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Commercial Remodel / Tenant Improvement (TI) Permit in Idaho Falls, Idaho

Required for remodels, tenant improvements, and alterations to existing commercial buildings in Idaho Falls, including changes of occupancy. The City combines remodel and tenant-improvement work under a single checklist and submission-requirements sheet, reviewed against the 2018 IBC/IEBC and related codes adopted by Idaho Falls City Code Title 7. Applications are submitted through the Cityworks online permitting portal.

Reviewed 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for commercial remodels, tenant improvements, and alterations, including any change of occupancy, per IBC Section 105.1 as adopted by the City
  • A valid State of Idaho Building Contractors Registration Number and a valid City of Idaho Falls Class A or Class B Building Contractors license required prior to permit issuance — same requirement as new commercial construction, per the City's New Commercial Remodel Permit Submission Requirements Contractor
  • Site plan showing the footprint of the structure, property lines, and setbacks
  • A complete architectural stamped set of plans showing the demolition of the existing building along with a code analysis of the existing building (plan view and elevations)
  • Stamped architectural floor plans including code analysis of the proposed remodel, plan views, accessible features, electrical/plumbing/mechanical dimensions, square footage of each room/area, elevations, wall sections, fire-rated building components, fire alarm system, fire sprinkler system, and the level of repair/alteration/remodel/change of occupancy
  • An existing means-of-egress plan for the new repair/alteration/remodel
  • Special inspections and deferred submittals called out on the plans
  • Stamped engineered structural drawings and calculations, and stamped engineered mechanical/plumbing/electrical drawings, as applicable to the scope
  • 2018 mechanical, electrical, and envelope REScheck or COMcheck compliance documentation
  • Design criteria per the City's submission-requirements sheet: Ground Snow Load 47 lbs/SF; Wind Speed 90 MPH (3-sec. gust, 115 mph ultimate); Seismic Design Category D; Frost Line Depth 30 inches
  • Governing codes listed on the City's submission-requirements sheet: 2018 IEBC (listed as "108 IEBC", apparent typo), 2018 IBC, 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code, 2018 IFGC, 2018 IMC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IFC — as with the new-construction submission sheet, the listed "2017 NEC" does not reflect the City's more recent 2023 NEC adoption via Ordinance 3627 (effective 9-11-2025); confirm current NEC edition with the Building Division before design
  • Apply through the Cityworks portal

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Commercial Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new commercial construction)City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.7 — no separate tenant-improvement-specific valuation table exists; TI/remodel permits are billed on the same commercial valuation table as new construction
$30.18 minimum (valuation up to $800), scaling per the Commercial Building Permit Fees Valuation Table
Commercial Plan Check FeeCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.8.b — same rate applies to remodel/TI as to new commercial construction
65% of the permit valuation
Permit Issuance FeeCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.13.a
$30.18
Fire Department Structural Plan Review FeeCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 3.1.g — applies where the Fire Department conducts structural plan review; the checklist for this permit type explicitly calls out fire alarm and fire sprinkler system documentation, suggesting Fire Department review is commonly triggered for TI/remodel work, but the Fee Schedule does not itemize exact trigger criteria
16% of Building Permit Valuation
Additional Plan Review Fee (for revisions after initial submittal)City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.13.e — relevant to TI projects, which the City's own checklist flags as often requiring code-analysis/egress revisions
$35 per hour or hourly cost to City, whichever is greatest (minimum one-half hour charge)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Idaho Falls building department
~20–20 business days

How long did your Commercial Remodel / Tenant Improvement (TI) Permit permit actually take in Idaho Falls?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Demolition (if applicable)

    Verification of approved demolition scope before new work begins, per the stamped demolition/code-analysis plan set

  2. 2

    Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Rough-In

    Combined MEP rough-in inspection for altered/new systems within the tenant space

  3. 3

    Fire Alarm / Fire Sprinkler (if applicable)

    Required where the TI scope includes fire alarm or fire sprinkler system work, reviewed and inspected per Fire Department Fee Schedule items 3.1.h-3.1.k

  4. 4

    Framing / Structural

    Any new structural modifications called out on the stamped architectural/structural drawings

  5. 5

    Drywall

    Drywall/fire-taping verification, including fire-rated assemblies and area/occupancy separations

  6. 6

    Final

    Combined Building, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing final inspection, including verification of accessible features and means of egress

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

Tips

  • This inspection sequence is a generalized sequence for remodel/TI scope under the adopted 2018 IBC/IEBC — Idaho Falls has not published a distinct, itemized TI inspection checklist; the actual required inspections for a given project are generated in Cityworks once the permit is issued and depend on the specific scope of work.
  • Unlike a purely cosmetic remodel, the City's TI checklist requires a code analysis of the EXISTING building condition (not just the new tenant scope) plus an existing means-of-egress plan — budget design time for this even on a modest space.
  • Any change of occupancy classification must be explicitly identified on the submitted plans, per the City's Commercial Remodel and Tenant Improvement Permit Checklist.
  • The same City Class A/B contractor licensing requirement and the same 65% Commercial Plan Check Fee (item 2.8.b) apply to TI/remodel work as to new commercial construction — there is no reduced-scope fee tier for tenant improvements in the Fee Schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. The City's Commercial Remodel and Tenant Improvement Permit Checklist requires a complete architectural stamped set showing the demolition of the existing building with a code analysis of the existing building, plus an existing means-of-egress plan, in addition to the plans for the proposed remodel.

No. The same valuation-based Commercial Building Permit Fee Valuation Table (item 2.7) and the same 65% Commercial Plan Check Fee (item 2.8.b) apply to both new commercial construction and commercial remodel/tenant improvement work — the City's Fee Schedule contains no separate TI-specific fee line. Source: City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025).

Plan review for a commercial remodel / tenant improvement (ti) permit in Idaho Falls typically runs 20–20 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Idaho Falls Building Division (Department of Community Development Services) at 208-612-8270.

You'll need: Commercial Remodel and Tenant Improvement Permit Checklist (Cityworks); New Commercial Remodel Permit Submission Requirements Sheet. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Idaho Falls requires 6 inspection(s) for a commercial remodel / tenant improvement (ti) permit, in order: Demolition (if applicable), Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Rough-In, Fire Alarm / Fire Sprinkler (if applicable), Framing / Structural, Drywall, Final. Schedule each through City of Idaho Falls Building Division (Department of Community Development Services) (208-612-8270).

Apply through City of Idaho Falls Building Division (Department of Community Development Services) at 380 Constitution Way, P.O. Box 50220, Idaho Falls, ID 83405. Phone: 208-612-8270, email: rhall@idahofalls.gov. Office hours: Building Division, 380 Constitution Way, Idaho Falls, ID 83405 (mailing: P.O. Box 50220, Idaho Falls, ID 83405); main line 208-612-8270. Official information: https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/269/Building.

Idaho Falls, Idaho has adopted: Idaho has a mandatory statewide baseline building code under the Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41), administered locally by certified jurisdictions. The City of Idaho Falls independently administers its own Building Division (Department of Community Development Services) and adopts its own codes and amendments by ordinance under Idaho Falls City Code Title 7 (Building Regulations), rather than relying on the Idaho Division of Building Safety for direct administration. Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/DocumentCenter/View/139/Title-7---Building-Regulations-PDF; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), published by the International Code Council, adopted as the official building code of the City per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-1-1, with local amendments in § 7-1-2 (e.g., day-care/custodial-care occupancy classifications, relocatable building provisions). Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 1; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, including Appendix M, adopted per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-6-1, with local amendments in § 7-6-2 (e.g., owner-occupied lodging house exceptions, Table R301.2(1) design criteria, Section R405.1 exception). Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 6; Idaho State Plumbing Code, adopted statewide in 2017 pursuant to Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 26, and adopted as the City's official Plumbing Code per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-5-1, with local amendments in § 7-5-2 (Chapter 1 replaced with 2018 IBC Chapter 1; fixture-count table cross-referenced to the City's 2018 IBC). The Idaho State Plumbing Code is based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (per City of Idaho Falls Plumbing page, citing epubs.iapmo.org/2017/Idaho/) and is administered at the state level by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) Plumbing Bureau for licensing, but permits within Idaho Falls city limits are issued and inspected by the City's own Building Division, not DOPL. Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 5; City of Idaho Falls Plumbing page; National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-8-1 as "the same National Electric Code adopted by the State of Idaho pursuant to Idaho Code Section 54-1001" (Ord. 3627, 9-11-25); the City of Idaho Falls Electrical page identifies the currently adopted edition as the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70). Electrical permits within Idaho Falls city limits are issued and inspected by the City's own Building Division (Chief Electrical Inspector and Electrical Inspector on staff), not the Idaho DOPL Electrical Bureau. Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 8; City of Idaho Falls Electrical page and staff directory; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), per the City of Idaho Falls Mechanical page's Documents, Codes & Resources list. Mechanical/HVAC permits within Idaho Falls city limits are issued and inspected by the City's own Building Division (Chief Plumbing/Mechanical Inspector and Mechanical Inspector on staff). Source: City of Idaho Falls Mechanical page; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-11-1, with local amendments in § 7-11-2 (industrial/manufacturing equipment exemption; large-building air-leakage testing exception). Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 11; 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted per Idaho Falls City Code § 7-2-1. Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 2; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted per Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 10 (referenced in Title 7 table of contents; administered by the Idaho Falls Fire Department). Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 10; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted per Idaho Falls City Code Title 7, Chapter 12. Source: Idaho Falls Municipal Code Online, Title 7 Chapter 12; Idaho Falls City Code Title 11, Comprehensive Zoning, governs land-use, setback, fence-height, and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) standards enforced in conjunction with Building Division permitting. Source: Idaho Falls City Code Title 11. Local amendments apply — see the Idaho Falls overview page for the full list.

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