Hailey, Idaho Building Permit Guide

Building permits inside Hailey city limits are issued by the City’s Community Development Department at 115 Main Street South, while the plan review and inspections are carried out by the State of Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), whose staff member serves as Hailey’s Building Official. A new fee schedule took effect on October 1, 2026: the base permit fee comes from Table 1-A on construction cost, the plan check fee is 69% of it, and a planning review fee of 35% of the plan check fee is added.

What needs a building permit in Hailey?

The City’s rule of thumb is that you need a permit to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any part of a building. Its Building Services FAQs then answer the questions homeowners ask most.

A shed that needs a permit must sit on a concrete foundation. Fences are limited to 4 ft inside the required front yard setback and 6 ft inside the side and rear setbacks, and barbed wire and electric fences need Planning and Zoning Commission approval.

Who issues building permits in Hailey?

Hailey splits the job. Community Development takes the application, collects the fees, runs the zoning review and issues the permit and the Certificate of Occupancy. The State of Idaho DOPL supplies the Building Official, Jeff Geisler, along with the plans examiners and inspectors, and each City permit carries a state permit number as well as the City number.

The City permits only land inside Hailey. Property outside the city limits is in unincorporated Blaine County, or in a neighboring city such as Bellevue, and is permitted there.

Hailey applications and forms

Hailey publishes every form as a PDF on its Forms and Fees page. Many were reissued on October 1, 2026 with the new rates, so download a fresh copy before filing.

• Application for Building Permit: one form for new construction and remodels, residential and commercial, plus garages, basements, carports and foundations. The fee worksheet and the impact fee table are printed on it.
• New construction set: Construction Waste Management Plan, Water Wastewater Permit Application, Irrigation application, Encroachment application (residential or commercial, filed online), Shallow Injection Well (Drywell) inventory, and the Certificate of Occupancy Checklist.
• Re-Roof Permit Application, Fence Permit Application and Demolition Application, with a separate Historic Demolition Permit Application.
• Alternative Energy Review and the Build Better Program forms for residential and commercial energy compliance.
• Deferred Submittal Permit Application, Building Permit Extension Application and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Application.
• Foundation and Grade Certificate Form.

An original permit is valid for 548 days. Extensions last 180 days each, cost $175 and are limited to four. A demolition permit is valid for only 90 days, and any permit is void if 180 days pass without inspections being completed.

Hailey building permit fees from October 1, 2026

The City Council adopted the FY 2027 Municipal Fee Schedule by resolution on July 27, 2026, effective October 1, 2026. Applications certified complete on or after that date pay the new rates. The base permit fee is read from Table 1-A using the estimated cost of construction.

The plan check and planning review fees are added to the base permit fee. For example, a project with a $400,000 construction cost has a base permit fee of $3,650.89, a plan check fee of $2,519.11 and a planning review fee of $881.69, a subtotal of $7,051.69 before impact fees, the clean energy deposit and any fire department fee.

Development impact fees for parks, circulation, fire and police are charged per dwelling by net floor area, on the schedule effective December 1, 2025.

Non-residential impact fees are charged per 1,000 sq ft of net floor area: $9,864 for commercial, $5,867 for office, $2,085 for industrial and $8,128 for institutional space.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Hailey

Hailey has no trade permit forms of its own. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are bought from the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, the same agency that inspects the building. DOPL’s permit map sends all three trades in Blaine County, Hailey included, to the state’s online services. The City’s Certificate of Occupancy checklist asks whether the HVAC, electrical and plumbing final inspections are complete before it signs off.

The fire review belongs to the Hailey Fire Department, charged at 45% of the plan check fee where it applies. Basic permit fees for fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems are waived when complete plans for them are submitted with the building plans.

What to submit for a Hailey building permit

Plans are reviewed electronically by DOPL, and its checklist for Hailey is specific about what the cover sheet and drawings must show.

Hailey design criteria: roof snow load 100 psf, ground snow load 120 psf, frost depth 24 inches and seismic design category D. The 2026 checklist gives the wind speed as 105 mph with gusts up to 115 mph; the City’s FAQ page still shows 103 mph.

Trusses for houses are approved in the field, so truss documents are not part of plan review, but the truss drawings and calculations must be on site for the inspector. Plan review cannot start until the applicant completes the final upload task in the state’s system.

For all new construction except a single-family home, the applicant has to confirm the site worker by email so that staff can schedule a preconstruction meeting. The permit is not issued until that meeting has been held.

How to apply for a Hailey building permit: 6 steps

Hailey inspections and Certificate of Occupancy

Building inspections are scheduled at edopl.idaho.gov/OnlineServices, not with City Hall. For a permit issued on or after November 1, 2024, enter the seven-digit number at the top right of the permit, below the City permit number. For a permit first issued before November 2024, enter the state number in the BLDXXXX-XXXXX format.

Tell City staff at least 2 weeks before you expect to need the Certificate of Occupancy. The City’s checklist then looks for:

• Building, HVAC, electrical and plumbing final inspections complete
• City water, wastewater, irrigation and encroachment inspections signed by the department heads
• Backflow test results and a copy of the state inspection
• Approved plans on site and house numbers posted
• The site cleaned, with the dumpster and portable toilet removed
• Compliance with the Hailey Outdoor Lighting Ordinance
• Radon test results submitted to staff

A temporary Certificate of Occupancy has its own application and a non-refundable fee of $248 for a home or $618 for a commercial building.

Local Hailey details that matter

Clean energy deposit and Build Better: a new single-family home, townhome or accessory dwelling built with new construction pays a $1,327 Hailey Clean Energy deposit, and the City’s Build Better Program forms cover energy compliance for residential and commercial projects. The deposit is $1,327 per 10,000 sq ft for new commercial, mixed-use, industrial and institutional buildings and per 20 units for new multi-family developments.

Construction waste: a Construction Waste Management Plan is filed with every building permit application.

Construction hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Accessory structures: a detached structure of 120 sq ft or less generally sits at least 3 ft from the side and rear property lines and from other accessory structures, with a bearing wall no higher than 8 ft and a building height no more than 12 ft.

Historic buildings: demolishing a historic building goes through the Historic Demolition Permit Application, which carries publication and posting costs on top of the $168 base fee.

Permit activity: the City posts detailed and summary building permit reports every month.

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

Official Hailey permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
• Hailey Forms and Fees
• Hailey Building Inspections and Permit Reports
• Hailey Building Services
• Idaho DOPL online services
• Hailey FY 2027 Municipal Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2026)
• Hailey Application for Building Permit, with impact fee schedule
• Hailey Building Permit Submittal Checklist (2026)
• Electronic Plan Review Submittal Requirements
• Hailey Certificate of Occupancy Checklist
• Hailey Building Services FAQs

Hailey building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Hailey?

From October 1, 2026 the base fee comes from Table 1-A, the plan check fee is 69% of the base fee and the planning review fee is 35% of the plan check fee. A $400,000 project comes to $7,051.69 before impact fees and the clean energy deposit.

What are the impact fees for a new house in Hailey?

Between $3,464 for a home of 600 sq ft or less and $12,465 for 3,001 sq ft or more; a home of 1,801 to 2,200 sq ft pays $9,753.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Hailey?

Only if it is larger than 120 sq ft or attached to the house or garage. Sheds cannot be taller than 12 ft.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Hailey?

Yes. Every fence needs a permit, which costs $82 and is reviewed by planning and zoning staff.

Do I need a permit to re-roof in Hailey?

Yes, unless it is only a small patch. The fee is based on the estimated valuation.

How do I schedule a building inspection in Hailey?

Online through Idaho DOPL Online Services, using the state number printed on the City permit.

How long is a Hailey building permit valid?

548 days, with up to four 180-day extensions. It is void if 180 days pass without completed inspections.

Does Hailey issue electrical and plumbing permits?

No. Those permits come from the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.

Simplify Hailey 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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hailey permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.