Building permits for unincorporated Bannock County are issued by Planning & Development Services at 5500 South 5th Avenue in Pocatello, the county office that handles both planning and building. Pocatello and Chubbuck permit their own limits; together they held 82.5 percent of the county’s 91,591 people in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates.
This guide covers the department and how to reach it, the local conditions that shape a filing here, what permits cost and who may pull them, and how inspections are booked. Rules that apply everywhere in Idaho are summarized in each section, with a link to the full statewide explanation.
This guide covers unincorporated Bannock County. Pocatello and Chubbuck issue their own building and trade permits. For a parcel inside another city, such as McCammon or Inkom, confirm with the city who issues the permit.
One office handles planning and building. Planning & Development Services is open Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 5:00 and Friday 8:00 to 1:00, and inspections run on the same hours. Inspections are requested on 208-236-7090 at least 24 hours ahead, and the office does not take requests for specific inspection times.
What requires a building permit in Bannock County?
Under the county’s Building Code Ordinance (effective January 1, 2021), a building permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, or to change its occupancy classification. Excavation and grading need a separate county permit, and work that needs no building permit may still need a zoning or floodplain development permit.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions, remodels and tenant improvements
- Structural and load-bearing work, foundations, decks, porches, stairs, garages and accessory buildings
- Electrical service changes, panel work, generators, solar, EV chargers and most wiring
- Plumbing, water heaters, sewer and water connections, gas piping, backflow and fixture relocations
- HVAC installation and replacement, ductwork, ventilation, combustion air and fuel-gas appliances
- Roofing, siding, windows, signs, pools, demolition, grading, erosion control and right-of-way work where regulated
Typically exempt
- Painting, wallpaper, flooring, trim, cabinets and countertops
- Fences 7 feet high or less, flag poles and playground equipment
- Retaining walls 4 feet or less, measured from the bottom of the footing
- Detached decks under 200 square feet and less than 30 inches above grade; pools under 5,000 gallons and less than 48 inches deep
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →A structure exempt from a building permit still needs a county development permit. Habitable space, communication towers and photovoltaic systems always need a building permit.
Which code edition applies
The county’s Building Code Ordinance adopts the 2018 International Building, Residential, Existing Building and Energy Conservation Codes, the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, the 2018 International Solar Energy Provisions and the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in unincorporated Bannock County come from the state Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), not the county.
Idaho’s building codes are set statewide and enforced by the cities and counties that run a building program: the 2018 International Building Code and the Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC), the 2018 Idaho Energy Conservation Code, the 2023 National Electrical Code, and a state plumbing code based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code rather than the International Plumbing Code. Idaho’s adopted codes
Who handles permitting in Bannock County?
The county permits unincorporated territory; Pocatello and Chubbuck each permit their own limits. Where the county has adopted an area of city impact, the county’s comprehensive plan and zoning and subdivision ordinances apply in it (Idaho Code 67-6526).
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Bannock County Planning & Development Services |
| Offices | 5500 South 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho 83204 |
| Phone | 208-236-7230 |
| Counter hours | Monday to Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm; Friday 8:00am to 1:00pm |
| Jurisdiction | Unincorporated Bannock County only |
| Cities inside | Pocatello, Chubbuck, McCammon, Inkom and others |
| Code | 2018 I-Codes adopted by county ordinance, including the Wildland-Urban Interface Code; trade permits from the state DOPL |
| Common outside reviews | Fire district, Bannock County Road & Bridge, Southeastern Idaho Public Health, floodplain, Idaho Department of Water Resources |
The county lists seven fire districts for unincorporated land: Arimo, Downey, Jackson Creek, Lava Rural, McCammon, North Bannock and Pocatello Valley.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic permits come from Southeastern Idaho Public Health, and wells and water rights from the Idaho Department of Water Resources. The county usually assigns an address with the first building permit for a property. Through a Parcel Determination application it confirms whether a lot was properly subdivided; it does not assess the physical suitability of a site.
In 2025, building permits issued in unincorporated Bannock County authorized 95 new privately owned housing units, all of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits come from the state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses unless the city or county runs its own program by ordinance. Septic systems need a health district installation permit, a highway district controls the roads in its system, and since 2024 the county’s zoning applies in a city’s area of impact. Who issues permits in Idaho
Permit types
Residential permits
Plan review for single-family dwellings and other conditioned structures checks the minimum R-value of each part of the building envelope. The county publishes a prescriptive worksheet, a residential erosion control plan, a site plan example, a pole barn guide and stair and wall section standards among its building documents.
Snow, seismic and wildland exposure
Bannock County sets the ground snow load by elevation rather than as one figure: 44 psf below 4,600 feet, 50 psf at 4,600–4,999 feet and 63 psf at 5,000–5,399 feet, rising in steps to 125 psf above 6,800 feet. The design wind speed is 90 mph (3-second gust) or 115 mph (ultimate).
The county lists Seismic Design Category D0 and has adopted the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code; confirm with Planning & Development Services at the start of design whether the parcel falls under it.
Commercial permits
Commercial buildings follow the 2018 International Building Code. A commercial road approach needs a commercial approach and traffic plan, and approach permits on county roads come from Bannock County Road & Bridge.
A local government must say within 10 business days (residential) or 20 (commercial) whether an application is complete, and if an inspection is not made within 48 business hours the permit holder may hire a third-party inspector and is refunded the fee (Idaho Code 39-4117, 39-4118). Deadlines on Idaho permits
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Bannock County permit costs and fees
Bannock County building permit fees are set by the county’s adopted schedule. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are charged by the state DOPL, and septic, road approach and fire district reviews carry their own fees.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | Set by the adopted county fee schedule |
| Commercial building permit | Set by the adopted fee schedule |
| Plan review | Per the adopted schedule |
| Trade permits | Charged by the state DOPL, which issues electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits |
| Outside agency reviews | Southeastern Idaho Public Health, Road & Bridge approach permits (fees set by Resolution 2023-92), fire district and floodplain |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Charged where the local schedule provides for them |
Need a real number for a specific Bannock County project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the filing path, the reviews it will trigger and the fee categories that will apply.
Fee schedules are revised on each jurisdiction’s own cycle, so ask the issuing department for the schedule in force on your filing date, and ask separately about plan review, trade, re-inspection and revision charges. How Idaho permit fees work
Trade permits and who may pull them
Permit required
- Service upgrades, panels, new circuits, solar PV, EV chargers and generators
- New plumbing, fixture relocations, water heaters, sewer and water connections and gas piping
- Furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, ductwork, ventilation and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Fire alarm, sprinkler and suppression systems on commercial work
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Appliance repair that does not alter the gas, electrical or venting connection
Rather not deal with the Bannock County building department?
Get a free quote →Contractors must register with the state, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors are licensed by the state; a city or county may not require an extra licence or fee for HVAC work. Contractor registration in Idaho
How to apply for a Bannock County building permit
The office and inspections stop at 1:00 on Friday.
Snow load is set by elevation; the county lists Seismic Design Category D0.
Inside the area of impact the county’s zoning applies (Idaho Code 67-6526).
The fire district, Road & Bridge, the health district, floodplain review and water resources each hold their own approval.
Septic, well and road approach permits come from other bodies.
Contractors register with the state; electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors hold state licences.
Under Section 105.5 of the adopted codes a permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days; check whether the local ordinance amends that. How long Idaho permits last
Inspections in Bannock County
Request inspections on 208-236-7090 at least 24 hours ahead; the permit must be issued and active first. Inspections run Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 5:00 and Friday 8:00 to 1:00, and the office does not take requests for specific times. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work is inspected by the state under its own permits.
Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. The approved construction documents must be kept at the site (IBC 107.3.1, IRC R106.3.1).
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Bannock County permit search and official resources
Permit records sit with the authority that issued them. A property can have records with the county, with DOPL for trade permits, with Road & Bridge for an approach and with Southeastern Idaho Public Health for a septic system. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, ask Bannock County Planning & Development Services what it holds for the parcel, and ask separately about the trade, septic and access records.
Where a property has been annexed, permits issued before annexation may still be held by the county.
Confirm the code edition against Idaho’s adopted list. Idaho enforces the 2018 International Building Code and the Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC), the 2023 National Electrical Code and a plumbing code based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code. A new edition takes effect on January 1 after the Idaho Building Code Board adopts it (Idaho Code 39-4109), so check the codes and local amendments in force on your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change. Confirm the position for your filing date.
- Bannock County Planning & Development Services
- Idaho DOPL — adopted building codes
- Idaho DOPL — plan review and permits
- Idaho Contractors Board — contractor registration
Frequently asked questions
Does Bannock County permit inside Pocatello?
No. Pocatello and Chubbuck each permit their own limits, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. In an area of city impact the county’s plan and zoning ordinances apply (Idaho Code 67-6526).
When is the county office open?
Planning & Development Services is one office at 5500 South 5th Avenue, open Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 5:00 and Friday 8:00 to 1:00, and closed on federal holidays.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →What does the health district do?
Installing, modifying, repairing or expanding a septic system needs an installation permit, which the public health district finalizes (IDAPA 58.01.03).
Which code edition applies in Idaho?
Idaho enforces the 2018 International Building Code with Idaho amendments and the 2021 IBC mass timber provisions, the Idaho Residential Code based on the 2018 IRC, the 2018 Idaho Energy Conservation Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code (IDAPA 24.39.30; Idaho Code 54-1001).
Does the International Plumbing Code apply?
No. Idaho has adopted the Idaho State Plumbing Code, based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code with Idaho amendments (IDAPA 24.39.20).
Who issues road approach permits?
Bannock County Road & Bridge, a division of the county’s Public Works Department, for county roads outside city limits, except roads in the Downey/Swan Lake District. State highways are the Idaho Transportation Department’s.
Simplify Bannock County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Bannock County one office handles planning and building, while the trade, septic and road permits come from other bodies. We line them up together so the county permit is not left waiting.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Bannock County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We plan around the county’s 1:00 Friday closing.
- We establish the elevation band and snow load for the parcel.
- We resolve septic, water and access before design is fixed.
- We confirm county versus city and impact-area jurisdiction.
- We identify fire district, Road & Bridge, health district and floodplain reviews before filing.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Idaho. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the building department through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Bannock County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Bannock County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Idaho permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bannock County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.