Cheyenne, WY Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Grading permit excludes
- retaining wall construction
- Wall permits/fees
- handled separately, elsewhere in code
- Permit issuer
- chief building official / city engineer
- Adopted code base
- IBC 2024 Edition, Appendix J
- No-permit penalty
- up to $750 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Cheyenne treats retaining walls as their own permitted structure, separate from grading permits, with fees set by city code and enforced through the building safety department.
Permits required. Except as exempted in Section J103.2, no grading shall be performed without first having obtained a permit from the city engineer's office. A grading permit does not include the construction of retaining walls or other structures.
The following sections are hereby created to read as follows:
Section J103.1.1 Grading Fees. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Section J103.1.2 Plan Review Fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. Said plan review fee shall be as set forth in Table J103.1. Separate plan review fees shall apply to retaining walls or major drainage structures as required elsewhere in this code. For excavation and fill on the same site, the fee shall be based on the volume of excavation or fill, whichever is greater.
Section J103.1.3 Grading Permit Fees. A fee for each grading permit shall be paid as set forth in Table J103.1. Separate permits and fees shall apply to retaining walls or major drainage structures as required elsewhere in this code. There shall be no separate charge for standard terrace drains and similar facilities.
Table J103.1 — Grading Fees
Grading Plan Review Fees
50 cubic yards (38.2 m 3 ) or less No fee 51 to 100 cubic yards (40 m 3 to 76.5 m 3 ) $23.50 101 to 1,000 cubic yards (77.2 m 3 to 764.6 m 3 ) $37.00
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 73).
Full Breakdown
Cheyenne's grading rules under Appendix J of the adopted International Building Code make clear a grading permit does not cover retaining wall construction. Wall work needs its own permit and fee track: the code amendment creating Section J103.1.2 and J103.1.3 says plan review fees and permit fees for retaining walls apply separately, as required elsewhere in the code, meaning through the standard building permit process administered by the chief building official.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a retaining wall without the required permit is a misdemeanor under the city's general penalty section, punishable by a fine up to $750, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a grading permit cover my retaining wall?
Who issues retaining wall permits in Cheyenne?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cheyenne
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