Since 1975 the Building Division has been issuing permits as per a variety of building codes.  The Ada County Building Code is the current standard to establish compliance for structural, mechanical, life safety, and accessibility.   Plans Examiners and Building Code Technicians review construction drawings for code compliance and Building Inspectors perform on-site inspections.  This process confirms that buildings and structures in Ada County are sound and in compliance with Fire and Life Safety standards.

Department phone (208) 287-7900

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition has launched the “Sprinkler Smart” Website great for kids too!

The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition has launched a new interactive website called SPRINKLER SMARTS. Targeted toward children, SPRINKLER SMARTS is an animated website offering games for children while also providing teaching materials to help public educators, teachers, and parents educate children.
Fire safety officials can use worksheets offered on the website as well as other downloadable material in collaboration with the presentations and games. These materials help children understand fire safety and prevention as well as identifying fire sprinklers and their benefits through an entertaining form of education. To get the material online, go to  www.homefiresprinkler.org

Effective 1 July  2013,  Building permit applications for one and two-family dwellings and their accessory structures require One (1) complete set of plans (1/4″ =1′ Minimum) with specifications and,

One (1) complete set of plans including heating design loads, ResCheck (if required) and any structural design calculations on digital media in a .PDF format.

Effective February 16, 2018,  Ada County Development Services will only accept plans designed using the 2015 editions of International Building Code and the International Energy Conversation Code Commercial Provisions , 2012 editions of International Residential Code, International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, and/or the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code as amended by Ada County Ordinance 879.

Residential One – and Two-family Dwellings will require Duct Blaster Test and Balancing reports to be received prior to final inspection.

Where work requiring a permit occurs in existing dwellings that have attached garages or in existing dwellings within which fuel-fired appliances exist, carbon monoxide alarms complying with UL 2034 shall be provided and installed pursuant to the manufacturer’s installation instructions. This includes Mechanical Permits. IRC 315