What Idaho law actually says
Idaho regulates elevators, platform lifts and similar equipment under the Elevator Safety Code Act, Title 39, Chapter 86 of the Idaho Code. For the equipment it covers, the Act adopts the national ASME A17.1 elevator safety code and requires permits, inspections and a certificate to operate.
But Section 39-8606 lists what the Act doesn't apply to, and the first item is conveyances located in private residences. The Act defines a private residence as a separate dwelling, or a separate apartment in a multiple dwelling, occupied only by the members of a single family unit (§39-8603).
So if you're putting an elevator, stairlift or platform lift in the house you live in, the state elevator program isn't involved. No state elevator permit, no state acceptance inspection and no annual state inspection.
What still needs a permit
The exemption covers the state elevator program, not your local building department. Most home elevator projects include construction work that does need a permit:
- Framing a new shaft, or opening up stacked closets into one
- Cutting floor openings and adding headers or other structural support
- Digging a pit in a slab or basement floor
- Building an exterior shaft with its own foundation and roof
- A dedicated electrical circuit for the elevator
Who issues it depends on where you live: the City of Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, the City of Sandpoint, Bonner County, the City of Boise, Ada County and so on. A stairlift is different. It mounts to the stair treads and plugs into an outlet, so in most homes no building permit is needed, though it never hurts to ask your city.
When the exemption may not apply
The exemption is written around a single family living in its own home. A few situations common in North Idaho and the Treasure Valley don't fit that picture neatly:
- Vacation and short-term rentals. A lake house or ski home rented to guests isn't occupied only by one family unit.
- Duplexes and shared buildings where more than one household uses the lift.
- Home businesses where clients or customers use the equipment.
If your project falls into one of these, check with the state elevator program before you build. It's far easier to plan for permits up front than to retrofit later.
How the commercial process works
For churches, offices, shops and other buildings the public uses, the state elevator program (run by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, with offices in Boise, Coeur d'Alene and Blackfoot) is involved from start to finish:
- Plans approved by the local building department go to the state for plan review
- The state issues an installation permit
- The finished lift gets an acceptance inspection
- The state issues a certificate to operate, followed by periodic inspections
This applies to vertical and inclined platform lifts as well as LULA and commercial elevators.
No inspector means maintenance is on you
Because nobody from the state checks elevators in private homes, the only inspection your elevator gets is the one you schedule. We recommend a service visit at least once a year to test the safeties, door and gate locks, emergency lowering and batteries.
Keep your service records, too. If you sell the house, buyers and their inspectors will want to know the elevator has been maintained.
Standards still matter
Exempt doesn't mean anything goes. Reputable residential elevators are built to ASME A17.1, Section 5.3, the national standard for private residence elevators, and platform lifts and stairlifts to ASME A18.1. Those standards cover things like door interlocks, speed limits, emergency lowering and the gap between the hoistway door and the cab door. Ask any installer which standard their equipment meets.
Before you start: a quick checklist
- Confirm the home is a private residence used by your household (not a rental or shared building)
- Call your city or county to ask which building and electrical permits apply
- Get planning drawings from your installer so your builder or architect can size the shaft and pit
- Make sure the equipment is built to ASME A17.1 Section 5.3 (elevators) or A18.1 (lifts)
- Plan for a yearly maintenance visit
Common questions
Does Idaho inspect home elevators?
No. Elevators and lifts in private residences are exempt from Idaho's state elevator program, so there's no state permit or inspection. Your local building department may inspect the construction work.
Do I need a permit for a stairlift in Idaho?
Generally no. There's no state permit for a stairlift in a private home, and because it mounts to the stairs and plugs into an outlet, most cities don't require a building permit either. Check with your city if you're unsure.
What about an elevator in my vacation rental?
A rental used by paying guests may not fit Idaho's definition of a private residence. Check with the state elevator program before you build.
Who handles commercial elevator permits in Idaho?
The state elevator program, run by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. It reviews plans, issues permits and inspects lifts in public buildings.
