Inside the Town of Jackson, the Planning & Building Department’s Building Division issues building permits from emailed PDF packets, Town-licensed contractors file plumbing and mechanical permits in SmartGov, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS issues electrical permits. Under the fee schedule in force since October 1, 2026, the building permit fee follows the project’s valuation, starting at $288, and plan review adds 65% of that fee. The Town aims to approve or deny residential permits in 6 to 8 weeks.
What requires a permit in Jackson?
Town code makes it unlawful to build, rebuild, alter or change the use of a building inside town limits without a building permit, and the plans must meet the zoning, subdivision and building rules in force. The Town’s application pages list the common cases:
Residential permit
- New one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes
- Additions, alterations and repairs
- Removing or building interior walls, structural or not
- Decks over 200 sq ft, more than 30 inches above grade at any point, or attached to the house
- One-story detached accessory structures over 200 sq ft
- Retaining walls over 4 ft, engineered by a Wyoming engineer
- Solar panels
Commercial permit
- New commercial buildings and additions
- Change of occupancy of a building or tenant space
- Tenant fit-outs and tenant improvements
- Detached accessory structures over 120 sq ft
- New cellular antennas
- Monument signs over 4 ft tall
- Retaining walls over 4 ft
No building permit: fences (they still must meet the Land Development Regulations), painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinetry and playground equipment. Replacing shingles or underlayment needs no permit, but changing sheathing, framing or a cold roof does. Replacing deck boards or railings needs no permit.
Separate permits: plumbing, mechanical and electrical work, demolition, signs, right-of-way work, floodplain development and temporary tents over 120 sq ft.
Wildland-urban interface (WUI): the Town’s design criteria page asks every building permit applicant to get a WUI permit from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS first and to put its number on the application. Interior-only work, re-roofs and small detached sheds (up to 120 sq ft and more than 50 ft from other structures) are exempt from WUI review.
Who issues building permits in Jackson?
The Building Division of the Town of Jackson Planning & Building Department reviews plans, issues building permits, inspects work inside town limits and issues the Certificate of Occupancy. Kelly Sluder is the Building Official. There is no over-the-counter permitting: every permit is submitted and issued electronically.
Jackson Hole Fire/EMS issues electrical, fire protection and WUI permits, and the Town Engineering Division handles grading and right-of-way permits. Land outside town limits is under Teton County Planning & Building Services, which runs its own building permits and inspections.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Building Division | 150 E Pearl Avenue, Jackson (mail: P.O. Box 1687, Jackson, WY 83001); 307-733-0440 ext. 1352 |
| Submittals | townbuilding@jacksonwy.gov (PDF only) |
| Building inspector | 307-734-3495; townbuildinginspector@jacksonwy.gov |
| Planning | 307-733-0440 ext. 1304; planning@jacksonwy.gov |
| Electrical and fire | Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, 307-733-4732 |
| Engineering | 307-733-3079 |
Jackson permit types and filing
Building, demolition and addendum applications go by email to townbuilding@jacksonwy.gov as PDFs of up to 200 MB each; paper is not accepted, and anything received after 3:00 p.m. counts as received the next business day. Plumbing and mechanical permits, contractor licences and fee payments go through the Town’s SmartGov portal.
- One and Two Family Building Permit Application (effective June 2026), with its grading, floodplain, exterior lighting and Land Development Regulations sections. Commercial and multifamily projects use the commercial application.
- Letter of Authorization, notarized, when the applicant is not the owner.
- Special/Third-Party Inspection Agreement for modular buildings and projects that need special or third-party inspections.
- Addendum Building Permit Application for changes after approval, with every change clouded and a summary sheet.
- Contractor of Record form when the contractor changes or none was named at submittal.
- Demolition permit application, one packet per structure.
Contractor licensing: work that needs a building permit must be done by a contractor holding a Town of Jackson licence. The firm’s master first gets a Certificate of Qualification, then the company applies in SmartGov ($463); licences expire on December 31 and now cover work inside town limits only. An owner working on their own principal residence can instead hold a Proprietary Homeowner Contractor licence after passing the Town’s open-book test or an ICC Class C exam, limited to one house every 8 years.
Jackson building permit fees
Fees come from Resolution 26-19, Appendix A, adopted by the Town Council on September 28, 2026 and effective October 1, 2026. The building permit fee is set by total valuation for new buildings, additions, remodels and alterations, and staff calculate it after submittal rather than giving estimates.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Valuation $1 to $17,000 | $288 |
| $17,001 to $40,000 | $288 + $12 per $1,000 over $17,000 |
| $40,001 to $100,000 | $564 + $10 per $1,000 over $40,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,164 + $8 per $1,000 over $100,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $4,364 + $6 per $1,000 over $500,000 |
| $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $7,364 + $4 per $1,000 over $1,000,000 |
| Over $5,000,000 | $23,364 + $2 per $1,000 over $5,000,000 |
| Plan review | 65% of the building permit fee |
| Building permit deposit | $579, non-refundable, credited to the full permit fee |
| Demolition permit | $450 |
| Re-inspection | $159 per hour |
| Review of revisions to approved plans | $159 per hour, 2-hour minimum |
| Permit reinstatement | $525 |
| Work started without a permit | Double the permit fee |
For example, a house valued at $750,000 has a building permit fee of $5,864 ($4,364 plus 250 × $6) and a plan review fee of $3,811.60, a total of $9,675.60 before trade, fire, grading and utility charges.
Grading under the same resolution costs a $54 application fee plus $460 (statement level) or $885 (plan level) for a single home and one accessory building; the Engineering grading page still shows older $200 and $600 figures. A floodplain development permit is $1,200 for a small project or $1,800 for a large one. New development may also owe housing mitigation, which the Town’s calculator estimates. Card payments carry a 2.55% processing fee.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits
Plumbing and mechanical: only a contractor licensed by the Town in that trade can apply, through SmartGov, and staff process requests within 48 hours before asking for payment. Each permit costs $57 plus item fees, such as $19 per plumbing fixture or water heater and $30 for a furnace up to 100,000 Btu/h; starting work first doubles the fee. The Town enforces the 2024 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical: permits come from the Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Electrical Division through Teton County’s SmartGov portal, and the state’s jurisdiction chart lists Jackson as enforcing its own electrical inspections and plan review. Work must be done by a contractor with a State of Wyoming electrical licence; the Electrical Permit page exempts an owner wiring the home they occupy from the state licence, but the Town’s homeowner-contractor sheet says a homeowner acting as contractor cannot do or permit electrical work. Commercial and industrial jobs, and homes with services over 400 amps, need electrical plan review ($150 per hour). The permit fee follows the value of the electrical work: $40 up to $500, then stepped rates, such as $70 plus $15 per $1,000 over $2,000 for jobs up to $25,000. A temporary service connection is $65.
Fire: Jackson Hole Fire/EMS also issues WUI permits and fire protection construction permits, priced on the same valuation table as electrical permits. Town design criteria require an automatic sprinkler system in every structure of 5,000 sq ft or more, with an exception for agricultural buildings.
Application documents and review times
A residential packet holds the signed application, a narrative of the work, the Letter of Authorization where needed, the non-refundable plan review fee and plans digitally stamped by a Wyoming architect or engineer where the work calls for one. Plans are drawn at 1/4 inch to 1 foot, with a title, scale and north arrow on each sheet.
Plan set
- Cover sheet with zoning, floor areas, construction type and codes used
- Site plan with setbacks, easements, parking and snow storage
- Utilities, floor, roof, framing and foundation plans and elevations
- Plumbing and mechanical plans
- REScheck energy calculation
- Stamped structural plans and calculations where required
Zoning and site
- Table showing compliance with setbacks, floor area ratio, height and parking
- Landscape plan stamped by a Wyoming landscape architect, with a bond for 125% of its value
- Housing mitigation plan, where it applies
- Exterior lighting plan (3000 K or warmer; shielding over 600 lumens)
- Grading information and the WUI permit number
The Town aims to approve or deny residential permits within 6 to 8 weeks and commercial permits within 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the quality of the submittal and the size of the job. A denied application comes back as a full plan set with the changes bubbled and a narrative answering each point.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6-step Jackson process
Check the Town of Jackson limits map; land outside them is permitted by Teton County.
Get the WUI permit from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, a grading pre-application meeting for plan-level grading, and Design Review Committee approval where the zone or project needs it.
Make sure the general and trade contractors hold Town of Jackson licences, or take the homeowner contractor test for your own home.
Send the application, plans, narrative and authorization letter to townbuilding@jacksonwy.gov and pay the plan review fee.
Respond to review comments with bubbled changes; when the permit is approved, pay in SmartGov, by check at the front desk or by card by phone.
Book inspections through the hotline, collect every department’s sign-off on the inspection cards, then email them in for the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion.
Jackson inspections
Request inspections on the Building Inspection Request Hotline, 307-733-0520 ext. 1351, at least 24 hours ahead; SmartGov cannot book them. Requests received after 3:30 p.m. move to the following business day, and Monday inspections must be requested by Friday at 3:30 p.m. Leave your name, phone, FaceTime number or Zoom email, permit number, address, the inspection type and a two-hour window (8:00–10:00, 10:00–12:00 or 1:00–3:00). The Town does not confirm requests.
In-person inspections are typically on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; Tuesday and Thursday inspections are virtual. For a virtual inspection, if the inspector cannot reach you after three tries within 15 minutes, the inspection counts as not ready and a re-inspection fee must be paid in SmartGov before you rebook.
- Keep the permit, inspection card and Town-stamped plans on site, with safe access to the work.
- The combined rough gas, plumbing, mechanical and framing inspection can only follow a passed rough electrical inspection.
- Engineering, fire/electrical, health and planning inspections are booked with those departments, and all must sign off before the final building inspection.
Local Jackson details that matter
Town or county: a Jackson mailing address does not put a parcel in town; Town building staff inspect only inside town limits.
Design review: nonresidential projects, projects in the DC, CR-1 to CR-3, TS-1, TS-2 and OR zones, the Downtown Design Overlay and groups of four or more attached homes in some neighborhood zones go to the Design Review Committee before a building permit. Applications are due 16 days before the monthly meeting, which takes no more than four projects.
Demolition and historic review: a demolition permit is needed to remove a street-facing exterior wall or half or more of the exterior walls or roof. The Teton County Historic Preservation Board reviews every application within 45 days and can recommend a stay of 60 to 100 days for buildings that are significant or more than 50 years old.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Floodplain: sites in a special flood hazard area, including land near Cache Creek and Flat Creek, need a floodplain development permit from the Town Engineer, and an elevation certificate must show the first floor at least 1 ft above the base flood elevation.
Streets and access: occupying or digging in a street, sidewalk or parking space needs a public right-of-way permit from Town Engineering, and access from a state highway or county road needs a WYDOT or Teton County Road Department permit with the building application.
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 Jackson permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Town of Jackson website
- Town of Jackson Planning & Building Department
- Jackson Building Division: submittals and trade permits
- Jackson residential permit application page
- Jackson commercial permit application page
- One and Two Family Building Permit Application (June 2026)
- Jackson fee schedule, Resolution 26-19 (effective October 1, 2026)
- Jackson building inspections
- Jackson contractor licensing
- Jackson electrical permits (Jackson Hole Fire/EMS)
- Jackson design criteria and adopted codes
- Jackson Design Review Committee
- Jackson demolition permit
- Town of Jackson SmartGov portal
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Jackson building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Jackson, Wyoming?
The Town of Jackson Planning & Building Department’s Building Division, for property inside town limits. Electrical permits come from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, and property outside town limits is permitted by Teton County.
How much is a building permit in Jackson?
It depends on valuation: $288 up to $17,000, then stepped rates, plus plan review at 65% of the permit fee. A $750,000 house comes to $5,864 plus $3,811.60 in plan review. A $579 non-refundable deposit is credited toward the permit fee.
How long does a Jackson building permit take?
The Town aims for 6 to 8 weeks for residential permits and 8 to 12 weeks for commercial permits.
Do I need a permit for a fence, deck or new roof in Jackson?
Fences need no building permit. A home deck needs one if it is over 200 sq ft, more than 30 inches above grade or attached to the house. New shingles or underlayment need none, but changes to sheathing, framing or a cold roof do.
Can a homeowner pull a building permit in Jackson?
Yes, for your own principal residence, once you pass the Town’s homeowner contractor test or an ICC Class C exam and hold the Proprietary Homeowner Contractor licence. The Town’s homeowner-contractor sheet says a homeowner contractor cannot do or permit plumbing, mechanical or electrical work, although the Electrical Permit page exempts an owner wiring the home they occupy from the state electrical licence; Jackson Hole Fire/EMS issues the electrical permits.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Jackson?
Call the hotline at 307-733-0520 ext. 1351 at least 24 hours ahead and before 3:30 p.m., giving a two-hour window. Online booking is not available.
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More Wyoming permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Jackson permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.