Pocatello building department

The City of Pocatello Building Department, led by Building Official Marc Howell, reviews plans and issues permits for all construction inside city limits, including electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work, demolitions, excavations, signs and sidewalks. It also handles abatement of dangerous buildings. The office is at the rear entrance of City Hall, 911 N 7th Avenue, and city offices are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Email: [email protected].

Applying through eTRAKiT

Pocatello moved its permit applications into the eTRAKiT portal, which is now used for every permit type. The City retired its old PDF forms for commercial development, residential development, fence and solar permits, so any of these goes through eTRAKiT. In the portal you can:

• submit a permit application and upload plans
• pay permit fees (card payments carry a 2.74% convenience fee)
• schedule or cancel inspections from the dashboard
• search active, closed or expired permits by address, without logging in

The same portal takes engineering applications (clearing and grading, driveway changes, floodplain development, right-of-way use, subdivision construction) and land-use applications filed with Planning.

What a residential submittal includes

The City’s Residential Plan Checklist (last updated February 2022) asks for:

• a completed residential application with the legal description, plus a completed MECcheck energy form
• a full plan set that includes an erosion and sediment control (ESC) plan for during and after construction
• a plot plan no smaller than 8½ x 11 inches. It must show adjacent streets, a north arrow, lot dimensions, existing and proposed structures, setbacks, easements, utilities, the driveway with dimensions and grade, and curb, gutter, sidewalk and planter strip
• engineered plans for any retaining wall over 4 feet tall
• floor plans, elevations, footing and foundation sections with reinforcing, and truss and floor joist details
• a floodplain certificate for lots in the floodplain, and a state septic permit where sanitary sewer isn’t available
• wildland-urban interface (IWUIC) fire access and turnaround details where they apply

The checklist also notes that Idaho Power must be consulted at 208-388-2323 before you build within 20 feet of overhead lines. A separate Commercial Plan Checklist is posted on the City’s Applications & Forms page.

Permit fees

Pocatello posts a fee summary effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The full schedule is in the Construction Trade Fees PDF.

Item	Fee
Building permit, $1–$500 valuation	$23.50
$25,001–$50,000 valuation	$391.75 for the first $25,000 + $10.10 per additional $1,000
$100,001–$500,000 valuation	$993.75 for the first $100,000 + $5.60 per additional $1,000
Plan review	35% of building permit fee (residential); 65% (commercial)
New-home electrical, plumbing or mechanical (each)	$130 up to 1,500 sq ft; $195 to 2,500; $260 to 3,500; $325 to 4,500
Residential re-roof or overlay	$65 (commercial $100)
Fence, demolition, residential irrigation	$65 each
Residential plumbing (existing structure)	$65 per structure + $10 per fixture
Water heater; water or sewer line	$65 each
Residential mechanical	$65 base + $20 per appliance
Re-inspection	$65 per hour, paid before re-inspection
After-hours inspection	$100 per hour, 2-hour minimum

Starting work before a required permit is issued doubles the permit fee. Additional plan review costs $65 per trade review and must be paid before the review takes place.

Adopted codes and design criteria

The City lists these adopted codes: the 2018 International Building, Existing Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Energy Conservation Codes, the 2018 Idaho Fire Code, the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code, with Idaho amendments applied. Local amendments are in the Pocatello Municipal Code on American Legal. Fence construction rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 15.28.

Design criterion	Pocatello value
Frost depth	3 feet
Roof snow load	35 psf
Ground snow load	45 psf
Wind	115 mph (3-second gust), Exposure C
Climate zone	6B
Heating degree days	7,131

Seismic design uses the site coordinates 42.92 N, 112.60 W.

Contractor licensing

Pocatello issues its own contractor licenses in addition to state registration. The license schedule posted on the City’s site is dated October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026. You apply with an online Contractor License Application. All insurance certificates must name the City of Pocatello as an additional insured.

City license	Fee	Liability insurance	License and permit bond
Building Class A-1	$150	$1,000,000	$50,000
Building Class A-2	$100	$500,000	$25,000
Building Class B	$50	$300,000	$10,000
Sign contractor	$50	$500,000	$10,000

Electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors don’t pay a City license fee, but they must provide a copy of their State of Idaho license. General contractors also register with the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), 208-334-3233. Under state law, registration is required for construction jobs over $2,000 in materials and labor. Owners doing their own work on their own land are exempt from state registration if they don’t plan to sell the property within 12 months.

Related offices

• Planning & Development Services (zoning, land-use applications, setbacks): 208-234-6184, [email protected]. Accessory solar photovoltaic systems are allowed by right in all zones, according to a 2022 City clarification.
• Engineering: 208-234-6225. Handles ESC certification, right-of-way, driveway and floodplain development permits. Projects that need EPA Construction General Permit coverage file a Notice of Intent through the EPA eNOI system.
• Fire Department: 208-234-6201.

For pre-1978 homes, the EPA’s lead-safe renovation rule applies. Work that disturbs lead paint must be done by an EPA-certified renovator working for a certified firm.