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Residential Addition / Remodel Permit in Idaho Falls, Idaho

Required for additions, remodels, and structural alterations to existing one- and two-family dwellings in Idaho Falls, including patio covers, carports, attached/detached garages, and basement finishes. Reviewed against the 2018 IRC as adopted by Idaho Falls City Code Title 7. Apply through the Cityworks portal.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for additions, remodels, and alterations, including changes to plumbing and electrical systems
  • Any detached structure (including sheds) over 120 square feet that will house property, equipment, or people requires a building permit, per City of Idaho Falls FAQ guidance
  • Patio covers and carports require a building permit; must be designed for eastern Idaho snow and wind loads
  • Attached/Detached Garages, Additions, and Patio Covers: two complete sets of plans drawn to scale on paper at least 18" x 24", including plot plan (footprint, acreage, property lines/dimensions, setbacks, grading, drainage, parking/driveways/easements, right-of-way locations), floor plans, elevations, building sections, door/window schedules, and Model Energy Code worksheets
  • Basement Finish permits require a completed Residential Building Permit Application plus a complete basement floor plan with dimensions, room identification, and window/door/egress-window locations and sizes; any room used for sleeping purposes must have an egress window
  • City Licensed General Contractor required unless the homeowner is performing the work on their own home Contractor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction)City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.6
$30.18 minimum ($1-$499 valuation), scaling per the Residential Building Permit Fee Valuation Table
Foundation Only PermitCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.11.g
$100.00
Egress Window PermitCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.11.f
$30.18
Permit Issuance FeeCity of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.13.a
$30.18

Review timeline

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

How long did your Residential Addition / Remodel 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

    Footing/Foundation

    Required before concrete pour for additions, garages, and patio cover footings

  2. 2

    Framing

    Structural framing and connections to existing structure

  3. 3

    Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Rough-In

    For additions/remodels affecting MEP systems

  4. 4

    Final

    Combined Building, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing final inspection

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

Tips

  • A simple rule of thumb from the City: any detached structure (including sheds) over 120 sq ft that will house property, equipment, or people needs a building permit.
  • Patio covers and carports need engineered plans that account for eastern Idaho snow and wind loads — undersized prefabricated carports are explicitly called out by the City as a common failure.
  • Basement finish plans must show an egress window for any room used for sleeping purposes.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Zoning provisions require open, unobstructed front/rear/side yards and structures must meet eastern Idaho snow and wind load requirements. Any detached structure over 120 square feet that will house property, equipment, or people needs a building permit. Source: City of Idaho Falls FAQ.

In Idaho Falls, the published Residential Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction) is: $30.18 minimum ($1-$499 valuation), scaling per the Residential Building Permit Fee Valuation Table. Additional published fees: Foundation Only Permit — $100.00; Egress Window Permit — $30.18; Permit Issuance Fee — $30.18. 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 residential addition / remodel permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Cityworks Residential Remodel Permit Application. Depending on your project, Idaho Falls may also ask for: Patio Cover, Addition, Detached/Attached Garage Plan Submittal; Basement Finish Permit Required Documents. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Idaho Falls requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential addition / remodel permit, in order: Footing/Foundation, Framing, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Rough-In, 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.