In unincorporated Albany County, the Albany County Planning Department issues a Zoning Certificate & Rural Address, which the county calls its building permit, before any structure is built: $300 for a site-built home, $200 for most accessory buildings. The certificate checks the project against the county Zoning Resolution, and the county’s published permits include no building code plan review or construction inspections. Septic systems need a separate $400 county permit, electrical work needs a state permit, and Laramie and Rock River handle permits inside their limits.
What needs a permit in rural Albany County?
Every structure needs its own zoning certificate, approved before any construction starts; building first adds a $200 late fee.
County permits
- Zoning certificate, residential: site-built, modular and mobile homes, additions, multi-family buildings, accessory dwellings and accessory buildings, including small ones under 500 sq ft
- Zoning certificate, commercial/industrial: new structures, accessory structures, additions and changes of use
- Zoning certificate for land use: a separate form for land uses and activities
- Small wastewater (septic) permit: any new septic system
- Floodplain development permit in mapped flood hazard areas
- Rural address for each new building site
- Conditional use, variance, sign, small wind, tower and solar permits where they apply
Not part of the county permits
- Plan review against a building code, and inspections of footings, framing or finished buildings
- Electrical permits and inspections (state)
- Review of private subdivision covenants, which owners must follow themselves
Building on land in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone adds extra information and documents to the application.
Who issues permits in Albany County?
The Albany County Planning Department reviews land use permit applications for the unincorporated county, is the rural addressing authority and enforces the county’s land use regulations. It also issues small wastewater and floodplain permits and licenses septic installers and haulers.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 1002 S. 3rd Street, Laramie, WY 82070 |
| Phone | 307-721-2568 |
| planning@albanycountywy.gov | |
| Hours | Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; call ahead to be sure staff are available |
| Filing | In person, by mail or by email; fees can be paid online |
Laramie and Rock River
- Laramie: the City’s Building Department (Code Administration) issues building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and sign permits through its Civic Access web portal and estimates three weeks for plan review (307-721-5271). The state’s jurisdiction chart lists Laramie for its own building and electrical inspections.
- Rock River: building permits are approved by the Town Council at its regular evening meetings, usually on the first Monday of the month; in July 2026, for example, it approved a fence replacement permit. Town office, 321 Avenue D (307-460-8752).
Albany County applications
- Zoning Certificate & Rural Address Application – Residential Structure: one application per structure. It covers the address for the building site; the county does not address vacant land.
- Zoning Certificate Application – Commercial/Industrial.
- Zoning Certificate for Land Use (April 2026 form).
- Application for Small Wastewater Treatment Facility: the Planning Department issues an Authorization to Construct letter before work starts. Installers must hold an Albany County licence.
- Floodplain Development Application.
Subdivision applications require a pre-application meeting, and one is recommended before a subdivision exemption. The Planning Department warns that phishing emails asking applicants for payment have targeted its customers, so confirm any unexpected payment request with the office.
Albany County permit fees
Fees come from the Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule, approved April 7, 2026. There is no valuation-based building fee.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Site-built or modular home | $300 |
| Mobile home | $200 |
| Addition to a home | $200 |
| Multi-family building | $300 |
| First structure on a property (not a dwelling) | $200 |
| Attached accessory dwelling | $200 |
| Detached accessory dwelling | $300 |
| Accessory building | $200 |
| Small accessory building under 500 sq ft | $100 |
| Addition to an accessory structure, or change of use | $100 |
| Commercial/industrial first structure | $500 |
| Commercial/industrial accessory structure | $300 |
| Zoning certificate – land | $100 |
| Construction started before approval | $200 late fee |
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Small wastewater treatment facility (septic) | $400 |
| Floodplain development | $400 |
| Rural address assignment | $100 |
| Fire sign with post and bracket | $75 |
| Conditional use or zoning district amendment | $750 |
| Variance | $500 |
| Wastewater installer and hauler licence | $100 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →So a site-built house that also needs a septic system and an address pays $300 + $400 + $100 = $800 to the county, plus the fire sign and the state wiring permit.
Electrical, plumbing and fire review
Electrical: outside the City of Laramie, electrical permits and inspections come from the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety. The state charges $50 for a wiring permit, or $40 for temporary power, and takes applications online only.
Plumbing and mechanical: Albany County has no plumbing or mechanical permit; septic systems are covered by the county small wastewater permit, and the application states that installers must be licensed by Albany County.
State Fire Marshal: schools, government buildings, places of assembly, multi-story buildings and publicly accessible buildings larger than 5,000 sq ft need State Fire Marshal plan approval before construction.
What to submit for a zoning certificate
- The completed application, signed by the owner, and the fee
- A complete site plan and building plans showing setbacks from the property lines
- A copy of the approach license for any driveway onto a state, county or city road (WYDOT, Albany County Road & Bridge or the City of Laramie)
- Documentation of legal access and of any easements, shown on the site plan
- Proof of ownership: a deed, lease or contract for deed, available from the County Real Estate Office in the Courthouse
- The recorded plat, if the lot is in a platted subdivision
- The extra forms for accessory dwellings or for sites in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone
For a septic permit, add the site plan, percolation test results with photos, the exploratory pit (inspected or photographed) and stamped designs for engineered systems.
Rather not deal with the Albany County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get an Albany County zoning certificate
Use the county’s online map to confirm the zoning district, flood plain and that the site is outside Laramie and Rock River.
The county strongly recommends applying for the zoning certificate and septic permit together, especially on small lots, so the drain field location is settled.
Get the approach license, easement documents and deed before applying.
File the complete application and fees; incomplete applications are returned, and review starts only when everything is in.
The county emails the approval packet within 30 days of a complete application; then order the state wiring permit.
A zoning certificate expires if it is not used within two years of approval; call 811 at least two business days before digging.
Inspections
The county’s permits include no building code inspections. The county does inspect septic systems: after installation and before backfilling, contact the Planning Department to schedule the inspection. Skipping it can mean digging the system up for inspection and a $200 late fee. The septic authorization expires two years after the Authorization to Construct letter, and a renewal must be requested in writing at least 30 days before then. The state’s electrical inspector checks the wiring.
Local Albany County details
Aquifer protection: parts of the county lie in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone, which adds standards and documents to development applications; a site-specific boundary amendment costs $500.
Rural living: the county publishes a “Code of the West” for new rural residents, noting that a county cannot provide the same level of services as a city.
Wyoming building code
Wyoming’s state-adopted codes are the 2024 International Fire, Building, Fuel Gas, Mechanical and Existing Building Codes and the 2026 National Electrical Code, applied through the State Fire Marshal’s plan review and electrical program; cities and counties add their own building, zoning and floodplain rules. Wyoming’s state codes and review
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Albany County permit resources
- Albany County Planning Department
- Albany County applications and forms
- Zoning Certificate & Rural Address application, residential
- Zoning Certificate application, commercial/industrial
- Zoning Certificate for Land Use application
- Albany County Land Use Permit Fee Schedule
- Albany County small wastewater treatment facility application
- Albany County regulations and zoning map
- City of Laramie building permits
- Town of Rock River
- Wyoming electrical wiring permits
- Wyoming State Fire Marshal plan review
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Albany County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Albany County, Wyoming?
You need a zoning certificate, which the county calls its building permit, for every structure before construction starts. It checks zoning and setbacks; the county’s permits include no building code inspections.
How much is a zoning certificate for a new house?
$300 for a site-built or modular home and $200 for a mobile home. A septic permit adds $400 and a rural address $100.
How long does approval take?
The county emails the approval packet within 30 days of receiving a complete application.
Who issues permits in Laramie?
The City of Laramie’s Building Department, through its Civic Access portal, for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and sign permits inside city limits.
Who issues electrical permits in Albany County?
Outside Laramie, the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, through its online portal ($50).
When is the septic system inspected?
After it is installed and before any part is backfilled; call the Planning Department to schedule it. Backfilling first can mean uncovering the system and a $200 late fee.
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More Wyoming permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Albany County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.