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1. Can I rent out my home or guest house?

Short-term rentals, meaning properties rented for periods less than 31 days at a time, are prohibited in Teton County unless the property is in the following locations;

• The Aspens (condominiums and single-family homes)
• Crescent H “Fish Lodges” (Crescent H lot 8)
• Golf Creek (condominiums only)
• Teton Shadows (condominiums only)
• Jackson Hole Racquet Club Resort Commercial Area (Teton Pines 64 lodging units)
• Spring Creek Ranch (up to 200 units of the 301 dwelling units permitted)
• Teton Village Area I (condominiums and single-family homes)
• Teton Village Area II (condominiums and townhouses) 
• Snake River Sporting Club Resort Area II & III
• Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Resort (cabins only)
• Grand Targhee Resort

All other residential properties in Teton County may be rented on a long-term basis, meaning the rental period is at least 31 days.  Short-term rental regulations can be found in Section 6.1.5. of the LDRs. 

Accessory Residential Units on residential properties (i.e guest houses) per Section 6.1.11.B,  may only be rented per the following standards; 

1. Occupancy is limited to persons employed within Teton County, family members or guests of the family occupying the main house. 
2. Rental periods shall be a minimum of 90 days. 

If homeowners have a listing on such websites as Vacation Rental By Owner, HomeAway, Airbnb, or a local property management company, all listings must comply with the LDRs and not advertise for rental of less than 31 days unless specifically allowed by the LDRs.

To report a short-term rental violation you can contact the Code Compliance Officer at (307)733-3959. Should Planning staff find future reservations that do not comply with the LDRs, this matter will be forwarded to the County Attorney as a violation of the Teton County Land Development Regulations. Wyoming Statutes authorize the County to seek abatement of these violations, authorize a fine of not more than $750 for each offense, and provide that each day’s continuation of a violation is a separate offense. 

2. Do I need to have bear-proof trash containers?

The Land Development Regulations regarding Bear Proof Trash Containers were updated April 19, 2022. Bear resistant trash containers are now required in all of Teton County starting July 1, 2022 in accordance with LDR Section 5.1.3, Wildlife Feeding. 

For more information on bear-proof trash containers or to identify a potential violation, proceed to the Code Compliance web page. 

3. Can I have a home business?

Many residents operate businesses from their homes as a way to give small local businesses a place to start. These do require the proper permits to be approved before any commercial activity can take place. 

There are two categories of Accessory Commercial Uses: 

Home Occupations

Home Occupations are operated by the homeowner or resident and the area used is restricted to 25% or less of the living space. No one residing off-site may be employed by a home occupation business. Examples are professional services like accountants, real estate agents, artists, music studio, tailors, tutors or counselors. This use requires a Basic Use Permit and is handled administratively by the Planning Staff. Please check with your HOA first as some subdivisions do not allow home occupations or businesses.

Home Businesses

Home Businesses are the next step up where the homeowner has 1 to 3 employees and the space dedicated to the business is 25% or less of the living space and part or all of the outbuildings. Examples are contracting businesses, offices, music, art or other schools, art studios or galleries. In most residential areas, a Conditional Use Permit is required, which includes public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.

Both of these permit types require a digital application submittal through the Planning & Building SmartGov Portal, where you will be asked to include the requirements outlined in the checklists. 

Related Land Development Regulations

Land Development Regulations Section 6.1.11 Accessory Uses (PDF)

4. Where can I locate "X" business in the County?

Allowed uses on a property are dictated by the zone. Some uses have zone specific standards, which means that certain regulations, such as minimum site area, may dictate further if a use is allowed. Non-residential Commercial uses typically require use permits from the Planning Division. There are two types of use permits, a Basic Use and a Conditional Use Permit. 

Start by confirming what category the proposed use falls under by referencing LDR Sec. 6.1.2 Classification of Uses. Once you have figured that out, you can reference the Use Schedule in Sec. 6.1.1

The table will indicate if a use is allowed in a zone by right (i.e. no use permits are required) with a "Y", allowed with a Basic Use Permit with a "B", allowed with a Conditional Use Permit with a "C". If the section is blank, that means that use is prohibited within that specific zone. There is not a relief process in the LDRs which would allow a use in a zone where it is not permitted by the Use Schedule. Again, use-specific as well as zone-specific standards may involve additional requirements or restrictions. Those are typically listed at the end of the zone article in the LDRs, or in the use standards in Article 6. 

• Basic Use Permit application checklist
• Conditional Use Permit application checklist
• Planning & Building SmartGov Portal (used for both a BUP and CUP)

5. Can I live in an RV on my property?

The Teton County Land Development Regulations prohibit using a camping trailer or RV as residential living quarter, with the exception of a temporary use of a trailer in conjunction with an active building permit for a residential structure. 

When using camper trailers you must be parked in an authorized campground. This does not prohibit the parking of your camping trailer on your property when not in use, as long as Section 6.4.1. Outside Storage standards are met. 

6. When is a zoning compliance verification needed?

A zoning compliance verification (ZCV) is a Planning permit to ensure compliance with County regulations. It can be required by staff for review of natural resources/setbacks on a property where an environmental analysis is not required, or for review of visual resources within the Scenic Resource Overlay. It can also be used voluntarily to have a planner to research a property and answer specific questions, or to confirm the status of a non-conformity on a property. 

A ZCV is also a required step prior to submitting an application for a Boundary Adjustment. This allows planners to look into the proposed changes and ensure the new lot configurations are in compliance with the LDRs. 

There are different checklists for each of these purposes available to reference when preparing a ZCV application. 

The checklists and the Planning Permit Application can be found on the Teton County SmartGov Portal

Once a ZCV application is submitted, a planner has two weeks to check the application for sufficiency (i.e. includes all the required submittal materials outlined on the checklist) and then will provide a review within 45 days of determining the application sufficient. 

7. How do I apply for a permit?

Create a SmartGov account on the Online Portal and follow the application steps for the specific permit. 

Reference this document for step by step instructions: How to submit a permit on SmartGov

Reference this page if you need a checklist for your specific permit type: https://co-teton-wy.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/DocumentsView