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Fence Permit in Idaho Falls, Idaho

A low-cost building permit is required for construction of any new fence in Idaho Falls, primarily to confirm compliance with height and sight-obscuring restrictions near front yards, driveways, intersections, and alleys under Idaho Falls City Code Title 11 (Comprehensive Zoning). Apply through the Cityworks portal or at the Building Division front counter.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A $5.00 fence permit is required for construction of a new fence, per City of Idaho Falls FAQ and Fee Schedule item 2.13.j
  • No fence, wall, hedge, or other sight-obscuring structure over 3 feet in height is allowed within 15 feet of a front-yard lot line contiguous to a street, per Idaho Falls City Code § 11-4-8(C)
  • A chain-link fence without slats is not considered sight-obscuring under § 11-4-8(C)(2)
  • Fences may not violate the clear-view triangle requirements of the Zoning Code at street/driveway/alley intersections
  • Swimming pools not completely enclosed within a solid-walled building must be surrounded by a fence at least 5 feet in height with no openings wider than 36 square inches, with self-closing/self-latching gates, per Idaho Falls City Code § 11-4-8(D)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Fence PermitCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.13.j
$5.00

Review timeline

Plan reviewIdaho Falls’s published plan-review target
1–1 business days

How long did your Fence 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

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

    Tips

    • The City describes the fence permit process as taking about ten minutes at the front counter — it exists primarily to confirm compliance with height/sight-obscuring rules near streets, driveways, and alleys, not to review structural design.
    • A chain-link fence without slats is specifically exempted from the sight-obscuring restriction near front yards.
    • Pool-enclosure fences have their own minimum height (5 feet) and gate self-closing/self-latching requirements, separate from the general fence-height rule.

    Frequently asked questions

    Yes, a $5 fence permit is required for construction of a new fence. City ordinance provisions limit fence type/height near driveways, intersections, alleys, and front yards; the permit lets staff review plans and confirm compliance. Source: City of Idaho Falls FAQ; City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025).

    In Idaho Falls, the published Fence Permit is: $5.00. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Idaho Falls's published plan-review target for a fence permit is 1–1 business days.

    You'll need: Fence Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    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.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

    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 Idaho Falls building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.