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How much does an electrical inspection cost in Idaho?
A requested electrical inspection in Idaho runs $65.00 per inspection, or $45.00 virtual for contractors on qualified installations, under the electrical board's rule (IDAPA 24.39.10, rule text dated 3-28-23, retrieved 5 October 2026). Inspections under an open new-construction permit are already covered by the permit fee. The mover is readiness — not-ready work bills $65.00. (208) 656-1516.
What fees do the rules print?
Two state boards price trades inspections in Idaho, and each prints its fees in rule. Here is the full set a corridor build is likely to touch, as the rules state it:
| Item | Fee | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requested inspection (electrical board) | $65.00 | Per inspection | IDAPA 24.39.10, rule text dated 3-28-23; retrieved 5 October 2026 |
| Virtual inspection request | $45.00 | Contractors, qualified installations | Same rule chapter |
| Reinspection — work not ready | $65.00 | Per reinspection | IDAPA 24.39.10 §500.04 |
| Plumbing trip when work is not ready | $65.00 | Per hour or portion thereof | IDAPA 24.39.20 §500.02.d |
Read the two reinspection rows as one pattern with two shapes. The electrical board prices the event — a flat sixty-five. The plumbing board prices time:
"A fee of sixty-five dollars ($65) per hour or portion thereof shall apply to trips to inspect when the permit holder has given notice to Division that the work is ready for inspection and it is not" — IDAPA 24.39.20 §500.02.d, additional fees (rule text dated 3-28-23). Retrieved 5 October 2026.
And the electrical board words its trigger like a billable event, with more than one way to fire it:
"A fee of sixty-five dollars ($65) per reinspection will be assessed for work not being ready for inspection, inaccurate description of jobsite locations or directions, or failure to respond to notice of correction." — IDAPA 24.39.10 §500.04, reinspection fees (rule text dated 3-28-23). Retrieved 5 October 2026.
One boundary worth drawing plainly: inspections under an open new-construction permit are part of the permit you already bought. The fees above attach to requested inspection permits — the standalone kind ordered outside a new-dwelling permit — and to trips wasted calling ready too soon.
What moves the number?
- Which board governs your trade. Electrical bills $65.00 per event; plumbing bills $65.00 per hour or portion thereof — an unready plumbing site can run past one flat fee while an unready electrical site cannot.
- Readiness. The reinspection fee exists precisely for work called ready that is not — and it also fires on inaccurate jobsite locations or directions and on unanswered notices of correction, per the quoted rule.
- Who gave notice. The fee follows the permit holder — the person who told the Division the work was ready, usually your trade contractor. That is one more reason the whose-name-is-on-the-permit question matters before the first invoice.
- Virtual eligibility. The $45.00 rate applies "for contractors requesting a virtual inspection of qualified installations" — the qualifier is the rule's own, and eligibility is a question to settle before requesting one.
- Vintage of the text. The rule chapter is dated 3-28-23 as retrieved 5 October 2026, and the Division's inspector coverage list is reissued periodically — the current one is dated August 5, 2026. Names and days live on our inspector coverage page; confirm both before scheduling around them.
How do you get a real number?
- Confirm the current rule text with the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses before scheduling — chapters are amended, and this page's figures are the retrieved 3-28-23 text.
- Ask whether your installation qualifies for a virtual inspection before requesting one.
- Align the request with the trades calendar — plumbing and HVAC run fewer inspection days than electrical; the current names and days are on the coverage page.
- Call ready only when the work truly is — the cheapest fee on this page is the one never triggered.
Want the trades calendar managed against your build schedule? Call or text (208) 656-1516.
Common questions
How much is a requested electrical inspection in Idaho?
$65.00 per inspection under the electrical board's rule, with a $45.00 virtual option for contractors requesting a virtual inspection of qualified installations — IDAPA 24.39.10, rule text dated 3-28-23, retrieved 5 October 2026.
Do I pay extra for inspections under my new-construction permit?
No. Inspections under an open new-construction permit are part of the permit you already bought. The $65.00 and $45.00 figures attach to requested inspection permits — the standalone kind — and the reinspection fees attach to wasted trips.
What happens if the inspector arrives and the work is not ready?
The electrical board assesses $65.00 per reinspection for work not being ready, inaccurate jobsite locations or directions, or failure to respond to a notice of correction. The plumbing board charges $65.00 per hour or portion thereof for trips to inspect when the permit holder gave notice the work was ready and it was not.
Who pays the not-ready fee?
The permit holder who gave the notice — by rule, the fee follows the person who told the Division the work was ready. On most builds that is the trade contractor, which is worth confirming before the schedule is set.
Can a homeowner request the inspection directly?
The rule has each installation's permit holder or authorized representative request the inspection from the Division. A homeowner who pulled their own plumbing permit under 54-2602(1)(a) is that permit holder and makes the request.
Are these figures current?
They are the rule text dated 3-28-23, retrieved 5 October 2026. Rule chapters are amended and coverage lists are reissued — confirm the current text with the Division before relying on any figure here.
Related reading: Who inspects your wiring and pipes · The state electrical permit · The state plumbing permit · The 2025 inspection refund rule · Check your builder's registration · Contact: (208) 656-1516