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Commercial Tenant Improvement / Remodel Permit in Pocatello, Idaho

Required for tenant improvements, remodels, alterations, repairs, and foundation-only work on existing commercial buildings in Pocatello (any commercial building, and any apartment building with three or more dwelling units, is 'deemed commercial'). Uses the same Commercial Development Application and Commercial Plan Checklist as new commercial construction, with the ADDITION/REMODEL/REPAIR/FOUNDATION box checked, and the same valuation-based fee schedule with a 65% Commercial Plan Review Fee.

Verified 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for tenant improvements, remodels, alterations, repairs, and foundation-only work on existing commercial structures (buildings/apartment buildings with 3+ dwelling units are 'deemed commercial' per the City's fee schedule)
  • Same Commercial Development Application used for new construction; select 'Addition,' 'Remodel,' 'Repair,' or 'Foundation' as the project type instead of 'New'
  • Contractor must hold a City of Pocatello Class A-1 commercial builder's license ($150; requires $1 Million Liability Combined Single Limit Insurance and a $50,000 License and Permit Bond), which covers 'construction, demolition, alteration or repair of commercial structures'
  • Plans must show scope of work, connection to the existing structure, and compliance with the 2018 IBC/IEBC as adopted by the City of Pocatello
  • Commercial Plan Checklist applies scaled to project scope: floor plans with dimensions, electrical/plumbing/gas/mechanical plans, accessibility-standards compliance, fire access (if applicable), and — for final submittal — the seal and registration number of a registered professional architect or engineer
  • If the tenant/business will discharge into the sanitary sewer system, a Wastewater Discharge Permit is required from the Water Pollution Control Department's Industrial/Commercial Pretreatment Program before discharging; the City's own notice states this applies to 'any business planning to operate in an existing building,' not only new construction — there is no fee to submit the wastewater discharge application
  • Separate Fire and Life Safety system permits from the Pocatello Fire Prevention Bureau are required if the tenant improvement adds or modifies fire suppression, alarm, hood/suppression, standpipe, or hydrant/sprinkler-line systems (common for restaurant, food-service, and assembly-occupancy build-outs); these are not part of the Building Department's permit package and a Fire & Life Safety Certificate of Occupancy is a separate contingency
  • Apply through the eTRAKiT portal (Commercial/Residential Development category) or submit the paper Commercial Development Application

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same Table 1-A used for new commercial construction)City of Pocatello Building Permit Fees schedule (Table 1-A); Fee Schedule Exhibit G confirms this table covers 'new construction, additions, remodels, accessory structures, decks, mobile home installations, retaining walls, commercial re-roofs, and commercial roof overlays' for both commercial and residential
$23.50 minimum ($1-$500 valuation), scaling per the Building Permit Fees table (e.g., $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; see Commercial Building Permit entry for the full table)
Plan Review Fee — CommercialCity of Pocatello Building Permit Fees schedule ('Plan Review Fees' table); due prior to plan review
65% of the building permit fee
Class A-1 Commercial Builder's License (contractor, if not already licensed)City of Pocatello Contractor Licenses page and Fee Schedule Exhibit G (Construction Trade Fees)
$150
Additional plan review (change/addition/revision to an approved plan)City of Pocatello Fee Schedule Exhibit G (Construction Trade Fees); must be paid prior to review
$65 per trade review
Re-inspectionCity of Pocatello Fee Schedule Exhibit G (Construction Trade Fees); must be paid prior to re-inspection
$65 per hour
Commercial/Industrial Plumbing — installation costs up to $20,000Fee Schedule Exhibit G (Construction Trade Fees): applies to commercial buildings and 'also applies to remodeling, alterations, replacement of a single fixture, irrigation installations and so forth' — directly relevant to plumbing scope within a tenant improvement
$65 minimum fee, plus 2% of total plumbing costs up to $20,000
Commercial Hood/Suppression Systems (if TI adds commercial kitchen equipment)Separate Pocatello Fire Prevention Bureau permit, not part of the Building Department permit package
$75
Wastewater Discharge Permit ApplicationWater Pollution Control Department Industrial/Commercial Pretreatment Program notice: 'There is no fee to submit the wastewater discharge application.' Notice explicitly states this applies to 'any business planning to operate in an existing building.'
No fee

Review timeline

Plan reviewPocatello’s published plan-review target
10–10 business days

How long did your Commercial Tenant Improvement / Remodel Permit permit actually take in Pocatello?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough-In

    Electrical, plumbing, and/or mechanical rough-in as applicable to the scope of the tenant improvement, prior to cover

  2. 2

    Fire and Life Safety System Inspections (if applicable)

    Separate inspection track administered by the Pocatello Fire Prevention Bureau for any fire suppression, alarm, hood/suppression, standpipe, or sprinkler-line work added or modified by the tenant improvement

  3. 3

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    Final inspection of the completed tenant improvement; a change-of-occupancy TI may require a new Certificate of Occupancy reflecting the updated use

See the full Pocatello inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • A commercial TI uses the identical Commercial Development Application and Commercial Plan Checklist as new commercial construction — the only difference is checking ADDITION, REMODEL, REPAIR, or FOUNDATION instead of NEW, and scoping the plan checklist items to the work actually being done.
  • The Water Pollution Control Department's Pretreatment Program notice specifically calls out tenant scenarios: 'IF YOUR BUILDING WILL BE OR IS CONNECTED TO THE SEWER SYSTEM, A WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT MUST BE OBTAINED... THIS INCLUDES ANY BUSINESS PLANNING TO OPERATE IN AN EXISTING BUILDING.' A new tenant/business moving into existing commercial space should check pretreatment obligations before opening, not just before pouring concrete.
  • Restaurant, food-service, and other kitchen/hood-equipped tenant build-outs commonly trigger the separate Fire Prevention Bureau Commercial Hood/Suppression Systems permit ($75) in addition to the building TI permit — budget and schedule for it independently, since Certificate of Occupancy for a TI can be contingent on it.
  • Plumbing/electrical/mechanical trade fees for a commercial TI follow the same 'Commercial/Industrial' fee tables documented in this file's plumbing-permit, electrical-permit, and mechanical-hvac-permit entries (e.g., commercial plumbing at $65 minimum plus 2% of costs up to $20,000) — Fee Schedule Exhibit G confirms these commercial trade rates explicitly apply to 'remodeling, alterations, replacement of a single fixture' work, not just new construction.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. The City uses one Commercial Development Application and Commercial Plan Checklist for both; for a tenant improvement, remodel, or repair, select 'Addition,' 'Remodel,' 'Repair,' or 'Foundation' instead of 'New' as the project type.

In Pocatello, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same Table 1-A used for new commercial construction) is: $23.50 minimum ($1-$500 valuation), scaling per the Building Permit Fees table (e.g., $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; see Commercial Building Permit entry for the full table). Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee — Commercial — 65% of the building permit fee; Class A-1 Commercial Builder's License (contractor, if not already licensed) — $150; Additional plan review (change/addition/revision to an approved plan) — $65 per trade review; Re-inspection — $65 per hour; Commercial/Industrial Plumbing — installation costs up to $20,000 — $65 minimum fee, plus 2% of total plumbing costs up to $20,000; Commercial Hood/Suppression Systems (if TI adds commercial kitchen equipment) — $75; Wastewater Discharge Permit Application — No fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Pocatello's published plan-review target for a commercial tenant improvement / remodel permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Commercial Development Application; Construction Drawings. Depending on your project, Pocatello may also ask for: Wastewater Discharge Permit Application; Fire and Life Safety System Permit Application(s). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Pocatello requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial tenant improvement / remodel permit, in order: Rough-In, Fire and Life Safety System Inspections (if applicable), Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through City of Pocatello Building Department (Development Services Center) ((208) 234-6158).

Apply through City of Pocatello Building Department (Development Services Center) at 911 N 7th Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83201 (mailing: PO Box 4169, Pocatello, ID 83205-4169). Phone: (208) 234-6158. Office hours: Building Official: Marc Howell. Inspection scheduling hotline: (208) 234-6275 / (208) 234-6580 (erosion & sediment control inspections). Permits and Licensing Division: (208) 234-6285. Planning & Development Services (land use, ADUs, zoning): (208) 234-6184.. Official information: https://pocatello.gov/163/Building.

Pocatello, Idaho has adopted: Idaho has a mandatory statewide building code framework under the Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41), administered by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses' Building Safety Program, which sets the statewide-adopted editions of the IBC, IRC, IECC, and related codes; local jurisdictions administer and enforce permitting and inspections within their boundaries and may adopt local amendments. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page (pocatello.gov/164/General-Building-Information).; The City of Pocatello operates its own Building Department and Development Services Center — it is not a DOPL-administered jurisdiction for permit issuance. The Building Department 'ensures the safety of all buildings and structures in the city of Pocatello through the administration and enforcement of codes and ordinances regarding new construction, remodeling, and the abatement of dangerous buildings,' and 'coordinates plan checks and issues building permits for all construction including electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas installation; building demolitions; excavations; signs and sidewalks.' Source: City of Pocatello Building Department page (pocatello.gov/163/Building).; 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code (Idaho's state-amended plumbing code, administered locally) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 Idaho Fire Code — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted by City of Pocatello. Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — referenced on the City's Residential Plan Checklist for fire access/turnaround review. Source: City of Pocatello Residential Development Application & Plan Checklist (PDF), pocatello.gov/DocumentCenter/View/81.; All codes amended per the 2018 Idaho Administrative Code (IDAPA rules). Source: City of Pocatello General Building Information page.; Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) administers statewide contractor/tradesperson licensing (electrical, plumbing, mechanical contractors and journeymen) — DOPL issues the underlying trade licenses, but the City of Pocatello Building Department issues the construction permits and performs inspections within city limits. Source: City of Pocatello Contractor Licenses page (pocatello.gov/166/Contractor-Licenses), which requires electrical/mechanical/plumbing contractors to hold and present 'a copy of State of Idaho license' (DOPL) rather than issuing a separate city trade license for those disciplines.. Local amendments apply — see the Pocatello overview page for the full list.

Possibly a Wastewater Discharge Permit from Water Pollution Control if the business will discharge to the sanitary sewer system — the City's own notice states this requirement covers 'any business planning to operate in an existing building,' with no fee to submit the application. Fire and Life Safety permits from the Fire Prevention Bureau may also apply separately if the TI adds or modifies fire suppression, alarm, or hood systems.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Pocatello building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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