Thinking about breaking ground in Alpine? Before you call the excavator, it pays to know exactly which permits, fees, and reviews your project will trigger. Alpine is a small town with clear rules, and a little planning upfront can save you time and money. In this guide you’ll learn who regulates your project, what to submit, how utilities work, when state and environmental reviews apply, and a simple checklist to follow. Let’s dive in.
Start with jurisdiction
If your property sits inside Alpine town limits, the Town of Alpine regulates your project. The Town’s Land Use & Development Code lays out submittal checklists, reviews, inspections, and occupancy rules, and it is your primary playbook. You can review requirements, from site plan details to inspection stages, in the Town’s Land Use & Development Code. Refer to the code for standards and process details.
- Read the Town’s Land Use & Development Code for requirements: Land Use & Development Code
If your parcel is outside town limits in unincorporated Lincoln County, contact the county to understand county procedures before you design. County contacts are listed here: Lincoln County contacts.
Alpine building permit basics
Most construction in town requires a building permit. Alpine’s permit packets outline what to include and how to submit, and the Town encourages a pre-planning appointment so you get the checklist right the first time. Because intake deadlines on Town pages vary by source, confirm the current submittal date with the Planning Office when you schedule.
- Get application packets and scheduling info: Building permits & applications
What to submit
Your package typically includes a scaled site or plot plan that shows the footprint, setbacks, drive access, utilities, drainage, snow storage, parking, and easements. The Town commonly requests three paper plan sets plus one digital copy. The Land Use & Development Code lists the full plan contents and submittal standards you must meet.
- Full submittal standards and plan content: Land Use & Development Code
Reviews, inspections, and occupancy
Alpine reviews your plans against local standards, then inspects at defined stages during construction. Wildfire provisions can apply, including a defensible-space plan and review by the local fire district for properties in wildfire hazard areas. A Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued after final approvals.
- Building codes and local enforcement overview: Building codes page
Water, sewer, wells, and septic
Decide early how you will handle water and wastewater, because that choice affects permits, fees, and timelines.
Connecting to town utilities
If you are connecting to town water and sewer, plan for tap and connection fees. The Town requires water and sewer connection fees to be paid during the application process before a building permit is issued. Current fee amounts and monthly rates are posted here.
- Utility rates and connection fees: District Utility Billing
Onsite septic inside town limits
Alpine no longer issues small or onsite wastewater permits inside town boundaries. You must permit septic systems through the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Start early so system design and approvals align with your building timeline.
- Town guidance on onsite wastewater permitting: Building permits & applications
- State rules reference for onsite systems: WYDEQ small wastewater rules
Private wells
If your project will use a private well, you must file an Application for Permit to Appropriate Ground Water with the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office before drilling. Wells must be drilled by a Wyoming-licensed driller, and minimum construction standards apply.
- Well permitting steps and forms: Wyoming State Engineer’s Office
State codes and specialty reviews
Wyoming adopted the 2024 family of International Codes at the state level, and Alpine enforces its locally adopted codes. Larger or specialized projects may also require state plan reviews, such as fire, electrical, or plumbing, through the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety. Confirm with the Town and the state whether your scope needs both local and state review.
- State Fire Marshal, plan review and codes: Department of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety
- Town’s local code reference: Building codes page
Environmental checks you should not skip
Alpine’s setting near rivers and wetlands means site conditions matter. Always verify whether any environmental permits apply to your project before you disturb soil.
- Floodplains: Check your address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. If your site is in a mapped flood zone, you may need additional documentation or approvals. FEMA flood maps
- Wetlands and waters: If work could affect wetlands, streams, or other waters of the U.S., you may need a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorization under Section 404. USACE permit guidance
- Stormwater: Construction that disturbs soil can trigger stormwater permits and a SWPPP under Wyoming’s WYPDES program. Coordinate Town stormwater requirements with state permitting. Wyoming stormwater overview
Fees, timing, and practical tips
Permit validity, extensions, and inspection steps are spelled out in Alpine’s Land Use & Development Code. The Town requires payment of new water and sewer connection fees before issuing a building permit, so budget those early. Because intake dates and fee schedules can change, verify current deadlines and amounts with Town staff when you schedule a pre-planning meeting.
- Rules for permit durations, inspections, and fee requirements: Land Use & Development Code
Your pre-build checklist
Use this quick checklist to keep your project moving:
- Confirm jurisdiction
- Check whether your parcel is inside Alpine or in unincorporated Lincoln County. If outside, contact the county. Land Use & Development Code | Lincoln County contacts
- Schedule pre-planning
- Call the Town to review submittal checklists, plan set counts, and the current intake deadline. Building permits & applications
- Prepare plans
- Assemble a scaled site plan plus architectural and engineered drawings that meet the LUDC standards. Land Use & Development Code
- Decide utilities
- Connecting to town water and sewer, or going septic and well. Pay connection fees if connecting, or start WYDEQ and State Engineer processes if using onsite systems. District Utility Billing | Building permits & applications | State Engineer’s Office
- Plan reviews and inspections
- Confirm any state fire, electrical, or plumbing plan reviews, then map required inspections through final occupancy. Department of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety | Building codes page
- Environmental diligence
- Check FEMA flood maps, consider wetlands and waters, and line up stormwater compliance if you will disturb soil. FEMA flood maps | USACE permit guidance | Wyoming stormwater overview
Ready to build the right way in Alpine? If you want local insight on how permits, utilities, and timelines fit into your property goals, connect with the team at JH Living for place-based guidance and a clear plan forward.
FAQs
Do I need a building permit for my Alpine project?
- Yes, the Town requires permits for work inside Alpine; check the Town’s permit pages and the Land Use & Development Code for details and exemptions.
Who issues septic permits inside Alpine town limits?
- The Town directs applicants to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for onsite wastewater permits inside town boundaries.
How do I permit a private well for a home near Alpine?
- File the State Engineer’s U.W.5 groundwater application before drilling and use a Wyoming-licensed well driller.
How can I check if my Alpine lot is in a flood zone?
- Look up your address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, then confirm any floodplain requirements with the Town during site plan review.
Will my project need state fire or electrical plan review?
- Many larger or specialized projects do, so confirm with the Town and the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety early in design.
