jurisdiction guide · idaho

Boise Building Permit Review Times

Boise is unusually transparent about review performance: its Planning & Development Services department publishes a quarterly Permit Processing Timeframes report with the actual average first-review time for each permit type.

Last reviewed June 5, 2026
headline figure
4–52 biz-days by type official quarterly first-review averages
what to know
Boise publishes actual average first-review days by permit type each quarter — from 4 days (small TIs) to 52 (new multifamily).
data source
Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)
by the numbers

Boise permitting, the figures

The key published figures for this jurisdiction — each cited to its official source.

40 days
New commercial buildings & additions
average first review (working business days)
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
52 days
New multi-family
average first review; the slowest category
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
11 days
Single-family home (Level 1)
average first review
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
19 days
Tenant improvement (Level 2)
average first review
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
9 days
Add / alter / repair (Level 2)
average first review
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
4 days
Tenant improvement (Level 1)
average first review; the fastest category
Source: Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)Apr–Jun 2022 — First Review average
analysis

What the data shows

  • Boise publishes actual average first-review times by permit type each quarter — a rare level of transparency. In the Apr–Jun 2022 report, averages ranged from 4 working days (simple tenant improvements) to 52 working days (new multi-family) (City of Boise, Permit Processing Timeframes).

  • New commercial buildings and additions averaged 40 working days for first review, and single-family homes (Level 1) averaged 11 — so complexity, not just volume, drives the spread.

  • These are first-review averages in working business days; resubmittal cycles and customer pick-up time are tracked separately, and the City notes timeframes shift with workload.

how permittable helps in boise

Most delay accumulates before technical review

The data points to the same lever everywhere: most delay accumulates before technical review, in completeness and resubmittal cycles. Permittable's Permit Review Diagnostic checks your plans against applicable codes and common reviewer issues before you submit — so your package is more likely to clear on the first pass.

frequently asked

Boise permitting: FAQ

How long does plan review take in Boise?

In the City of Boise's Apr–Jun 2022 Permit Processing Timeframes report, average first review ran about 11 working days for a single-family home (Level 1), 40 for new commercial buildings and additions, and 52 for new multi-family. Simple tenant improvements averaged 4 days.

Are these the total permit times?

No — they're average first-review times in working business days. Resubmittal cycles and the time a finished permit waits for customer pick-up are tracked separately, and figures change quarter to quarter with workload.

Does Boise publish its review times?

Yes. Boise's Planning & Development Services department publishes a quarterly Permit Processing Timeframes report showing the actual average first-review time for each permit type.

Sources

All figures on this page are drawn from Permit Processing Timeframes (quarterly report, Apr–Jun 2022)City of Boise — Planning & Development Services. Official quarterly report of average first-review timeframes by permit type, in working business days (excludes holidays and weekends). Figures cited from the April 1 – June 30, 2022 edition; the City notes timeframes change with workload. www.cityofboise.org/departments/planning-and-development-services/. Specific tables, reports, and pages are cited inline with each figure above.

These are the City of Boise Planning & Development Services department's average first-review times in working business days (excludes holidays and weekends), from its Permit Processing Timeframes report for April 1 – June 30, 2022. They are first-review averages — not total end-to-end permit time — and the City notes figures change with workload. Methodology differs from other jurisdictions on this site, so compare with care.