Building permits inside the City of Lewiston are issued by the city’s Community Development – Building Services at 215 D Street, which accepts, reviews and approves applications and construction documents. The same office issues the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and the city’s own inspectors inspect the work. Applications go in through the city’s online permit portal, and the city’s review goal is 14 calendar days for a new house and 21 for a new commercial building.
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 work inside the City of Lewiston limits. Unincorporated Nez Perce County is a separate authority.
Lewiston sets its snow load citywide. The city’s amendments to the residential code fix a ground snow load of 30 psf and a roof snow load of 25 psf for the whole city (Lewiston City Code Sec. 10-9), so the figure does not change from parcel to parcel.
What requires a building permit in Lewiston?
A building permit is required whenever a building or structure regulated by the code is constructed, altered, repaired, moved, converted, enlarged or demolished. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need their own city permit, and work in the street needs a city right-of-way 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
- Commercial re-roofing, windows, signs, pools, demolition, grading, erosion control and right-of-way work where regulated
Typically exempt
- Painting, wallpaper, flooring, trim, cabinets and countertops
- Minor repairs replacing existing materials in kind with no structural or system change
- Small detached accessory structures below the local threshold, without utilities, where zoning allows
- Portable equipment or temporary work the adopted code specifically exempts
Which work is exempt is set by the adopted codes (IBC and IRC Section 105.2) and the local ordinance, and an exemption from a building permit is not an exemption from zoning, setbacks, floodplain rules, utility approval or a fire authority review. Confirm scope with the department before work starts rather than after.
Lewiston’s own amendments add two exemptions. Replacing siding needs no permit on any building, and replacing roof coverings needs none on a one- or two-family home unless structural components are repaired or replaced. The owner and contractor stay responsible for meeting the code, and either job can be inspected on request at the hourly inspection rate, $72.20 per hour in the FY2026 Fee Schedule. A demolition permit, by contrast, is required for any structure served by utilities.
Which code edition applies
Lewiston has adopted the 2018 International Building Code with the mass timber provisions of the 2021 IBC; the 2018 International Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Fire, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Property Maintenance Codes; the 2023 National Electrical Code; and the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code, based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code. The city’s amendments are in Chapter 10 of the City 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
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Lewiston?
Building Services, part of the city’s Community Development department, takes applications through the city’s permit portal and by email, and its permit representatives answer on 208-746-1318, option 1. The office is at 215 D Street and is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00. Several city departments review the plans. Nez Perce County permits unincorporated territory.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Lewiston Community Development – Building Services |
| Offices | 215 D Street, Lewiston, Idaho 83501 |
| Phone | 208-746-1318 (option 1 for a permit representative) |
| cd@cityoflewiston.org | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm |
| Building Official | Jeff Wolfe |
| Online portal | City of Lewiston permit portal (GovWell) |
| Jurisdiction | City of Lewiston limits only |
| County | Nez Perce County, which permits unincorporated territory |
| Design criteria | Ground snow load 30 psf, wind 115 mph, Seismic Design Category B (City Code Sec. 10-9) |
| Floodplain | Floodplain Management article of the zoning chapter (City Code Chapter 37, Article V) and the adopted FIRM maps |
| Code | 2018 International Codes with city amendments, 2023 NEC, 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code |
| Contractor credentials | State contractor registration; state electrical, plumbing and HVAC licences |
Lewiston regulates development in the floodplain under the Floodplain Management article of its zoning chapter (City Code Chapter 37, Article V) and the FIRM maps in force; the residential design criteria in City Code Sec. 10-9 cite it as Floodplain Ordinance 4579, effective September 10, 2012. Establish the flood position for the parcel from the effective mapping before design.
In 2025, building permits issued in Lewiston authorized 239 new privately owned housing units, 89 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
One- and two-family homes follow the 2018 International Residential Code as Lewiston amends it. Where construction documents are required, a plan review fee of 65 percent of the building permit fee is paid when you apply.
Plans that duplicate a set the Building Official has already reviewed and approved, unchanged except for the site plan, can be treated as standard plans and pay half the plan review fee. The full fee returns if the plan is altered or a newer code edition is adopted.
Design criteria
Idaho lets each city set the residential design criteria by ordinance (Idaho Code 39-4116), and Lewiston sets them for the whole city: a ground snow load of 30 psf, a roof snow load of 25 psf, a wind speed of 115 mph, Seismic Design Category B, a frost line depth of 24 inches and a winter design temperature of 6°F; ice shield underlayment is not required (City Code Sec. 10-9).
Commercial permits
Commercial buildings follow the 2018 International Building Code with the mass timber provisions of the 2021 IBC. The city reviews the plans itself and charges a plan review fee of 65 percent of the building permit fee. Commercial exterior water, sewer, stormwater and fire lines need a separate city utility permit.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For larger projects the city encourages a preliminary review at its Development Review Committee, where representatives of the city departments meet every week; Building Services puts projects on that agenda. Once a complete application is in, these are the city’s goals for finishing review:
| Type of project | Maximum days | Minor revisions |
|---|---|---|
| Residential accessory building, addition or alteration | 10 | 8 |
| New single-family dwelling or duplex | 14 | 8 |
| Multi-family residential, with its trade and utility reviews | 14 | 8 |
| New commercial building, with its trade and utility reviews | 21 | 14 |
| Commercial addition, alteration or tenant improvement, major or minor | 14 | 8 |
| Miscellaneous electrical, mechanical and plumbing | 14 | 8 |
| Signs | 10 | 10 |
| Utility reviews for subdivisions | 21 | 14 |
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
Lewiston permit costs and fees
Lewiston’s fees are set by resolution of the City Council and reviewed every year. The figures below are from the FY2026 Fee Schedule, approved by Resolution 2025-39 on September 8, 2025 and effective October 1, 2025, which is the schedule posted on the city’s website in October 2026. Building permit fees are based on valuation, and the City Code tells Building Services to value work from the square-foot costs in the International Code Council’s annual building valuation data table, not from the contract price.
| Valuation | Residential permit | Commercial permit |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $500 | $28.14 | $40.10 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $28.14 for the first $500, plus $3.95 per additional $100 | $40.10 for the first $500, plus $6.31 per additional $100 |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $87.61 for the first $2,000, plus $17.19 per additional $1,000 | $134.89 for the first $2,000, plus $24.19 per additional $1,000 |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $483.01 for the first $25,000, plus $12.50 per additional $1,000 | $684.33 for the first $25,000, plus $17.30 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $795.69 for the first $50,000, plus $8.66 per additional $1,000 | $1,116.89 for the first $50,000, plus $11.98 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,228.78 for the first $100,000, plus $6.92 per additional $1,000 | $1,715.48 for the first $100,000, plus $9.59 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $4,000.72 for the first $500,000, plus $5.81 per additional $1,000 | $5,553.58 for the first $500,000, plus $9.21 per additional $1,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $6,910.39 for the first $1,000,000, plus $4.66 per additional $1,000 | $10,162.40 for the first $1,000,000, plus $6.34 per additional $1,000 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →A part of $100 or $1,000 counts as a whole one. For a house valued at $300,000, the residential permit fee is $1,228.78 plus 200 times $6.92, which is $2,612.78. Plan review at 65 percent adds $1,698.31, so the building permit and plan review together cost $4,311.09 before the trade permits and utility charges.
| Permit or service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plan review | 65% of the building permit fee, paid at application |
| Extra plan review after changes, additions or revisions to plans | $72.20 per hour, 2-hour minimum |
| Electrical, mechanical or plumbing permit for a new single-family home | $216.56 each for up to 1,500 sq ft of living space, plus $72.20 for each additional 1,000 sq ft or part of it |
| Electrical, mechanical or plumbing permit for a new duplex | $433.11 each |
| Trade permit for an existing residence or a detached shop | $72.20, covering one circuit, one piece of HVAC equipment or one fixture, plus $11.10 for each additional one |
| Gas line, kitchen range hood, sewer line, water line or lawn sprinklers | $72.20 each |
| Temporary construction electrical service (200 amp or less, one location) | $72.20 |
| Commercial, multi-family (3 or more units), industrial and alternative energy trade permits | Valuation up to $10,000: $66.63 plus 3.2% of valuation. $10,001 to $100,000: $288.74 plus 2.8% of the amount over $10,000. Over $100,000: $1,288.24 plus 1.5% of the amount over $100,000. Plan review: $39.77 or 25% of the permit fee, whichever is greater |
| Fire sprinkler system | New: $222.10 plus $2.22 per head. Repair or modification: $111.05 plus $2.22 per head |
| Fire alarm system | New: $222.10 plus $2.22 per device. Repair or modification: $111.05 plus $2.22 per device |
| Demolition (bond not included) | $144.36 |
| Swimming pool | $181.13 |
| Foundation-only permit | $52.19 residential; $296.52 commercial |
| Conditional certificate of occupancy | $346.87 |
| Manufactured, tiny or mobile home on a permanent foundation on a private lot | $261.01 for 1 section; $391.42 for 2; $521.98 for 3 |
| Re-inspection | $72.20 per hour, half-hour minimum |
| Inspection outside Community Development business hours | $72.20 per hour, 2-hour minimum |
| Reactivating an expired permit | 25% of a new application if no building or trade code has changed since the original review; 50% if one has |
| Right-of-way permit | $96.81 base fee, plus unit charges such as $1.00 per linear foot of trench or street cut |
| Work started without a permit (City Code Sec. 10-2) | An investigation fee of twice the permit fee on top of the permit fee, rising to three and four times for a second and third offence within 12 months |
| Barrier removal solely for accessibility, or energy efficiency upgrades alone, in an existing building | No fee |
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Need a real number for a specific Lewiston 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
For commercial trade permits, Lewiston’s fee schedule says the valuation must include all labor, materials, equipment, overhead and profit, including anything donated or supplied by others, and that the scope of work, valuation and permit fee are checked again at the final inspection.
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
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 Lewiston building permit
A 30 psf ground snow load and the other values in City Code Sec. 10-9.
Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, utility, right-of-way and demolition permits are all city permits.
The city’s Floodplain Management rules apply with the adopted FIRM maps, and Ordinance 4977 would add 2 feet of freeboard.
State line proximity does not change which rules apply.
Several city departments review the plans; the city publishes a permit review schedule.
Contractors register with the state; electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors hold state licences.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →The city’s permit road map sets the order of events. The applicant submits the documents, and a permit representative checks them for completeness and sends a letter saying either what is missing or that the project is ready for review. The review fee is paid before the project is routed for code review. Corrections come back to the applicant, and a resubmittal must be a full set of plans, not only the corrected sheets. When the plans are approved the permit fee is due, and the permit is issued once it is paid.
The plan review documents checklist asks for one digital copy, or one paper set at 11 by 17 inches or larger, of:
- Architectural and engineering drawings showing the building size, occupancy group, type of construction, code analysis, means of egress, fire separation assemblies and fire protection systems
- Complete architectural and structural plans, with foundation and structural calculations
- A site plan showing the distance to lot lines
- A soil boring and geotechnical report with the bearing value
- General specifications and the specifications for fire-resistance rated assemblies
- Complete mechanical, plumbing and electrical plans and specifications for a full review
- For sprinklers, complete plans with hydraulic calculations, a current flow test and equipment specifications
Commercial and multi-family projects also fill in the city’s Commercial and Multi-Family Code Analysis form.
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 Lewiston
Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections are part of the issued permit. When the project is complete, each inspector involved does a final inspection, and once all have approved it the city issues a certificate or letter of completion.
Under City Code Sec. 10-12, a fee may be charged for a re-inspection when the work was not complete or the corrections called for were not made. The applicant asks for the re-inspection on a city form and pays the fee first.
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).
Lewiston permit search and official resources
Permit records sit with the authority that issued them. Inside Lewiston the city issues the building, trade, utility and right-of-way permits, so ask City of Lewiston Building Services what it holds for the parcel, and ask Public Health – Idaho North Central District separately about any septic system.
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.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- City of Lewiston — Building Services
- Idaho DOPL — adopted building codes
- Idaho DOPL — plan review and permits
- Idaho Contractors Board — contractor registration
- City of Lewiston permit portal
- City of Lewiston FY2026 Fee Schedule (PDF)
- Lewiston permit review schedule
- Lewiston: permits your project may need
- Lewiston current adopted codes
- Lewiston permit road map (PDF)
- Lewiston plan review documents checklist (PDF)
- Lewiston City Code Chapter 10, buildings and building regulations
Frequently asked questions
What snow load does Lewiston use?
A ground snow load of 30 psf and a roof snow load of 25 psf, set for the whole city in its amendments to the residential code (City Code Sec. 10-9).
Who issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits?
The city. Inside Lewiston, Building Services issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, including water heaters and all gas work, and city inspectors inspect the work.
Does the county issue permits inside the city?
No. The city permits its own limits through Building Services; Nez Perce County permits unincorporated territory.
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 approves work in the street?
The city. A city right-of-way permit is required for curb and gutter, sidewalks, curb or street cuts, trenches and any other work or use of the right-of-way.
How much is a building permit in Lewiston, Idaho?
The fee follows the valuation of the work. Under the FY2026 Fee Schedule a house valued at $300,000 pays a $2,612.78 building permit fee plus $1,698.31 for plan review, and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for a new home start at $216.56 each.
How long does plan review take in Lewiston?
The city’s goals are 10 calendar days for residential accessory buildings, additions and alterations, 14 for a new house or duplex and 21 for a new commercial building. Minor revisions have a goal of 8 days, or 14 on a new commercial building.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof or siding in Lewiston?
Not on a one- or two-family home, unless structural components are repaired or replaced. Lewiston’s amendments to the residential code exempt replacement of siding and roof coverings, and the commercial building code amendment exempts siding replacement.
Simplify Lewiston permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Lewiston one city office issues the building and trade permits, so we file them together and design the submittal to the city’s published criteria from the start.
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- We prepare submittals to the city’s adopted snow, wind and seismic criteria.
- We file the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits together.
- We establish floodplain status on low-lying river property.
- We verify Idaho credentials on cross-border projects.
- We line up utility and right-of-way permits with the building permit.
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.
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More Idaho permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Lewiston permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.