Lincoln County, Wyoming Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Lincoln County, the county Office of Planning and Development issues a Residential Use (building) permit for a new home for $250 and a $150 permit for additions and outbuildings, checking zoning, setbacks, access and septic, but it has adopted no building code and makes no building-code inspections. Apply online or at the Kemmerer or Afton office; the county decides complete applications within 14 days. Kemmerer, Afton, Star Valley Ranch, Alpine and the other towns issue their own building permits.

What needs a county permit in Lincoln County?

The county’s permit forms say no work of any kind on a structure may begin until a permit is issued, and building without one can bring a fine of up to $750 a day under state law. County permits cover:

Who handles permitting in Lincoln County?

The Office of Planning and Development handles land use, zoning, subdivisions, building permits, septic permitting and inspection, and floodplain administration for unincorporated land. Ken Kuluski is the Planning Director. The state’s jurisdiction chart shows no local building or electrical program for the unincorporated county, so commercial plan review and electrical permits come from the state.

The state chart lists Kemmerer as running its own building inspections; for the other towns it shows building plan review and inspection by the state, even where the town issues its own permits.

County permit types and filing

The Planning Office now takes permit applications through its online portal, and the forms (updated August 2026) are on its Documents & Forms page. Email goes to planning@lincolncountywy.gov.

• Residential Use (building) permit: new one- and two-family homes and guest houses or living quarters under 800 sq ft; also used for additions. It includes the driveway access request and expires two years after issuance unless renewed.
• Auxiliary building permit: sheds, garages and other buildings with no living quarters.
• Standard or enhanced septic permit: requires a pre-application soil cut inspection before design and an inspection before backfilling.
• Zoning and Development permit: $650, after a pre-application meeting, with a scaled site plan showing drainage, parking, snow removal areas and topography, and State Fire Marshal plan review where it applies.
• Floodplain development permit for sites in a mapped floodplain or wetlands.

With each building application the owner signs an acknowledgment that, among other things, no building goes within 25 ft of neighboring agricultural land and easements stay unobstructed. The county does not review subdivision covenants or HOA rules.

Lincoln County permit fees

Fees come from Resolution 2024-61, the Lincoln County Permit Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2025, and the August 2026 forms list the same amounts. There is no valuation-based building fee.

A state wiring permit and any private inspector the owner hires are separate costs; the county’s building packet puts private inspections at about $150 to $300 each.

Electrical, septic and inspections

Electrical: the county application points applicants to the state’s wiring permit rules, and the county packet notes that the State of Wyoming requires an electrical permit for a new home and typically inspects the wiring.

Septic: county Planning and Development permits and inspects small wastewater systems. Call 24 hours ahead to book the soil cut inspection (a pit 8 to 10 ft deep), install to the approved design and have the system inspected before backfilling. Inside Alpine, septic permits come from the Wyoming DEQ instead.

No digging season: no digging is allowed from November 15 to April 1 for septic systems or in the county right-of-way.

Building inspections: the county does not require them for homes. Its building packet recommends hiring a certified inspector for at least six: plan review, footing, foundation, rough framing with plumbing, electrical and mechanical, insulation, and final.

What to submit

• The fee, the owner’s signature and a copy of the recorded deed
• A site plan with north arrow and scale, property lines, setbacks and all existing and proposed buildings with dimensions
• Water lines and well, septic tank, drain field and a replacement drain field area, electrical lines, driveway and water features
• A Small Wastewater permit application if the lot needs a new or modified septic system
• Driveway details: no more than 6% grade for the first 150 ft, 12 to 30 ft wide, at least an 18-inch culvert, and an engineered erosion plan where the grade exceeds 10% for more than 50 ft

The county checks an application for completeness within seven days and approves, denies or extends review within 14 days of accepting it.

How to apply: 5 steps in unincorporated Lincoln County

Inspections

County staff may inspect the site to check that the work matches the permit and the Land Use Regulations, and they inspect septic systems at the soil cut and before backfill; the Afton office may be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 1 to November 15 while staff are out on site inspections. Structural inspections are up to the owner, and the state inspects electrical work under its permit.

Local Lincoln County details

Design criteria: the county publishes recommended minimum residential design criteria (roof snow load, seismic zone, wind, foundation depth and design temperature) for five zones outside the towns, and recommends building to the IRC 2006 or newer.

Two offices: the Kemmerer office is at 925 Sage Avenue, Suite 201, and the Afton office at 61 E 5th Avenue.

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 Lincoln County resources

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

• Lincoln County, Wyoming website
• Lincoln County property details search
• Lincoln County Office of Planning and Development
• Lincoln County online permit portal
• Lincoln County planning documents and forms
• Lincoln County Permit Fee Schedule, Resolution 2024-61
• Lincoln County residential construction permit application
• Lincoln County standard septic permit application
• Building in Lincoln County informational packet
• City of Kemmerer permits
• Town of Afton planning and zoning
• Town of Alpine permit requirements
• Town of Thayne applications and permits

Lincoln County permit FAQs

Does Lincoln County require a building permit?

Yes, outside the towns: a $250 Residential Use permit for a new home and a $150 permit for additions and outbuildings. The county has no building code and makes no building-code inspections.

How long does a county permit take?

The county checks completeness within seven days and decides within 14 days of accepting a complete application.

Who issues septic permits?

County Planning and Development: $300 for a new system, with a soil cut inspection first and an inspection before backfilling. No digging is allowed from November 15 to April 1.

Do I need a contractor licence?

The county does not license contractors. Electrical work needs a state permit, and some towns have their own rules.

Who issues permits in Afton, Alpine or Kemmerer?

Each town: Afton through its Building Official, Alpine through its online portal and Planning & Zoning Commission, and Kemmerer through City Hall.

Simplify Lincoln County 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 Lincoln County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.