Do I Need a Permit to Replace Windows in Idaho?
Find out when you need a permit to replace windows. Like-for-like vs. resized openings, energy code requirements, and inspection tips.
Usually no — but yes if you change the size of the opening.
Idaho-specific rules
Adopted code: Idaho enforces a statewide baseline under the Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Ch. 41): the 2020 Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC with Idaho amendments) and the 2020 Idaho Energy Conservation Code (based on the 2018 IECC with Idaho amendments), effective January 1, 2021. Local jurisdictions enforce this baseline and may amend it only to be more stringent.
When You Don't Need a Permit
Like-for-like window replacements — where the new window fits the exact same rough opening — typically do not require a building permit. This covers most standard window replacements where you are upgrading the glass, frame material, or energy efficiency without altering the wall structure.
When You Do Need a Permit
A permit is required when you change the size of a window opening (larger or smaller), add a new window where one didn't exist, convert a window to a door or vice versa, or install egress windows for basement bedrooms. These changes involve structural modifications (headers, jack studs) that must be inspected.
Energy Code Requirements
Replacement windows generally must meet the locally adopted energy code — most jurisdictions follow the IECC. Check the NFRC label on any window before purchasing and confirm your local edition's window U-factor requirement. This applies even when no permit is required — it's a code requirement.
Egress Windows
If you're adding a bedroom in a basement, most jurisdictions require an egress window with a minimum 5.7 sq ft net clear opening and a sill no higher than 44 inches above the floor (the IRC standard). Window wells deeper than 44 inches need a permanently attached ladder or steps. This always requires a permit.
Swapping windows in the same opening? No permit needed. Changing the opening size or adding egress windows? Get a permit.
Permit fees by city in Idaho
Verified from each city’s published fee schedule. Where a city has no separate fee listed for this project, open the city page for the current requirements and amount.
| City | Permit fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| American Falls | $23.50Verifiedvia Consolidated Building-Development Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations, Repairs, Moving, Demolition, Signs, Grading) | Consolidated Building-Development Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations, Repairs, Moving, Demolition, Signs, Grading) → |
| Ammon | $40.00 base feeVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Blackfoot | $100Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Boise | $26.37 for the first $500, plus $2.95 per each additional $100 or fraction thereofVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Buhl | $23.50Verifiedvia Building Permit (Residential New Construction, Additions, Remodels, Repairs) | Building Permit (Residential New Construction, Additions, Remodels, Repairs) → |
| Burley | Not published as a fixed valuation-tier table; calculated by City Building Department staff based on declared project valuationVerifiedvia Building Permit (New / Addition / Alteration / Repair / Roof / Move / Remove) | Building Permit (New / Addition / Alteration / Repair / Roof / Move / Remove) → |
| Caldwell | $34.00 flatVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Cascade | 40% of the building permit fee (65% of the building permit fee if an outside plan reviewer is used)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Chubbuck | $27.00 base feeVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| City of St. Maries | $24.00Verifiedvia Building Permit | Building Permit → |
| Coeur d'Alene | $69.25 (Residential Plan Check $40.00 minimum)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Donnelly | $24.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Driggs | $305Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Eagle | Cost up to $20,000: multiply by 3% plus $60; cost $20,001–$100,000: subtract $20,000, multiply by 2%, plus $660; cost over $100,001: subtract $100,000, multiply by 1%, plus $2,260Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Emmett | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit fee | Residential Building Permit → |
| Fruitland | $23.50Verifiedvia Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) | Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) → |
| Garden City | $150.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Grangeville | $15.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations, Repairs) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations, Repairs) → |
| Greenleaf | $50.00 flat, due upon submission of all building permit applicationsVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Hailey | $27.78Verifiedvia Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels — Commercial & Residential) | Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels — Commercial & Residential) → |
| Harrison | Per Table 1-A of the 1997 Uniform Building Code, applied to project valuation determined from ICBO Building Valuation Data (or the most recent available data if that publication has been discontinued)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Hayden | $50.00 for the first $1,300 plus $3.05 for each additional $100 or fraction thereofVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Heyburn | See city page for the current Residential Home Permit (New Construction — Single Family, Duplex, Zero Lot Line, Townhouse) fee | Residential Home Permit (New Construction — Single Family, Duplex, Zero Lot Line, Townhouse) → |
| Idaho City | $23.50Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions & Alterations) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions & Alterations) → |
| Idaho Falls | $30.18Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Jerome | $23.50Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Kellogg | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Ketchum | $24.75 for the first $500, plus $3.20 for each additional $100 or fraction thereofVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Additions) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Additions) → |
| Kimberly | $150.00Verifiedvia Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels, Repairs, Demolition, Re-Roof) | Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels, Repairs, Demolition, Re-Roof) → |
| Kootenai County | $24.70Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Kuna | $70Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Lewiston | $28.14Verifiedvia Residential New Home Building Permit (New Single Family Dwelling/Duplex) | Residential New Home Building Permit (New Single Family Dwelling/Duplex) → |
| Malad City | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Accessory) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Accessory) → |
| Melba | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Dwelling / Addition / Remodel) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Dwelling / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Meridian | $150 (non-refundable; applied to building permit fee)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Middleton | $250.00Verifiedvia New Residential Building Permit | New Residential Building Permit → |
| Minidoka County (Building Authority for Unincorporated County and the Cities of Acequia, Minidoka, Paul, and Rupert) | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel) → |
| Moscow | $27.50Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family Dwelling / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family Dwelling / Addition) → |
| Mountain Home | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Nampa | $22.20 flatVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Notus | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) → |
| Osburn | $140.00 per sq. ft. (valuation input)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Payette | $24Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Plummer | $23.50Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Pocatello | $23.50Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Post Falls | $96.83 per sq ft (used with the Valuation Chart to calculate the permit and plan-review fee)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Preston | Set by city inspector, based on valuationVerifiedvia Building Permit (New Construction / Additions / Accessory Buildings) | Building Permit (New Construction / Additions / Accessory Buildings) → |
| Priest River | Per Table 1-A of the 1997 Uniform Building Code (valuation-based)Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Rathdrum | Permit Fee = Gross Sq. Ft. Area x Sq. Ft. Construction Cost x 0.008099; R-3 Residential (one- and two-family) construction cost is $170.80/sq ft per the ICC August 2025 Square Foot Construction Cost Table as adopted by the CityVerifiedvia Residential Single Family Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Single Family Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Rexburg | $2,000.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (Single Family Home / Townhome) | Residential Building Permit (Single Family Home / Townhome) → |
| Rigby | $26.46Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (Single-Family Dwelling, Townhouse, New Construction & Additions) | Residential Building Permit (Single-Family Dwelling, Townhouse, New Construction & Additions) → |
| Rupert | Calculated from Project Value using the Building Department's fee schedule; no dollar-per-valuation-bracket table was found published onlineVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |
| Salmon | $24Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Sandpoint | $61.10Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Single-Family Construction) → |
| Shelley | $21.00Verifiedvia Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) | Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Remodels) → |
| Soda Springs | $25.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Spirit Lake | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Star | $100.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction) → |
| Twin Falls | $22.00Verifiedvia Residential New Home Building Permit | Residential New Home Building Permit → |
| Unincorporated Ada County | Valuation-based per Ada County 2025 Fee Schedule (Resolution 3149, effective November 2025); see Building-Fees.pdf at adacounty.id.gov/developmentservices/permitting-division/fees/Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Bannock County | $23.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Bingham County | $1–$500: $16.50 | $501–$2,000: $16.50 + $2.20/each add'l $100 | $2,001–$25,000: $49.50 + $9.90/each add'l $1,000 | $25,001–$50,000: $277.30 + $7.15/each add'l $1,000 | $50,001–$100,000: $455.95 + $4.95/each add'l $1,000 | $100,001–$500,000: $762.85 + $3.85/each add'l $1,000 | $500,001–$1,000,000: $2,243.45 + $3.30/each add'l $1,000 | $1,000,001–$5,000,000: $3,915.45 + $2.20/each add'l $1,000Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Unincorporated Bonneville County | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Canyon County | $280.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) → |
| Unincorporated Cassia County | Calculated based on square footage using the IBC 2003 Valuation Table 1Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Elmore County | $100.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Franklin County | 1% of the assessed value of the proposed buildingVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Remodel Changing Outside Dimensions) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Remodel Changing Outside Dimensions) → |
| Unincorporated Gem County | $1–$500: no fee listed at base tier; $501–$2,000: $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof; $2,001–$25,000: $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $25,001–$50,000: $391.25 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per additional $1,000; $50,001–$100,000: $643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7.00 per additional $1,000; $100,001–$500,000: $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 per additional $1,000; $500,001–$1,000,000: $3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001+: $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.65 per additional $1,000Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Unincorporated Jefferson County | $26.46Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (Single-Family Dwelling / New Construction, Additions, ADUs) | Residential Building Permit (Single-Family Dwelling / New Construction, Additions, ADUs) → |
| Unincorporated Latah County | $50.00 flatVerifiedvia Residential/General Building Permit | Residential/General Building Permit → |
| Unincorporated Madison County | $500 for dwellings/non-accessory structures; $100 for accessory structuresVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Accessory Structure) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Accessory Structure) → |
| Unincorporated Nez Perce County | $112.65 per sq ft (minimum)Verifiedvia Single Family Residence Building Permit | Single Family Residence Building Permit → |
| Unincorporated Power County | $24 for valuation $1–$500; $24 + $3 per additional $100 (or fraction) up to $2,000; $69 + $11 per additional $1,000 up to $40,000; $487 + $9 per additional $1,000 up to $100,000; $1,027 + $7 per additional $1,000 up to $500,000; $3,827 + $5 per additional $1,000 up to $1,000,000; $6,327 + $3 per additional $1,000 up to $5,000,000; $18,327 + $1 per additional $1,000 above $5,000,000Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Twin Falls County | $82.65 per sq ft (Single Family Home); Finished Basement $42.78/sq ft; Unfinished Basement $32.29/sq ft; Carport/Lean-to $32.12/sq ft; Ag Shop/Res Shop $41.71/sq ft; Deck/Covered Porch/Patio $18.66/sq ftVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition) → |
| Unincorporated Valley County | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Victor | $22.50Verifiedvia Standard Building Permit (Residential New Construction) | Standard Building Permit (Residential New Construction) → |
| Wallace | See city page for the current Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) fee | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration) → |
| Wilder | $24.00Verifiedvia Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel / Accessory Structure) | Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel / Accessory Structure) → |
| Worley | $23.50 for valuation $1-$500; $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 per additional $100 (or fraction) to $2,000; $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; scaling further per Table 1-A for higher valuationsVerifiedvia Residential Building Permit | Residential Building Permit → |