The Cassia County Zoning and Building Department, in Room 210 of the courthouse in Burley, issues building permits for the unincorporated county and for Albion, Declo, Malta and Oakley; only Burley runs its own program. A plan review fee of $200 (residential) or $500 (commercial) is paid with the application and credited to the permit fee, the septic permit has to be in hand first, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits come from the State.
When does Cassia County require a permit?
Under County Code Title 11 it is unlawful to erect, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish a building without complying with the adopted codes, which are the 2018 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation and Fire Codes. The department splits its permits by the kind of structure:
Building Department permits
- Building Permit — site-built homes, additions, garages, shops, storage and commercial buildings
- ADU Permit — accessory dwelling units under County Code 9-9-4(W)
- Manufactured Home Placement Permit
- Temporary Placement Permit
- Flood Plain Development Permit
Agricultural buildings
- Exempt from the building codes (County Code 11-1-7)
- Still need a $75 Agricultural Siting Permit, filed as a sworn affidavit
- The permit checks road setbacks and utility easements only
- Covers storage of farm equipment, hay, grain and other farm products, and livestock or poultry shelters
- The building may not be used as a dwelling
A house needs at least 1 acre of land, and where a residence already exists on the parcel the department reviews whether the parcel qualifies for another.
Who issues building permits in Cassia County?
The county’s Zoning and Building Department does, with two county building inspectors; Matthew Sagers is the Building Official. Its reach goes beyond the unincorporated area:
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Get a free quote →- Albion, Declo, Malta and Oakley: the county building permit application covers sites inside these four cities. Tick the city on the form and have an authorized city official sign it before filing with the county. Oakley’s website confirms that the Cassia County Building Department issues its permits, reviews plans, inspects and issues certificates of occupancy; Oakley City Hall (105 N. Center Avenue, 208-862-3313) answers permit questions, and Albion City Hall (225 S Main Street, 208-647-4644) publishes that city’s setbacks.
- Burley: the City of Burley Building Department, 2020 Parke Avenue (208-647-7086), issues its own building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits inside the city.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | Cassia County Zoning and Building Department |
| Building Official | Matthew Sagers |
| Office | 208-878-7302 |
| bldgdept@cassia.gov | |
| Address | Cassia County Courthouse, 1459 Overland Avenue, Room 210, Burley, ID 83318 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Septic permits | South Central Public Health District, 485 22nd Street, Heyburn; 208-678-8221 |
Cassia County applications
The four Building Department permits (Agricultural Siting, Building & ADU, Manufactured Home and Temporary Placement) can be filed through the county’s online application links, and each is also posted as a PDF form. The current building permit form is dated February 4, 2025.
One document is required with every application to the department: the Consent to Enter Real Property. The county wants the original, with the owner’s ink signature and an ink-stamped, ink-signed notarization.
Applicants building in the Prime Agricultural (AP), Agricultural Residential (AR) or Multiple Use (MU) zones must also attach the signed and notarized Agricultural Waiver for that zone, which acknowledges farm-related nuisances. The form for each zone is on the county’s forms page.
Cassia County permit fees
County Code 11-1-6 leaves permit and plan review fees to resolutions of the Board of County Commissioners, and the department lists the current amounts on its Administrative Fees page. The building permit fee itself is calculated from the building’s square footage and the valuation table the county uses (the 2003 IBC valuation Table 1); the county does not post that table, so the department works out the figure for each project.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit | By square footage and the county’s valuation table |
| Plan review, residential | $200, paid with the application and credited to the permit fee |
| Plan review, commercial | $500, paid with the application and credited to the permit fee |
| Agricultural Siting Permit | $75 |
| Manufactured home placement, single section | $150 |
| Manufactured home placement, multi-section | $200 |
| Temporary dwelling permit | $100 |
| Floodplain Development Permit | $25 |
| Inspection requested before the work is ready | $30 per hour, 1-hour minimum |
| Right-of-way permit (county road) | $50, plus a $500 deposit |
The plan review fee is non-refundable but it is not an extra charge: the application states that it is applied to the total building permit fee. Fees must be paid before the permit is issued. A concrete foundation under a manufactured home is charged per square foot.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits
The county’s permit covers the building only. Its application states that separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are required from the State of Idaho, and the state’s permit map shows the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses as the issuer for all three everywhere in Cassia County except inside Burley.
The order of inspections depends on the state inspectors: the county will not do its rough framing inspection until the state electrical, plumbing and HVAC rough inspections are done.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to submit with a Cassia County application
Numbers and sign-offs on the form
- Parcel number, initialed by the Assessor’s Office
- Recorded deed number and a copy of the deed, for a new residence
- Septic permit number and a copy, from South Central Public Health District
- Drive approach permit number, with the highway district’s signature
- Signature of the irrigation district or canal company
- Signature of the fire district
- Signature of the city, for sites in Albion, Declo, Malta or Oakley
- Contractor registration number and expiry date
Two sets of plans
- Site plan
- Foundation or basement plan
- Floor plan
- Elevation plan
- Siding and roof pitch
- Wall cross section
- Window and door schedule with a REScheck energy analysis
The plot map on page 3 of the form must show distances from the road and from interior property lines, any easements (you cannot build over one) and other structures, with at least one building corner tied to a property line or corner. County setbacks printed on the form: 54 feet from the center of the road, 15 feet from interior lot lines for houses and attachments, and 10 feet for accessory buildings.
How to apply for a Cassia County permit: 6 steps
Apply to South Central Public Health District in Heyburn; the permit number and a copy go on the county form.
Take the form to the highway district, the irrigation district or canal company, the fire district and, inside one of the four small cities, city hall.
Sign the Consent to Enter Real Property before a notary, plus the Agricultural Waiver in the AP, AR and MU zones.
Submit the application, plot map and two sets of plans online or at Room 210, with $200 for a residence or $500 for a commercial building.
The permit is void if work does not begin within 180 days, or stops for 180 days.
Phone the county inspectors for each stage, and buy state trade permits separately.
Rather not deal with the Cassia County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and occupancy in Cassia County
Inspections are booked by calling the county inspectors directly on their cell lines, 208-312-9442 or 208-312-7302. The application lists the required stops in order: site and setbacks, footings, foundation, shear wall, rough framing, energy, wall board and final.
Be ready when the inspector arrives; an appointment where the work is not ready is charged $30 per hour with a 1-hour minimum. The applicant certifies on the form that final approval will be obtained from the department before the structure is used or occupied.
Local Cassia County filing considerations
Highway districts: rural road access is controlled by highway districts, which is why the form needs the district’s authorized signature next to the drive approach permit number. On county roads, the right-of-way approach permit carries a $50 fee and a $500 deposit.
Water and canals: the irrigation district or canal company serving the land is notified through the application and may send written comments.
Zoning districts: Residential Agricultural (RA), Agricultural Residential (AR), Prime Agricultural (AP), Multiple Use (MU), Industrial Commercial (IC) and city Impact Areas all appear on the form, and the zone decides whether an agricultural waiver is needed.
Land divisions: a tract cannot be divided into five or more lots without subdivision approval. The county’s Administrative Land Division application costs $250 and a boundary line adjustment $40.
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 Cassia 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
- Cassia County Zoning and Building contacts
- Cassia County online applications
- Cassia County building applications
- Cassia County permits, forms and County Code
- Idaho DOPL building questions
- Cassia County Building Permit Application (February 2025)
- Cassia County Administrative Fees
- Cassia County Code Title 11, Chapter 1: Building Code
- Cassia County Agricultural Siting Permit affidavit
- City of Oakley: building permits and inspections
- Idaho DOPL permit map for electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Cassia County building permit FAQs
Does Cassia County issue permits inside Oakley, Albion, Declo and Malta?
Yes. The county application covers all four cities; the city signs the form and the county reviews, permits and inspects. Burley is the exception and issues its own.
How much is the plan review fee?
$200 for residential plans and $500 for commercial plans. It is paid with the application, is non-refundable, and is credited toward the building permit fee.
How is the building permit fee worked out?
From the square footage of the building and the county’s valuation table. The department calculates it for each project.
Does a farm building need a permit in Cassia County?
It is exempt from the building codes but needs a $75 Agricultural Siting Permit so the county can check road setbacks and easements.
Who issues electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits?
The State of Idaho, except inside Burley, where the City does.
Who issues septic permits?
South Central Public Health District, 485 22nd Street in Heyburn (208-678-8221). The county wants the septic permit number on the building application.
What are the setbacks?
54 feet from the center of the road, 15 feet from interior lot lines for a house, and 10 feet for accessory buildings.
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More Idaho permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cassia County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.