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Solar PV Permit in Unincorporated Power County, Idaho

Power County has a detailed Solar Farms ordinance (Title 10, Chapter 23) governing utility-scale solar development (the county is home to the 300 MW Moon Crater Solar and Storage Project) — but Section 10-23-7(A) explicitly EXEMPTS 'residential use solar facilities' from the Conditional Use Permit that chapter otherwise requires for all other solar installations. A residential/personal-use system is separately defined in the ordinance (Section 10-23-3) as a 'solar energy array with a total nameplate capacity of 200 kilowatts or less, associated with single or two-family dwellings, or personal use.' A qualifying residential system is instead processed as the county's standard valuation-based Building Permit (the same mechanism as other residential construction), with electrical interconnection separately regulated by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), since Power County has deleted electrical/mechanical/plumbing permitting from its own local code.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A 'personal-use solar power facility' (nameplate capacity 200 kW or less, associated with a single or two-family dwelling, or personal use) is EXEMPT from the Conditional Use Permit required of all other solar installations under Power County Code 10-23-7(A) — this is the key threshold distinguishing an ordinary residential rooftop/accessory system from the county's heavy solar-farm review process
  • A qualifying residential/personal-use system still requires the county's standard valuation-based Building Permit for the mounting/structural work, using the same fee-bracket table as other residential construction (Building Code Ordinance Appendix A)
  • Electrical interconnection (arrays, inverters, point of connection) requires a separate Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit, since Power County has deleted electrical, gas, and mechanical permitting sections from its local code and directs applicants to obtain Idaho State electric permits
  • Any system exceeding 200 kW nameplate capacity, or not associated with a single/two-family dwelling or personal use, is instead a 'small-scale' or 'large-scale' solar power facility under Chapter 23 and requires the full Conditional Use Permit process (siting review, decommissioning plan, surety bond, setbacks, landscaping, security fencing) — a completely different, far more involved process than a standard residential installation
  • Even exempt residential systems must still comply with the electrical-interconnection and applicable-code provisions of 10-23-10(g)-(h) where relevant (interconnection compliance, no above-ground transmission lines)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building permit fee (valuation-based) — qualifying personal-use system only (≤200 kW, single/two-family dwelling)Power County Building Code Ordinance, Appendix A. No distinct residential-solar valuation category was found published; the general Building Valuation Data table applies to the system's installed cost.
Same fee-bracket table as the general Residential Building Permit: $24 for valuation $1–$500, scaling up through $18,327 + $1 per additional $1,000 above $5,000,000
DOPL Electrical Permit — 'Other Installations' fee schedule (interconnection)Rules of the Idaho Electrical Board, IDAPA 24.39.10 — same statewide mechanism documented for unincorporated Gem County in this corpus, applicable here since Power County has deleted electrical permitting from its local code.
Wiring cost up to $10,000: $60 + 2%; $10,001-$100,000: $260 + 1% of excess; plus a $65/hr (1-hr minimum) plan review fee for grid-tied systems
Conditional Use Permit (NOT applicable to a qualifying residential/personal-use system — only for small-scale/large-scale solar power facilities)Power County Code 10-23-7 — cited here to make clear this heavier process does NOT apply to a residential rooftop/accessory-scale installation, only to commercial/utility-scale solar.
Standard county CUP fee (see general Conditional Use Permit fee schedule) plus a required surety bond for decommissioning

Review timeline

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

How long did your Solar PV Permit 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

    Building Department Final Inspection

    Mounting/structural work inspected per the approved building permit

  2. 2

    State Electrical Inspection (DOPL)

    Performed by Idaho DOPL, not the county — verifies wiring, combiners, disconnects, and point of connection

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

Tips

  • The single most important number for a homeowner is 200 kilowatts — a personal-use system at or below that nameplate capacity, serving a single or two-family dwelling, is exempt from Power County's Conditional Use Permit for solar facilities and only needs the standard Building Permit. Above 200 kW, you are in 'small-scale solar power facility' territory and need a full CUP.
  • Power County's Solar Farms ordinance (Chapter 23) is written for utility-scale projects like the 300 MW Moon Crater Solar and Storage Project — do not be alarmed by its decommissioning-bond, security-fencing, and landscaping requirements when researching a standard residential rooftop or backyard ground-mount system; none of that applies to you if you qualify as personal-use.
  • Budget for a separate Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit for the interconnection wiring, since Power County does not administer electrical permits itself.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Power County requires a solar pv permit for: A 'personal-use solar power facility' (nameplate capacity 200 kW or less, associated with a single or two-family dwelling, or personal use) is EXEMPT from the Conditional Use Permit required of all other solar installations under Power County Code 10-23-7(A) — this is the key threshold distinguishing an ordinary residential rooftop/accessory system from the county's heavy solar-farm review process; A qualifying residential/personal-use system still requires the county's standard valuation-based Building Permit for the mounting/structural work, using the same fee-bracket table as other residential construction (Building Code Ordinance Appendix A); Electrical interconnection (arrays, inverters, point of connection) requires a separate Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit, since Power County has deleted electrical, gas, and mechanical permitting sections from its local code and directs applicants to obtain Idaho State electric permits; Any system exceeding 200 kW nameplate capacity, or not associated with a single/two-family dwelling or personal use, is instead a 'small-scale' or 'large-scale' solar power facility under Chapter 23 and requires the full Conditional Use Permit process (siting review, decommissioning plan, surety bond, setbacks, landscaping, security fencing) — a completely different, far more involved process than a standard residential installation; Even exempt residential systems must still comply with the electrical-interconnection and applicable-code provisions of 10-23-10(g)-(h) where relevant (interconnection compliance, no above-ground transmission lines). If your project isn't listed, confirm with Power County Building Administrator / Planning and Zoning Department at 208-226-7625 before starting work.

In Unincorporated Power County, the published Building permit fee (valuation-based) — qualifying personal-use system only (≤200 kW, single/two-family dwelling) is: Same fee-bracket table as the general Residential Building Permit: $24 for valuation $1–$500, scaling up through $18,327 + $1 per additional $1,000 above $5,000,000. Additional published fees: DOPL Electrical Permit — 'Other Installations' fee schedule (interconnection) — Wiring cost up to $10,000: $60 + 2%; $10,001-$100,000: $260 + 1% of excess; plus a $65/hr (1-hr minimum) plan review fee for grid-tied systems; Conditional Use Permit (NOT applicable to a qualifying residential/personal-use system — only for small-scale/large-scale solar power facilities) — Standard county CUP fee (see general Conditional Use Permit fee schedule) plus a required surety bond for decommissioning. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Power County's published plan-review target for a solar pv permit is 10–14 business days.

You'll need: Consolidated Building-Development Permit Application; DOPL Electrical Permit (online). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Power County requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar pv permit, in order: Building Department Final Inspection, State Electrical Inspection (DOPL). 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.

No, if it qualifies as a 'personal-use solar power facility' — defined by Power County Code Section 10-23-3 as a solar array with a total nameplate capacity of 200 kilowatts or less, associated with a single or two-family dwelling, or personal use. Section 10-23-7(A) explicitly exempts these from the Conditional Use Permit required of all other solar installations. You still need the county's standard Building Permit plus a separate Idaho DOPL Electrical Permit for interconnection. Source: Power County Code, Title 10, Chapter 23.

Personal-use is 200 kW or less at a single/two-family dwelling (exempt from the Conditional Use Permit); small-scale is 200 kW to 10 MW (requires a full CUP); large-scale is 10 MW+ or 100+ acres (also requires a full CUP with additional siting review). Source: Power County Code Section 10-23-3.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-20.

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 Unincorporated Power County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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