Unincorporated Madison County building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Unincorporated Madison County, Idaho.
Last verified 2026-07-13 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 134 E Main St., Ste. 206, Rexburg, ID 83440
- Phone
- 208-359-6262
- Office hours
- Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Madison County government offices; closed all federal holidays) — hours confirmed on the co-located Planning & Zoning Dept page (134 E Main St. Ste. 208); Building Department page itself does not publish separate hours
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Unincorporated Madison County — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Idaho adopts a statewide baseline building code set under the Idaho Building Code Act (Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41) and IDAPA rules administered by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Effective January 1, 2021, the statewide baseline includes the 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2020 Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC Parts I–III and IX with Idaho amendments), 2020 Idaho Energy Conservation Code (based on the 2018 IECC with Idaho amendments), 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), and 2018 International Fire Code (IFC). The National Electrical Code is adopted separately by the Idaho Electrical Board (IDAPA 24.39.10), not bundled with the building code: Idaho enforces the 2023 NEC, effective July 1, 2024 (the state used the 2017 NEC with amendments before that and skipped the 2020 edition). Local jurisdictions must enforce the state baseline and may adopt amendments only where those amendments are at least as stringent as the state-adopted editions; local amendments may not be less restrictive. Enforcement is local — each city or county issues permits and performs inspections. Always confirm the current adopted edition and any local amendments with your specific jurisdiction before submitting plans.
- 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 1-1, as reflected in IDAPA 24.39.30
- 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 2-1
- 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 3-1
- 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 4-1, with local amendments to insulation/fenestration tables (Sec. 4-2); Climate Zone 6B
- 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 5-1
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 6-1
- 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted via Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 7-1, as adopted by the Idaho State Fire Marshal (IDAPA 18.08.01)
- 2017 National Electrical Code — regulated solely by the State of Idaho per Idaho Code Title 54, Chapters 10 and 26 (county has deleted electrical provisions from its IRC per Sec. 2-2(B))
- 2017 Idaho Plumbing Code — regulated solely by the State of Idaho per Idaho Code Title 54
- 2013 NFPA 72 Fire Alarm & Signaling Code — referenced on Building Department resource list
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Accessory Structure)
Required for detached one- and two-family dwellings and associated accessory structures in unincorporated Madison County — new construction, additions, basement finishes, remodels, garages, shops, decks, barns, and carports. Madison County Building Department has issued permits since 1976. Governed by the 2018 IRC as adopted and locally amended by Madison County Code Chapter 103. Each structure on a property requires a separate permit unless otherwise approved by the Building Official. Applications may be submitted via the county's iworq online Building Permit Portal or by physical/PDF submission.
Agricultural Exempt Permit
Required for structures built on property where the primary land use is a bona fide agricultural operation and the structure is used exclusively for agricultural-related storage — barns, pole barns, hay sheds, farm equipment sheds, livestock shelters, poultry buildings, horticultural structures, and grain silos. May not be used for structures with any habitable space. Property must be at least 5 contiguous acres actively devoted to agriculture, meeting Idaho Code 63-604 eligibility for agricultural property tax appraisal. Governed by the 2018 IRC as adopted by Madison County.
Manufactured Home Installation Permit
Required for relocating and installing a manufactured/mobile home into unincorporated Madison County. Manufactured homes bearing HUD certification are regulated under Idaho Code Title 44, Chapter 22 rather than the standard Building Code enforcement provisions, but an Installation Permit must still be obtained from the county before placement. Homes not bearing a HUD certification label are not allowed except as provided under Idaho Code Title 44, Chapter 25.
Solar Permit
Madison County issues its own dedicated 'Solar Permit' for both roof-mounted and ground-mounted PV installations in unincorporated Madison County, via a distinct Solar Permit Application form separate from the general Building Permit application. Roof-mounted systems do not require Planning and Zoning review (and so cost less); ground-mounted systems do require P&Z review of setbacks and cost more. Directly confirmed by the county's own published 4-page Solar Permit Application and Submittal Checklist. Electrical inspection is performed under the county's contract with the City of Rexburg (per Idaho Code 54-1001), not by the county Building Department directly and not by DOPL.
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
Madison County has explicitly deleted the electrical provisions from its adopted 2018 IRC (Madison County Code Chapter 103, Article II, Sec. 2-2(B)) — electrical work in unincorporated Madison County is "regulated solely by the State of Idaho" per Idaho Code Title 54, Chapters 10 and 26, administered by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL, formerly Division of Building Safety), confirmed by the DOPL statewide Inspector List with Schedules (Madison County ZIP codes assigned to state electrical inspector Monte Kofoed). An EV charger/EVSE installation therefore requires a State of Idaho Electrical Permit through DOPL, not a county permit. DOPL publishes no distinct EV charger/EVSE fee line; a residential EVSE circuit added to an existing home is billed under the homeowner (or contractor) electrical permit fee structure — a base fee plus a per-branch-circuit charge for existing-residence work.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- 79units
55 buildings · $17.5M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 843units
12 of 12 months reported · #10 in Idaho coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 215units
169 buildings · $54.5M valuation
- Full year 2025
- 842units
465 buildings · $163.8M valuation
County-wide figures: BPS reports county-wide totals; jurisdiction is the unincorporated remainder — county totals include the incorporated City of Rexburg and City of Sugar City. Madison County, ID FIPS = 16065 (verified via Idaho county FIPS references; not to be confused with Madison County in other states).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Idaho building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Electrical and plumbing permits are NOT issued by Madison County. Madison County Code Chapter 103 Sec. 2-2(B) deletes electrical/plumbing provisions from the county's IRC, placing them solely under State of Idaho regulation. The county is contracted with the City of Rexburg to perform electrical inspections per Idaho Code 54-1001 — apply via the City of Rexburg's online portal at https://apply.rexburg.org/publicapp/.
- All Building Department permit applications (Residential, Agricultural Exempt, Manufactured Home, Solar, Demolition) share the same minimum 10-working-day review timeline, beginning only once the application is deemed complete.
- A Septic Permit from Eastern Idaho Public Health is required before Building Permit approval whenever a project involves a new dwelling, a bedroom/bathroom addition, or connection to an existing septic system.
- Non-refundable deposits are due at submittal and applied toward the final fee: $500 for dwellings/non-accessory structures, $100 for accessory structures (standard building permits); $150 permit fee + $45 review fee for Agricultural Exempt and Manufactured Home permits; $45 review fee + $150 (ground mount) or $125 (roof mount) for Solar permits.
- Any open space exceeding 900 sq ft requires engineered plans under IRC Table R602.10.1.3 (seismic bracing) as determined by the Building Official.
- Applications may be started through the county's online Building Permit Portal (iworq): https://madisoncounty.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/madisoncounty — separated by project type with PDF upload support.
- Madison County follows Climate Zone 6B prescriptive insulation/fenestration requirements under IRC R402.2/R402.3.
- Occupying a structure before final inspection approval can trigger a fine equal to the full building permit fee, and a Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until fines/fees are paid (2018 IRC Sections R110.1, R113.2, R113.4).
- The Madison County Building Department office is co-located with Planning & Zoning at 134 E Main St., Rexburg — Building Dept in Suite 206, Planning & Zoning in Suite 208.
- Code violation penalties follow Idaho State Statute 39-4126: misdemeanor, fine up to $300 and/or up to 90 days imprisonment, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.