Idaho / Local permit guide
Boise Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Boise Planning and Development ServicesSource linked
- Electric utility
- Idaho PowerSource linked
- Local pathway
- Not yet verified.
- Review time
- Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projectsNo verified standard-path permit timeline is available.See source scope and conditions below.
Ada County ·
Jump to a section
Planning a new solar project? See the homeowner quote option →
Research coverage
Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Boise. It does not show the status of a specific project.
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
A local permit and utility permission to operate are different approvals. Check the local sequence and requirements below.
How to read this guide
GridPermit collects Idaho residential solar and permitting facts directly from official sources (city, county, and state government sites, utilities, and public utilities commissions) and shows only what we can verify, with a confidence score and a link to where it came from. Nothing here is estimated or inferred beyond what's stated below. See our methodology for the rules this page follows.
Permit timeline
Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projects
No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
Per the City's own checklist document, residential additions/alterations/accessory buildings (which includes solar PV) are 'reviewed and approved over the counter' on a first-come, first-served basis during business hours — a same-day process for complete submittals. No specific automated-review platform is named in the document, so none is recorded here.
Sources & confidence
Battery/solar incentive program on record
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
- Residential solar photovoltaic building permit fee: $162.09 (flat fee)
Per the City's own 'Solar Photovoltaic Systems Building Permit Fees Policy' (effective 2016-06-02, signed by Building Official Jason Blais): calculated as 3.5 hours of plan review/inspection time at the City's $46.31/hour rate (3.5 x $46.31 = $162.09). This flat rate exists specifically to avoid inflating fees based on the high equipment valuation of solar systems. Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
- Idaho Power interconnection application fee: $100 (non-refundable flat fee)
Per Idaho Power's own page, covering application processing, engineering review, and on-site inspection.
- Idaho Power return-trip inspection fee: $52 (flat fee)
Per Idaho Power's own page, charged if the utility cannot complete inspection due to unmet conditions on the first visit.
Sources & confidence
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Idaho Power
Idaho Power is Boise's well-established dominant electric utility.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Idaho Power (utility)
Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Sources & confidence
Interconnection
Idaho Power does not offer traditional retail-rate net metering. Residential/small general service systems are capped at 25kW AC. A non-refundable $100 application-processing fee applies (covering engineering review and on-site inspection), plus a $52 return-trip inspection fee if conditions aren't met on the first visit. Systems must use smart inverters meeting IEEE 1547-2018 and UL 1741 SB, plus an AC disconnect switch. Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Inspection steps
- Applications are reviewed and approved over the counter, Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm, on a first-come first-served basis
- Applicants check in at the Permit Counter with the completed application, checklist, and all required documents; incomplete submittals are returned for updated plans/documents
- Any specific planning approvals (historic, hillside, or floodplain) must be completed prior to building permit submittal and review
Sources & confidence
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 25 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Not yet verified.
- Other conditions:
- The 25kW AC figure recorded here reflects Idaho Power's residential/small-general-service interconnection cap, not a separate City permit-eligibility limit
- Any specific planning approvals (historic district, hillside, or floodplain) must be completed prior to building permit submittal
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- Planning and Development Services (Permit Counter), phone: 208-608-7070, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Boise?
EnergySage is an independent solar marketplace where you can request property-specific pricing from installers familiar with local permitting.
Compare quotes from solar installers →You'll continue on EnergySage's website. GridPermit links to EnergySage as an independent third-party resource. This link is not currently tracked for compensation.
Official sources
Official sources
- Residential Photovoltaic Systems Submittal Checklist (Document #406, October 2022), City of Boise, Planning and Development Services (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Solar Photovoltaic Systems Building Permit Fees Policy (effective 2016-06-02), City of Boise, Planning and Development Services (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Frequently Asked Questions — Solar Power Options / Customer Generation, Idaho Power (utility). Accessed 2026-08-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Boise, Idaho?
Idaho Power is the interconnection and distribution utility for Boise. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.
How long does an expedited-eligible residential solar permit take in Boise?
Per the City's own checklist document, residential additions/alterations/accessory buildings (which includes solar PV) are 'reviewed and approved over the counter' on a first-come, first-served basis during business hours — a same-day process for complete submittals. No specific automated-review platform is named in the document, so none is recorded here. No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Boise?
Commonly required documents include: Form #406 Residential Addition, Alteration & Accessory Building Application; Roof plan, drawn to scale, showing exact panel locations and minimum required fire-fighter access clearances from roof edges and peak; Structural calculations stamped and signed by an Idaho-licensed engineer evaluating the roof structure; Manufacturer specifications for panels, inverters, racking (showing appropriate UL listing, e.g. UL 1703 for panels, UL 1741 for inverters); One-line electrical diagram showing equipment location, voltage/current ratings, wire size, disconnect rating, and overcurrent protection ratings; ICC-ES Evaluation Services Report for all roof-mounting brackets; Certificate of Appropriateness from the Planning division.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Boise?
Planning and Development Services (Permit Counter), phone 208-608-7070.