You are viewing the permanent link for the record currently in effect, published 2026-07-07.
Unincorporated Valley County building permits
VerifiedUnincorporated Valley County, Idaho — as published 2026-07-07.
Verified 2026-07-13 · Source
Codes adopted
2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted effective January 1, 20212018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted effective January 1, 20212018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted effective January 1, 2021Valley County Code Title 6 — Building Codes, Regulations & PermitsValley County Ordinance # 05-02 — Outdoor Lighting OrdinanceValley County Ordinance # 6-1-9 — sanitary sewer/septic evidence requirement for habitable buildingsValley County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (FIRM-mapped flood-prone areas)Valley County Best Management Practices (BMP) Ordinance — erosion/sediment control, required before excavation in Riparian Overlay areas
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration)
Required for new single-family residences, additions, alterations, repairs, manufactured/modular homes, moved structures, tiny homes, and most other structures on land in unincorporated Valley County (outside Cascade, Donnelly, McCall, and McCall's Area of Impact). Valley County Building Department reviews plans and performs all inspections directly for this territory. Applications are submitted by mail or drop-off at the Cascade office — not currently accepted by email.
Reviewed 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- Completed Building Permit Application (numbered fields 1-17), signed by the property owner even if a contractor or authorized agent prepares it — no permit issued without owner signature (since November 7, 2022)
- All construction plans stamped by an Idaho-licensed engineer or architect, drawn to scale on 18x24" or 24x36" sheets only, 2 copies
- Structural engineering calculations with Idaho stamp, 2 copies — required on all plans since July 15, 2019
- REScheck energy compliance report (only required if plans do not reference the 2018 IECC/IRC climate zone 6 table directly)
- Fully dimensioned site plan, 2 copies, showing existing/proposed structures, well and septic locations, driveway alignment/grade/drainage, property lines, easements, and waterways
- Site plan showing outdoor lighting locations, type, and height per Ordinance #05-02
- Completed Road Department driveway permit for any new driveway off a public road (not required for private-road access)
- Evidence of septic/sanitary sewer approval (Central District Health or Northlake Recreational Sewer & Water District) for any habitable structure per Ordinance #6-1-9 — permit processing may begin before the septic permit is issued, but the building permit will not be issued until septic approval is received
- HOA/Architectural Review Committee approval, 1 copy, only if the property is in an active subdivision with a governing HOA/ARC
- FAA Form 7460-1 approval if the site is not exempt per the FAA's online prescreen tool
- Contractor registration number required before construction begins if a contractor performs the work
- Development Impact Fee collected at application if the property falls within the Cascade, Donnelly, or McCall Rural Fire Protection District
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationValley County Building Permit Application form (numbered fields 1-17); mail to PO Box 1350, Cascade, ID 83611 or drop off at 700 S. Main Street
- RequiredSite Plan Drawing (2 copies)Fully dimensioned, showing structures, well/septic, driveway, property lines, easements, waterways, and outdoor lighting per Ordinance #05-02
- RequiredConstruction Plan Drawings (2 copies, 18x24" or 24x36" only)Foundation/basement plan, cross-section, floor plan, framing detail, roof plan, elevation drawings, stamped by an Idaho-licensed design professional
- RequiredEngineering Calculations with Idaho Stamp (2 copies)Structural calculations stamped by an Idaho-licensed engineer; required on all plans since July 15, 2019
- OptionalREScheck Energy Compliance ReportOnly required if plans do not reference the 2018 IECC/IRC table for climate zone 6
- RequiredCDHD or Northlake Septic Permit (1 copy)Required for any habitable structure, new residence, bedroom addition, manufactured/modular home, or any new structure with plumbing; contact Central District Health (208-634-7194) or Northlake Recreational Sewer & Water District (208-325-8958) depending on location
- OptionalHOA / Architectural Review Committee Approval (1 copy)Only required when active in the subdivision; reviewed as a courtesy by the Building Department
- OptionalRoad Department Driveway PermitRequired for all new driveways off public roads before the building permit is issued; call 208-382-7195
- OptionalFAA Form 7460-1 ApprovalRequired if the site is not exempt per the FAA online prescreen tool (oeaaa.faa.gov); recommended to check 45+ days before submittal
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $1 to $500 | $24.00 | Valley County Building Permit Application Information and Instructions, Fees and Valuations table (Rev. 5/20/2026) |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $501 to $2,000 | $24.00 for the first $500, plus $3.00 per each additional $100 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,001 to $40,000 | $69.00 for the first $2,000, plus $11.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $40,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $40,001 to $100,000 | $487.00 for the first $40,000, plus $9.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,027.00 for the first $100,000, plus $7.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,827.00 for the first $500,000, plus $5.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $6,327.00 for the first $1,000,000, plus $3.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $5,000,000 | — |
| Building Permit Fee — valuation $5,000,001 and up | $18,327.00 for the first $5,000,000, plus $1.00 per each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof | — |
| Plan Review Fee | In-house review: 35% of the building permit fee. Outside consultant review: greater of 65% of the building permit fee or the actual cost billed by the outside consultant. | Added to all permits; worked example in the county's instructions: $166,320 valuation = $1,496.00 permit fee + 35% plan review ($523.60) = $2,019.60 total |
| Development Impact Fee — Cascade Rural Fire Protection District (new residential, per unit) | $1,876.00 per unit | Applies only if the parcel is within the Cascade Fire District; new non-residential is $0.75/sq ft. Collected by the County with the building permit fee, remitted to the district. Contact: Pam DeChambeau, pam@cascaderuralfire.com, 208-382-3200 |
| Development Impact Fee — Donnelly Rural Fire Protection District (new residential, per unit) | $1,290.00 per unit | Applies only if the parcel is within the Donnelly Fire District; new non-residential is $0.52/sq ft. Contact: Juan Bonilla, juan.bonilla@donnellyfire.net, 208-325-8619 |
| Development Impact Fee — McCall Rural Fire Protection District (new residential, per unit) | $1,165.00 per unit | Applies only if the parcel is within the McCall Fire District; new non-residential is $0.47/sq ft. Contact: Amanda Keaveny, admin@mcallfire.com, 208-634-7070 |
| Solar Panel on Existing Building (includes plan review and inspection) | $200.00 | — |
| Wood-Stove Insert Permit (Mechanical) | $65.00 | Sole mechanical-trade permit issued directly by Valley County rather than DOPL |
| Privy | $65.00 | — |
| Electronic Application Submittal Fee | $50.00 plus copy/print fees | — |
| Administrative Fee | $50.00 | — |
| Reinspection Fee (multiple visits), Miscellaneous Fee, Additional Plan Review for Changes, Extension Fee, Hours Outside Normal Business Time | $50.00 each (minimum 2 hours for after-hours work) | — |
| Engineer Fees (outside consultant, as billed by Valley County Engineer) | 105% of cost | — |
Manufactured Home Permit
Required for placement of new or used manufactured/mobile homes on land in unincorporated Valley County, whether set on blocks or on a permanent perimeter concrete or all-weather wood foundation. Processed through the same Building Permit Application and Valley County Building Department review pipeline as other building permits.
Reviewed 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- For new manufactured/mobile homes built after 1976: foundation plan and cross-section drawings (full perimeter concrete, all-weather wood, or block foundation) including marriage-line detail for multi-section homes and blocking/tie-down criteria
- Foundation and standard-set plans must comply with current Idaho Manufactured Home Installation Standards
- Stairway and landing detail drawings per current adopted codes; complete construction plans and an additional fee required for added decks, entries, or snow roofs
- Elevation drawing for each side of the home; floor plan with room occupancy identification and roof snow loading
- Home and foundation must be placed by an Idaho-licensed installer or by the homeowner; Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) provided upon request
- For pre-1976 mobile homes: a certificate from the Idaho Division of Building Safety is required prior to building permit issuance
- Home must be purchased/rated for the live snow load design required for its specific site (120 psf or 150 psf depending on location); used homes must meet snow loading or have a compliant snow roof built to current county code
- Snow roofs, decks, entries, and other additions require a separate permit and must be freestanding, not relying on the manufactured home for structural support
- Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC must be signed off by State (DOPL) inspectors before the county can final the home
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame Valley County Building Permit Application form used for site-built structures, noting manufactured home placement
- RequiredFoundation Plan and Cross-Section DrawingsFull perimeter concrete, all-weather wood, or block foundation, with marriage-line detail for multi-section homes
- RequiredElevation and Floor Plan DrawingsElevation for each side of the home; floor plan with room occupancy identification and roof snow load noted
- OptionalIdaho Division of Building Safety CertificateRequired only for pre-1976 mobile homes, prior to permit issuance
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured Home — Single-Wide (set fee) | $150.00 | Valley County Building Department Fees (Revised 11/12/2025) |
| Manufactured Home — Double Plus (per additional section) | $50.00 per additional section | — |
| Permanent Perimeter Foundation | $5.00 per foot | — |
| Plan Review Fee | 35% of the building permit fee (in-house) or greater of 65% / actual outside-consultant cost | Added to all permits per Valley County's fee schedule |
Demolition / Removal Permit
Required prior to demolishing or removing any structure, including mobile homes, on land in unincorporated Valley County. Also used to remove the value of a demolished structure from the property's tax assessment.
Reviewed 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- Required for demolition or removal of any structure, including mobile homes
- Completed application is the only submittal required
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame Valley County Building Permit Application form, marked for demolition/removal scope of work
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition / Removal Permit Fee | $25.00 | Sourced from the Building Permit Application Information and Instructions (Rev. 5/20/2026), p.6; this permit also removes the structure's value from the property tax assessment. Ordinance 6-1-8.D.2 confirms a demolition permit is required but sets the fee 'by resolution' rather than stating an amount, and the $25.00 figure is NOT listed on the live Building Department Fees page/PDF (Rev. 11/12/2025) as of 2026-07-13 — amount could not be independently re-corroborated during this check. |
Agricultural Building Permit
Covers agricultural structures on land in unincorporated Valley County. The Valley County Building Department directs applicants to Planning and Zoning for specifics on qualifying use and process; the department's own fee schedule lists a flat $25.00 Agricultural Permit fee.
Reviewed 2026-07-13 · Source
Requirements
- Contact Valley County Planning and Zoning (208-382-7115) for qualifying-use requirements and process specifics
- Building Permit Application submitted to the Building Department for the $25.00 Agricultural Permit fee
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame Valley County Building Permit Application form, marked for agricultural structure use
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Permit | $25.00 | Valley County Building Department Fees (Revised 11/12/2025) |
Solar Panel Permit (Panels on Existing Building)
VerifiedValley County has a distinct, flat-fee permit for installing solar panels on an existing building in unincorporated Valley County: 'Solar Panel on Existing Buildings' at $200.00, which the county's own fee schedule states 'includes plan review and inspection.' This is issued through the Building Department using the same Building Permit Application used for other structures, but billed at the flat solar rate rather than the valuation-based table used for new construction. As with all electrical work in unincorporated Valley County, the electrical interconnection itself is separately permitted and inspected by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL/Division of Building Safety), not the county.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- Building Permit Application submitted to the Valley County Building Department, noting solar panel installation on an existing building
- Owner signature required on the application (no permit issued without it, per county policy effective November 7, 2022), except for exempted permit types (wood-stove insert, zero-clearance wood fireplace) which do not include solar
- Site/roof plan showing panel layout and any structural attachment details as requested by the Building Department
- Electrical permit for the PV interconnection obtained separately from the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), not Valley County — see the county's general electrical-trade sourcing under residential-building-permit
- Applications currently accepted only by mail (PO Box 1350, Cascade, ID 83611) or drop-off at 700 S. Main Street, Cascade — not by email
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSame Valley County Building Permit Application form used for other structures, noting solar panel installation on an existing building
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Panel on Existing Buildings (includes plan review and inspection) | $200.00 | Valley County Building Department Fees, Title 6 (PDF, Revised 11/12/2025) — confirmed by direct PDF text extraction; a flat fee distinct from the county's valuation-based building-permit fee table, and stated to already include both plan review and inspection (no separate plan-review-fee line applies to this permit type) |
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station / EVSE Permit
VerifiedUnincorporated Valley County does not itself issue electrical permits, and the county's own Building Department Fees schedule (Title 6, PDF) has no distinct line item for EV charger, EVSE, or electric-vehicle charging-station work. As with the electrical interconnection component of the county's solar-pv-permit entry, EV charging station wiring is permitted and inspected by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL, formerly the Division of Building Safety) under the state's standard electrical permitting program, not by Valley County. If an EV charger installation involves new structural work (e.g., a new carport/garage to house the charger), that structural component would separately require a Valley County building permit billed under the county's standard valuation-based table -- but the electrical circuit/charger itself is a state, not county, permit.
Verified 2026-07-20 · Source
Requirements
- No standalone EV charger/EVSE permit application or fee line exists at the county level; the county's Title 6 Building Department Fees schedule was checked directly and contains no EV/EVSE/charging-station entry
- Electrical work for EV charging station installation is permitted through the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) electrical program, not Valley County -- consistent with how the county's own solar-pv-permit entry sources electrical interconnection work to DOPL rather than the county Building Department
- If the EV charger installation is paired with new structural work (new garage, carport, or accessory structure), that portion would separately require a standard Valley County Building Permit Application, valuation-based per the county's general fee table
- A licensed electrical contractor typically pulls the DOPL electrical permit; a Homeowner Electrical Permit option also exists for owner-occupied residential work
Required documents
- RequiredElectrical Permit Application (State of Idaho, DOPL)Standard state electrical permit application; not issued by Valley County
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State Electrical Permit — Existing Dwelling Unit Permit (residential EVSE circuit added to an existing home) | $65.00 per inspection (flat; no per-branch-circuit surcharge) | Idaho Administrative Code, IDAPA 24.39.10, Section 500.02.a.ii (Rules of the Idaho Electrical Board, official current rule, effective 3-28-23), adminrules.idaho.gov (https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/24/243910.pdf) — directly re-chased and confirmed against the authoritative current rule text, replacing the vague "use the DOPL calculator" placeholder. Fee is set and collected by the State of Idaho (DOPL), not Valley County. |
| DOPL Electrical Permit — Other Installations (Including Industrial and Commercial) Permit (new construction, commercial, or multi-family EVSE) | Wiring cost up to $10,000: $60 plus 2% of total wiring cost; $10,001-$100,000: $260 plus 1% of excess over $10,000; over $100,000: $1,160 plus 0.5% of excess over $100,000 | Idaho Administrative Code, IDAPA 24.39.10, Section 500.02.b, adminrules.idaho.gov (official current rule, effective 3-28-23) — same statewide DOPL mechanism documented for other Idaho jurisdictions in this corpus. |
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-13.
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 Valley County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.