Skip to main content
PermitBase

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in Idaho Falls, Idaho

Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems in Idaho Falls. The building/electrical permit is issued by the City of Idaho Falls Building Division per standard IBC/NEC review; grid interconnection for net-metered systems is a separate agreement with the City's municipal electric utility, Idaho Falls Power, governed by Idaho Falls City Code Chapter 5, Section 8 and the Idaho Falls Power Service Policy.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building and/or electrical permit required for the PV installation itself, reviewed against the 2018 IBC and the City-adopted NEC (2023 edition) for interconnection wiring
  • Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement required with Idaho Falls Power for any customer-generator system connecting to the utility grid, governed by Idaho Falls City Code Chapter 5, Section 8
  • Application must identify system type, generator size (kW AC), inverter manufacturer/model/serial number/power rating and location, and be accompanied by a system one-line diagram and equipment specification sheets prepared to generally accepted engineering design practices
  • Installation must be performed by (or under) a licensed electrician, whose name and contractor number are recorded on the interconnection application Contractor
  • If the customer-generator leases the property, written authorization from the property owner must be attached

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 2 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Residential Electrical Permit (for PV interconnection wiring)City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025), item 2.11.a; general electrical permit fee applies, no dedicated solar-specific fee line was found on the City's Fee Schedule
$5.85 per each electrical service
Residential Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (if roof-mount racking work requires a building permit)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

Review timeline

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

How long did your Solar Photovoltaic (PV) 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

    Rough Electrical

    Conduit runs, wire sizing, and disconnect placement before energizing

  2. 2

    Final

    Panel mounting, racking attachment, roof penetration sealing, electrical connections, and inverter interconnection verified

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

Tips

  • A separate Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement with Idaho Falls Power (the City's own municipal electric utility) is required in addition to the building/electrical permit — this is distinct from most jurisdictions where the utility is a separate private company.
  • The City of Idaho Falls has not published a dedicated 'Solar-Photovoltaic System Plan Requirements' checklist (of the kind some other cities publish) or a solar-specific fee line. The governing permit path for a grid-tied residential PV system is the same standard Electrical Permit (Fee Schedule item 2.11.a, $5.85 per electrical service) used for any interconnection wiring, plus a Residential Building Permit (Fee Schedule item 2.6, valuation-based) only if roof-mount racking/structural work independently triggers one — both already verified in this file — combined with the Idaho Falls Power Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement (governed by Idaho Falls City Code Chapter 5, Section 8, and the Idaho Falls Power Service Policy) for grid interconnection.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if the system will be interconnected to the grid for net metering. A Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement must be submitted to Idaho Falls Power (the City's municipal electric utility) in addition to obtaining the building/electrical permit for the physical installation. Source: Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement Application, City of Idaho Falls Power.

No. The City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025) has no solar- or photovoltaic-specific line item anywhere in its Community Development Services/Building section (items 2.1 through 2.15 were reviewed in full). The governing fee is the standard Residential Electrical Permit fee (item 2.11.a, $5.85 per electrical service) for the PV interconnection wiring, plus the standard valuation-based Building Permit fee (item 2.6) only if separate structural/roof-mount work requires its own building permit. Source: City of Idaho Falls Fee Schedule (October 2025).

Idaho Falls's published plan-review target for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Building/Electrical Permit Application; Net Metering and Small Generation Interconnection Agreement Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Idaho Falls requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit, in order: Rough Electrical, 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.

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.

Other permits in Idaho Falls

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)Residential Addition / Remodel PermitElectrical PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRe-Roofing PermitAccessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) PermitFence PermitDemolition PermitElectric Vehicle (EV) Charger / EVSE PermitCommercial Building Permit (New Construction / Addition)Commercial Remodel / Tenant Improvement (TI) Permit

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in other cities

American Falls, IdahoAmmon, IdahoBlackfoot, IdahoBoise, IdahoBuhl, IdahoBurley, IdahoCaldwell, IdahoCascade, Idaho

Compare solar photovoltaic (pv) permit fees across Idaho →

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Idaho Falls project checklist

Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Idaho Falls — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

Get started →