This is PermitBase’s published record for American Falls as of 2026-07-20. It has since been superseded — see the current record. A historical record reflects what PermitBase had verified at that time; it may not capture a real-world change the jurisdiction had made but PermitBase had not yet verified, and it includes any errors we later corrected. Snapshots are never edited retroactively.
American Falls building permits
VerifiedAmerican Falls, Idaho — as published 2026-07-20.
Verified 2026-07-07 · Source
Codes adopted
Permit types & fees
Consolidated Building-Development Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations, Repairs, Moving, Demolition, Signs, Grading)
VerifiedThe City of American Falls uses a single Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application for all classes of construction work within city limits, including new construction, additions, alterations, repairs, moving a structure, demolition, sign installation, and grading. The applicant checks the applicable 'Class of Work' box on one unified form; the City does not publish separate permit-type applications or separate fee schedules for these work classes. This single product and fee table also covers commercial construction and commercial tenant-improvement (TI)/remodel work — American Falls has no distinct commercial building permit or TI permit; the application form's staff-review section includes 'Occupancy Group,' 'Type Construction,' 'Occupant Load,' and '# Parking Spaces' fields (IBC concepts used to classify Business, Mercantile, Assembly, and other non-residential occupancies), confirming the same form and valuation-based fee schedule is used for commercial projects, not a separate commercial-specific application or fee line. Plumbing, HVAC, and electrical permitting/inspection are handled directly by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), not the City.
Verified 2026-08-02 · Source
Requirements
- Property located within the incorporated areas of the City of American Falls (properties in the City's impact area outside city limits are instead routed to the Power County Building Administrator's office, with fees payable to Power County)
- Legal description or address of the property where work is proposed
- A description of the work proposed (e.g., 'construction of a new dwelling', 'commercial addition', or 'tenant improvement / remodel of existing commercial space')
- Applicant's name and address
- Builder's name and business address
- One set of plans clearly showing all work on the building and where the building sits on the property
- For new dwellings: one 8.5"x11" site plan, plus foundation, floor, and roof plans, elevations, and braced wall panel requirements per the I.B.C., with cross sections showing construction details
- For commercial new construction, additions, and tenant-improvement/remodel work: no separate commercial submittal checklist is published by the City beyond the general Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application; staff use the same application's 'Occupancy Group,' 'Type Construction,' 'Occupant Load,' and '# Parking Spaces' fields to review commercial projects under the adopted 2018 I-Codes — applicants should confirm project-specific commercial submittal expectations directly with the Building Department (208-226-2569) at plan submittal
- Estimated fair market value of the completed project (materials, labor, and cost of all work, even owner-performed labor) for permit fee calculation
Required documents
- RequiredConsolidated Building-Development Permit ApplicationCity of American Falls form; applicant completes top portion including work class (Grading/New/Addition/Alteration/Repair/Move/Demolish/Sign), legal description, owner/contractor/architect/lender info, and describes the work; a site plan must be attached
- RequiredSite Plan / Construction DrawingsFor new single-family dwellings: site plan, foundation plan, floor plan, roof plan, elevations, braced wall panel requirements per IBC, and cross sections showing construction details
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit — total valuation $1.00 to $500.00 | $23.50 | City of American Falls Building Fees schedule (cityofamericanfalls.com/building-fees/) |
| Building Permit — total valuation $501.00 to $2,000.00 | $23.50 for the first $500.00, plus $3.05 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000.00 | — |
| Building Permit — total valuation $2,001.00 to $25,000.00 | $69.25 for the first $2,000.00, plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000.00 | — |
| Building Permit — total valuation $25,001.00 to $50,000.00 | $391.75 for the first $25,000.00, plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000.00 | — |
| Building Permit — total valuation $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 | $643.75 for the first $50,000.00, plus $7.00 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000.00 | — |
| Building Permit — total valuation $100,001.00 to $500,000.00 | $993.75 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000.00 | Published verbatim on the City's own fee schedule as '$993.75 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $5.60...' — this appears to be a typo carried over in the City's own published table (the base amount… Show full citationHidePublished verbatim on the City's own fee schedule as '$993.75 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $5.60...' — this appears to be a typo carried over in the City's own published table (the base amount $993.75 is consistent with the standard first-$100,000 tier used in comparable Idaho valuation tables, and the tier is bounded 'to and including $500,000.00'); transcribed here exactly as published by the City pending any future correction by American Falls. |
| Building Permit — total valuation $500,001.00 to $1,000,000.00 | $3,233.75 for the first $500,000.00, plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000.00 | — |
| Building Permit — total valuation $1,000,000.00 and up | $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000.00, plus $3.65 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof | — |
| Inspections outside of normal business hours | $47.00 per hour | Minimum charge of 2 hours; City of American Falls Building Fees schedule |
| Reinspection fee | $47.00 per hour | Assessed under provisions of Section 305.8; City of American Falls Building Fees schedule |
| Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated | $47.00 per hour | Minimum charge one half hour |
| Additional plan review required by changes, additions, or revisions to plans | $47.00 per hour | Minimum charge one half hour |
| Use of outside consultants for plan checking and/or inspections | Actual costs | City of American Falls Building Fees schedule |
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
VerifiedThe City of American Falls does not issue electrical permits — per the City's own Building Department guidance, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical permitting/inspection are handled directly by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), not the City. A residential EV charger / EVSE installation is electrical work and follows this same state track (permits purchased online at dbs.idaho.gov). DOPL's Contractor Electrical Permit Worksheet has no EV-charger-specific line item, but it does have the applicable general category: adding a branch circuit to an Existing Residence, Modular/Manufactured/Mobile Home, or Detached Shop is billed at a flat $65 (one circuit included) plus $10 per additional branch circuit — this is the category an EV charger circuit addition would fall under.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- A valid Idaho DOPL electrical permit is required prior to installing an EV charger circuit — purchased online at dbs.idaho.gov, not from the City of American Falls
- Work must comply with the National Electrical Code as adopted by the State of Idaho
- A homeowner may obtain a DOPL Homeowner Electrical Permit for work at their own primary residence, per DOPL's published homeowner permit application
Required documents
- RequiredIdaho DOPL Electrical Permit ApplicationPurchased/submitted online at dbs.idaho.gov, not through the City of American Falls
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Existing Residence / Detached Shop — additional branch circuit (covers a standalone EV charger circuit; no EV-specific line item published) | $65 flat (includes one circuit), plus $10 per additional branch circuit, up to the maximum of the corresponding square footage of the building | Idaho DOPL Contractor Electrical Permit Worksheet (Fee Schedule), page 2 of the Contractor Electrical Permit Application… Show full citationHideIdaho DOPL Contractor Electrical Permit Worksheet (Fee Schedule), page 2 of the Contractor Electrical Permit Application (dopl.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ELE-Contractor-Electrical-Permit-Application.pdf) — this is the State's statewide electrical fee mechanism, applicable in American Falls because the City does not run its own electrical permitting program. If the installation instead requires a new/upgraded electrical service, DOPL's 'Other Installations' valuation-based formula would apply instead. |
Solar PV Permit
VerifiedAmerican Falls issues no separate solar-PV permit type; rooftop or ground-mounted photovoltaic installation is permitted through the City's general valuation-based Building Permit (structural/racking) for the City-issued portion, per the City's published Permit Fees schedule. Electrical work (including PV interconnection wiring) is not issued by the City — the Building Department page states Electrical and Plumbing/HVAC permits are obtained through the State of Idaho, consistent with the Idaho Division of Building Safety's (DOPL) role covering jurisdictions without their own certified local electrical program.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- City Building Permit required for the structural/racking portion of a solar PV installation, reviewed under the 2018 International Code as adopted by the City
- Electrical permit for PV wiring and interconnection is obtained through the State of Idaho (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses / Division of Building Safety), not the City of American Falls — the City's own Building Department page lists Electrical Permit and Plumbing/HVAC Permit as state-issued, distinct from the City-issued Building Permit
- Fee for the City Building Permit portion is calculated from the published valuation-based fee table (no distinct solar/PV line item exists in that table)
- Contact the Building Department (Jeff Nelson, 208-226-2569) to confirm current solar-specific submittal requirements, as none are separately published beyond the general Building Permit process
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit Application (City)For the structural/racking portion of the solar installation
- RequiredState of Idaho Electrical PermitObtained through the State of Idaho for PV wiring/interconnection, not issued by the City
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| City Building Permit Fee — valuation $1 to $500 | $23.50 | City of American Falls Building Permit Fee Schedule (cityofamericanfalls.com/building-fees/); no separate solar/PV line item — solar is billed under this general valuation-based table |
| City Building Permit Fee — valuation $501 to $2,000 | $23.50 for the first $500.00 plus $3.05 for each additional $100.00 | City of American Falls Building Permit Fee Schedule |
| City Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,001 to $25,000 | $69.25 for the first $2,000.00 plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000.00 | City of American Falls Building Permit Fee Schedule (typical residential rooftop PV valuation falls in this tier) |
| Outside-hours/reinspection/plan-modification fee | $47.00 per hour | City of American Falls Building Permit Fee Schedule |
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-07.
Fee schedules
Applications & forms
Online permit portal
Department & other records
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 American Falls building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.