Boundary County does not issue a structural building permit. Outside Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs, what you need from the county is a Placement Permit from Planning & Zoning: $480 for a residence, $600 for a commercial or industrial building, decided within 10 business days. It checks zoning, setbacks and road access only, so electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits from the State and a septic permit from Panhandle Health District are still required.
What does Boundary County require before you build?
The county’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance applies to all land outside the city limits of Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs. It uses placement permits where a building department would use building permits, and the applicant signs a statement that the permit is issued only for compliance with land use requirements and that the county takes no responsibility for the safety, practices or materials of the construction.
Residential Placement Permit
- Required before construction starts on a primary residence
- Required for an accessory dwelling unit intended for occupation
- Runs with the land since Ordinance 2026-2 (adopted August 25, 2026): a buyer can have it transferred by asking the county in writing and confirming the same construction
- Expires 2 years after issue if work has not started, stays valid while work continues, and can be extended once for up to 2 years on request before it expires
- Building without one is an infraction
Commercial/Industrial Placement Permit
- Required before building or expanding a primary structure for a commercial, light industrial or industrial use
- Required to convert a residential or accessory structure to commercial or industrial use
- Runs with the land and transfers on sale, within the limits of the approved application; Ordinance 2026-2 removed the rule that it lapsed when the use stopped for two years
- Building without one is a misdemeanor
The application form also has boxes for accessory structures such as a garage or shop. A floodplain development permit is a separate application when the site is in the flood overlay.
Who issues permits in Boundary County?
Boundary County Planning & Zoning issues placement permits for the unincorporated county and is the contact the county gives for both land use and building questions. Each of the two incorporated cities handles its own permits:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →- Bonners Ferry: the City issues building permits under its own fee schedule (zoning review, a valuation-based permit fee and a 65% plan review fee). Forms are on the city’s Planning and Zoning page; City Hall is at 208-267-3105.
- Moyie Springs: the City posts its own building (site) permit application, revised in 2026, with its other permit forms. City Hall is at 3331 Roosevelt Road, 208-267-5161.
The county form still has boxes for a Bonners Ferry or Moyie Springs area of city impact, but Ordinance 2026-2 took the references to the former area of city impact out of the zoning ordinance. Either way, land outside the two city limits applies to the county.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Planning & Zoning (placement and floodplain permits) | 208-267-7212; P.O. Box 419, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 |
| Road & Bridge (county road approach permit) | 208-267-3838; 73 Sunrise Road |
| Addressing coordinator | 208-267-1402 |
| Assessor (parcel information and mapping) | 208-267-3301 |
| Panhandle Health District (septic) | 208-267-5558 |
| Idaho DOPL (electrical, plumbing, HVAC permits) | 208-334-3233 |
The Placement Permit application
One four-page form, the Boundary County Placement Permit Application (August 2026), covers residential, commercial and industrial structures. It is a paper or PDF form sent to Planning & Zoning; the county has no online portal. On it you give:
- the structure type (residential, commercial or industrial) and use (primary, accessory or ADU);
- owner, parcel number, section, township and range, acreage and contractor;
- the type of construction (frame, log, modular, manufactured, mobile) and square footage by floor, basement and garage;
- setbacks on all four sides;
- water source (well, association or district), sewer or septic, electric provider and fire district;
- expected start and occupancy dates;
- for commercial and industrial permits, the type of business, hours, daily traffic, parking, signs and exterior lighting.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The form doubles as the county’s record for the Assessor, so it also asks about foundation, siding, roofing, heating, flooring, bedrooms and bathrooms. If the structure or its footprint changes later, the applicant has to update the county.
Boundary County permit fees
These are the figures in the county’s Official Fee Schedule for land use and development applications, adopted by resolution after a public hearing on August 26, 2025 and posted by Planning & Zoning as its 2026 schedule. There is no valuation-based building permit fee and no county plan review fee, because the county issues no building permit.
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential Placement Permit | $480 |
| Commercial/Industrial Placement Permit | $600 |
| Floodplain Development Permit | $120, plus the actual cost of engineering and other professional services once that fee is exceeded |
| Certificate of Compliance | $60, plus professional services beyond the initial fee |
| Permit extension request | $120 |
| Variance | $480 |
| Conditional Use Permit | $600; $900 for high-occupancy uses; $1,200 for land-intensive uses |
| Utility permit | $300 |
| County road approach permit (Road & Bridge) | No fee |
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and septic permits
Boundary County runs no trade permit program. The placement permit form sends applicants to the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses for plumbing, electrical and mechanical/HVAC permits, and the state’s permit map shows all three as state-issued here. The state inspects that work; the county does not.
Septic permits come from Panhandle Health District, and well permits from the Idaho Department of Water Resources (208-762-2800). For work in wetlands or waterways the form refers applicants to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and for stormwater to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to attach to the application
Required with every application
- A copy of the deed
- The application fee
- A site sketch, on the subdivision or assessor map or as a separate scale drawing
- A floor plan
- The final approach permit, or its application number
Site sketch and floor plan details
- Dimensions of the property lines
- All existing and proposed structures, with dimensions
- Setbacks from every property line
- Driveway location, width, intersection and road name
- Easements, including utilities and access routes
- Floor plan with exterior dimensions, windows and doors, rooms labeled by use and square footage per floor
A complex layout (more than one level or more than 5 rooms) should be attached as a blueprint. Commercial and industrial sketches also show storage and loading areas, off-street parking, signs, exterior lighting and distances to streams, lakes and ponds.
How to get a Boundary County Placement Permit: 6 steps
Inside Bonners Ferry or Moyie Springs, apply to the city instead.
A placement permit cannot be issued without a final approach permit from County Road & Bridge, the Idaho Transportation Department (208-772-1297) or, on a forest road, the U.S. Forest Service (208-267-5561).
Put a marker with your name at the center or both sides of the driveway, visible from the road. The county addresses structures, not parcels, from a GPS point taken at the driveway.
Fill in the form, draw the site sketch and floor plan, and attach the deed and the fee.
Planning & Zoning sends copies to the Assessor and Road & Bridge and approves the application, places it in pending status or denies it within 10 business days of a complete application. Approval goes to the mapping office for an address.
Septic from Panhandle Health District; electrical, plumbing and HVAC from the State.
Rather not deal with the Boundary County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Boundary County
The county does not inspect the structure: the placement permit is issued only for land use compliance, and the county’s review ends with the placement decision. The inspections a rural project does receive come from the agencies that issue the other permits: the State for electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, Panhandle Health District for the septic system, and Road & Bridge for the approach.
Approach work has its own standards in the county’s Road Standards Manual (Ordinance 2020-2), covering width, location, sight distance, angle, grade and slope. Building an approach without a permit is a misdemeanor.
Local Boundary County filing considerations
Overlay zones: staff check each application against the Airport, Flood and Wetland overlays. The form also carries Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs area of city impact boxes, although Ordinance 2026-2 removed the former area of city impact from the ordinance.
Zoning questions: a Certificate of Compliance ($60) records that a use meets the ordinance; a use that does not fit the zone may need a conditional use permit or variance before any placement permit.
Private covenants: the county states on the form that a placement permit does not override covenants or restrictions on the property.
Utility work in county roads: waterlines and other utilities along, across or under a county road need a Road & Bridge permit as well.
Idaho building code
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Boundary County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Idaho DOPL HVAC permit questions
- Idaho DOPL building program
- Boundary County Planning & Zoning forms and fees
- Idaho DOPL building questions
- Boundary County Placement Permit Application (August 2026)
- Boundary County Official Fee Schedule for land use applications
- Boundary County Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance 9B18LOv2
- Boundary County Commissioners’ minutes, week of August 24, 2026 (Ordinance 2026-2, placement permit changes)
- Boundary County Road & Bridge approach permits
- City of Bonners Ferry permits and fees
- City of Moyie Springs permit applications
- Idaho DOPL permit map for electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Boundary County building permit FAQs
Does Boundary County require a building permit?
Not a structural one. Outside the two cities the county requires a Placement Permit, which checks zoning, setbacks, parcel size, overlays and road access. State electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and a septic permit still apply.
How much is a Placement Permit?
$480 for a residential permit and $600 for a commercial or industrial permit.
How long does a Placement Permit take?
The ordinance gives the administrator no more than 10 business days after a complete application to approve it, place it in pending status or deny it. A residential permit expires 2 years after issue if work has not started.
Do I need a driveway permit first?
Yes. The county will not issue a placement permit without a final approach permit. The county’s own approach permit is free.
Who issues septic permits in Boundary County?
Panhandle Health District, at 208-267-5558.
Who inspects electrical and plumbing work?
The State of Idaho, through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (208-334-3233).
Does Bonners Ferry issue its own building permits?
Yes. The City of Bonners Ferry has its own building permit fee table and zoning review; call City Hall at 208-267-3105.
Simplify Boundary County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Idaho. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority 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 Boundary County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Boundary County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Idaho permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Boundary County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.