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Commercial Tenant Improvement / Change of Use or Occupancy Permit in Post Falls, Idaho

Required whenever an existing commercial space is remodeled/altered (including removing or installing non-bearing walls or doors) or undergoes a change of use or occupancy classification (e.g., retail to restaurant, office to retail, office to daycare). Governed by Chapter 9 of the 2018 IEBC as adopted. This is a genuinely distinct product from new commercial construction: the permit fee is based on a licensed contractor's bid for the proposed work, rather than the Occupancy-Classification/Type-of-Construction valuation-table methodology used for ground-up commercial buildings, and the process can start with a no-construction path (a licensed Architect/Engineer letter) rather than full plan submittal.

Verified 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required whenever a Change of Use or Change in Occupancy occurs (examples given by the City: retail space to restaurant, office to retail, office to daycare) OR for remodeling/alteration of space within an existing building, including removing and/or installing non-bearing walls, doors, etc.
  • Governed by Chapter 9 of the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) as adopted
  • Use and application of IEBC Chapter 9 (and any other applicable chapters) must be addressed by an Idaho State-licensed Architect or Engineer, unless the project meets exceptions (c) and (d) of Idaho Code Title 54, §54-309 Contractor
  • If the licensed Architect/Engineer determines the existing structure requires NO modification for the new use/occupancy, this may be satisfied by a stamped and sealed letter on their letterhead; in that case a minimum permit fee may be assessed along with issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy (the specific minimum-fee dollar amount is not published in the source document)
  • If the Architect/Engineer determines structural or nonstructural changes ARE needed, full plans must be submitted and routed through Planning Division review, Engineering Division review, and Building Division plan review before a construction permit is issued
  • The Building Division offers one courtesy site visit to help establish whether a change of use is triggered, what changes (if any) are required, and whether a licensed architect/engineer must be engaged
  • Applicant must separately contact the City of Post Falls Planning Division, Engineering Division, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR), and Panhandle Health District — the Building Division's own review does not clear zoning/land-use, onsite parking, impact/wastewater fees, street-frontage improvements, drainage, fire-district, or health-department requirements
  • If plans are required (addition or tenant improvement), they must also show the adjoining existing areas and their use, per the Commercial Building Permit Submittal Requirements
  • Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Fee Acknowledgement form applies to Commercial Building Permit submittals generally (per the Commercial Building Permit Submittal Requirements checklist); KCFR bills separately from the City
  • Apply through the Community Development Portal (preferred) or in person; contact the Building Division at (208) 773-8708 or permits@postfalls.gov with questions

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Tenant Improvement / Remodeling Building Permit FeeCity of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements. This valuation basis differs from the Occupancy-Classification/Type-of-Construction ('Building Safety Journal') methodology used for new commercial construction; the City's Fee Schedule does not separately confirm whether the resulting contractor-bid valuation is then run through the general Valuation Chart, though that chart is the only published valuation-to-fee mechanism in the Fee Schedule.
Based on a licensed contractor's bid for the proposed work
Commercial Plan ReviewCity of Post Falls Fee Schedule, rev 10-1-2025 (same commercial rate applied to new construction)
65% of the Building Permit fee
Minimum Building Permit Fee (no-modification / change-of-occupancy-only path)City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements. Issued alongside a new Certificate of Occupancy when a licensed Architect/Engineer confirms no structural or nonstructural modification is needed.
A minimum permit fee applies, per the Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; exact dollar figure not published in the source document
Mechanical Permit (if required)City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; see the Mechanical/HVAC Permit entry for the City's per-fixture commercial fee table
Based on the number of new or altered mechanical fixtures or systems
Plumbing Permit (if required)City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; see the Plumbing Permit entry for the City's Commercial contract-price-bracket fee table (3% up to $20,000; 2% $20,001-$100,000; 1% $100,001-$200,000; 0.5% over $200,001)
Based on the valuation of work for that trade
Electrical Permit (if required)City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; see the Electrical Permit entry for the City's Commercial total-contracted-amount fee formula
Based on the valuation of work for that trade
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Building Plan Review — SEPARATE AGENCY, not a City feeKCFR Fee Acknowledgement letter (Jeryl Archer, Fire Marshal). KCFR is a separate political subdivision of Idaho government, independent of the City of Post Falls.
30% of the building permit fee, or $150.00, whichever is higher
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Inspections — SEPARATE AGENCY, not a City feeKCFR Fee Acknowledgement letter. May apply to fire-alarm, sprinkler, and other inspections triggered by a tenant improvement or change of occupancy, at KCFR's determination.
$108.00 per hour (subject to change annually), one-hour minimum

Review timeline

Plan reviewPost Falls’s published plan-review target
20–20 business days

How long did your Commercial Tenant Improvement / Change of Use or Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Post Falls?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Site Visit / Determination

    Courtesy visit by the Building Division to establish whether a change of use is triggered and what changes, if any, are required (precedes formal permit intake)

  2. 2

    Rough-In (trade-specific, as applicable)

    Mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing rough-in per the scope of the tenant-improvement work, before wall closure

  3. 3

    Final

    All work complete per approved plans (or per the Architect/Engineer no-modification letter); City issues a new Certificate of Occupancy. KCFR's own final inspection for occupancy applies separately where triggered.

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

Tips

  • This permit type covers two distinct paths that both live under the same 'Change of Use/Occupancy' process: (1) a change of use/occupancy classification with no physical work, resolved via a licensed Architect/Engineer letter and a minimum permit fee; and (2) remodeling/alteration of an existing commercial space (with or without a use change), which follows the standard Commercial Building Permit plan-submittal process.
  • Get a signed contractor bid before applying — the TI/remodel permit fee is based on that bid amount, unlike new commercial construction, which uses an Occupancy-Classification/Type-of-Construction valuation table.
  • Contact Planning, Engineering, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, AND Panhandle Health District directly and early — the Building Division's plan review does not automatically clear their separate requirements (zoning/land use, parking, impact/wastewater fees, street frontage, drainage, fire-district, or health-department sign-off).
  • If plans are required, they must show the adjoining existing areas and uses, not just the tenant space being altered.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. A Change of Use/Occupancy building permit is required whenever a space's use or occupancy classification changes (the City's own examples: retail to restaurant, office to retail, office to daycare), governed by Chapter 9 of the 2018 IEBC as adopted. Source: City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements.

The tenant improvement/remodeling building permit fee is based on a licensed contractor's bid for the proposed work, rather than the Occupancy-Classification/Type-of-Construction valuation table used for new commercial construction. Plan review is billed at 65% of that permit fee, the same commercial rate as new construction. Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work (if triggered) are billed separately under those trade permits' own fee schedules. Source: City of Post Falls Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; Fee Schedule, rev 10-1-2025.

Post Falls's published plan-review target for a commercial tenant improvement / change of use or occupancy permit is 20–20 business days.

You'll need: Change of Use/Occupancy Permit Submittal Requirements; Building Permit Application. Depending on your project, Post Falls may also ask for: Architect/Engineer Letter (no-modification path); Construction Plans (modification path); Kootenai County Fire and Rescue (KCFR) Fee Acknowledgement Form. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Post Falls requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial tenant improvement / change of use or occupancy permit, in order: Site Visit / Determination, Rough-In (trade-specific, as applicable), 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.

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

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