Building, septic and well permits in Boundary County: who handles what

State inspectors cover every town here. DOPL's inspector list, created Aug. 5, 2026, names inspectors for Bonners Ferry, Moyie Springs, Naples, Copeland, Eastport and Porthill. Plumbing and HVAC inspections are Monday, Wednesday and Friday in all six. Electrical inspections are Tuesday and Thursday. Eastport's day is Thursday, and Porthill's is Tuesday.

Source: Idaho DOPL, Inspector List with Schedules (Aug. 5, 2026). Boundary County towns and inspection days checked in DOPL's list, Oct 28, 2026.

The county's fee schedule also lists a Floodplain Development Permit at $120.00, "plus actual cost of engineering and other professional services once initial fee is exceeded."

Source: Boundary County, Planning & Zoning. Ordinance area, fee schedule and phone checked on the department's page, Oct 28, 2026.

Inside Bonners Ferry, "Building permits are required in the City of Bonners Ferry," the city says. Applications are at City Hall, 7232 Main Street, or on the city's building page. That page also has the Building Permit and Floodplain Permit Application. The city lists 208-267-3105 for applications and information.

Source: City of Bonners Ferry, Building. Permit wording, application and phone checked on the city's building page, Oct 28, 2026.

Outside the cities, Boundary County Planning & Zoning runs the county's zoning rules. The county says they cover land outside the city limits of Moyie Springs and Bonners Ferry. The department takes "any land use and building inquiries" at (208) 267-7212.

Source: Boundary County, Planning & Zoning. Ordinance area, fee schedule and phone checked on the department's page, Oct 28, 2026.

For Boundary County, the county's placement permit form lists the health district as the septic permit contact, at (208) 267-5558, with its site at panhandlehealthdistrict.org.

Source: Boundary County, Placement Permit Application (August 2026 draft). Applicant's statement and contact list checked on the county's August 2026 form, Oct 28, 2026.

The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) says a well owner or driller "must first obtain a drilling permit from IDWR" before drilling. It also says: "All wells must be constructed by a well driller with a valid license from IDWR."

Source: IDWR, Well Construction and Drilling. Permit and license rule checked on IDWR's well construction page, Oct 28, 2026.

The county's form lists IDWR at (208) 762-2800 for wells. That's the number of IDWR's Northern Regional Office on the agency's contact page.

Source: IDWR, Contact Us. Regional office phone checked on IDWR's contact page, Oct 28, 2026.

State law sets the charge: "There shall be a seventy-five dollar ($75.00) charge for the permit if the well is to be used for domestic or monitoring purposes."

Source: Idaho Code 42-235, Drilling permits. Permit charge checked on the Idaho Legislature's page for this section, Oct 28, 2026.

DOPL's main number is 208-334-3233, on its contact page.

Source: Idaho DOPL, Contact. Phone checked on DOPL's contact page, Oct 28, 2026.

The county's form says a placement permit "cannot be issued without a final approach permit." That permit comes from Boundary County Road & Bridge, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) or the US Forest Service. The form lists Road & Bridge at (208) 267-3838, ITD at (208) 772-1297, and the Forest Service at (208) 267-5561.

Source: Boundary County, Placement Permit Application (August 2026 draft). Applicant's statement and contact list checked on the county's August 2026 form, Oct 28, 2026.

On a county road, Road & Bridge says that under Ordinance 2020-2, "permits are required prior to the construction of any approach or access onto a Boundary County Road." That covers a temporary access too.

Source: Boundary County Road & Bridge, Approach Permits. Permit rule checked on the department's approach permit page, Oct 28, 2026.

Road & Bridge is at 73 Sunrise Road. It maintains more than 355 miles of public roadway, and ITD maintains 78 miles here, including US 95, Highway 1 and US 2.

Source: Boundary County, Road & Bridge. Road miles and office address checked on the department's page, Oct 28, 2026.

On a state highway, ITD says any use of the right of way other than regular travel needs a permit. Its online Right of Way Permit Tool covers "access, approach, encroachment, special event permits and more."

Source: Idaho Transportation Department, Right of Way. Permit wording checked on ITD's right of way page, Oct 28, 2026.

The Forest Service number on the county's form, (208) 267-5561, is the Bonners Ferry Ranger District's office, at 6286 Main Street.

Source: USDA Forest Service, Bonners Ferry Ranger District. Address and phone checked on the ranger district's page, Oct 28, 2026.