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You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-08-26.

Mountain Home building permits

Verified

Mountain Home, Idaho — as published 2026-08-26.

Verified 2026-08-02 · Source

Codes adopted

Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41) makes building code standards a matter of statewide concern; local governments that issue building permits and perform code enforcement must adopt the International Building Code and Idaho Residential Code (Parts I-III and IX) and the Idaho Energy Conservation Code as amended by the Idaho Building Code Board through negotiated rulemaking. Source: Idaho Legislature, Idaho Code Title 39 Chapter 41 (39-4116), https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title39/t39ch41/.City of Mountain Home Code of Ordinances, Title 5, Chapter 1 ('Building Code'), Section 5-1-1 ('Adoption Of Building Codes'): the City adopts building codes published by the International Code Council, effective January 1, 2014, with current ICC editions becoming the City's building codes effective January 1 immediately following the edition's publication and adoption by the State of Idaho or the Idaho Building Code Board. As codified, this adopts the International Building Code (excluding the incorporated electrical, mechanical, fuel gas, plumbing, fire, and property maintenance codes, other than specifically referenced subjects) together with the incorporated International Residential Code, Parts I, II, III, IV and IX, and the International Energy Conservation Code. Agricultural buildings are exempt from the adopted building codes but remain subject to zoning placement requirements. Source: Mountain Home City Code 5-1-1, 'Adoption Of Building Codes' (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/mountainhomeid/latest/mountainhome_id/0-0-0-1143).The City of Mountain Home's own Building Services department page states the City 'formally adopted the 2018 updates to the building codes,' effective for all permits drawn from the Building Department as of December 31, 2020 — i.e., the current enforced edition set is the 2018-cycle ICC codes (2018 IBC / 2018 IRC / 2018 IECC), consistent with the codified Section 5-1-1 mechanism under which the City's adopted edition automatically rolls forward to match the edition currently adopted by the State of Idaho / Idaho Building Code Board. Source: City of Mountain Home Building Services page (https://www.mountain-home.us/177/Building-Services).Idaho's statewide energy code is the 2018 IECC with Idaho amendments, effective January 1, 2021, and it applies to commercial and residential building projects alike — there is no separate commercial edition. Mountain Home enforces the state-adopted IECC edition via the automatic-rollforward mechanism in its own Section 5-1-1. Source: Idaho Energy Code (idahoenergycode.com/current-energy-code) and UpCodes Idaho Energy Conservation Code (2020 Edition) viewer (up.codes/viewer/idaho/iecc-2018).Mountain Home's own Building Services page states the department 'enforces current ICC Building and Fire Codes, plus state-regulated provisions for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems' — meaning the City does NOT self-administer electrical, plumbing, or mechanical trade permits; those trades are regulated and permitted through the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) Building Safety Program (formerly Division of Building Safety), not through a City of Mountain Home trade-permit process. This is confirmed independently via web-indexed language stating 'The City of Mountain Home does not regulate these codes and is instead regulated by the State of Idaho's Division of Building Safety Department' for the electrical/plumbing/mechanical trades. This is the opposite pattern from Chubbuck and Twin Falls (which self-administer all trades) and differs from Rexburg (which self-administers M/E/P) — confirming Idaho cities vary and this record does not assume either pattern. Source: City of Mountain Home Building Services page (mountain-home.us/177/Building-Services); Idaho DOPL Plan Review and Permits page (https://dopl.idaho.gov/bld/bld-plan-review-and-permits/).No City of Mountain Home source was found citing specific adopted editions of the National Electrical Code (NEC), Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), International Mechanical Code (IMC), or International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as distinct city-enforced code editions — consistent with the City not self-administering those trades; Idaho's statewide DOPL-administered editions govern those trades directly rather than through a City of Mountain Home code-adoption ordinance. Left unspecified rather than invented — contact DOPL (208-334-3233) or the Building Services Department for the current statewide-adopted trade code editions.

Permit types & fees

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

Required for new single-family residential construction within Mountain Home city limits, administered by the City's Building Services Department against the City-adopted 2018-cycle ICC codes (2018 IBC/IRC/IECC per the City's own Section 5-1-1 automatic-rollforward provision) plus the local 2-foot frost depth requirement.

Reviewed 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Building permit required for new single-family residential construction within Mountain Home city limits
  • Plans reviewed against the City-adopted ICC codes (2018 IBC/IRC/IECC, per Mountain Home City Code 5-1-1 and the Building Services Department's own confirmation of the 2018-cycle adoption effective December 31, 2020)
  • Foundation footings must be at least two feet (2') below finish grade or natural ground surface, per City Code 5-1-6 (Frost Depth)
  • Contractor registration number required, per City Code 5-1-11
  • Agricultural buildings are exempt from the adopted building codes but remain subject to zoning placement requirements
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com) — 'Building Department-Applications and Permits' category

Required documents

  • RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com). Permit intake has moved fully online; the older static PDF version of this form is no longer available

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes
Building Permit Fee — Exhibit A valuation table, 2007 edition$24.00 at a $500 valuation, rising through the schedule to $994.00 at $100,000; from $100,000 to $500,000, $994.00 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; from $500,000 to $1,000,000, $3,234.00 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; above $1,000,000, $5,609.00 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Source: 'Exhibit A — Building Permit Table for 2007,' a City of Mountain Home document archived at… Show full citation

Source: 'Exhibit A — Building Permit Table for 2007,' a City of Mountain Home document archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20070422051817/http://www.mountain-home.us:80/Building/BUILDING%20PERMIT%20TABLE%20FOR%202007%20EXHIBIT%20A%20_2_.pdf — the only copy of Exhibit A found to have been published online by the City. The table is titled for the building permit generally and is keyed to valuation rather than to occupancy, and City Code 5-1-4 adopts it for all building permit and inspection fee costs, so it governs residential work as well; what 5-1-4 varies by structure type is the valuation methodology fed into it, not the table. The City's own archived resolution indexes for 2011 through 2019 name no resolution amending the table, and 5-1-4 lets Council amend it by resolution at any time, so these figures may not equal the amount currently charged — call Building Services at 208-580-2091 to confirm.

Value of Construction (fee-calculation method)The Building Valuation Data table figure from the current edition of the International Conference of Building Officials' "Building Standards" publication, or the applicant's estimated cost of construction, whichever is greaterCity Code 5-1-4.B
Fixed FeesNot published online; set by separate City Council resolution to reflect, as closely as possible, the City's actual hourly costsCity Code 5-1-4.C — the resolution itself was not found published online

Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions & Remodels / Tenant Improvement)

Required for new commercial construction, commercial additions, and commercial remodels/tenant-improvement work within Mountain Home city limits. Mountain Home has no separate commercial or tenant-improvement permit product distinct from its general Building Permit; commercial work is reviewed under the City-adopted International Building Code track rather than the International Residential Code track, and City Code 5-1-3 layers on an architect-stamped-plans requirement that does not apply to most residential work. Building permit and plan review fees for commercial and industrial structures are set by a fee table adopted as "Exhibit A" to City Code 5-1-4; that table is not published anywhere on the City's current website, but a valuation-based dollar-figure version titled "Exhibit A — Building Permit Table for 2007" survives in a single 2007 Wayback Machine snapshot of a since-removed City page, and no later Council resolution revising it was found in the City's own archived resolution indexes for 2011-2019.

Reviewed 2026-08-25 · Source

Requirements

  • Building permit required for new commercial construction, commercial additions, and commercial remodels/tenant-improvement work within Mountain Home city limits, reviewed against the City-adopted ICC codes under the International Building Code track rather than the International Residential Code track used for one- and two-family dwellings, per Mountain Home City Code 5-1-1
  • Plans and specifications prepared and stamped by a licensed architect must be submitted to the building official before construction begins on any building or structure intended for commercial, industrial, public, or semipublic use, on any building or structure more than two (2) stories in height, or on any building or structure for private use built primarily of concrete, masonry, metal, or heavy wood beam design — per City Code 5-1-3; this requirement does not apply to one- or two-family dwellings of conventional wood frame construction two stories or less
  • Building permit and plan review fees for multiple dwellings (more than 4 units), limited office, public/quasi-public, commercial, and industrial structures are set by a building permit fee table adopted as "Exhibit A" to the fee ordinance codified at City Code 5-1-4, and by City Council resolution for certain fixed fees — the value of construction for fee purposes is the figure from the Building Valuation Data table in the current edition of the International Conference of Building Officials' "Building Standards" publication, or the applicant's estimated cost of construction, whichever is greater
  • The City's building official (and any designee enforcing the building codes) must be certified by the International Code Council and hold and maintain current commercial and residential certification, per City Code 5-1-2
  • Contractor registration number required, per City Code 5-1-11 (same requirement as for residential permits)
  • Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trade work is not permitted by the City for commercial projects any more than for residential ones — those permits are issued separately by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), since Elmore County has not assumed local electrical/plumbing/mechanical inspection jurisdiction
  • Agricultural buildings are exempt from the adopted building codes but remain subject to zoning placement requirements
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com) — the same 'Building Department-Applications and Permits' category and the same Building Permit Application used for residential work; no separate commercial or tenant-improvement application product is published

Required documents

  • RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com); the same application flow used for residential permits. The City's paper version of this form (form #159) carries an 'Energy Certification Form (RES or MEC) Submitted' checkbox — RES for residential, MEC for the commercial energy code — and a separate 'Renter or Lessee' contact block distinct from the 'Property Owner' block, consistent with its use for commercial and tenant-improvement work in leased space
  • RequiredArchitect-Stamped Plans and SpecificationsRequired per City Code 5-1-3 before construction begins on any building intended for commercial, industrial, public, or semipublic use, any building over two stories, or any building built primarily of concrete, masonry, metal, or heavy wood beam design

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes
Building Permit Fee (commercial, industrial, multiple-dwelling, limited-office, and public/quasi-public structures) — Exhibit A valuation table, 2007 edition$24.00 at a $500 valuation, rising through the schedule to $994.00 at $100,000; from $100,000 to $500,000, $994.00 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; from $500,000 to $1,000,000, $3,234.00 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; above $1,000,000, $5,609.00 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Source: 'Exhibit A — Building Permit Table for 2007,' a City of Mountain Home document archived at… Show full citation

Source: 'Exhibit A — Building Permit Table for 2007,' a City of Mountain Home document archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20070422051817/http://www.mountain-home.us:80/Building/BUILDING%20PERMIT%20TABLE%20FOR%202007%20EXHIBIT%20A%20_2_.pdf — this is the only copy of Exhibit A found to have ever been published online by the City; the source page no longer exists on the City's current site, and this single 2007 snapshot is the only Wayback Machine capture of it. Comprehensive review of the City's own archived resolution/ordinance indexes for every year 2011 through 2019 (the years for which the City published such an index) turned up no resolution amending this table, so no later dollar-figure revision could be confirmed either way. City Code 5-1-4 permits Exhibit A to be amended by Council resolution at any time, so these figures may not equal the amount currently charged — call the Building Services Department at 208-580-2091 to confirm.

Value of Construction (fee-calculation method)The Building Valuation Data table figure from the current edition of the International Conference of Building Officials' "Building Standards" publication, or the applicant's estimated cost of construction, whichever is greaterCity Code 5-1-4.B
Fixed FeesNot published online; set by separate City Council resolution to reflect, as closely as possible, the City's actual hourly costsCity Code 5-1-4.C — the resolution itself was not found published online

Accessory Building Permit

Verified

Required for detached accessory structures (sheds, detached garages, etc.) within Mountain Home city limits, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Accessory building permit required for detached accessory structures per the City's own Building Services page permit list
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredAccessory Building Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Demolition Permit

Verified

Required for demolition of structures within Mountain Home city limits, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Demolition permit required prior to demolishing a structure within city limits
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredDemolition Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Fence Permit

Verified

Required for fence installation within Mountain Home city limits, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page. City Code Section 5-1-9 also separately regulates barbed wire and electric fences.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Fence permit required for fence installation per the City's own Building Services page permit list
  • Barbed wire and electric fences are separately regulated under City Code 5-1-9
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredFence Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Home Occupation Permit

Verified

Required for operating a home-based business/occupation within Mountain Home city limits, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Home occupation permit required to legally operate a business from a residence within city limits
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredHome Occupation Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Home Daycare Permit

Verified

Required for operating a home daycare within Mountain Home city limits, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Home daycare permit required to legally operate a daycare from a residence within city limits
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredHome Daycare Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Right-of-Way Work Permit

Verified

Required for work performed within a Mountain Home public right-of-way, listed as a distinct permit category on the City's Building Services page.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

  • Right-of-way work permit required for construction/excavation work within a public right-of-way
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)

Required documents

  • RequiredRight-of-Way Work Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

Verified

Required for rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installation within Mountain Home city limits. The City's Building Services page does not list a dedicated solar/PV permit category — the array/mounting/structural work is permitted under the City's standard Building Permit category via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal. Electrical work (PV wiring and utility interconnection) is NOT administered by the City: in Elmore County, all electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits and inspections are issued by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) / Division of Building Safety, not the local jurisdiction.

Verified 2026-07-19 · Source

Requirements

  • Building Permit required from the City of Mountain Home Building Services Department for the array mounting/structural scope of work
  • Apply via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal (mountainhomeid.viewpointcloud.com)
  • Electrical permit for the PV wiring/interconnection must be obtained separately from the State of Idaho DOPL/Division of Building Safety (208-334-3950 or 208-334-3233), NOT from the City — Elmore County has not assumed local electrical inspection jurisdiction
  • No dedicated Solar Permit Application or expedited solar-specific review track is published by the City of Mountain Home or by DOPL as of 2026-07-19

Required documents

  • RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted through the City's OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud online permit portal for the array/structural scope
  • RequiredState of Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit Application (Contractor or Homeowner)Obtained directly from the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses for the PV wiring/interconnection scope, independent of the City's building permit

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Permit

Verified

Required for installing a new electrical circuit, outlet, or panel/service upgrade to serve an EV charger within Mountain Home city limits. The City's Building Services page does not list a dedicated EV-charger permit category, and — as with solar PV interconnection work — electrical permitting in Mountain Home is NOT administered by the City at all: Elmore County has not assumed local electrical inspection jurisdiction, so all electrical permits and inspections, including a new EV charger circuit, are issued by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) / Division of Building Safety.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

Requirements

  • Electrical permit for the EV charger circuit/outlet/service-upgrade must be obtained from the State of Idaho DOPL/Division of Building Safety (208-334-3950 or 208-334-3233), NOT from the City of Mountain Home
  • A homeowner may self-perform electrical work on their own primary residence via a Homeowner Electrical Permit Application through DOPL; contractors use the Contractor Electrical Permit Application
  • If the charger installation is bundled with new construction/addition requiring structural work (e.g., a new garage), a separate City of Mountain Home Building Permit is also required for that structural scope, applied for via the OpenGov/ViewPoint Cloud portal
  • No dedicated EV-charger permit application, checklist, or expedited review track is published by the City of Mountain Home or by DOPL as of 2026-07-20

Required documents

  • RequiredState of Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit Application (Contractor or Homeowner)Obtained directly from the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses for the EV charger circuit/outlet/service-upgrade scope

Fee schedule

Fee typeAmountNotes

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-02.

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

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Permalink: /idaho/elmore-county/mountain-home/as-of/2026-08-26/

Snapshot date: 2026-08-26

Commit: 4e9b2b0

Reproducible from PermitBase’s version-controlled dataset, commit 4e9b2b0.