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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions & Tenant Improvement/Remodel) in Unincorporated Power County, Idaho

Covers new commercial building construction, commercial additions, and commercial remodels/tenant improvements in unincorporated Power County. There is no separate 'commercial' or 'tenant improvement' permit product, application, or fee schedule — Power County processes all of this work through the same Building Permit and Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application used for residential construction, with the Building Administrator as reviewer/inspector. What actually differs from residential: the work is governed by the county's adopted 2018 International Building Code (IBC, Power County Code section 8-1-13) rather than the IRC; commercial valuation for fee purposes is established at the contract bid price rather than the sq-ft cost tables; and plan review for new commercial buildings, additions, and remodels is billed at a flat 65% of the building permit fee rather than the general hourly rate. For a tenant-space remodel/build-out that does not change the occupant load, occupancy group, or occupancy use classification, IBC section 111.1.1 (locally added by Ord. 2020-03) allows a Certificate of Completion in lieu of a full Certificate of Occupancy — this is the county's functional substitute for a distinct TI sign-off process.

Reviewed 2026-08-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building Permit required for any new commercial building, commercial addition, structural alteration, or commercial remodel/tenant improvement in unincorporated Power County — filed on the same Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application used for residential work (select 'Power County' as the location)
  • No separate commercial or tenant-improvement permit type, application form, or fee schedule exists; this work is regulated under the same Building Permit as residential but governed by the county's adopted 2018 International Building Code (IBC, Power County Code section 8-1-13, amended at section 8-1-13-1) rather than the IRC
  • New commercial building valuation for permit-fee purposes is established at the contract bid price, not the sq-ft valuation tables used for typical residential work
  • Blueprints for larger commercial projects must bear the original Engineer's or Architect's stamp
  • Submit a complete set of blueprints/plans to the Building Administrator at least 10-14 days before construction begins
  • Interior tenant-space remodels/build-outs require a permit like any other interior remodel (exempt only for painting and carpeting)
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is required before a commercial building or tenant space may be used/occupied or before any change in occupancy classification; per IBC section 111.1.1 as locally amended, a Certificate of Completion may be issued instead when the scope of work does not change the occupant load, occupancy group, or occupancy use classification of a tenant space
  • Obtain Idaho State electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical permits where applicable — these are NOT issued by Power County (regulated under Idaho Code IC 54-1001 and IC 54-2601; obtained through DOPL)
  • Obtain a Power County Highway Permit (208-226-2661) for any new/modified road approach, and a septic permit from the State Health District (208-226-5094 or 208-478-6320) where applicable
  • Site plan drawn at a scale not less than 1 inch = 20 feet meeting the same site-plan/setback standards as residential (property lines, septic/well locations, natural features, driveway/road access, north arrow, easements, subdivision/Record of Survey info)
  • Engineered stormwater retention plan required for properties on 10% or greater slope
  • A permit becomes invalid unless work commences within 180 days of issuance or is suspended/abandoned for 180 days; regardless of extensions, if final inspection and occupancy approval are not completed within 3 years (36 months) of issuance, the permit expires by limitation — a real planning constraint for longer commercial builds
  • Appeals of Building Administrator/Building Official decisions go to the Planning and Zoning Commission, then to the Board of Power County Commissioners, per IBC section 112.1 as locally amended

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Fee schedule

Building permit fee (valuation-based) — commercial valuation set at contract bid pricePower County Building Code Ordinance, Appendix A (Building Valuation Data / Power County Permit Fees table). For commercial work, valuation is established at the contract bid price rather than a sq-ft lookup. These figures were verified from the primary ordinance PDF in a prior session for the Residential Building Permit entry in this same file; that PDF could not be re-opened in this session (web.archive.org was fully unreachable network-wide, and the live powercounty.us copy now 404s), so the dollar brackets were not personally re-confirmed this session — see reviewTimelineNote.
Same Appendix A fee-bracket schedule as the Residential Building Permit entry in this file: $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 $5,000,000
Plan review fee — new commercial buildings, additions, and remodelsPower County Building Code Ordinance, Appendix B (Additional Fees), as already documented in this file's Residential Building Permit entry. Not personally re-confirmed against the primary PDF this session for the same access-outage reason noted above.
65% of the building permit fee (Table 108.2A), in lieu of the general hourly rate
Investigative fee (work started without a permit)IBC section 109.4 as locally amended — directly read this session via American Legal Publishing (Power County Code section 8-1-13-1): 'an investigative fee equal to the Power County permit fee for the work accomplished illegally.'
Equal to the Power County permit fee for the work performed, in addition to the standard permit fee
Miscellaneous/after-hours inspections, reinspection, plan changesPower County Building Code Ordinance, Appendix B (Additional Fees), as already documented in this file's Residential Building Permit entry.
$47.00 per hour (minimum charge 30 min–2 hrs depending on service)

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated Power County’s published plan-review target
10–14 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions & Tenant Improvement/Remodel) permit actually take in Unincorporated Power County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    After excavation for footings is complete and any required reinforcing steel is in place

  2. 2

    Foundation

    Once forms, reinforcing steel, and materials are on-site; all components must be ready before inspection for concrete foundations

  3. 3

    Concrete Slab / Under-Floor

    After all in-slab or under-floor building service equipment, conduit, piping accessories, and other ancillary equipment items are in place, but before any concrete is placed

  4. 4

    Frame

    After the roof, all framing, fire-blocking, and bracing are in, and all pipes, electric, and ducts are approved

  5. 5

    Lath / Gypsum Board

    After all lathing and/or gypsum board joints and fasteners are in place, but before it is taped and finished

  6. 6

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy or Completion

    After finish grade and building is completed and ready for occupancy; the Building Administrator issues a Certificate of Occupancy (IBC 111.1) or, for qualifying tenant-space scope, a Certificate of Completion (IBC 111.1.1) before the space may be used

See the full Unincorporated Power County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • There is no separate 'commercial' permit application — use the same Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application as residential and agricultural projects, marked 'Power County' as the location.
  • Budget for plan review at 65% of your permit fee, not the general $47/hour rate, if you're building new, adding onto, or remodeling a commercial building — this is the standard mechanic for commercial work under the ordinance's Table 108.2A.
  • Commercial valuation for permit-fee purposes is your contract bid price, not a per-square-foot lookup table.
  • If your interior build-out or remodel doesn't change occupancy classification, occupant load, or occupancy group, ask the Building Administrator about a Certificate of Completion instead of a full Certificate of Occupancy — it's a locally-added IBC option (section 111.1.1) built for exactly this tenant-space scenario, and functions as Power County's substitute for a dedicated TI permit.
  • Larger commercial projects need an Engineer's or Architect's stamp on the blueprints — plan for that before the 10-14 day plan-review clock even starts.
  • Commercial builds can run long: your permit has a hard 3-year (36-month) outer limit from issuance to final inspection/occupancy approval before it expires by limitation, separate from the 180-day 'work must commence' clock.
  • Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC/mechanical permits are NOT issued by Power County even for commercial buildings — get those from Idaho DOPL (dbs.idaho.gov/permits or 1-800-955-3044).

Frequently asked questions

No distinct tenant-improvement permit exists. A commercial remodel or tenant build-out uses the standard Building Permit, the same as new commercial construction. If the scope of work doesn't change the occupant load, occupancy group, or occupancy classification of the tenant space, the Building Administrator may issue a Certificate of Completion instead of a full Certificate of Occupancy at project close. Source: Power County Code section 8-1-13-1, IBC section 111.1.1 as locally amended (American Legal Publishing, directly reviewed 2026-08-02).

Commercial valuation is established at the contract bid price, which is then run through the same Appendix A valuation-based fee-bracket table used for all Power County building permits. Plan review for new commercial buildings, additions, and remodels is billed at 65% of the building permit fee (Table 108.2A) instead of the general $47/hour hourly rate. Source: Power County Building Code Ordinance, Appendix A/B, as previously verified for this jurisdiction file's Residential Building Permit entry; not independently re-opened this session (see reviewTimelineNote).

Unincorporated Power County's published plan-review target for a commercial building permit (new construction, additions & tenant improvement/remodel) is 10–14 business days.

You'll need: Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application (PDF); Full Plan Set, Engineer/Architect-Stamped (Site Plan, Foundation, Floor Plan, Framing, Elevations). Depending on your project, Unincorporated Power County may also ask for: Certificate of Occupancy / Certificate of Completion. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Power County requires 6 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction, additions & tenant improvement/remodel), in order: Footing, Foundation, Concrete Slab / Under-Floor, Frame, Lath / Gypsum Board, Final / Certificate of Occupancy or Completion. Schedule each through Power County Building Administrator / Planning and Zoning Department (208-226-7625).

Apply through Power County Building Administrator / Planning and Zoning Department at 73 Fort Hall Ave., Ste. A, American Falls, ID 83211. Phone: 208-226-7625, email: ahiggins@co.power.id.us. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Official information: https://www.powercounty.gov/195/Building-Administrator-Planning-and-Zoni.

Unincorporated Power County, Idaho has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted per Ord. 2017-03 (12-18-2017), amended to the 2018 edition and further amended by Ord. 2020-03 (9-14-2020); codified as Power County Code section 8-1-13, with local amendments at section 8-1-13-1; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — same adoption/amendment history (Ord. 2017-03; amd. Ord. 2020-03); parts I, II, III, IV, and IX, plus appendix G (swimming pools/spas/hot tubs), appendix H (patio covers), and accessibility appendices; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — same Ord. 2017-03/2020-03 adoption; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — same Ord. 2017-03/2020-03 adoption; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — same Ord. 2017-03/2020-03 adoption; CORRECTED 2026-08-02: prior entries here cited 2015 IBC/IECC/IFC/IEBC and 2012 IRC, sourced only to an archived 2018-recorded ordinance PDF that could not previously be cross-checked because the live American Legal Publishing code page appeared JavaScript-rendered. That page was directly re-fetched and read in full this session (codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/powercountyid/latest/powercounty_id/0-0-0-1494, current version '2026 S-5') and its section 8-1-13 text explicitly lists all five codes at the 2018 edition, adopted by Ord. 2017-03 (12-18-2017) and amended by Ord. 2020-03 (9-14-2020) — the archived PDF's 2015/2012 editions are superseded. The archived PDF itself could not be re-opened this session (web.archive.org was fully unreachable at the network level — even the site root and robots.txt errored, not just this one file — and the ordinance is no longer hosted at its original live powercounty.us URL, which now 404s), so Appendix A/B fee-schedule figures elsewhere in this file were not independently re-confirmed this session; only the code-edition text was.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Power County overview page for the full list.

No. Unincorporated Power County processes new commercial construction, commercial additions, and commercial remodels/tenant improvements under the same Building Permit product used for residential work, on the same Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application. Commercial work is regulated under the county's adopted International Building Code (2018 edition, as amended by Power County Code section 8-1-13-1) rather than the IRC, and differs from residential mainly in how valuation and plan review fees are calculated, not in the permit product itself. Source: Power County Code sections 8-1-13 and 8-1-13-1 (American Legal Publishing), directly reviewed 2026-08-02.

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