Bolthole Index

Sublette County, Wyoming

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Pinedale, Wyoming

The Town of Pinedale, Wyoming has its own zoning ordinance and requires a Town building permit before a building or structure is built, altered or moved12. Sublette County Planning & Zoning handles septic permits under a delegation from Wyoming DEQ, and well permits come from the State Engineer34. Land outside town limits follows the county's rules instead.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the Town's own zoning ordinance applies inside town limits1
Building permit
Required from the Town for new buildings and alterations2
Building code
2012 International Building, Fire and Residential Codes adopted by reference5
Small sheds
No permit for a nonhabitable shed or playhouse of 120 square feet or less and one story2
Septic
Sublette County Planning & Zoning, under Wyoming DEQ standards3
Wells
State Engineer permit required4
Manufactured homes
Permanent foundation and Town water and sewer connection6

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Pinedale (building permits and zoning)

Town building permits for construction, alteration and moving of buildings inside Pinedale town limits

Septic permits

Sublette County Planning & Zoning Department

Septic permits and inspections for Sublette County, plus land use and zoning for unincorporated land

(307) 367-4375

planning@sublettecountywy.gov

Sublette County Court House 21 S Tyler Pinedale, WY 82941

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 Pinedale means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Pinedale have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and height?

Yes. The Town of Pinedale, Wyoming has its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 475 of the Town code, which applies to land inside town limits1. Rules differ by district. In the R-2 District, a zone lot must be at least 6,000 square feet, plus 3,000 square feet for each multifamily unit beyond two7. Structures in R-2 are limited to 35 feet or two aboveground stories8.

We could not confirm Pinedale's rules on tiny homes, minimum dwelling size or camping outside an approved campground, so ask the Town before planning around any of them. Zoning for land outside town limits comes from Sublette County, not the Town; see the Sublette County page.

Do you need a building permit in Pinedale, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside Pinedale, no building or structure may be commenced, erected or altered until the Town has issued a building permit2. Moving a building onto a lot also needs a permit9. The one exemption we found: a nonhabitable accessory structure such as a storage shed, utility structure or playhouse that does not exceed 120 square feet or one story2.

The Town has adopted the 2012 International Building Code, International Fire Code and International Residential Code by reference, so plans for a new home are built to those editions5. We could not confirm the Town's permit fees, its inspection schedule or whether a certificate of occupancy is required, so ask the Town office when you apply.

How do septic permits work in Pinedale?

Septic permits do not come from the Town's building office. Sublette County Planning & Zoning administers septic permitting under a delegation agreement with Wyoming DEQ, and DEQ standards still govern the systems310. The county requires a septic permit for new systems and for replacement of tanks or leach fields, with an inspection before backfill1112.

Whether a particular lot inside town limits can use a private septic system, or must connect to Town sewer, we could not confirm; ask the Town and Sublette County Planning & Zoning before you buy. Manufactured and trailer homes allowed in town must be permanently connected to Town water and sewer6.

Can you live in a manufactured home, RV or tiny home in Pinedale?

Trailer houses, trailer coaches and modular homes permitted inside Pinedale must have wheels and tongue removed, sit on a permanent foundation and be permanently connected to Town water and sewer6. The permit rule also requires permanent foundations and Town water and sewer connections for them2.

We could not confirm whether the Town allows tiny-home occupancy, living in an RV or temporary camping outside an approved campground, or the full manufactured-home placement rules in the zoning chapter. Ask the Town before buying a lot with any of these plans. The county's one-year RV allowance during construction applies only to unincorporated land, not inside town limits13.

Building a home in Pinedale: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district in the Town's zoning ordinance, since lot size and height limits vary by district7.
  2. Apply to the Town for a building permit before any construction, alteration or moving2.
  3. Build to the 2012 International Residential Code and Fire Code editions the Town has adopted5.
  4. Get a septic permit from Sublette County Planning & Zoning if the lot will not use Town sewer, and have the county inspect before backfill1112.
  5. If you want a private well, file with the Wyoming State Engineer before drilling; the State Engineer's rules require a permit before any construction begins4.

What stays with Sublette County and the state, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits stay with Sublette County Planning & Zoning, and well permits come from the Wyoming State Engineer34. Floodplain rules are a gap: Sublette County's flood-zone requirements are stated for county land, and we could not confirm that they administer floodplain development inside Pinedale, so ask the Town whether a lot lies in a flood zone.

Sublette County is rural: about 1.8 people per square mile14, with federal land making up 78.3% of the county15. The county's effective property tax rate is 0.4%16.

Watch-outs

  • The county's rules for unincorporated Sublette County do not apply inside Pinedale town limits; the Town's own permit and zoning rules do2.
  • We could not confirm Pinedale's permit fees, inspection requirements, short-term rental rules or driveway-access approvals, so ask the Town office that issues building permits before you commit to a lot9.
  • A private well inside town limits needs a State Engineer permit, and municipal water availability may affect whether a private well is allowed4.

Sources

  1. Chapter 475: Zoning - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article II: Construction Permits - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  3. sublettecountywy.gov, quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Permits - Residential | Sublette County (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 175: Construction Standards, Building and Fire - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article II: Construction Permits - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article X: R-2 District - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article X: R-2 District - Town of Pinedale, WY (Town of Pinedale), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Pinedale (building permits and zoning) (ecode360.com)
  10. Sublette County Planning & Zoning Department (sublettecountywy.gov)
  11. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  12. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  13. Current Zoning and Development Regulations 2021, quoted and re-checked
  14. Population density: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Federal land share: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Pinedale

Town of Pinedale’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures commenced, erected, altered, enlarged, or moved within Pinedale town.

    • A permit is not required for a nonhabitable accessory storage shed, utility structure, or playhouse that does not exceed 120 square feet or one story.
    • Existing structures and uses established before the effective date of the ordinance are exempt unless modified or the use changes.
    • Trailer houses, trailer coaches, and modular homes require permanent foundations and permanent Town water and sewer connection for the permit provision stated.

    small nonhabitable accessory structure threshold: <= 120 square feet (must also be one story or less) · small nonhabitable accessory structure height: <= 1 story (must also be no more than 120 square feet)

    “No building or structure shall be commenced, erected or altered until a building permit for construction or alteration has been issued by the Town.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Remodeling, renovation, and new construction within Pinedale town corporate limits.

    • The 2012 International Building Code, International Fire Code, and International Residential Code are adopted by reference.
    • Specific Pinedale Municipal Code requirements control over inconsistent provisions.

    building code edition: 2012 International Building Code (except as otherwise provided in Chapter 175) · fire code edition: 2012 International Fire Code (except as otherwise provided in Chapter 175) · residential code edition: 2012 International Residential Code (except as otherwise provided in Chapter 175)

    “The 2012 International Building Code, the 2012 International Fire Code, the 2012 International Residential Code and all supplements thereto [...] are hereby adopted by reference”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Pinedale town limits; Town of Pinedale zoning ordinance.

    • The code states that later amendments are noted where applicable.
    “Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Pinedale by Ord. No. 23; amended in its entirety 1980 by Ord. No. 68”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Trailer houses, trailer coaches, and modular constructed homes permitted inside Pinedale town limits.

    • Wheels and tongue must be removed.
    • The home must be on a permanent foundation, including an approved concrete footing, continuous masonry, or frame foundation supporting the entire structure.
    • The home must be permanently connected to Town water and sewer systems.
    “and is permanently connected to the Town water and sewer systems.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Pinedale

Town of Pinedale does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-2 District zone lots inside Pinedale town limits.

    • For multifamily dwellings exceeding two units, add 3,000 square feet for each additional dwelling unit.

    minimum R-2 zone-lot area: >= 6000 square feet (plus 3,000 square feet for each multifamily dwelling unit over two)

    “The minimum area of a zone lot in the R-2 District is 6,000 square feet plus 3,000 square feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures in the R-2 District inside Pinedale town limits.

    • The limit is expressed as either 35 feet or two aboveground stories.

    maximum structure height: 35 feet (or two aboveground stories)

    “The maximum height of structures in the R-2 District is 35 feet or two aboveground stories.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Private domestic wells proposed inside Pinedale town limits where a well is used.

    • The cited Sublette County page states that well permits are issued through Wyoming; specific State Engineer requirements were not opened.
    • Municipal water availability may affect whether a private well is appropriate or allowed.
    “Do I need a permit to drill a water well? Yes.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Pinedale town limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Pinedale town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Pinedale town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Pinedale town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping outside an approved RV park or campground inside Pinedale town limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Pinedale publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Sublette County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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