Evanston, Wyoming Building Permit Guide

Inside Evanston city limits, the City Building Department, under the City Engineer, reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects construction, including plumbing. You apply through the City’s online permit request form, the building permit costs 1.2% of the building cost, excluding land, with a $30 minimum, and the department sends a first response within 10 business days. Electrical permits and inspections come from the State of Wyoming.

What requires a permit in Evanston?

City code makes it unlawful to work on any building or structure in city limits without a permit from the building inspector, except necessary repairs. The Building Department’s permit pages list these projects:

Who issues building permits in Evanston?

The City Building Department, within the Engineering & Planning Department and under the City Engineer, issues building permits, reviews them for compliance with City code and the plumbing code, and inspects construction. Jason Hergert is the Building Official. The City Planner reviews zoning, and commercial projects also go to the fire department for review.

Electrical work is permitted and inspected by the State of Wyoming, not the City, and the state’s jurisdiction chart confirms that split. City code also requires plans for building work within one-half mile outside city limits to go to the City building department, and the City zones that half-mile area.

Evanston permit types and filing

Apply through the City’s online permit request form, which covers building, cut, grading, sign and planning requests. Building requests are sorted by type of construction: addition, new commercial, deck, demolition, fence, garage, manufactured, stick-built or trailer home, remodel, shed, sign, sprinkler, wireless tower or other.

• Residential construction: plans showing the City’s design load values, 2024 International Residential Code requirements and zoning setbacks. Engineered plans are strongly encouraged.
• Commercial construction: engineer-stamped plans with Evanston design loads, zoning and 2024 International Code criteria. Projects built in phases need a separate permit for each phase.
• Demolition: a site plan and written confirmation from each utility that service is disconnected; commercial demolitions also need written notice to the Wyoming DEQ about asbestos where it applies.
• Planning requests: conditional uses, design review, height exceptions, home occupations, lot splits, subdivisions, variances and zone changes go through the City Planner.

Before work starts, every required City permit, development fee, cut permit fee, tap fee and bond must be approved and paid, and copies of any approved state permits must be given to the City.

Evanston building permit fees

City code has the City Council set permit fees in its annual budget resolution. The current fees come from the FY2026–27 fee schedule, Attachment A to budget Resolution 26-23, adopted June 16, 2026; the Building Department’s posted rate sheet shows the same building figures.

For example, a house that costs $300,000 to build, not counting the land, has a building permit fee of $3,600 (0.012 × $300,000). New connections also pay City tap and meter fees, such as $1,250 for a 3/4-inch water service, $1,500 for a 3/4-inch sewer service and $480 for a 3/4-inch meter on the same fee schedule. State plan review fees are paid directly to the State of Wyoming, and power, gas and internet charges go to those providers.

Electrical, plumbing, gas and fire in Evanston

Plumbing: reviewed and inspected by the City Building Department as part of the building permit, with underground plumbing, rough plumbing and service-line inspections. Every lawn sprinkler or irrigation system needs a permit and a backflow preventer.

Electrical: the City’s inspection sheet sends electrical inspections to the State of Wyoming electrical inspector; state wiring permits and plan review come from the Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety. Solar systems need a City building permit plus state plan review and a state electrical permit.

Gas: gas line inspections are arranged with the local gas provider, which the City lists as Enbridge Gas.

Fire and state review: the City’s notice lists the buildings that need State Fire Marshal plan approval before construction under W.S. 35-9-108, including public buildings over 5,000 sq ft, buildings over one story, child care centers for more than 10 children, restaurants, bars and churches, commercial kitchen hoods, fuel dispensing and changes of occupancy. Commercial plans also go to the fire department for review.

What to submit

• A plot plan showing the new building and every existing building on the lot, with setbacks
• Scaled plans clear enough to show the work meets the current International Building Code, with structural calculations when the Building Official asks
• The City’s design load values on the plans: 100 mph wind (exposure B) in the 1980 developed city area or 110 mph (exposure C) on the surrounding benches, Seismic Design Category D1 for homes, a 40 psf minimum roof snow load (60 psf in basin areas) and footings at least 54 inches deep
• Engineer-stamped plans for commercial buildings and for retaining walls 4 ft or taller
• Copies of any approved state permits

The Building Department sends a first response within 10 business days, which may ask for more documents or drawings, and keeps reviewing until the permit is approved. Changes to approved plans need the building inspector’s written approval.

How to apply: 6-step Evanston process

Evanston inspections

Give 24 to 48 hours’ notice for every inspection. Authorized contractors book through the contractor portal; owner-builders call the Building Department at 307-783-6459 or 307-783-6454. The minimum sequence for new work, additions and remodels is:

• Sewer and water service lines, before trenches are backfilled
• Footings, with property lines marked and forms in place
• Foundation rebar (including the Ufer ground) and foundation walls, before concrete
• Underground plumbing, then rough plumbing and rough mechanical
• Rough framing, after plumbing and mechanical pass and the building is weathered in
• Sheetrock fastening
• Final, once grading, sidewalks, driveway, curb box and sewer cleanout are finished

A Certificate of Occupancy is needed before furniture moves in. Work must keep showing progress, and all inspections must be completed before final approval.

Local Evanston details

Half-mile area: City code requires plans for building work within one-half mile of city limits to be submitted to the City building department, and Uinta County’s land use rules recognize Evanston’s zoning authority over that half-mile area.

Frost depth: Evanston requires footings at least 54 inches below finished grade, and 70 inches for unprotected footings, water lines and movement-sensitive structures.

Commercial extras: commercial submittals should also address landscaping, waste collection, parking, curb and gutter, sidewalks and utility service from Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas.

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

Official Evanston permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• City of Evanston website
• Evanston Engineering & Planning Department
• Evanston Building Department
• Evanston residential construction permits
• Evanston commercial construction permits
• Evanston repairs that need no permit
• City of Evanston permitting site
• Evanston online permit request form
• Evanston Building Permit Packet
• Evanston FY2026-27 fee schedule (Resolution 26-23, Attachment A, in the June 16, 2026 council packet)
• Evanston Engineering & Building Rate Sheet
• Evanston building inspection requirements
• Evanston City Code (Chapter 7, Buildings)

Evanston building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Evanston, Wyoming?

The City of Evanston Building Department, part of the Engineering & Planning Department at 33 Allegiance Circle. Electrical permits come from the State of Wyoming.

How much is a building permit in Evanston?

1.2% of the cost of the building or improvements (excluding land), with a $30 minimum, under the FY2026–27 fee schedule. A house costing $300,000 to build pays $3,600, plus tap, meter and any state fees.

How long does review take?

The Building Department sends a first response within 10 business days; further rounds follow until the permit is approved.

Do I need a permit for a shed or fence in Evanston?

Yes for sheds 10 ft by 12 ft or larger and for new or extended fences. Repairing a fence without changing its length, height or material needs no permit.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Not for a like-for-like replacement. Changing the roofing material or any structural element needs a permit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Give 24 to 48 hours’ notice. Contractors use the contractor portal; owner-builders call 307-783-6459 or 307-783-6454.

Simplify Evanston permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Wyoming. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Evanston permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.