Commercial Building Permit (New Construction) in Post Falls, Idaho

Post Falls requires a commercial building permit (new construction) for: Building permit required for new commercial construction and additions; plans reviewed under the 2018 IBC as adopted by the City of Post Falls; Commercial valuation is established per Occupancy Classification and Type of Construction (per the Fee Schedule's 'Building Safety Journal 7/2008' methodology reference), not a flat city per-sq-ft rate; the resulting valuation is run through the same general Valuation Chart used citywide to calculate the Building Permit fee; One (1) set of all plans required: architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing; multi-family plans require a separate application and plan set for each building. Architectural and structural plans must be sealed by an Idaho-licensed professional; If not designed to the prescriptive provisions of the IBC, complete structural calculations addressing both vertical and lateral forces, stamped and signed by an Idaho-licensed engineer or architect, are required; One (1) set of specifications, sealed engineering calculations, COMcheck(s) (IECC commercial energy compliance), and truss sheets as required for the project; Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Fee Acknowledgement form required (digital fill-in available during online submittal; separate paper form for paper submittals only) — acknowledges that KCFR, a separate agency, bills the applicant directly and separately from the City; A Building Code Analysis must appear on the plan cover sheet (or be readily found elsewhere in the plans): codes designed under, project location/description, separated or nonseparated uses, occupancy classification (whole building or per area), number of stories, total building height, type of construction per the IBC, square footage per floor, maximum floor area permitted and basis for any area increase, occupant load per area, exits required per occupant load, fire/occupancy separations, plumbing fixtures required, list of required special inspections, and any deferred submittals; Architectural site plan (based on City-approved site plans, if applicable); exterior elevations showing finished grade lines, stairs, ramps, handrails, and building height; Foundation plan with cross sections of footings, pads, walls, reinforcement, anchor bolts, and sill plates (size, location, embedment depth, including hold-down devices/straps); concrete reinforcement grade, size, spacing, location, and bar count; Floor plans showing dimensions, room use/occupancy classification labels, bearing walls, fire walls, area/occupancy separation walls, and window/door dimensions, locations, and types; Floor framing details, roof framing plan (prefabricated truss plans, or ridge/rafter/ceiling-joist/purlin sizing for hand-framed roofs, with lumber type/grade/species), cross sections, braced wall/shear wall plans (panel type, location, fastener size/spacing, anchorage), and header/beam/column/post locations and sizes; Equipment Screening plans required per Post Falls Municipal Code 18.24.040 (Commercial and Industrial Performance Standards): roof- or wall-mounted mechanical equipment (A/C, elevator overruns, heating/ventilating units and ducting) must be screened from a horizontal line of sight, architecturally consistent with the building; ground-mounted equipment visible from a public right-of-way must be inset into building facades and/or screened with landscaping or low walls; New commercial buildings must have a Knox lock box installed per International Fire Code Section 506.1 (per KCFR); an electric gate additionally requires a Knox override switch — all KCFR requirements, including outstanding invoices, must be satisfied at least 30 days before KCFR will sign the Certificate of Occupancy; Site Plan Review (a separate Planning/Zoning fee, $2,000.00 per site) commonly applies alongside a Commercial Building Permit for new sites or major commercial projects; Apply online (preferred) through the Community Development Portal (postfallsid.portal.opengov.com); paper submittals require complete address (including suite number if applicable), parcel information, accurate description and valuation of work, and owner/contractor/architect/engineer information. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Post Falls Community Development Department, Building Division at (208) 773-8708 before starting work.

Yes. Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR), a separate political subdivision independent of the City, bills separately for its own plan review (30% of the building permit fee or $150.00, whichever is higher) and inspections ($108.00/hour, one-hour minimum). The City also charges non-residential impact fees per square foot of floor area, plus water and sewer capitalization fees based on meter/service-line size. Source: City of Post Falls Fee Schedule, rev 10-1-2025; KCFR Fee Acknowledgement letter.

Post Falls's published plan-review target for a commercial building permit (new construction) is 20–20 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Commercial Building Permit Submittal Requirements; Construction Drawings; COMcheck(s); Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Fee Acknowledgement Form. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Post Falls requires 5 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction), in order: Foundation, Framing, Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Rough-In, Fire/Life-Safety Inspections (Kootenai County Fire and Rescue), Final. Schedule each through City of Post Falls Community Development Department, Building Division ((208) 773-8708).

Apply through City of Post Falls Community Development Department, Building Division at 1st Floor of City Hall, 408 N Spokane St, Post Falls, ID 83854. Phone: (208) 773-8708, email: permits@postfalls.gov. Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Dedicated Building Inspections line: (208) 457-3334 — leave permit number, job address, inspection type, and desired inspection date; requests left after midnight the night before cannot be scheduled for the following day.. Official information: https://www.postfalls.gov/175/Building.

Post Falls, Idaho has adopted: Idaho has a mandatory statewide building code administered by the Idaho Division of Building Safety (DBS, now organizationally under the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses / DOPL) under the Idaho Building Code Act, Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41, negotiated and adopted through the Idaho Building Code Board. Local jurisdictions that adopt and locally administer the code must enforce it at least as strictly as the state minimum; Post Falls administers its own Building Division for building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permitting within city limits. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (Community Development Department, rev 02/16/25), https://www.postfalls.gov/DocumentCenter/View/750/Current-Codes-and-Design-Criteria-PDF; 2018 IBC (International Building Code), as adopted by the State of Idaho Building Code Board and locally administered by the City of Post Falls. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IRC (International Residential Code), as adopted by the State of Idaho Building Code Board and locally administered by the City of Post Falls. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IEBC (International Existing Building Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IECC with 2012 Amendments for Residential (International Energy Conservation Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IMC (International Mechanical Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2017 ISPC (Idaho State Plumbing Code) — Idaho's own state-amended plumbing code, not the Uniform or International Plumbing Code. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IFGC (International Fuel Gas Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2023 NEC (National Electrical Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); ICC A117.1-2009 (Accessibility). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2009 IPMC (International Property Maintenance Code), with amendments. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); The City of Post Falls Building Division directly issues and inspects electrical and plumbing permits within city limits (the Division's own permit-fee schedule lists dedicated Electrical Permits and Plumbing Permits fee tables administered by the City); this reflects local administration rather than direct-state DOPL/Division of Building Safety issuance for in-city work. Source: City of Post Falls Fee Schedule (Community Development Department, rev 10-1-2025), https://www.postfalls.gov/DocumentCenter/View/815/Fee-Schedule-PDF. Local amendments apply — see the Post Falls overview page for the full list.