Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels & Tenant Improvements) in Ketchum, Idaho

Ketchum requires a commercial building permit (new construction, additions, remodels & tenant improvements) for: A building permit is required for new non-residential construction, commercial additions, and commercial interior or exterior remodels and tenant-improvement work, submitted through CommunityConnect — the same online platform and Building Permit product used for residential projects; Non-residential structures are reviewed against the 2018 International Building Code (as amended by the Idaho Building Code Board, with Appendix O), rather than the 2018 IRC used for one- and two-family dwellings, per Ketchum Municipal Code Title 15, Chapter 15.04; As of February 27, 2026, the City buckets first-review timelines by project type rather than by residential/commercial occupancy: New Construction and Additions fall in the Standard tier (25 calendar days), while Internal Remodel and External Repair & External Remodel projects fall in the Medium tier (15 calendar days) — a commercial project's timeline depends on which category the work falls into; Design Review is required, in all zoning districts, for building, developing, or substantially altering the exterior of any nonresidential, public/semipublic, or mixed-use building, per the City's Land Development Code Section 16.04.080.B; a separate Preapplication Design Review step is additionally required ahead of that for new non-residential development meeting the size and scale thresholds in Section 16.07.030.C; Projects within the City's Mountain Overlay District — a mapped hillside and steep-slope overlay, not itself a snow-load or wildfire designation — face additional siting standards and must complete Design Review before a Building Permit, excavation/grading permit, or construction may begin, per Land Development Code Section 16.02.070.D; Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC work on commercial projects is not permitted by the City; those permits are issued directly by the State of Idaho Division of Building Safety/Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL); 24-hour advance notice is required for City-scheduled inspections; construction activity is limited to 7:30 AM-7:00 PM on weekdays and Saturdays and prohibited on Sundays and holidays, per Ketchum Municipal Code 8.08.050.14; A Construction Activity Plan (CAP) is required for projects in the Community Core/downtown; a CAP Affidavit may substitute for eligible, less complex project types outside the Community Core. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Ketchum Planning & Building Department at (208) 726-7801 before starting work.

In Ketchum, the published Building Permit Fee (valuation-based) is: The same seven-tier valuation schedule used for the Residential Building Permit, from $24.75 for the first $500 of valuation up to $5,889.25 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.85 per each additional $1,000. Additional published fees: Plan Check Fee — 65% of the Building Permit Fee; Planning & Zoning Plan Check Fee — 70% of the Plan Check Fee; Fire Department Plan Check Fee — 70% of the Plan Check Fee; Development Impact Fee — Commercial (Fire, Police, Streets; Parks not charged) — $0.454 per square foot (Fire) + $0.022 per square foot (Police) + $0.968 per square foot (Streets) + $0.00 per square foot (Parks). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

It depends on the project type. Under the City's February 2026 tiering, new construction and additions are in the Standard tier at 25 calendar days for first review; interior remodels and exterior repair/remodel projects are in the Medium tier at 15 calendar days for first review. Additional review rounds, in either tier, take 7 calendar days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (CommunityConnect); Construction Drawings. Depending on your project, Ketchum may also ask for: Design Review Application; Construction Activity Plan (CAP) or CAP Affidavit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Ketchum requires 7 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction, additions, remodels & tenant improvements), in order: Footings / Foundation, Framing, Insulation, Masonry / Concrete, Roofing, Pre-Final, Final Building Inspection. Schedule each through City of Ketchum Planning & Building Department ((208) 726-7801).

Apply through City of Ketchum Planning & Building Department at 191 5th St. West (P.O. Box 2315), Ketchum, ID 83340. Phone: (208) 726-7801, email: participate@ketchumidaho.org. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.ketchumidaho.org/planning-building/page/building-services.

No. New non-residential construction and additions go through the same 'New Construction' and 'Additions' Building Permit categories used for residential projects, and commercial interior or exterior remodels use the same 'Internal Remodel' or 'External Repair & External Remodel' categories — all submitted through CommunityConnect. The only difference is which adopted code governs plan review: the 2018 IBC for non-residential structures versus the 2018 IRC for one- and two-family dwellings.

Yes, in most cases. The City's Land Development Code requires Design Review for building, developing, or substantially altering the exterior of any nonresidential, public/semipublic, or mixed-use building, in every zoning district — not only the downtown Community Core. Larger new non-residential developments must also complete a separate Preapplication Design Review step first.