a) Except as provided in this article for any county or municipality requesting and granted local enforcement authority pursuant to W.S. 35-9-121, no state or local official authorized to enforce the provisions of this article shall interpret or enforce any building codes or standards adopted by the state or local governmental entity in a way that is more stringent or burdensome than required by the standards or codes.¹
• Short-term rental of detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes is not a commercial use under fire, building and electrical standards and is not subject to the IBC. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, short term rental of detached one (1) and two (2) family dwellings and townhomes shall not be regulated as a commercial use for purposes of fire, building and electrical standards and shall not be subject to regulation under the International Building Code.¹
• Local jurisdictions taking over enforcement must adopt standards equivalent to or more stringent than the state standards. Before a municipality or county without local enforcement authority is initially granted local enforcement authority for fire, building, existing building standards or electrical standards the state fire marshal shall determine that the local governing body has adopted minimum standards by ordinance or resolution that are equivalent to or more stringent than those applicable standards adopted by the department…¹
• Local code prevails where more stringent (sole plan review authority entities). If local code provisions are more stringent than adopted state codes, the local code prevails.¹