City of Star Building Permits — The Complete Guide
City of Star Building Department issues residential permits with a $100 non-refundable submittal fee and a rate table published only as an image on the city fee page. Plan review runs 2 to 4 weeks on small projects and 4 to 6 weeks on larger. Confirm Star vs Ada County jurisdiction before submitting.
Quick answer
City of Star Building Department ((208) 286-7247 ext. 9011) issues building permits for parcels inside Star city limits. A $100 non-refundable residential submittal fee applies at application, credited toward the final permit fee. The building permit rate table itself is published as an image on the city fee page — Iron Crest confirms current rates directly with the Building Department at each application (Rule 0: we do not publish numbers we cannot read from source). Plan review runs 2 to 4 weeks on small projects and 4 to 6 weeks on larger. Revisions add 3 to 4 weeks each.
Quick answer
The City of Star Building Department. Star runs its own building department, handling plan review, permit issuance, and inspection scheduling. Main phone (208) 286-7247 ext. 9011. Building Department page: staridaho.org/1243/Building-Department.
Star is Ada County's smallest city with a full building department. Its jurisdictional boundary with Ada County (unincorporated) has been in transition through recent annexations — confirm the correct authority for your parcel before submitting.
Star Building Department at a Glance
- Department
- City of Star Building Department
- County
- Ada County
- Building Department page
- https://www.staridaho.org/1243/Building-Department
- Fee information page
- https://www.staridaho.org/1249/Fee-Information
- Main phone
- (208) 286-7247 ext. 9011
- Application submittal fee
- $100 non-refundable (credited toward final permit fee)
- Fee rate table
- Published as image on city fee page — confirm current rates directly with the Building Department
- Plan review timeline
- Small residential projects: 2–4 weeks. Larger residential projects: approximately 4–6 weeks. Each required revision can add ~3–4 weeks.
- Fee schedule effective
- Fee schedule Res 2025-03, approved Jun 17, 2025
- Source
- City of Star Building Department fee information page + permit FAQ.
When Star is the Right Authority
Star Building Department issues your permit only if the parcel is inside Star city limits. If your property is on Highway 44 west of Star, on the Snake River bench north of the city, or in the Middleton-Star fringe, the parcel may be in unincorporated Ada County — in which case Ada County Development Services is the correct authority.
Star's boundary has moved with annexations — confirm parcel by parcel at the Ada County Assessor property lookup.
Ada County Development ServicesStar publishes its residential building permit rate table on the city fee page as an image. Rather than fabricate per-tier figures we cannot read into a text extractor, we publish only what the city states in text and link the fee page for anyone who needs the current rates.
Submittal Fee
$100
non-refundable at application, credited toward the final permit fee.
Small Residential Timeline
2–4 wks
plan review for small residential projects (per city permit FAQ).
Larger Residential Timeline
~4–6 wks
plan review for larger residential projects. Each required revision can add ~3–4 weeks.
We do not publish Star's per-tier fees.
The city's rate table is an image, and there is no readable text source Iron Crest can cite this session. We confirm current rates with the Building Department at (208) 286-7247 ext. 9011 at every application and link the city's fee page below for anyone who needs to check directly. Rule 0.
Every timeline and fee on this page traces to Star's own fee information page and permit FAQ via the Iron Crest permit-jurisdictions dataset.
Who issues building permits inside the City of Star?
The City of Star Building Department. Star runs its own building department, handling plan review, permit issuance, and inspection scheduling. Main phone (208) 286-7247 ext. 9011. Building Department page: staridaho.org/1243/Building-Department. Fee information: staridaho.org/1249/Fee-Information. Star is the smallest city in Ada County with a building department, and its jurisdictional boundary with Ada County (unincorporated) has been in transition as the city has annexed newer subdivisions. Always confirm the correct authority for your specific parcel before starting — the Ada County Assessor property lookup shows the current jurisdiction.
How are Star residential building permit fees calculated?
A non-refundable residential application submittal fee of $100 applies at application (credited toward the final permit fee). The building permit rate table itself is published on the city's fee information page as an image — the exact per-tier building-permit fees are not readable from source in a way that we can reproduce faithfully. Iron Crest confirms current rates with the Building Department directly at (208) 286-7247 ext. 9011 or by pulling the fee-page image at time of application. Trade sub-permits (plumbing, mechanical, electrical) are charged separately. Rather than fabricate figures we cannot cite, we link to the city fee page and quote the $100 submittal fee — the one figure the city publishes in text.
How long does Star residential plan review take?
Star publishes plan-review timelines by project size. Small residential projects: 2 to 4 weeks. Larger residential projects: approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Each required revision can add approximately 3 to 4 weeks. This makes Star materially slower than Boise, Meridian, or Caldwell for larger projects, though faster than Eagle on smaller scopes. Revisions are particularly costly in Star's timeline — a clean plan-set submission is worth the extra design cycle upfront. Iron Crest builds 4 to 8 weeks of Star permit lead time into every project schedule depending on scope size.
Is my Star-area property inside city limits, or in unincorporated Ada County?
This matters because Star and Ada County Development Services have different fee schedules and processes. Star's city limits have grown quickly through annexation of subdivisions on the north and east sides of the historic core. Parcels along Highway 44 west of Star, on the Snake River bench north of the city, and on the Middleton-Star fringe may be either — and 'looks like it's in Star' is not reliable. The correct method is the Ada County Assessor property lookup, which shows the recorded taxing districts and the correct permit authority per parcel. Iron Crest confirms the parcel jurisdiction before submitting anywhere — sending a plan set to the wrong authority costs 2 to 4 weeks.
Are sub-permits for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical separate in Star?
Yes. Trade permits are itemized separately from the base building permit. Additionally, under Idaho law, plumbing (§ 54-2601) and electrical (§ 54-1001) are state-licensed trades — the licensed plumber or electrician on the project pulls the trade permit through the state licensing framework rather than through Star Building Department directly. Mechanical permits are typically issued alongside the building permit. On any kitchen or bath project with new plumbing lines, added or moved electrical circuits, or new HVAC ductwork, expect a permit for each trade.
What building code does Star use?
Star applies the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) as adopted statewide by Idaho Code § 39-4109. IRC chapters that matter most for kitchen and bath remodels: R303 (natural light and ventilation), R311 and R312 (stairways, guards, handrails), R403.1.4.1 (Treasure Valley design footing depth 24 inches for heated structures), M1503 (kitchen range hood and make-up air), and P2905 (water supply pipe sizing). Star-specific local amendments may apply — confirm current code adoption with the Building Department at time of design.
Does Star require a permit for interior cosmetic work?
No. Like the rest of Idaho, Star exempts cosmetic-only interior work. Cabinet paint or door swap on the same footprint, countertop replacement without moving plumbing, faucet or fixture swap at existing rough-ins, appliance swap on matching electrical service, flooring replacement without subfloor structural work, tile backsplash without backer-board removal, and interior paint do not require a Star permit. Once scope adds new plumbing supply or drain, new or modified electrical circuits, or any structural change, permit territory begins.
Are there HOA architectural review requirements in Star?
Yes for most post-2000 subdivisions in Star, no for the historic core. Star has been building out quickly with planned residential developments that carry HOA architectural review requirements for exterior work — siding, roof, windows, deck, additions, exterior lighting. Interior kitchen and bathroom remodels almost never trigger HOA review. Given Star's slower plan-review timeline (2–6 weeks by size), running HOA architectural committee review in parallel with city permit review is essential — the two paths together should stay inside a workable timeline only if run concurrently.
Does Iron Crest Remodel pull City of Star permits directly?
Yes. Iron Crest Remodel is Idaho-registered (RCE-6681702) and pulls Star Building Department permits for projects inside Star city limits — kitchens, bathrooms, tub-to-shower conversions, additions, and structural interior work. Star is inside Iron Crest's regular Treasure Valley service area. Because Star's fee rate table is image-published and its plan-review timeline is 2–6 weeks, we confirm current fees with the Building Department at each application and design the schedule around the specific project size.
Star Building Department
Department overview, submittal instructions, contact details.
Star Fee Information
Fee information page including the residential rate table (published as image) and the $100 submittal fee.
Idaho Code § 39-4109 (statewide code adoption)
Idaho adopts the 2018 IRC statewide. Star applies it with local amendments.
Idaho Code § 54-1001 (electrical licensing)
Electrical is a state-licensed trade — pulled outside Star's fee schedule.
Idaho Code § 54-2601 (plumbing licensing)
Plumbing is a state-licensed trade — pulled outside Star's fee schedule.
Iron Crest Treasure Valley Permit Guide
Side-by-side jurisdiction comparison across Ada and Canyon counties.
Remodeling Inside Star City Limits?
Iron Crest Remodel (RCE-6681702) pulls Star Building Department permits with current-rate confirmation at every application. Plan set, submittal, plan-review response, and inspection scheduling handled end-to-end.