Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Accessory Structures

Accessory Structures in Cheyenne, WY: What Residents Actually Need to Know

By CityRuleLookup Editorial Team

If you live in Cheyenne or are thinking about moving there, accessory structures are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Cheyenne has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of accessory structures, and some of them might surprise you.

Shed & Carport Rules

Cheyenne's zoning code requires an existing home on the lot before a shed or other accessory building can be permitted, caps lots at two accessory buildings, and limits their combined footprint to 15% of the property.

Key details: Principal building required first: Before any shed permit. Setback break under 200 sq ft: 0-foot side/rear setback. Max accessory buildings per lot: 2. Max combined footprint: 15% of lot area. Bigger sheds need: Conditional use approval.

Building a shed before the house exists, exceeding two accessory buildings, blowing past the 15% lot-coverage cap, or building over an easement can draw a stop-work order and require removal, relocation, or a conditional use application before Planning approves it.

ADU Rules

Cheyenne caps accessory dwelling units at one per detached single-unit lot, limited to 40% of the main home's size or 1,200 square feet.

Key details: Max size: 40% of main home, 1,200 sq ft cap. Units per lot: One ADU per detached lot. Basement apartments: Exempt from size cap. Required filing: Notice of ADU Regulations recorded. Where allowed: Only zones permitting ADUs.

Building or operating an ADU beyond the size cap, adding a second ADU on a detached lot, or placing one on an ineligible multi-dwelling or attached-dwelling lot is a zoning violation subject to code enforcement.

The Bottom Line

Cheyenne's accessory structures rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Cheyenne is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Cheyenne's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.