Shed Building Permits in Benewah County
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Benewah County
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Use this Benewah County permit page before you build
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- Confirm whether the property is inside city limits or county jurisdiction.
- Check size, foundation, utility, and intended-use rules before ordering materials.
- Use the builder after permit and site constraints are clear enough to shape the shed.
What Benewah County regulates for sheds
The Benewah County Building Department ((208) 245-4122), based in St. Maries, runs its own building-inspection program under county Title 8 — it does not defer building inspection to the state. A one-story detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less is exempt from a building permit under Idaho's adopted residential code; above that a permit is required. Land use and zoning are handled separately by Benewah County Planning & Zoning ((208) 967-4232).
The county did not publish a separate shed threshold or its setback numbers in a place we could verify online, so confirm both by phone before you build. In Idaho, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits are usually issued by the state Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), separately from any local building permit — and a wired or plumbed shed can need a state trade permit even when the shed itself is small enough to skip a building permit.
Benewah County shed permit snapshot
Benewah County shed permit snapshot
- Building permit
- The county runs its own building department. Detached storage sheds 200 sq ft or less are exempt; larger structures need a permit.
- Adopted codes
- 2018 IBC, the 2020 Idaho Residential Code (2018 IRC base), and the 2020 Idaho Energy Code, with Idaho amendments.
- Zoning
- Handled by Planning & Zoning under county Titles 9-11. Setbacks apply to a shed of any size — confirm the numbers for your zone.
- Trade permits
- Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits are state (DOPL) permits — DOPL: (208) 334-3233.
- Snow load
- Around 60 psf design ground snow load for St. Maries and 59 psf for Plummer (University of Idaho study). Confirm for the parcel.
- Floodplain
- Parcels near the St. Joe and St. Maries Rivers, Lake Chatcolet, and Benewah Lake can require a floodplain development permit.
| Benewah County shed permit snapshot | |
|---|---|
| Building permit | The county runs its own building department. Detached storage sheds 200 sq ft or less are exempt; larger structures need a permit. |
| Adopted codes | 2018 IBC, the 2020 Idaho Residential Code (2018 IRC base), and the 2020 Idaho Energy Code, with Idaho amendments. |
| Zoning | Handled by Planning & Zoning under county Titles 9-11. Setbacks apply to a shed of any size — confirm the numbers for your zone. |
| Trade permits | Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits are state (DOPL) permits — DOPL: (208) 334-3233. |
| Snow load | Around 60 psf design ground snow load for St. Maries and 59 psf for Plummer (University of Idaho study). Confirm for the parcel. |
| Floodplain | Parcels near the St. Joe and St. Maries Rivers, Lake Chatcolet, and Benewah Lake can require a floodplain development permit. |
Benewah County inspects shed structure through its own building department — confirm the threshold and setbacks directly before you build.
A county with its own building department
Benewah County is different from Bonner and Boundary: it operates its own building department and Title 8 building regulations rather than leaning on the state for structural review. That means a shed over the exemption goes through county plan review and inspection, on the 2018 IBC and 2020 Idaho Residential Code editions.
Make sure you are talking to the right office: the Benewah County Building Department serves unincorporated parcels, while the City of St. Maries runs its own building department inside city limits.
Setbacks and snow load
Zoning setbacks apply even to a sub-200-square-foot exempt shed, but the county's setback numbers were not published in a place we could verify, so call Planning & Zoning ((208) 967-4232) for the figures that apply to your zone.
For snow, the University of Idaho study puts the design ground snow load near 60 psf for St. Maries and 59 psf for Plummer. Design the roof to the value for the parcel's elevation.
Floodplain near the rivers and lakes
Benewah County sits where the St. Joe and St. Maries Rivers meet, with Lake Chatcolet, Benewah Lake, and Round Lake nearby. Parcels in those mapped floodplains can require a floodplain development permit and elevated or flood-resistant construction.
Treat this as planning context, not a permit decision. Thresholds, setbacks, fees, and adopted code editions change, so confirm the current rule for your exact parcel with the authority that has jurisdiction before you order materials.
Benewah County shed permit FAQs
Does Benewah County inspect sheds itself?
Yes. Unlike some neighboring counties, Benewah County runs its own building department under Title 8. A detached storage shed of 200 square feet or less is exempt from a building permit; a larger shed goes through county plan review and inspection.
What snow load should a Benewah County shed be designed for?
The University of Idaho study puts the design ground snow load around 60 psf for St. Maries and 59 psf for Plummer. Confirm the value for your parcel's elevation with the Building Department.
Who issues electrical and plumbing permits?
The state — the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), at (208) 334-3233. Those trade permits are separate from the county building permit.
Are the county and city of St. Maries the same office?
No. The Benewah County Building Department serves unincorporated parcels; the City of St. Maries has its own building department for parcels inside city limits. Confirm which one governs your address.
Plan a Benewah County shed
Confirm the threshold, setbacks, and snow load with the county, then design the shed in the builder — or send the details for an estimate.
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