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Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in Unincorporated Bonneville County, Idaho

Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems in unincorporated Bonneville County. As of January 20, 2026, Bonneville County took over processing of electrical and plumbing permits (and inspections) within the county's jurisdiction — a function previously performed by the State of Idaho. This makes Bonneville County one of the few counties in this database that now self-administers BOTH the building/structural AND electrical portions of a solar installation, rather than routing electrical work to DOPL. No published fee schedule (for either the building or the new electrical permit function) or solar-specific fee line item could be located as of this review — a genuine, recently-created gap rather than an omission.

Reviewed 2026-07-23 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for the structural/mounting portion of a solar PV installation, issued by Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building
  • Electrical interconnection permit is now issued DIRECTLY by Bonneville County itself (as of January 20, 2026) rather than the State of Idaho DOPL — this is a recent jurisdictional change specific to this county and does not apply to neighboring Idaho counties in this database that still route electrical work to DOPL
  • Does not apply within the city limits of Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona, Ucon, Ririe, Swan Valley, or Irwin, which operate their own separate permit systems
  • Apply via the CityWorks PublicAccess online portal or contact Planning & Zoning directly at 208-524-7920

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Solar (permit fee)Bonneville County Resolution No. 25-19, 'Specific Permit Fees' table (Instrument #1797567, recorded 09/23/2025, effective 10/1/2025) — the current, live fee schedule found on the county's Resolutions page (not the separate, unpopulated 'Building Permit & Zoning Fees' page prior chases checked). Listed as a flat category fee alongside Residential Wind Turbines and Cell Tower; the resolution does not separately itemize the structural-mount vs. electrical-interconnection scopes of a solar installation, so this figure is quoted as-is rather than assumed to be all-inclusive.
$210.00
Electrical or Plumbing Inspection (may apply to the interconnection scope)Resolution 25-19, 'Specific Permit Fees' table — quoted verbatim; this line item predates the county's January 20, 2026 takeover of electrical permitting from the State of Idaho, so it's presented as a documented figure, not confirmed as the exact charge for a solar interconnection permit. Call ahead to confirm.
$105.00
Surcharges applied to permits aboveQuoted verbatim from Resolution 25-19: '*Each permit is subject to a ten percent (10%) plan review fee, and a five percent (5%) Software fee.'
10% plan review fee + 5% Software fee

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Bonneville County?

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 — now inspected directly by the County as of January 2026

  2. 2

    Final

    Racking, roof-penetration, and electrical interconnection compliance verified by the County

See the full Unincorporated Bonneville County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Bonneville County is unusual among this database's Idaho counties: as of January 20, 2026, it took over electrical AND plumbing permitting directly, so a solar installation's electrical interconnection permit no longer comes from the State of Idaho DOPL. The county's current fee schedule (Resolution 25-19) lists a $210.00 flat Solar permit fee plus a 10% plan-review and 5% software surcharge, but predates the January 2026 electrical takeover, so call ahead (208-524-7920) to confirm exactly how the fee applies to the structural vs. electrical-interconnection scopes.
  • Confirm your parcel is actually in unincorporated county jurisdiction before applying — Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona, Ucon, Ririe, Swan Valley, and Irwin all run their own separate permit systems and are NOT covered by this county-level process.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Bonneville County requires a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit for: Building permit required for the structural/mounting portion of a solar PV installation, issued by Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building; Electrical interconnection permit is now issued DIRECTLY by Bonneville County itself (as of January 20, 2026) rather than the State of Idaho DOPL — this is a recent jurisdictional change specific to this county and does not apply to neighboring Idaho counties in this database that still route electrical work to DOPL; Does not apply within the city limits of Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona, Ucon, Ririe, Swan Valley, or Irwin, which operate their own separate permit systems; Apply via the CityWorks PublicAccess online portal or contact Planning & Zoning directly at 208-524-7920. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department at 208-524-7920 before starting work.

In Unincorporated Bonneville County, the published Solar (permit fee) is: $210.00. Additional published fees: Electrical or Plumbing Inspection (may apply to the interconnection scope) — $105.00; Surcharges applied to permits above — 10% plan review fee + 5% Software fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Bonneville County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department at 208-524-7920 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (CityWorks PublicAccess portal); Electrical Permit Application (CityWorks PublicAccess portal). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Bonneville County requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar photovoltaic (pv) permit, in order: Rough Electrical, Final. Schedule each through Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department (208-524-7920).

Apply through Bonneville County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department at 357 Constitution Way, Idaho Falls, ID 83402 (mailing: 605 N Capital Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402). Phone: 208-524-7920, email: bonnevillebuilding@gmail.com. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (excluding holidays). Official information: https://www.bonnevillecountyidaho.gov/planning-and-zoning.

Unincorporated Bonneville County, Idaho has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC), including ADA/Federal Fair Housing Act accessibility equivalency rules promulgated by the State Building Code Board — adopted via Bonneville County Code § 150.01(A)(1); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), Parts I-VI and IX — § 150.01(A)(2); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — § 150.01(A)(3); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — § 150.01(A)(4); 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — § 150.01(A)(5); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), including State Fire Marshal amendments and Appendices B, C, D, E, and F — § 150.01(A)(6); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — § 150.01(A)(7); 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — § 150.01(A)(8); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — § 150.01(A)(9); 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code — § 150.01(A)(10). Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Bonneville County overview page for the full list.

Bonneville County itself, as of January 20, 2026 — the county took over processing of electrical and plumbing permits and inspections within its jurisdiction, a function the State of Idaho previously performed. This is a recent change specific to Bonneville County.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-23.

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 Unincorporated Bonneville County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Other permits in Unincorporated Bonneville County

Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition)EV Charger / EVSE Electrical Permit

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit in other cities

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

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