Star, ID Deck Permit Rules (2026)

When does a deck need a permit in Star?

Star's building FAQ draws the line at 30 inches: a deck that is 30 or more inches above grade needs a building permit. The wording matters at the margin. A deck that sits exactly 30 inches up is in, where a rule written as "over 30 inches" would leave it out. Measure from the ground to the top of the decking at the highest point. On a lot that falls away from the house, a deck that steps out level from the back door can clear 30 inches at its outer rim even when the doorway end is a single step up.

Star's FAQ lists height and nothing else for decks. The model exemption in the 2018 IRC, which Idaho adopted, is narrower: it covers decks no larger than 200 square feet, no higher than 30 inches, not attached to the house and not serving the required exit door. If your low deck is ledgered to the house or is larger than 200 square feet, put the question to the building department in writing before you skip the permit. The email reply is your record.

That spread is why two neighbors on either side of the Eagle line can get different answers for the same deck. Eagle's permit rules and Meridian's are worth reading if your address is near either boundary.

Do pergolas and patio covers need a permit in Star?

Yes when they're attached, at any size, and yes when they're detached and larger than 200 square feet. Star lists patio covers, pergolas and awnings together, so a fabric awning bolted to the fascia is treated the same as a timber pergola. The slab under them is the opposite case: Star says no building permit is required for a concrete slab of any size.

That split shapes most projects on newer Star lots. A builder slab off the back door plus an attached pergola means the pergola needs a permit and the slab doesn't. Star's design criteria list a 115 mph design wind for risk category II with Exposure C, a 20 psf ground snow load and a 25 psf minimum roof snow load, and the plans examiner expects the cover's connections to carry those numbers. Uplift-rated post bases, beam-to-post ties and a flashed, through-bolted ledger belong on the drawing. Our Star pergola and covered deck page covers the build side.

Is your home inside Star city limits?

Check before drawing anything. Star's FAQ points out that ZIP codes are set by the Postal Service for mail delivery, not by city boundaries, and the city on your certificate of occupancy reflects the real jurisdiction. Star also straddles a county line: the 2020 Census places the city mainly in Ada County with a part in Canyon County. Look your parcel up on the Ada County Assessor's map. If it's outside city limits, the permit comes from the county, and our Ada County overview explains the county permit path; Canyon County parcels go to the Canyon County Building Department in Caldwell.

What do you submit for a Star deck permit?

All permitting through Star's building department is done online through its permit portal, and fees are paid there by card or e-check. Star's FAQ says each permit must be paid for separately, so if the city issues the deck and the cover as two permits, budget for two payments. Star doesn't publish a deck-specific drawing checklist on the pages we read, so build the set around what any 2018 IRC reviewer checks, using Star's own design criteria:

1. Site plan: house, deck and any cover, with distances to every property line and the easements on your subdivision plat.
2. Framing plan: footings, posts, beams, joist size, spacing, span and direction, drawn to scale.
3. Section from the bottom of the footing to the top of the guard, showing footings below Star's 24-inch frost line.
4. Ledger detail: bolt size and pattern, the rim it fastens to, and the flashing.
5. Guards and stairs: guard height, opening size, riser and tread dimensions, handrail.
6. For a cover: post bases, beam ties and roof framing designed for 115 mph wind and the 25 psf roof snow minimum.

The floor load in Star's criteria is 40 psf live and 20 psf dead. Its weathering rating is severe and its decay rating slight to none, which favors pressure-treated framing kept off wet soil. Footing size is the item reviewers question most; our deck footing depth guide shows how it's worked out.

How do Star deck inspections work?

Through the portal only. Star doesn't take inspection requests by phone or email. A next-day inspection has to be requested by 4:00 p.m. the business day before, and the city doesn't schedule weekend inspections. To cancel, email building@staridaho.org with the permit number, address and inspection type.

The FAQ doesn't list a deck inspection sequence. Third-party permit guides describe footing, framing and final as the usual set; treat that as typical and follow the inspections on your permit. Book the footing visit with the holes dug to depth and before the concrete truck is ordered.

Does your Star HOA have to approve the deck first?

Star tells homeowners to contact the HOA first. The building department says plainly that it has no authority over HOAs, and an association may be stricter than the code. Newer subdivisions along Highway 44, Star Road and New Hope Road, such as Cranefield, Norterra and Hope Springs on Build Idaho's 2024 list, generally have recorded covenants. Covers get the most scrutiny because they change the roofline neighbors see. Third-party permit services put HOA review at one to six weeks. Our HOA deck approval guide covers the packet.

How long does a Star deck permit take?

Star's FAQ gives typical review times of two to four weeks for small residential projects and about four to six weeks for larger ones. Each revision or correction adds three to four weeks, and the city doesn't expedite plans for a fee. Review times can also stretch with volume and holidays.

Add it up for a covered deck: up to six weeks of HOA review, then two to six weeks at the city, then three to four more for every correction. One incomplete drawing can push a May build into July. That's the reason we draw the full set, connectors included, before the first submittal, and why we start design for spring builds in late winter.

Does a Star deck near the Boise River need a floodplain permit?

It can. Star's design criteria note that the 2003 flood insurance rate maps are in effect, and its FAQ says development in certain flood zones requires a Flood Plain Development Permit and must meet the city's Flood Hazard Ordinance. The planning department evaluates flood zone location by appointment. If your lot backs onto the river in a community such as Heron River or Star River Ranch, book that appointment before the deck is drawn.

Can a homeowner pull a Star deck permit?

Yes, with conditions. Star lets owners pull a permit for a primary or secondary residence, but the owner must do all the work and plan to live in the home within 12 months of completion. If anyone else is doing the work, a licensed contractor pulls the permit. A split job, where the owner frames the deck and hires out the pergola, needs a clear answer from the city on who pulls what. If you'd rather hand off the drawings, permit and build, request an estimate or see our Star deck builder page.