Uinta County has no building code or building permit for unincorporated land. Instead, the county Planning & Development office in Evanston issues a Land Use Certificate for new construction or alteration of a structure, for $25, or $50 when a new address is assigned, and it also issues septic permits. Electrical permits come from the State of Wyoming, and the four incorporated towns issue their own building permits.
What needs county approval in Uinta County?
The Land Use Plan (Resolution 23-02, amended January 3, 2023) covers all private land outside the incorporated towns. A Land Use Certificate is needed before you build, alter or place a structure, with rules that vary by district:
Land Use Certificate
- Any new or altered house or business in the Agriculture/Resource Development district
- Farm structures over 2,500 sq ft in that district
- Homes, mobile and modular homes, and accessory buildings over 200 sq ft in the Residential district
- All permanent or semi-permanent structures in the Commercial district
- Oil and gas uses and wind energy facilities (separate certificate fees)
No certificate
- Grazing livestock
- Raising or harvesting crops
- Timber harvesting
- Utilities that involve no building or structure and no change in land cover
- Residential accessory buildings of 200 sq ft or less
A new or changed septic system needs a county Small Wastewater Permit, and a new access onto a county road needs a county access permit. Building without the required approval can bring a fine of up to $750 for each violation.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Uinta County?
Uinta County Planning & Development handles land use (zoning) approvals, septic permits, rural addressing, conditional uses, site plans, subdivisions, variances and zone changes. The county has adopted no building code, and the state’s jurisdiction chart shows no local building inspection for unincorporated Uinta County, so there are no county footing, framing or final inspections. Electrical permits and inspections come from the state, and fire inspections are listed as local.
| Place | Who permits |
|---|---|
| Evanston (city, 2025 pop. 11,705) | City Building Department, 33 Allegiance Circle (307-783-6454); its code also reaches building plans within one-half mile of city limits |
| Lyman (2,216) | Town Hall: a building permit for any new construction, including houses, additions, garages, sheds, fences and decks; 307-787-6595 |
| Mountain View (1,264) | Town Hall: permit applications with building plans, foundation plans and setbacks; 307-782-3100 |
| Bear River (524) | Town building permit under Planning and Zoning Ordinance 2025-01; Town Hall, 81 Elk Drive, 307-789-2800 |
| Unincorporated county | Uinta County Planning & Development Land Use Certificate; 307-783-0318 |
The state chart lists building plan review and electrical work in all four towns as state functions, so commercial plan review and wiring permits there also go through the state.
County applications
- Land Use Certificate: filed on the county form with a plot plan on the back showing dimensions, property lines, the well, septic system and buildings, plus the estimated structure value. It becomes a permit when the county signs it and is valid for 90 days from approval. A certificate for a house will not be issued without a percolation test.
- Small Wastewater (septic) Permit: needed to build, install or modify a septic system.
- Access permit: for a new access onto a county road.
- Conditional Use Permit, variance, zone change or subdivision: for uses and lots the district does not allow by right, which need review by the Planning and Zoning Commission or the County Commissioners.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →An application filed by anyone other than the landowner needs the owner’s notarized written consent.
Uinta County permit fees
Fees are set in section 13 of the Land Use Plan (Resolution 23-02). There is no valuation-based county building fee.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Land Use Certificate, no address assigned (barn, shop) | $25 |
| Land Use Certificate with a new address (dwelling) | $50 |
| Small Wastewater (septic) Permit | $150 |
| Access permit | $25 |
| Conditional Use Permit | $200 |
| Variance | $200 |
| Subdivision permit | $150 |
| Oil and gas Land Use Certificate | $250 |
State wiring permits are separate: $50 for a wiring permit and $40 for temporary power, bought through the state’s online portal.
Electrical, septic and fire
Electrical: the State Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety issues wiring permits and inspects electrical work in the county and in all four towns. A state wiring permit is needed for new construction or remodeling when the utility must connect or disconnect power.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic: county Planning & Zoning permits small wastewater systems. Systems must be installed by an installer licensed in Uinta County, or by the owner under the county’s regulations and wastewater engineer. The steps are a groundwater observation cut and percolation test, an application with the design layout, the permit to construct, installation, and a county inspection before backfilling; a system that fails can be ordered dug up and rebuilt.
Plumbing and mechanical: the county issues no plumbing or mechanical permits.
State plan review: commercial and public buildings that state law sends to the State Fire Marshal need its plan approval before construction.
What to have ready
- Legal location (quarter section, township and range, or subdivision lot and block) and present zoning
- Existing buildings on the property and the proposed use, size and estimated value
- A plot plan with dimensions, property lines, well, septic system and buildings
- Water supply and sewage details, with the percolation test date and rate
- For a flood hazard area: site elevation, base flood elevation and the planned lowest floor elevation
- For a mobile home: make, model, serial number and county sticker number
How to apply: 5 steps in unincorporated Uinta County
Make sure the parcel is outside Evanston, Lyman, Mountain View and Bear River, and outside Evanston’s half-mile area.
For a house on septic, do the observation cut and percolation test and apply for the Small Wastewater Permit.
Submit the form, plot plan and fee to the Planning Office at 225 9th Street, Evanston.
Buy the state wiring permit, and get State Fire Marshal plan approval if the building needs it.
Use the approved certificate within 90 days and call for the septic inspection before backfilling.
Rather not deal with the Uinta County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Uinta County
With no county building code, there are no county structural inspections on unincorporated land. The county inspects septic systems before backfilling, and the state inspects electrical work under its wiring permits. Inside Evanston, the City Building Department runs a full inspection sequence from footings to final; Lyman, Mountain View and Bear River set their own inspection arrangements with their permits.
Local Uinta County details
Evanston’s half mile: the county’s land use rules recognize Evanston’s zoning authority within one-half mile of city limits and its subdivision review within one mile.
Flood hazard areas: the Land Use Certificate asks for elevations in any designated flood hazard area, and the county offers an elevation certificate form.
Office hours: Planning & Development is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
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 Uinta County permit resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Uinta County Planning & Development
- Uinta County Land Use / Building Permits
- Uinta County Land Use Certificate application
- Uinta County Land Use Plan, Resolution 23-02
- Uinta County wastewater (septic) permits
- Uinta County floodplain information
- Wyoming state wiring permits
- Wyoming State Fire Marshal plan review
- Town of Lyman FAQ (building permits)
- Town of Mountain View FAQ (building permits)
- Town of Bear River
Uinta County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Uinta County require a building permit?
Not on unincorporated land. The county requires a Land Use Certificate for new construction or alteration of a structure; it has no building code or building inspections.
How much is a Land Use Certificate in Uinta County?
$25, or $50 when the county assigns a new address for a dwelling. The approved certificate is valid for 90 days.
Do I need county approval for a shed?
Not for an accessory building of 200 sq ft or less in the Residential district. In the Agriculture/Resource Development district, farm structures need a certificate only above 2,500 sq ft.
Who issues septic permits?
Uinta County Planning & Zoning, for $150, with a county inspection before the system is backfilled.
Who issues building permits in Lyman, Mountain View and Bear River?
Each town, at its Town Hall: Lyman (307-787-6595), Mountain View (307-782-3100) and Bear River (307-789-2800). Evanston’s City Building Department handles Evanston.
Simplify Uinta 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.
Ready to break ground in Uinta County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Uinta County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Wyoming permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Uinta County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.