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Solar PV Permit (State-Issued Electrical + City Building Permit) in Preston, Idaho

Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems within Preston city limits. Idaho does not allow cities to administer their own electrical permitting: the electrical-connection scope of a solar install is permitted directly by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL, formerly the Division of Building Safety / Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses), while the structural/roof-mounting scope requires a City of Preston Building Permit using the same process and fee structure as other construction on file for this jurisdiction.

Verified 2026-07-19 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Electrical work on a solar PV system must be performed by an Idaho-licensed electrical contractor whose electrician holds (or is supervised by someone holding) the Solar Photovoltaic limited electrical license category, which requires proof of NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) installer certification or equivalent, per IDAPA 24.39.10.153.09
  • Grid-tied renewable energy systems require a mandatory electrical plan review by DOPL before the installation permit can be purchased, billed at the state's standard plan-review rate
  • All PV electrical work must comply with the applicable provisions of the National Electrical Code as adopted by Idaho (IDAPA 24.39.10.250)
  • The structural/roof-mounting scope requires a City of Preston Building Permit: Land Survey or stamped plat map, Site Plan, complete Building Plans meeting current code, and (per the City's standard Building Permit Application Instructions) a Preston City Business License for any contractor other than the property owner
  • Separate permits are required for electrical work in addition to the City building permit — the City does not issue electrical permits itself

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit — 'Other Installation' fee schedule (applies to solar/renewable energy since no dedicated PV fee line is published)Idaho Electrical Board Rules, IDAPA 24.39.10, Rule 500 (Permits and Inspections), current administrative rule text (adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/24/243910.pdf). Statewide fee schedule — Idaho does not permit local jurisdictions to set their own electrical permit fees; Preston has no local electrical-permitting program.
Wiring cost up to $10,000: $60 plus 2% of total wiring cost; $10,000-$100,000: $260 plus 1% of the amount over $10,000; over $100,000: $1,160 plus 0.5% of the amount over $100,000
DOPL Electrical Plan Review (required for grid-tied renewable energy systems before permit purchase)IDAPA 24.39.10, Rule 500 plan review fee; grid-tied solar/renewable systems require a passing plan review before the installation permit itself may be purchased
$65 minimum for one hour or less, plus $65 per additional hour
City of Preston Building Permit Application Fee (structural/roof-mounting scope, using the closest published category — Additions)City of Preston Resolution #178 (effective 2026-02-01); the Building Permit itself is 'set by city inspector, based on valuation' — the City's fee schedule does not list a solar-specific line item, so the flat Building Permit Application Fee for the closest published category (Additions) is cited; confirm the applicable category with the Building Inspector for a given project.
$50.00

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Solar PV Permit (State-Issued Electrical + City Building Permit) permit actually take in Preston?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Electrical Rough-In

    Grounding and listing of all components verified before the system is covered or energized (DOPL electrical inspection)

  2. 2

    Electrical Final

    Wiring methods, labeling at the shut-off, working clearances, and system operation verified (DOPL electrical inspection)

  3. 3

    Building Final

    Panel mounting and roof penetrations verified against approved plans (City of Preston building inspection)

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

Tips

  • Idaho does not allow the City of Preston to issue its own electrical permits — the electrical scope of any solar installation is a STATE permit through DOPL, not a city permit, regardless of jurisdiction size.
  • Because grid-tied systems require a passing DOPL plan review before the installation permit itself can be purchased, budget the plan-review fee ($65/hour, one-hour minimum) and lead time separately from the installation permit fee.
  • The structural/roof-mounting scope still requires the City of Preston's standard Building Permit process (Land Survey, Site Plan, Building Plans) — contact Building Inspector Curt Fuller, (208) 540-0417, to confirm which fee category applies to a solar-only project, since the City's Resolution #178 fee schedule does not list a dedicated solar line item.
  • A contractor performing the installation must hold Idaho's Solar Photovoltaic limited electrical license category (requiring NABCEP certification or equivalent), per the Idaho Electrical Board's own rules — homeowners may self-install on their own residence subject to Idaho Code Section 54-1016 exemptions.

Frequently asked questions

Preston requires a solar pv permit (state-issued electrical + city building permit) for: Electrical work on a solar PV system must be performed by an Idaho-licensed electrical contractor whose electrician holds (or is supervised by someone holding) the Solar Photovoltaic limited electrical license category, which requires proof of NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) installer certification or equivalent, per IDAPA 24.39.10.153.09; Grid-tied renewable energy systems require a mandatory electrical plan review by DOPL before the installation permit can be purchased, billed at the state's standard plan-review rate; All PV electrical work must comply with the applicable provisions of the National Electrical Code as adopted by Idaho (IDAPA 24.39.10.250); The structural/roof-mounting scope requires a City of Preston Building Permit: Land Survey or stamped plat map, Site Plan, complete Building Plans meeting current code, and (per the City's standard Building Permit Application Instructions) a Preston City Business License for any contractor other than the property owner; Separate permits are required for electrical work in addition to the City building permit — the City does not issue electrical permits itself. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Preston Building Department at (208) 852-1817 before starting work.

In Preston, the published Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit — 'Other Installation' fee schedule (applies to solar/renewable energy since no dedicated PV fee line is published) is: Wiring cost up to $10,000: $60 plus 2% of total wiring cost; $10,000-$100,000: $260 plus 1% of the amount over $10,000; over $100,000: $1,160 plus 0.5% of the amount over $100,000. Additional published fees: DOPL Electrical Plan Review (required for grid-tied renewable energy systems before permit purchase) — $65 minimum for one hour or less, plus $65 per additional hour; City of Preston Building Permit Application Fee (structural/roof-mounting scope, using the closest published category — Additions) — $50.00. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Preston does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Preston Building Department at (208) 852-1817 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit Application (Alternative Energy / Solar PV); City of Preston Building Permit Application Instructions package. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Preston requires 3 inspection(s) for a solar pv permit (state-issued electrical + city building permit), in order: Electrical Rough-In, Electrical Final, Building Final. Schedule each through City of Preston Building Department ((208) 852-1817).

Apply through City of Preston Building Department at 70 West Oneida, Preston, ID 83263. Phone: (208) 852-1817, email: curtf@prestonid.us. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, per prestonidaho.net main contact info. Building Inspector: Curt Fuller (208-540-0417, curtf@prestonid.us). Permit Administrator: Shawn Oliverson (208-852-1817, shawno@prestonid.us), per the city's Building Department page and Employee Directory. Note: the city's Employee Directory lists Shawn Oliverson's title as 'Director of City Planning and Land Use' rather than 'Permit Administrator' — both titles appear on different city-published pages and are reported here without resolving the discrepancy. No separate 'City Engineer' position appears in the Employee Directory despite being referenced in the Building Permit Application Instructions document; Public Works Director is Scott Montgomery..

Yes, generally two permits: a State of Idaho DOPL electrical permit for the grid connection (Preston has no local electrical-permitting program — DOPL fees are set statewide under IDAPA 24.39.10), and a City of Preston Building Permit for the structural roof-mounting scope, using the City's standard Building Permit Application Instructions and Resolution #178 fee schedule.

The Idaho Electrical Board (administered by DOPL) issues a dedicated Solar Photovoltaic limited electrical license category requiring proof of NABCEP installer certification or equivalent, per IDAPA 24.39.10.153.09. Grid-tied systems also require a passing DOPL plan review before the installation permit can be purchased.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-19.

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

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