Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) in Nampa, Idaho

Nampa requires a commercial building permit (new construction & additions) for: Verify the proposed use and obtain Planning & Zoning's Initial Review of Compliance approval before submitting the building permit application; Submit the New Commercial Permit Application (or New Commercial Shell Application for a shell-only building, or Commercial Addition Application for an addition) through the CSS online portal; Plans must comply with the city's current adopted codes: 2018 IBC, 2018 IECC (commercial), 2018 IMC, 2018 IFGC, 2023 NEC, 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code, 2009 ICC/ANSI/A117.1, and City Ordinances; All plan sets must be Arch D size (24 by 36 inches) and drawn to scale; architectural sheets must be stamped by an Idaho-licensed architect; structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing sheets must be stamped by an Idaho-licensed engineer; A registered building contractor or the building owner may purchase the building permit; licensed Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing contractors must separately purchase their own trade permits — homeowner (residential) permits are not valid for commercial work; Applicant must certify an Idaho Contractor Registration Number (per Idaho Code 54-5209) or certify an exemption under Idaho Code 54-5205 on the application; Submit a Statement of Special Inspections (as a standalone document or noted on the plan set) whenever structural special inspections are required; Project value declared on the application must include the total construction cost plus all improvements within the building — finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, elevators, fire extinguishing systems — and on-site improvements such as paving, sidewalks, ramps, stairs, utilities, grading, and site prep. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Nampa Building Safety & Code Department at (208) 468-5435 before starting work.

In Nampa, the published Building Permit — valuation $1 to $500 is: $22.20 flat. Additional published fees: Building Permit — valuation $501 to $2,000 — $22.20 for first $500, plus $2.88 per each additional $100; Building Permit — valuation $2,001 to $25,000 — $65.40 for first $2,000, plus $13.23 per each additional $1,000; Building Permit — valuation $25,001 to $50,000 — $369.69 for first $25,000, plus $9.55 per each additional $1,000; Building Permit — valuation $50,001 to $100,000 — $608.44 for first $50,000, plus $6.61 per each additional $1,000; Building Permit — valuation $100,001 to $500,000 — $938.94 for first $100,000, plus $5.29 per each additional $1,000; Building Permit — valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000 — $3,054.94 for first $500,000, plus $4.49 per each additional $1,000; Building Permit — valuation $1,000,000 and up — $5,299.94 for first $1,000,000, plus $3.45 per each additional $1,000; Plan Review Fee — 65% of the building permit fee; Commercial MEP sub-contractor permit — valuation-based — 2.68% of project value up to $20,000; $536.00 plus 1.61% of the portion exceeding $20,000 (up to $50,000); $1,019.00 plus 0.80% of the portion exceeding $50,000 (up to $100,000); $1,419.00 plus 0.54% of the portion exceeding $100,000 above that; Commercial sub-trade Base Permit Fee — $36.00; Reinspection (after first reinspection for same item) — $55.00 flat fee; Inspections outside normal business hours — $72.00 per hour (one hour minimum); Plan review for revisions after the second plan review, or for revisions after permit issuance — $72.00 per hour (one hour minimum). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Per Nampa's published Plan Review Processing Time Frames (Aug 14, 2024), new commercial construction — whether a complete building, a shell building, or an addition — is budgeted 20 working days for the first plan review. This covers intake through the first review only; total time to permit issuance is longer once correction cycles are included.

You'll need: New Commercial Permit Application (Feb 2026); Commercial Building Permit Checklist (revised Nov 5, 2024); Planning & Zoning Initial Review of Compliance; Energy Code Compliance (Commercial ComCheck). Depending on your project, Nampa may also ask for: New Commercial Shell Application; Statement of Special Inspections. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Nampa requires 5 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction & additions), in order: Footing / Foundation, Structural / Special Inspections, Framing / Rough MEP, Insulation / Energy, Final. Schedule each through Nampa Building Safety & Code Department ((208) 468-5435).

Apply through Nampa Building Safety & Code Department at 500 12th Ave South, Nampa, ID 83651. Phone: (208) 468-5435, email: buildinginspections@cityofnampa.us. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.cityofnampa.us/163/Building-Safety-Code.

Nampa, Idaho has adopted: 2018 International Residential Code (IRC); 2018 International Building Code (IBC); 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC); 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Residential and Commercial; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); 2009 ICC/ANSI/A117.1 (Accessibility); 2015 NFPA A30 Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages; 2015 NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code. Local amendments apply — see the Nampa overview page for the full list.

For minor remodel work, yes — a building owner may obtain the building permit. But per the city's Commercial FAQ, the owner may not perform the Mechanical, Electrical, or Plumbing work themselves; that work requires separately licensed MEP contractors and separate trade permits. Homeowner (residential) permits are not valid for commercial work.