How to Apply for Boise Building Permits The Easy Way

If you are ready to renovate your home, you've probably looked at designs and estimated costs, but have you also factored in building permits? Securing the correct ensures that you are not only complying with the law, but that your home is structurally sound, free of fire hazards, and safe to live in. If you are intimidated by the Boise building permits process, DoNotPay can help you.

When Is a Building Permit Necessary in Boise, Idaho?

There are many cases in which a building permit is legally required.

Who Is Doing the Work?

Homeowners may do their own work in the primary residence without registering as a contractor with the state. However, if the homeowner is performing work as a subcontractor to the project, they must get a permit and do the work themselves. If any work is not being completed by the homeowner, such as electrical or plumbing, the work can only be performed by a contractor licensed by the State of Idaho in that trade.

What Type of Work is Being Completed?

Residential building permits in Boise are required for the following type of work:

Building one or two-family dwellings
Finishing attics, garages, or basements to create living space
Build, add or demolish a room, garage, shed, carport, or any other attached structure
Installing new or replacement windows or door openings, or widening or reducing the size of the existing openings
Moving, removing, or adding walls
Re-roofing existing structure
Building certain types of retaining walls
Building a 12+ inch deck or installing a 7+ foot high fence
Constructing, adding, or enclosing a patio cover, carport, or porch
Pouring sidewalk slabs/driveways of certain grades or any story or basement

Other projects you have in mind may require mechanical permits, electrical permits, plumbing permits, or erosion and sediment control permits. As you can see, there is a multitude of reasons you will need a building permit or other type of permit. In other cases, you may not need a permit, but you may need Planning and Zoning approval. It is important to make sure you understand when you need permits, so you can legally and safely complete your projects.

How to Get a Building Permit in Boise, Idaho?

Community members in Boise will need to schedule an appointment for applications, permits, and plan reviews.

Schedule an appointment online. There is a 9-step process outlined on that page that you will need to follow carefully to choose the type of meeting, the specific person you'd like to schedule an appointment with, your preferred date, and other pertinent information.
Call 208-608-7100 for Planning Questions
Call 208-608-7070 for Building Questions
Access Boise Permitting and Licensing, you can view and apply for permits and licenses, check the status of requests, access payment information, and more.

The type of application you (or your contractor) fill out and the information you will need to provide, will vary depending on your specific project. The City of Boise recommends that homeowners meet in person with a plan reviewer to submit plans. A building plans examiner reviews plans and submittal checklists to determine if a review can occur. Other planning approvals include historic, hillsides, floodplains, and more, and must also be completed before a building permit submittal and review. As you can see, this can be a complicated process, which is why DoNotPay wants to help you make sure it is done correctly.

What if You Were Not Able to Get Your Boise Building Permits Yourself?

Getting building permits in Boise can be a complicated process. Even under the best of circumstances, it is time-consuming with the applications to fill out, phone calls to make, and meetings to attend. This can be particularly frustrating if you do not have the time to make those calls or attend meetings during traditional business hours. If your permit is denied, you may be intimidated by the idea of starting over from the beginning, because it means you've done something wrong, or that your building plans need to be altered. Rest assured, there is an alternative solution through DoNotPay.

Let DoNotPay Apply for Your Boise Building Permits

You may not have the time to read all of the regulations, fill out all of the applications, make phone calls, or get to City Hall during their Monday-Friday business hours. Your time is valuable, so DoNotPay can help.

How to Apply for a Building Permit Quickly in Boise, Idaho With DoNotPay:

If you want to file for a quickly and easily but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 6 easy steps.

Go to the Planning Permissions product on DoNotPay.
Choose one of the following options:
1. Check whether your project needs a building permit or if it's exempt
2. Generate a permission request letter to send to your HOA
3. Generate a guide on how to complete the building permit application
Choose the focus of your project (new ADU, pool, shed, fence, etc.) and answer a few questions about your plans, including the size of the structure and estimated cost.
Indicate whether you're hiring a contractor and include the estimated start date and timeline for the project.
Indicate whether any public sidewalk/street space will be used during construction.
And that's it! DoNotPay will help guide you through the building permit process by checking if your project needs a building permit, contacting any HOAs you're a part of to request building permission, or generating detailed instructions on how to start and complete your building permit application process.

Why Should You Use DoNotPay to Help You Get Your Boise Building Permits?

There are a lot of reasons why you should choose DoNotPay.

It’s Fast	You save time because you do not have to do all of the research yourself or try to make sense of regulations and ordinances.
It’s Easy	DoNotPay will take your information and guide you through the entire process, step-by-step, so you save time and reduce stress.
It’s Successful	Remodels and repairs should not be overwhelming, so let DoNotPay help you get through it successfully.

DoNotPay Can Do Even More!

DoNotPay can certainly help you understand the process for getting building permits in Boise, Idaho, but we can do even more. We can help you get HOA approval if necessary. We can also get building permits in Palm Beach County, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sarasota County, or any city or county across the country.

DoNotPay's experience spans far beyond building permits. We can help you solve a variety of problems, including:

Let DoNotPay find the solutions to your problems today!