Ada County, ID Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit validity
- 3 years from issuance (IBC section 105.5)
- Late renewal discount
- Half-price if renewed within 1 year of expiration
- Pre-permit application expiration
- 180 days, one 180-day extension allowed
- Appeal deadline
- 15 days to Building Board of Appeals
- Violation penalty
- Misdemeanor under Idaho Code 18-113
- Governing section
- Ada County Code 7-2-4 (IBC section 105.5)
Summary
A building permit in unincorporated Ada County stays alive for three years from issuance. If the work isn't finished and the final inspection isn't performed and the project approved for occupancy within that three-year window, the permit expires automatically. Restarting after expiration means pulling a brand-new permit under section 7-2-4 of the county code.
105.5 Expiration. Add a second paragraph as follows: If work has not been completed, the final inspection performed and the project approved for occupancy or use within three (3) years from the date of such permit being issued, such permit shall expire by limitation and become null and void. Prior to work recommencing after the permit has expired, a new permit shall be obtained. The cost of the new permit, if obtained within one year of the original permit expiration, shall be one half (1/2) of the cost of a new permit for the remaining work required to complete the structure or project.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 1018, passed 3-24-2026).
Full Breakdown
Ada County adopted the 2018 International Building Code with local amendments at title 7, chapter 2, section 7-2-4 of the county code. 5, 'Expiration,' adds a second paragraph specific to Ada County: if work is not completed, the final inspection performed, and the project approved for occupancy or use within three years of the date the permit was issued, the permit expires by limitation and becomes null and void. Work cannot legally resume after that point without obtaining a brand-new permit. The county softens the cost of that reset only within a narrow window: a new permit obtained within one year of the original permit's expiration costs half of what a fresh permit for the remaining work would otherwise cost; wait past that one-year grace period and the full fee applies.
2, sets an earlier checkpoint before construction even starts: an application on which no permit is issued within 180 days of eligibility expires by limitation, though the building official can grant one 180-day extension on a showing that circumstances beyond the applicant's control caused the delay. 1. 1, and must be filed within 15 days of the decision per section 7-1-5(A).
Violations & Fines
Working past a stop-work order, or continuing construction under an expired or unpermitted permit, is a misdemeanor under section 7-2-12, punishable as provided in Idaho Code 18-113, with each day work continues after notice of violation charged as a separate offense. The county can also pursue an injunction or other court action under 7-2-12(B) to stop illegal construction. Investigative fees equal to the permit fee apply separately to any work performed before a permit was obtained.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is my Ada County building permit good for?
What happens if my permit expires before I finish the project?
Can I appeal if the building official won't sign off on my final inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ada County
Compare Ada County to another location·View the Idaho building safety overview
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