In unincorporated Carbon County, Carbon County Planning and Development in Rawlins issues a combined Building Permit and Zoning Certificate before any new building or structure goes up, from houses to pole barns, shops and garages. The fee runs from $25 to $950 for projects valued up to $1 million (0.1% of the value above that) under the 2022 fee schedule, and the review covers county zoning and subdivision rules only; septic permits come from the Wyoming DEQ and electrical permits from the state.
What needs a county permit in Carbon County?
Building Permit & Zoning Certificate
- Any construction that places a new building or structure on the land, including homes, cabins, pole barns, shops and garages
- Factory-built homes moved onto a property
- Fences of any height in commercial or industrial zones
- Non-commercial wind energy generators, priced on the same value table
No county permit
- Fences under 8 ft tall outside commercial and industrial zones
- Agricultural water tanks
The Planning and Development Department reviews each application for compliance with the county Zoning Resolution and Subdivision Regulations. It does not review frost protection, plumbing, electrical or structural details; the county directs those questions to a qualified contractor, architect or engineer.
Who issues permits in Carbon County?
Carbon County Planning and Development administers the Zoning Resolution and Subdivision Regulations, assigns rural addresses, answers nuisance complaints and staffs the Planning and Zoning Commission.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 215 West Buffalo Street, Suite 317, Rawlins, WY 82301 |
| Phone | 307-328-2651 (fax 307-328-2735) |
| Deputy Zoning Administrator | 307-328-2737 |
| Planning and Zoning Commission | Meets in Room 332 of the Carbon Building; next meeting Monday, November 9, 2026, 10:00 a.m. |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who permits building in each town
The state’s jurisdiction chart (updated September 11, 2026) lists the state for electrical work in every Carbon County town, and the state for building plan review everywhere except Rawlins.
- Rawlins: the City issues building permits from 915 Third St. (307-328-4599); inspections and a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion are required before use, inspections are booked 24 hours ahead, and a permit becomes void if work does not begin within 180 days.
- Saratoga: the Town regulates construction, land development and excavation inside its boundaries, with building, fence, sign and grading permits. Town Hall, 110 E. Spring Avenue (307-326-8335).
- Encampment: permits are needed to build, alter, enlarge or move any structure, including fences, signs and concrete or paving, and for a change of use; the Planning Commission meets on the first Wednesday at 6 p.m., with applications due by 4 p.m. the Friday before, and water and sewer taps must be approved and paid for before an application is considered. Town Hall, 614 McCaffrey (307-327-5501).
- Riverside: the Town issues building permits on a valuation table from $5 (up to $500) to $887 plus $1 per $1,000 above $500,000, with a $5 fence permit; sites in a flood hazard area need an elevation certificate. Town office 307-327-5266.
- Baggs: the building inspector takes the application to the Town Council, which must approve every permit; the fee is $25 for everything except fences, and a permit lapses if work has not started within 180 days.
- Hanna: the Town’s building permit covers moving, building, altering, repairing, adding to or demolishing a structure. Town office, 301 S. Adam Street (307-325-9424), weekdays 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Medicine Bow: the Planning and Zoning Commission reviews building permits at its monthly meeting on the fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. Resolution 2017-12 sets a valuation table that combines a building permit fee and a plan review fee, from $31 in total for work up to $500. Town office, 319 Pine St. (307-379-2225).
- Elk Mountain: the Town’s Zoning Officer and Town Clerk sign off on building permits, a structure in flood Zone A needs an elevation certificate, and the Zoning Officer must sign a Certificate of Occupancy before a building is used.
- Sinclair: the Town code adopts the International Codes, and permit fees are set by the Town Council. Town Hall, 300 Lincoln Avenue (307-324-3058).
- Dixon: the Town Council issues building permits, with a building inspector designated by the Council, under the Town code book.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Applying for a Building Permit and Zoning Certificate
Use the county’s Application for a Building Permit & Zoning Certificate. Submitting it does not allow work to start; the permit must be issued first. The form asks for the applicant, owner and contractor, the rural address and road, legal description, zone district, existing and proposed use, parcel size, square footage by floor and the building height, which is limited by zone.
For a factory-built home, the form asks whether it is certified to the HUD code, the International Residential Code or the International Building Code. Other county applications cover conditional use permits, zone changes, variances, subdivisions and sign, floodplain and solar access permits.
Carbon County permit fees
Fees come from the 2022 Carbon County Fee Schedule, effective August 2, 2022. The Building Permit fee, which includes the zoning certificate, is set by the value of the improvements or their replacement cost new: materials and labor, including hired or contract labor but not the owner-builder’s own labor. Checks are payable to Carbon County Planning, and fees are non-refundable.
| Value of improvements | Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $5,000 | $25 |
| $5,001 – $20,000 | $75 |
| $20,001 – $100,000 | $125 |
| $100,001 – $200,000 | $150 |
| $200,001 – $300,000 | $250 |
| $300,001 – $400,000 | $350 |
| $400,001 – $500,000 | $450 |
| Each further $100,000 band up to $1,000,000 | $100 more per band, reaching $950 |
| Over $1,000,000 | 0.001 × the value |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →For example, a $300,000 house falls in the $200,001–$300,000 band and pays $250. Other county fees include $60 for sign, floodplain and solar access permits, $200 for a variance or zone change and $300 for a minor conditional use permit, plus public notice costs billed by the newspaper.
Septic, water, electrical and fire
Septic: a building permit for a building people will use requires a sewage disposal method that meets Wyoming DEQ Water Quality Division rules. The county directs septic questions to the DEQ (307-777-6183), and a copy of the DEQ Permit to Construct is attached to the county application where one applies.
Water: the building must be served by a water supply meeting DEQ rules or a well permitted by the State Engineer’s Office (307-777-6687). Seasonal and recreational cabins that are not rented or used commercially may use a cistern, tank or hauled water.
Electrical: electrical permits come from the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety and are needed for new construction or remodeling where the utility must connect or disconnect power; attach a copy to the county application. The state’s wiring permit costs $50 and is issued through its online portal.
Fire: the State Fire Marshal must approve plans for commercial and public buildings in its jurisdiction before construction.
What to attach
- Proof of ownership: a recorded warranty deed with the legal description, or a contract for deed, quit claim deed or lease
- A site plan (the county supplies an example); the Planning Director may require a site survey, record of survey or plat
- Proof of legal, usable access from a public road, or the easement that grants it, and any other easements
- The DEQ septic permit and State Engineer well permit, where they apply
- The state electrical permit, where it applies
- The application fee
An application missing any item that applies is not processed until it is complete. The county does not check private covenants in approved subdivisions; that is the owner’s responsibility.
Rather not deal with the Carbon County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Carbon County permit
Make sure the site is outside the ten towns; near Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside, the county shares zoning and subdivision proposals with the town.
If the site has no physical address, contact Planning and Development to assign one.
Obtain the DEQ septic permit and State Engineer well permit before applying.
Apply online to the Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety.
File the Building Permit & Zoning Certificate application, attachments and fee at 215 West Buffalo Street in Rawlins.
Start work only once the permit and zoning certificate are issued.
Inspections
The county’s review covers zoning and subdivision standards, and it publishes no building inspection or certificate of occupancy process for unincorporated land. Wiring is checked by the state electrical inspector under the state permit, septic systems fall under the DEQ permit, and the state inspects the buildings whose plans it reviews. Inside the towns, Rawlins and Elk Mountain require a certificate of occupancy before use.
Local Carbon County details
Town referral areas: under memoranda of understanding with Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside, the county notifies the town planning commission of subdivisions, zoning applications and similar proposals in a mapped area around the town, and the County Commissioners ask the town council for comments on subdivision plats there.
No pending zoning changes: the county’s proposed amendments page currently lists none.
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 Carbon County permit resources
- Carbon County Planning and Development
- Carbon County Application for a Building Permit & Zoning Certificate
- Carbon County 2022 fee schedule
- Carbon County Zoning Resolution and map
- Carbon County–Town of Saratoga MOU and referral boundary map
- Carbon County municipalities
- City of Rawlins building permit application
- Town of Saratoga building, excavating and planning forms
- Town of Encampment Planning Commission and building permits
- Town of Riverside permits and applications
- Town of Baggs building permit code, chapter 15.04
- Wyoming electrical wiring permits
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Carbon County permit FAQs
Does Carbon County, Wyoming require a building permit?
Yes, for any construction that places a new building or structure on unincorporated land, including pole barns, shops and garages. The county permit is combined with a zoning certificate and reviews zoning, not building code compliance.
How much is a Carbon County building permit?
It depends on the value of the work: $25 up to $5,000, $125 for $20,001–$100,000, $250 for $200,001–$300,000, $950 at $1,000,000 and 0.1% of the value for larger projects.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Carbon County?
Not for a fence under 8 ft outside commercial and industrial zones. Any fence in a commercial or industrial zone needs a building permit.
Who issues septic permits in Carbon County?
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (307-777-6183). Attach the DEQ permit to the county application.
Who issues building permits in Rawlins?
The City of Rawlins, at 915 Third St. (307-328-4599), for property inside city limits.
Who issues electrical permits in Carbon County?
The Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, through its online portal, for the county and all of its towns.
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More Wyoming permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Carbon County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.