Boise building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Boise, Idaho.
Last verified 2026-07-16 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702
- Phone
- (208) 608-7070
- Office hours
- Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed holidays)
- Website
- Official site
- Permit portal
- Apply online at Boise's portal
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Boise — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Idaho adopts a statewide baseline building code set under the Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41) and IDAPA rules administered by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Effective January 1, 2021, the statewide baseline includes the 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2020 Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC Parts I–III and IX with Idaho amendments), 2020 Idaho Energy Conservation Code (based on the 2018 IECC with Idaho amendments), 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), and 2018 International Fire Code (IFC). The National Electrical Code is adopted separately by the Idaho Electrical Board (IDAPA 24.39.10), not bundled with the building code: Idaho enforces the 2023 NEC, effective July 1, 2024 (the state used the 2017 NEC with amendments before that and skipped the 2020 edition). Local jurisdictions must enforce the state baseline and may adopt amendments only where those amendments are at least as stringent as the state-adopted editions; local amendments may not be less restrictive. Enforcement is local — each city or county issues permits and performs inspections. Always confirm the current adopted edition and any local amendments with your specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.
- 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — with Appendices H (Signs) and J (Grading); Mass Timber provisions only of the 2021 IBC
- 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
- 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), Parts I–IV and IX — with Appendices Q (Tiny Houses) and S (Strawbale Construction)
- 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
- 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code (based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code, including Chapter 13 – Medical Gas)
- 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — effective April 26, 2024
- 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — with Appendices B, C, D, F and L; 2019 NFPA 13; 2019 NFPA 72
- 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — commercial and residential projects with 3+ units
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — commercial and residential projects with 3+ units
- 2018 IRC Parts V and VI — single- and two-family residential mechanical and fuel gas
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for all new single-family dwellings, duplexes, and townhouses in Boise. Covers structural construction, framing, envelope, and all associated systems.
Residential Addition / Alteration Permit
Required for additions, structural alterations, remodels, basement finishes, decks over 12 inches above grade, retaining walls over 4 feet, and other residential alterations in Boise.
Residential Electrical Permit
Required for electrical work in existing single-family dwellings and duplexes in Boise, including panel upgrades, new circuits, wiring for additions, and service changes. All work must comply with the 2023 NEC (effective April 26, 2024).
EV Charger / EVSE Installation Permit
Boise's Residential Electrical Permit fee schedule explicitly lists 'EV outlets' as a covered fixture type under its Single Fixture / Appliance Installation fee table (Table 2-b), giving Boise a real, named, distinct EV charger fee — unlike most jurisdictions, which bill EV chargers only implicitly under a general electrical circuit category. Governed by the 2023 NEC (effective April 26, 2024).
Residential Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs in Boise, including water heater replacements, fixture additions, re-piping, and sewer/water service line work. Governed by the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code (based on the 2015 UPC).
Residential Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fuel gas, and related mechanical installations in Boise single-family dwellings and duplexes. Covers furnaces, A/C, heat pumps, ductwork, gas fireplaces, gas piping, dryer vents, range hoods, and bath exhaust fans.
Residential Roofing Permit
Required for roof replacement, re-roofing, siding replacement, and window replacement in Boise. Permit type 428 covers all three categories.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems on residential properties in Boise. Requires both a building permit for structural mounting (flat $165 fee) and a separate electrical permit for wiring ($110 for the electrical portion on existing residences).
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit
Required for construction of a new accessory dwelling unit on a residential property in Boise, including detached cottages, attached additions, and internal conversions. Boise offers a Pre-Approved ADU program (permit type 402-B) with pre-reviewed plan sets to expedite permitting.
Water Heater Permit
Required for water heater installation or replacement in Boise, issued as a Residential Plumbing Permit (420). A water heater is a single-fixture installation per the Boise Plumbing Code Fee Schedule.
New Commercial Building and Commercial Additions Permit (502)
Required for new commercial building construction and commercial building additions in Boise. Uses the same building-permit valuation table as residential, but a distinct 65% commercial plan review fee, its own Planning pre-approval step, and its own published plan-review SLA.
Tenant Improvement Permit — Minor (518) and Major (520)
Required for alterations to existing commercial spaces in Boise. Minor Tenant Improvement (518) covers Level 1 (existing tenant space remodels) and Level 2 (new tenant space build-outs and existing tenant space remodels); Major Tenant Improvement (520, 'Level 3') covers any TI project that exceeds Minor scope, with staff holding final discretion over the classification.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- 100units
16 buildings · $23.5M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 902units
12 of 12 months reported · #8 in Idaho coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 268units
165 buildings · $75.2M valuation
5 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 955units
756 buildings · $239.2M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Idaho building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Boise uses the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code (based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code) — not the International Plumbing Code. Rules differ, especially for fixture counts and fees.
- Gas piping, boilers, hydronic heating, and solar thermal systems are Mechanical Permits (422) in Boise — not Plumbing Permits.
- Idaho state law allows homeowners to pull their own electrical and plumbing permits for their primary or secondary residence — a licensed contractor is not required for the permit, though the work must still pass inspection.
- A Preliminary Conference inspection is mandatory for homeowners pulling their own electrical permit (424) in Boise.
- Boise requires a separate electrical permit for solar PV wiring in addition to the building permit for structural mounting — two permits total for every solar installation.
- Frost depth is 24 inches minimum in Boise — all footings (decks, retaining walls, new construction) must extend below this depth.
- Decks more than 12 inches above grade require a permit. Decks 30 inches or more above grade require guardrails per IRC.
- Fences exceeding 7 feet in height require a building permit in Boise.
- Retaining walls more than 4 feet tall require a permit (a 2-foot wall with slope/surcharge also requires a permit, per the Homeowner's Guide).
- City Approved Plans must be on site during all inspections.
- Schedule inspections by calling (208) 608-7070 before 7:30 a.m. for same-day scheduling.
- 2026-07-16 re-verification: confirmed department contact info, adopted codes list (Rev. 4/2024), and all four fee schedules (Building Oct 2023, Electrical Apr 2019, Plumbing Oct 2021, Mechanical Oct 2021) unchanged and still in effect. Boise's building-fee fiscal year runs Oct 1 - Sep 30 (not July 1); the City's 'Proposed FY27' fee schedules (effective 10-1-26) are posted on the Building homepage but NOT yet adopted, so no fee drift occurred at the July 1, 2026 rollover. Also refreshed the Permit Processing Timeframes citation to the newer April-June 2026 report (see the 402 and 406 permit types for updated review-timeline figures).