Electrical Contractor Permit Requirements in Boise, ID

Complete permit and license guide for starting a electrical contractor in Boise, Ada County, Idaho.

Verified 2026-09-06 5 stops $400–$1,500 est. 4–10 weeks to obtain all licenses
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of Idaho

1 stop

  1. Idaho State Tax Commission — Sales Tax Permit

    Required for all businesses selling taxable goods or services in Idaho. Idaho charges a 6% state sales tax. Some cities have local option taxes. Register with the Idaho State Tax Commission online.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online via TAP)

City of Boise / Ada County

3 stops

  1. Idaho DOPL Electrical Board — Electrical Contractor License

    Electrical contractors in Idaho hold a State Electrical Contractor License from the Electrical Board at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). DOPL absorbed the former Division of Building Safety, and the old dbs.idaho.gov address now redirects away. The licence requires a qualifying master or journeyman electrician associated with the business, and the exam-based licence path applies to the individual qualifier. The contractor licence runs one year.

    Official government source

    $140 to start: $15 application fee plus $125 contractor licence fee. Renewal is $100/year; reinstatement is $125. Individual licences are separate — journeyman $55 (3 years), master $65 (3 years).4–8 weeks, longer if the qualifying individual still needs to sit the exam.

  2. City of Boise — No General Business License

    Boise does not require a general/blanket business license. Businesses must instead comply with zoning, required building/health permits, and any applicable activity-specific city license (Animal, Food & Alcohol Beverage, Security Services, Vehicle Licensing). Most professional/personal-service businesses fall under none of these categories and need no city business license — verify your specific business's obligations with the City Clerk's Licensing page.

    Official government source

    N/A — no general business license existsN/A

  3. City of Boise Electrical Permit (per project)

    An electrical permit must be pulled from Boise Planning & Development Services for each electrical project, with a final inspection on completion. Boise publishes its electrical fee schedule; commercial and industrial permits are priced from the total wiring cost, and residential work on new dwellings is priced by square footage.

    Official government source

    Set by Boise's published Electrical Code Fee Schedule — commercial permits are a $14 base fee plus a wiring-cost table (for example $84.32 plus 1.14% of wiring cost between $2,000 and $10,000); new single-family dwellings start at $135 per unit1–5 business days for permit issuance

Terminus

Open for business — est. $400–$1,500 · 4–10 weeks to obtain all licenses

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