Commercial Building Permit (New Construction / Remodel Changing Outside Dimensions) in Unincorporated Franklin County, Idaho

Unincorporated Franklin County requires a commercial building permit (new construction / remodel changing outside dimensions) for: New construction of any commercial or industrial building or structure, or a remodel changing a structure's outside dimensions, requires a building permit from the County Building Inspector, per Franklin County Code § 150.015(A) — the same occupancy-neutral requirement that covers residential construction, with no separate commercial permit type defined in the ordinance; Structures exceeding 200 square feet require a permit, per the county's Building Permit Information and Process document — the same threshold published for all building permits, not specific to commercial work; Reviewed under the International Building Code edition currently adopted by the state's Building Code Board, per Franklin County Code § 150.001(A)-(B), which adopts building codes by reference to the state's approved editions rather than naming a fixed edition in the county ordinance; the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses' published adopted-codes list names the 2018 International Building Code, with amendments, as the current statewide edition, alongside the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, 2018 International Mechanical Code, and 2018 International Fuel Gas Code; Owners of industrial or commercial buildings who certify, in advance, that the project will create and fill five or more full-time positions within the succeeding 24 months are exempt from the fees imposed by the International Building Codes, per § 150.002(B), but remain subject to all other building-code requirements and to purchasing a county building permit and paying a site inspection fee as required by Ord. 1984-3, 1995-1, 1995-2, and 1998-2 — the current dollar amount of that site inspection fee is not given in the codified text; Written approval from the Idaho Department of Health / Southeastern District Health Department required whenever culinary water, sanitary sewer, or septic system work is part of the project, per § 150.017(C); Parcel must be an eligible 'building lot' (all county land is zoned agriculture by default; parcel-split history must be researched back to June 1993, or contact the Planning and Zoning Administrator to begin the rezone process); The Building Permit Checklist requires sign-off from the Fire Department, School District, Road Department, and Post Office before a permit is issued, per the county's own Building Permit Checklist form — the same checklist used for residential permits. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Franklin County Building Department at (208) 221-6149 before starting work.

Per Franklin County Code § 150.018, the Building Permit Fee is 1% of the assessed value of the proposed building — the same rate applied to residential permits. Owners of industrial or commercial buildings that will create and fill five or more full-time positions within 24 months can instead qualify for an exemption from International Building Code fees under § 150.002(B), though a county building permit and an unpublished site inspection fee still apply.

Unincorporated Franklin County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Franklin County Building Department at (208) 221-6149 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Franklin County Building Permit Application; Copy of Deed; Building plans (Site Plan, Foundation Plan, Floor Plans, Slice Plan, Elevation Plans, Electrical Plan, Roof Plan); Signature Checklist / Building Permit Checklist. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Franklin County may also ask for: Septic Permit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Franklin County requires 5 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction / remodel changing outside dimensions), in order: Footing/Setback, Foundation, Framing/Mechanical, Sheetrock, Final. Schedule each through Franklin County Building Department ((208) 221-6149).

Apply through Franklin County Building Department at 561 West Oneida, Preston, ID 83263. Phone: (208) 221-6149, email: plans@fcidaho.us. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, per franklincountyidaho.org/departments/building_department.php. Building Inspector: Randy Henrie, who also serves as the county's Planning and Zoning Administrator, per the county's own Building Permit Information and Process document (fax: 208-852-1096)..

Franklin County Code § 150.001 adopts the International Building Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, and International Fire Code by reference to whatever editions the state's Building Code Board currently approves, automatically superseded as the state adopts new editions. The Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses' published adopted-codes list currently names the 2018 International Building Code, with amendments, as the statewide edition.

No. Franklin County's Building Permit Application is used for both residential and commercial construction; the form itself lists 'Commercial' as one of its Type of Construction checkboxes, and no dedicated commercial-only application is published.