Bolthole Index

Carbon County, Wyoming

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Saratoga, Wyoming

The Town of Saratoga, Wyoming requires a building permit before any building is built or moved inside town limits, applied for through the town's building inspector1. Saratoga also runs its own zoning code, separate from Carbon County's2. Septic permits for Carbon County small systems come from Wyoming DEQ3, but we could not confirm who permits septic inside town limits, so ask Town Hall.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for any construction or moving of a building inside town limits1
Zoning
Saratoga has its own zoning code with named districts24
Building code
1997 Uniform Building Code, as amended by the town5
Permit fee
Never less than $406
Mobile home while building
RD 14000 district: up to 90 days, extendable by 90 more7
Septic
Not confirmed inside town limits; Wyoming DEQ permits Carbon County small systems3
Wells
State Engineer permit (Form U.W. 5) before drilling8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Saratoga Town Hall

Building permits, zoning approvals and planning forms inside Saratoga town limits

307-326-8335

townhall@saratogawyo.org

110 E. Spring Avenue, Saratoga, Wyoming 82331

Zoning

Town of Saratoga building, excavating and planning forms

Application packets for building, fence, grading, variance, special use and subdivision permits

307-326-8335

Septic permits

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division

Permits to construct small wastewater facilities in Carbon County

Building permits

Carbon County Planning & Development

Building permits and zoning for unincorporated Carbon County, outside Saratoga town limits

307-328-2651

215 West Buffalo Street, Suite 317, Rawlins, WY 82301

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Saratoga means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Saratoga, Wyoming?

Yes. Inside the Town of Saratoga, anyone who plans to construct or move a building must apply to the building inspector, and work may not begin until the permit is granted and issued1. Applications list the building type, number of rooms, materials, approximate total cost and location, are filed with the town zoning officer, and must come with the fee9. Town Hall confirms that the Town of Saratoga "regulates construction, land development and excavation within its municipal boundaries"10.

Building permit fees follow the International Building Code fee schedule as amended, and no building permit fee is less than $406. The town builds to the 1997 Uniform Building Code, with Section 106.4.4 excepted and town amendments applied5. We could not confirm whether the town requires inspections after the permit is issued, a certificate of occupancy, or whether owner-builders get any exemption; ask Town Hall.

Who issues building permits in Saratoga, and how do you reach them?

Building permit applications in Saratoga go to the town, not to Carbon County. The Town of Saratoga's Town Hall at 110 E. Spring Avenue handles them and can be reached at 307-326-833511. The town posts its application packets for building, fence, grading and excavation, variance, special use and subdivision permits on its forms page10.

The town's website is townofsaratoga.org. Searches often surface townofsaratoga.com, which belongs to a different Saratoga in New York.

Does Saratoga have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and RVs?

Saratoga has its own zoning code, with named districts inside town limits2. The code lists districts including RD 14000, RD 7200, RD 6000, RD 9000, RD 9002, RB, HB, LI, HI and RA4.

In the RD 14000 single-family district, the minimum lot area is 14000 square feet, with at least 80 feet of width (95 feet on a corner lot) and 100 feet of depth12. Buildings there top out at 35 feet, with extra limits near Shively Airport13. Accessory buildings may cover at most 25% of the combined side and rear yard14.

On living in a mobile home while you build, the RD 14000 district allows one for not more than 90 days during construction of a residence on the same premises, extendable by 90 more days on application to the zoning officer; permanent placement is excluded7. We could not confirm rules for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum house size in town, so ask the zoning officer at Town Hall before you buy11.

How do septic permits work inside Saratoga?

Wyoming requires a permit to install, repair or replace a septic tank and leach field15. In Carbon County, Wyoming DEQ is the permitting authority for small wastewater systems, and construction may not start until DEQ issues authorization16.

We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside Saratoga town limits, or whether your lot connects to town water and sewer. Ask Town Hall about sewer availability before planning a septic system11. Private wells need a State Engineer permit on Form U.W. 5 before drilling8.

Building a home in Saratoga: the steps, in order

  1. Call Town Hall at 307-326-8335 to confirm your lot's zoning district and whether town water and sewer reach it11.
  2. Check the district's lot size, height and accessory-building limits4.
  3. File the building permit application with the town zoning officer, with the fee9.
  4. Wait for the permit before starting; construction may not begin until it is issued1.
  5. If you need a septic system, confirm the permitting authority and apply before construction16.
  6. Build to the town's adopted 1997 Uniform Building Code and amendments5.

What stays with Carbon County, and what should you check before you buy?

Land outside Saratoga town limits falls under Carbon County, where a building permit and zoning certificate are required in unincorporated areas17. Carbon County Planning & Development in Rawlins handles those permits18. Do not apply to the county for a lot inside the town.

Wyoming's state subdivision law covers unincorporated areas and does not apply inside incorporated towns19. We could not confirm Saratoga's current subdivision or floodplain rules, since the town's code shows former provisions repealed; ask Town Hall.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Saratoga town limits; ask Town Hall and Wyoming DEQ before you buy16.
  • Saratoga's town code lists a repealed floodplain chapter and a repealed subdivision title, so confirm current floodplain and subdivision rules with Town Hall before buying11.
  • The mobile-home allowance applies only to the RD 14000 district and only during construction; permanent placement is excluded7.

Sources

  1. Chapter 15.04 Building Code (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Saratoga, WY Code of Ordinances (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  3. Small Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Title 18 Zoning (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 15.04 Building Code (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 15.04 Building Code (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 Single-Family Residential District (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  8. seo.wyo.gov (Wyoming statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 15.04 Building Code (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Saratoga building, excavating and planning forms (townofsaratoga.org)
  11. Town of Saratoga Town Hall (townofsaratoga.org)
  12. Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 Single-Family Residential District (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 Single-Family Residential District (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 Single-Family Residential District (Town of Saratoga), quoted and re-checked
  15. Permitting (Wyoming statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division (deq.wyoming.gov)
  17. Planning and Development | Carbon County, WY, quoted and re-checked
  18. Carbon County Planning & Development (carboncountywy.gov)
  19. wyoleg.gov (Wyoming statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Saratoga

Town of Saratoga’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or moving of any building inside Saratoga town limits.

    • Application must be made to the building inspector.
    • Construction or moving may not begin until the permit has been granted and issued.
    “Any person who plans construction of any building or the moving of any building within the town shall apply to the building inspector for a permit for such construction or such moving, as the case may be”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings and structures within Saratoga town limits.

    • The adopted code is the 1997 Uniform Building Code.
    • Section 106.4.4 is excepted.
    • The code is subject to town-adopted amendments, modifications, additions, or deletions.

    building code edition: 1997 Uniform Building Code (Section 106.4.4 excepted)

    “being particularly the 1997 edition, excepting therefrom Section 106.4.4 and further excepting such portions as may be deleted, modified, or amended, pursuant to the provisions of Section 15.04.030”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Saratoga town limits; Saratoga has its own Title 18 Zoning and district chapters.

    “Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Saratoga town limits.

    • The code lists RD 14000, RD 7200, RD 6000, RD 9000, RD 9002, RB, HB, LI, HI, and RA districts, among others.
    “Chapter 18.15 RD 14000 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    RD 14000 single-family residential district inside Saratoga town limits.

    • Minimum lot width is 80 feet.
    • Minimum corner-lot width is 95 feet.
    • Minimum lot depth is 100 feet.
    • Additional width or depth is required when adjacent to certain streets or districts.
    • Lot dimensions must be combined to achieve the minimum lot area.

    minimum lot area: 14000 sq ft · minimum lot width: 80 ft (Corner lot minimum width is 95 feet) · minimum lot depth: 100 ft

    “If adjacent to a street other than a local street, or if adjacent to a retail, highway business or industrial district, the lot width when adjacent on the side shall be increased 15 feet and the lot depth when the rear lot line is adjacent shall be increased 20 feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Accessory buildings in the RD 14000 district inside Saratoga town limits.

    • The limit applies to the combined side yard and rear yard.
    • The limit does not change based on placement location.

    maximum accessory-building coverage of combined side and rear yards: 25 percent

    “25% of the area of the combined side yard and rear yard shall be the maximum allowed coverage for accessory buildings. This limit does not change based on the placement location of the accessory buildings.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the RD 14000 district inside Saratoga town limits.

    • New construction within the airport height-restriction area must conform to the Saratoga Ordinance to Limit Height of Objects Around Shively Airport.

    maximum building height: 35 ft (Airport height-restriction area has additional requirements)

    “The maximum building height is thirty-five feet. All new construction within the airport height restriction area depicted on the official zoning map of the town shall conform to the height requirements described in the "Saratoga Ordinance to Limit Height of Objects Around Shively Airport."”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile or manufactured-home occupancy in the RD 14000 district inside Saratoga town limits.

    • Permanent placement is excluded.
    • A mobile home may be used for not more than 90 days during construction of a residence on the same premises.
    • The period may be extended for an additional 90 days upon application to the zoning officer.

    initial temporary period: 90 days (May be extended for an additional 90 days upon application to the zoning officer)

    “A mobile home for not more than ninety days during construction of a residence on the same premises, which period may be extended for an additional ninety days upon application to the zoning officer;”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Town building, subdivision, mobile-home-park, RV-park, grading, fence, sign, zoning, special-use, variance, electrical, mechanical, and building-moving permits inside Saratoga town limits.

    • Building-permit fees follow the International Building Code fee schedule as amended.
    • No building-permit fee may be less than $40.
    • Fees not listed in the Saratoga Application Fee Tables are $40.
    • The governing body may adjust Title 15 fees by resolution.

    minimum building permit fee: >= 40 USD · subdivision fee: greater of $500 or $25 per lot; $1,500 maximum USD · mobile home park fee: $500 plus $20 per lot USD · recreational vehicle park fee: $500 plus $20 per lot USD

    “The amount of said fee shall be determined in accordance with the International Building Code and Saratoga Application Fee Table 1 and Table 2, as adopted by the town of Saratoga, except that no fee for a building permit shall be less than $40.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Saratoga town limits.

    • Applications must identify building type, number of rooms, materials, approximate total cost, and location, street, and house number.
    • Applications are filed with the town zoning officer.
    • Additional information may be required by the zoning officer.
    • The appropriate fee must accompany the application.
    “Every application for a building permit shall contain the following information:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Saratoga or Carbon County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Saratoga town limits.
  • Inspections — General building inspections inside Saratoga town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Saratoga town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Saratoga town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping generally inside Saratoga town limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Saratoga publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Carbon County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Carbon County: county rules, score and offices