Unincorporated Converse County, Wyoming does not require a general county residential building permit and has no county zoning regulations12. County Special Projects issues septic permits countywide and floodplain-development permits under county jurisdiction; Road & Bridge approves county-road access, and the Wyoming State Engineer permits wells3456. Inside Douglas, the city handles building permits and zoning, while residential septic permits remain with county Special Projects789.
At a glance
- Building permit
- No general county residential permit; state review applies to certain project types110
- Zoning
- No general county zoning; municipal and narrow county siting rules may apply21112
- Septic
- County permit and inspection before backfill required31314
- Floodplain development
- Special Projects permit required in mapped special flood-hazard areas15
- RV or tiny home
- No county zoning restriction on unincorporated-land RV or tiny-home occupancy; site rules still apply1617
- Well permit
- State permit required before drilling; licensed contractors required6
- County-road driveway
- Road & Bridge approval required for access on county right-of-way5
Who to call
Septic permits
Converse County Special Projects (Septic / Small Wastewater Permitting)
OSSF and small wastewater system permits, plan review and inspections for Converse County, issued by the Special Projects Director
Roads & driveways
County road maintenance, culvert applications and driveway access questions on Converse County road rights-of-way
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Converse County means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
- Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
- Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
- Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
- Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.
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Do you need a building permit in Converse County, Wyoming?
Unincorporated Converse County does not require a general county residential building permit1. Wyoming state fire review still covers specified projects, including government buildings, larger or multistory public buildings, certain childcare, assembly and hospitality uses, and fuel-dispensing facilities10. A covered project receives a state inspection after construction and must obtain a certificate of occupancy before a new building is used; a covered remodel receives a compliance letter1819. We could not confirm that Converse County has accepted delegated building-code enforcement from the state, so ask Special Projects and the state fire marshal which office reviews an unusual, public-facing or commercial project2021. Inside Douglas, the city requires building permits subject to its exemptions; residential septic permits remain with county Special Projects, and wells need state approval796.
Who handles septic, subdivision and access permits in Converse County?
Converse County has no general residential building-permit office for unincorporated land1. Special Projects handles individual small-wastewater permits and inspections countywide, plus Flood Plain Construction permits under county jurisdiction3421. Regulated land divisions in unincorporated Converse County require Board of County Commissioners subdivision approval before sale, plat recording or subdivision construction; the executed and recorded final plat constitutes the permit22. Agricultural-purpose divisions or property-line adjustments may qualify for an exemption, subject to documentation and anti-evasion requirements23. Subdivision applications require the fee established by separate Board resolution, and the County Clerk charges recording fees; ask those offices for current amounts24. Road & Bridge handles county-road access applications and approval525.
Does Converse County have zoning?
Converse County has no county zoning regulations for unincorporated land, and its Land Use Plan is guidance rather than an enforceable regulatory document226. We could not confirm a general minimum dwelling size, setback or lot-coverage standard for unincorporated Converse County; ask Special Projects before designing21. Subdivision, floodplain, airport-influence and wastewater controls still apply, and wind or solar facilities generating more than 0.5 MW outside municipal limits require county siting review2612. Subdivision lots generally need at least 4 acres excluding road easements, with smaller Transitional Residential lots possible where public or community water or sewer is available27. Airport Influence Area subdivisions must meet Appendix V height and population-density restrictions and acknowledge them on the preliminary plat before processing28. Douglas and Glenrock administer municipal zoning; county small-wastewater authority and state well permitting remain separate82936.
How do septic permits work in Converse County?
Converse County Special Projects issues individual small-wastewater permits throughout the county; obtain authorization before installation, modification or sewage discharge from a dwelling313. Submit plans, specifications and design information with the application; the Director takes final action within 15 days of receiving a complete application13. Notify Special Projects at least 48 hours before backfilling during normal business hours; if inspection has not occurred within that interval, backfill only with the Director’s approval and digital photographs14. About 36.8% of Converse County soils lack severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so evaluate the specific site before choosing a system30. Septic permits require subdivision-compliant land, and a permit in the 100-year floodplain requires a FEMA letter of map amendment13. Privies, outhouses, pressure-distribution systems, sand mounds, lagoons and greywater systems need Wyoming DEQ approval31. We could not confirm composting or incinerating toilet rules; ask Special Projects and Wyoming DEQ3221.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Converse County?
County zoning does not restrict RV or tiny-home occupancy on private land in unincorporated Converse County1617. The same county-zoning answer applies to manufactured homes and accessory dwellings; subdivision, floodplain, wastewater and other applicable state or county requirements still apply3334. These occupancy answers do not establish tiny-home construction compliance or approval for a particular parcel35. Camping or lodging on county highways and adjoining rights-of-way is prohibited, except camping to assist with driving livestock36. In mapped flood zones A1-30, AH and AE, an RV must remain fewer than 180 consecutive days, stay fully licensed and highway-ready, or meet manufactured-home permit, elevation and anchoring requirements37. Developing a transferable RV park requires a subdivision application and compliant water, sewage, fire and site arrangements38.
Building a home in Converse County: the steps, in order
- Confirm whether the parcel is unincorporated; inside a city or town, ask the municipality about its building permit and zoning approval, while county septic and state well authority remain separate1136.
- If the project creates regulated lots, secure Board of County Commissioners subdivision approval before sale, plat recording or construction22.
- If the land lies in the Airport Influence Area, identify the applicable height and density restrictions before design28.
- Obtain the state groundwater permit before drilling, use licensed well and pump contractors, and file the completion statement after the well is ready6.
- Obtain the county septic permit, then give the county at least 48 hours' notice for the final inspection before backfilling1314.
- Obtain a Flood Plain Construction permit before work in a mapped special flood-hazard area4.
- Obtain Road & Bridge approval before constructing access on county right-of-way525.
What should you check before buying land in Converse County?
A driveway on Converse County right-of-way is not legal until Road & Bridge approves the finished construction and records it; the department determines culvert sizing and construction details5. The approach procedure lists a $100 inspection fee within a 20-air-mile radius of the Road & Bridge Office39. Temporary county-road access needs an approved permit before construction, the adjacent landowner’s ink signature, and the completed application diagrams40. Temporary access lasts at most 90 calendar days; payment accompanies the application, inspection fees vary by distance, and renewal must be completed at least 10 days before expiration with additional fees41. Check flood mapping: county-jurisdiction special flood-hazard development needs a Flood Plain Construction permit, while septic permitting in the 100-year floodplain requires a FEMA letter of map amendment413. Before well drilling, obtain state approval; domestic and stock applications generally carry a $50 filing fee, and licensed well and pump contractors are required6.
Watch-outs
- The absence of county zoning on unincorporated land does not cancel Converse County's septic, floodplain, subdivision, airport-influence or large wind-and-solar siting rules212.
- Privies, outhouses and greywater systems require Wyoming DEQ approval; composting and incinerating toilet rules could not be confirmed32.
- A driveway onto a Converse County road is not legal until Road & Bridge approves the completed access and files it of record5.
- Manufactured homes and accessory dwellings face no county zoning occupancy restriction on private unincorporated land, but wastewater, floodplain, subdivision and other applicable requirements remain3334.
- Private-land RV occupancy is unrestricted as a county zoning matter, but camping or lodging on county highways and adjoining rights-of-way is prohibited1636.
Sources
- Converse County Permits & Regulations (2026 county census)
- Resolution No. 05-26, Industrial Park Designation Process, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Regulations for a Permit to Construct, Install, or Modify Small Wastewater Facilities and Related Design Standards, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Flood Damage Prevention Regulations, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Approach / Address Permit Agreement, quoted and re-checked
- Wyoming State Engineer's Office General Processes, quoted and re-checked
- Douglas: Douglas Code § 15.04.010 Building permits, fees and exemptions (Converse County), quoted and re-checked
- Douglas: Douglas Code § 6.30 Travel Trailer and Recreational Vehicle Parks (Converse County), quoted and re-checked
- Douglas: Converse County Septic System Requirements (Converse County), quoted and re-checked
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 35, Article 1 — Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, quoted and re-checked
- Statement from the Converse County Board of Commissioners Regarding the Pronghorn H2 Project, quoted and re-checked
- Wind and/or Solar Energy Siting Regulations and Application, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Regulations for a Permit to Construct, Install, or Modify Small Wastewater Facilities and Related Design Standards, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Regulations for a Permit to Construct, Install, or Modify Small Wastewater Facilities and Related Design Standards, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Flood Damage Prevention Regulations, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Commission Meeting, April 2, 2025, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Commission Meeting, April 2, 2025, quoted and re-checked
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 35, Article 1 — Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, quoted and re-checked
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 35, Article 1 — Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, quoted and re-checked
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 35, W.S. 35-9-121 (Wyoming statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Special Projects (Septic / Small Wastewater Permitting) (conversecountywy.gov)
- Converse County Subdivision Regulations 2023, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Subdivision Regulations 2023, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Subdivision Regulations 2023, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Road & Bridge (conversecountywy.gov)
- Statement from the Converse County Board of Commissioners Regarding the Pronghorn H2 Project, quoted and re-checked
- Subdivision Regulations 2023, quoted and re-checked
- Subdivision Regulations for Converse County, quoted and re-checked
- Town of Glenrock: Planning, Building Inspection, and Code Enforcement (Converse County), quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
- Converse County Minimum Standards Governing Small Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Minimum Standards Governing Small Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Commission Meeting, April 2, 2025, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Commission Meeting, April 2, 2025, quoted and re-checked
- Statement from the Converse County Board of Commissioners Regarding the Pronghorn H2 Project, quoted and re-checked
- Resolution No. 16-12, Resolution Regarding Camping and Vehicles on County Roads, quoted and re-checked
- Flood Damage Prevention Regulations, quoted and re-checked
- Subdivision Regulations for Converse County, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Approach Access / Address Permit Procedures, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Temporary Access Permit, quoted and re-checked
- Converse County Temporary Access Permit, quoted and re-checked
Written October 12, 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.