Treasure Valley Building Permit Fees & Timelines by City
Verified permit-fee structures, plan-review timelines, and direct links to every official building department across Ada and Canyon counties — for homeowners planning a remodel, addition, or ADU.
Quick answer
Almost every city and county in the Treasure Valley uses valuation-based permit fees, not a flat per-project charge. The jurisdiction sets a construction valuation for your project (often from the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data, or your stated project cost, whichever is greater), then applies a fee schedule of base amounts plus a per-$1,000 increment.
Every figure below was pulled from the jurisdiction's own official city or county website, and every fee schedule was re-read on October 10, 2026, after the Oct 1 fiscal-year changeover (sources and dates shown per jurisdiction). Scanned schedules were read by OCR and checked against the page images. Where a schedule is incomplete, ambiguous or not yet posted, we link it rather than publish a number. Jurisdictions update their schedules periodically — always confirm current fees and requirements with the issuing department before budgeting.
There is no flat “a kitchen permit costs $X” figure here — because no Treasure Valley jurisdiction charges that way. Almost every city and county uses a valuation-based fee: the building department assigns your project a construction valuation (often from the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data, or your stated project cost — whichever is greater), then applies a published schedule of base amounts plus a per-$1,000 increment.
A separate plan-review fee is usually added on top — commonly 20% to 50% of the permit fee depending on the city (for example, Boise adds 20% on residential plan review; Eagle 35%; Ada County 50%; Nampa 65%; Canyon County 16%; Caldwell 40% building review plus 35% planning and 20% engineering review; Garden City 50% on projects over $20,000). Meridian has no separate residential plan-review percentage. Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) and impact fees are typically charged separately again.
Worked example — City of Eagle
On a $60,000 remodel valuation, Eagle's schedule gives a building-permit fee of $643.75 (first $50,000) + $7 per additional $1,000 = $643.75 + $70 = $713.75, then adds 35% residential plan review (~$250) — before any trade permits. The same $60,000 in Boise comes to $658.80 permit + $131.76 (20%) plan review. Different cities, different schedules — try your own valuation in the calculator below.
Each figure is computed from the jurisdiction's complete published fee table — not a rule of thumb. Where a schedule is ambiguous or not yet posted, the row links the official schedule instead of a number.
Compare building-permit fees by city
Enter a construction valuation and see the building-permit fee plus plan review in each jurisdiction, computed from its own published schedule. The department sets the valuation it charges on — often from ICC Building Valuation Data — so it can be higher than your contract price.
- Meridian$380.00
Permit $380.00 · No residential plan-review % ($50/$150 application fee is credited to the permit)
- Kunafrom $692.50
Permit $557.50 + review from $65.00 + $70.00 flat · Plan review $65/hr, 1-hr minimum
- Boise$790.56
Permit $658.80 + review $131.76 · Plan review 20% (residential)
- Ada County$814.50
Permit $543.00 + review $271.50 · Plan review 50% (residential, IRC)
- Canyon County$864.20
Permit $745.00 + review $119.20 · Plan review 16% (1- & 2-family)
- Eagle$963.56
Permit $713.75 + review $249.81 · Plan review 35% (residential)
- Nampa$1,112.99
Permit $674.54 + review $438.45 · Plan review 65%
- Garden City
Schedule splits project value 70% building / 30% trades without saying which base the table applies to; plan review under $20k is hourly. Official schedule
- Caldwell
Caldwell adopted FY2027 building and plan-review fees effective Oct 1, 2026, but the new chart isn't posted yet. Official schedule
- Star
Star's 2025 fee resolution sets residential permit and plan-review fees by square footage, with no published formula. Official schedule
Building permit and plan review only. A range means the city's schedule doesn't say whether a partial $1,000 of valuation is charged; “from” means plan review is billed hourly and the minimum is shown. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, impact fees, and zoning or utility fees are charged separately. Figures are computed from each schedule as published on the date shown in its card below — confirm with the issuing department before budgeting.
A side-by-side summary of all ten Treasure Valley jurisdictions. “Verified” means we quote figures pulled from a readable official schedule; “Link only” means the source is a scanned image or restricted page, so we link it rather than reproduce numbers we couldn't confirm. Full fee basis, effective dates, and official links are in the cards below.
| Jurisdiction | Fee basis | First-review time | Fees | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BoiseCity | Valuation-based; +20% plan review | ~10–14 working days (target) | Verified | Fee schedule |
| MeridianCity | $50 + $5.50/$1k; no plan-review % | 7–10 business days | Verified | Fee schedule |
| NampaCity | Valuation; +65% plan review | 1–2 weeks | Verified | Fee schedule |
| CaldwellCity | FY2027 update pending; FY2026: +40% review | 7–10 business days | Link only | Fee schedule |
| EagleCity | Valuation; +35% plan review | ~6 weeks (single-family) | Verified | Fee schedule |
| KunaCity | Valuation + $70 submittal | Not published | Verified | Fee schedule |
| StarCity | Sq-ft based; $100 submittal | 2–6 weeks by size | Link only | Fee schedule |
| Garden CityCity | Valuation; +50% plan review | 10–15 working days | Verified | Fee schedule |
| Ada CountyCounty (unincorporated) | Valuation; +50% plan review | Not published | Verified | Fee schedule |
| Canyon CountyCounty (unincorporated) | Valuation; +16% plan review | Not published | Verified | Fee schedule |
Summaries only — see each jurisdiction's card below for the full fee basis, effective date, and source. Confirm current figures with the issuing department before budgeting.
Inside a city's limits, that city's building department issues your permit; in unincorporated areas it's the county. Each card links the official building page and the official fee schedule.
Boise
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based (Table 1-A). Up to $500: $26.37; $501–$2,000: $26.37 plus $2.95 per additional $100. $2,001–$25,000: $70.76 for the first $2,000 plus $12.71 per additional $1,000. $25,001–$50,000: $362.80 plus $9.30 per $1,000. $50,001–$100,000: $595.30 plus $6.35 per $1,000. Over $100,000: $913.09 plus $5.17 per $1,000 (each "or fraction thereof"). Residential plan review adds 20% of the permit fee. The FY27 schedule (Oct 1, 2026) left this table unchanged and raised several smaller fees such as reinspections.
- Plan-review timeline
- Published first-review targets (working days): single-family Level 1 under 10, Level 2 under 14; additions/alterations Level 1 under 1, Level 2 under 10. The city's Jun–Aug 2026 report shows actual averages of 10, 12, 1 and 8 working days respectively. Total time to a ready-to-issue permit, including applicant resubmittals, ran longer (e.g. 42 days for single-family Level 1).
Source: City of Boise PDS FY27 building-code fee schedule (10-1-26) + Permit Processing Timeframes report (Jun 1–Aug 31, 2026).
Meridian
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based, adopted by Resolution 18-2110: $50 plus $5.50 per $1,000 of valuation or fraction thereof. There is no separate residential plan-review percentage — a non-refundable $50 (remodel/addition) or $150 (new home) plan-review application fee is credited to the permit. The city sets valuation from per-square-foot multipliers for new homes, additions and garages; remodels use the total project value. Impact and utility assessment fees are separate.
- Plan-review timeline
- Residential permits: 7–10 business days from submittal to approval (in-house review). Inspections next business day.
Source: City of Meridian adopted fee schedule (Res 18-2110, online City Fees Schedule) + residential fee worksheet + KPI permit time-frames document.
Nampa
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based. Building-permit fee per the city's Schedule of Permit Fees: $369.69 for the first $25,000 + $9.55 per additional $1,000 (to $50k); $608.44 + $6.61 per $1,000 (to $100k); $938.94 + $5.29 per $1,000 (to $500k). Plan review is 65% of the building-permit fee. Trade (plumbing/mechanical/electrical) sub-permits are charged separately.
- Plan-review timeline
- Allow 1–2 weeks to process an application after payment is submitted.
Source: City of Nampa Building Safety — Schedule of Permit Fees (Exhibit A to Resolution 86-2021) + Development Services FAQ. The schedule doesn't state how a partial $1,000 of valuation is charged.
Caldwell
City- Fee basissee official schedule
- The posted chart is the FY2026 schedule (Resolution 300-25): valuation tiers with a base fee plus a per-dollar increment, e.g. $25,000–$49,999 = $326.54 base; $50,000–$99,999 = $549.65 base + $0.00565 per $. Residential review adds 40% building plan review, 35% planning/zoning review (minimum $55) and 20% engineering review of the permit fee. Caldwell adopted FY2027 building and plan-review fees effective Oct 1, 2026; the new chart wasn't posted when we checked, so confirm current figures with the city.
- Plan-review timeline
- Residential plan review: approximately 7–10 business days for the first review (may extend up to 5 more business days by workload).
Source: City of Caldwell Building Safety Division FY2026 Building Permit Fee Chart + Building Safety Division page + Aug 17, 2026 council agenda (FY2027 fee resolutions).
Eagle
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based (ICC Building Valuation Data, now the August 2022 edition). Up to $500: $23.50; to $2,000: plus $3.05 per $100; $2,001–$25,000: $69.25 + $14 per $1,000; $25,001–$50,000: $391.25 + $10.10 per $1,000; $50,001–$100,000: $643.75 + $7 per $1,000; $100,001–$500,000: $993.75 + $5.60 per $1,000; $500,001–$1,000,000: $3,233.75 + $4.75 per $1,000 (each "or fraction thereof"). Residential plan review adds 35% of the permit fee.
- Plan-review timeline
- Plan-review turnaround (no revisions): single-family home, ADU, detached garage/shop, shed, addition, or pool ≈ 6 weeks; townhomes ≈ 6–8 weeks.
Source: City of Eagle Building Department fee schedule (Res 20-19) + Building page plan-review turnaround.
Kuna
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based project-value table plus a $70 residential building-permit submittal fee: $65 up to $2,000; $65 + $11.35 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $326 + $7.20 to $50,000; $506 + $5.15 to $100,000; $764 + $4.65 to $250,000; $1,461 + $4.85 to $500,000; $2,674 + $6.00 to $1,000,000. Residential structural plan review is $65 per hour (1-hour minimum), not a percentage.
- Plan-review timeline
- Not published — confirm current turnaround with the department.
Source: City of Kuna Building Department fee-schedule PDF (project-value table).
Star
City- Fee basissee official schedule
- Star publishes a Table 1-A rate table (as an image on its fee page), but its 2025 fee resolution (Res 2025-03) sets residential building-permit and plan-review fees "Based on Sq.Ft." with no published formula — so we link the city rather than compute a figure. A non-refundable $100 residential application fee is credited toward the permit. Impact fees (including a police impact fee added May 2026) are separate.
- Plan-review timeline
- Small residential projects: 2–4 weeks. Larger residential projects: approximately 4–6 weeks. Each required revision can add ~3–4 weeks.
Source: City of Star Building Department fee information page + permit FAQ.
Garden City
City- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based (ICC Building Valuation Data or actual project cost, whichever is greater). $2,000 or less: $150; $2,000–$25,000: $150 + $17.08 per additional $1,000; $25,000–$100,000: $542.84 + $12.32 per $1,000; $100,000–$1,000,000: $1,466.84 + $7.97 per $1,000. Residential plan review is 50% of the permit fee for projects over $20,000 (or $155/hour under $20,000). The schedule also apportions project value 70% building / 5% electrical / 5% plumbing / 20% mechanical — confirm with the city which share the building table applies to.
- Plan-review timeline
- Building permits require 10–15 working days to review (commercial with structural review at least 21 days). Re-submittals restart the review clock.
Source: Garden City Development Services fee schedule (Res 1239-26) + Building Services page.
Ada County
County (unincorporated)- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based (Resolution 3149): $65 up to $2,000; $65 + $11 per additional $1,000 to $25,000; $318 + $7 to $50,000; $493 + $5 to $100,000; $743 + $4.15 to $1,000,000 (each "or fraction thereof"). Residential plan review is 50% of the permit fee. Valuation is ICC Building Valuation Data or the applicant's value, whichever is higher, and may be adjusted by the assessor's regional cost modifier.
- Plan-review timeline
- Not published — confirm current turnaround with the department.
Source: Ada County Development Services Building Division fee schedule (Exhibit A to Resolution 3149; scanned PDF read by OCR and checked against the page images).
Canyon County
County (unincorporated)- Fee basisverified from source
- Valuation-based Table 1-A (Resolution 25-046): $30 up to $1,000; $30 + $30 per additional $1,000 to $5,000; $150 + $12 to $20,000; $330 + $10 to $50,000; $630 + $11.50 to $100,000; $1,205 + $15 to $200,000; then $20 per $2,000 to $500,000 and $22.50 per $2,000 to $1,000,000. Value for new homes, additions and garages comes from the county's per-square-foot Value Table; remodels use the bid cost. One- and two-family plan review is 16% of the permit fee. The new-dwelling plan-review deposit is listed as $180 in the resolution and $280 in the county handout — confirm with the department. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits go through the State (DOPL).
- Plan-review timeline
- Not published — confirm current turnaround with the department.
Source: Canyon County Building Department page + Resolution 25-046 Exhibit A (scanned PDF read by OCR and checked against the page images).
Usually requires a permit
- New construction, additions, and ADUs
- Structural alterations and remodels that move or remove walls
- Decks above 12 inches in Boise (about 30 inches under the unamended IRC elsewhere — confirm locally), and most attached structures
- Re-siding, and window/door changes that alter the opening
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical (HVAC), water heaters, fireplaces
- Detached structures over a size threshold (commonly 200 sq ft)
- Retaining walls over 4 ft, and manufactured-home placement
Often exempt (confirm locally)
- Painting, wallpaper, tiling, carpet/flooring
- Cabinets and countertops (no plumbing/electrical changes)
- Small detached structures under the local size threshold
- Low decks not attached to the home, under the height/area limit
- Sidewalks and driveways (zoning rules may still apply)
Exemption thresholds differ by jurisdiction — this is a general guide, not a substitute for your city or county's code. When Iron Crest Remodel runs your project, we determine which permits are required and pull them as part of the job.
Permits Handled, Code Met — Start with a Free Estimate
Iron Crest Remodel pulls the permits and builds to current Treasure Valley code on every project. Idaho-registered contractor (RCE-6681702), insured, free estimates.