Homedale, ID Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Homedale, Idaho (Owyhee County) administers its own zoning under Title 17 of the city code¹, and the city requires a building permit before a manufactured home is placed on a lot². Septic permits are a separate matter: Southwest District Health permits septic systems in Owyhee County³. Inside city limits, the county's rules for unincorporated land do not apply.

At a glance

Zoning: Homedale administers its own zoning; Agricultural (A) and Residential (R) districts confirmed¹⁴
Building permit: Required from the city before placing a manufactured home; general rule not separately confirmed²
Building codes: State-adopted codes are the city's official building codes⁵
Septic: Southwest District Health permits septic systems; city sewer is required within reach³⁶
RV living: Restricted: one RV may be stored on owned or leased premises, but living in it is limited⁷
Manufactured homes: Allowed on individual lots in A and R districts on a 7,000 sq ft minimum site, with conditions⁸
Well permit: Idaho Department of Water Resources drilling permit before any well⁹

Who to call

Building permits

City of Homedale (City Hall)

City building permits, zoning questions and city forms inside Homedale city limits

208-337-4641

31 West Wyoming Ave

Building permits

City of Homedale permits and applications

City permit and application forms

Septic permits

Southwest District Health - Septic & Land Development

Septic permits, site evaluations and drainfield review in Owyhee County

208-455-5400

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Homedale means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Homedale, Idaho have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and manufactured homes?

Yes. The City of Homedale administers Title 17 of its city code, with Agricultural (A) and Residential (R) districts confirmed¹. Other districts may exist, and we could not confirm the full district schedule, so ask City Hall which district a parcel sits in⁴.

Manufactured homes for permanent living are allowed on individual lots in the A and R districts when several conditions are met, including a site of at least 7,000 square feet⁸. The same lot must also meet the city's height, setback and area schedule¹⁰.

RVs are restricted. Homedale's code bars installing a travel trailer or recreational vehicle on any premises or using one for living quarters, with an exception for an owner storing one RV on owned or leased premises; living quarters means occupation for 45 days in any 12 months⁷. We could not confirm rules for tiny homes or accessory dwellings inside the city, so ask City Hall before planning either.

Do you need a building permit in Homedale, and who issues it?

Homedale's code requires the owner or agent to obtain a building permit from the city before any construction or before establishing a manufactured home on a lot². The city's official building codes are the editions adopted by the state of Idaho or the Idaho Building Code Board⁵. The city posts a Residential Bldg Permit App on its permits and applications page¹¹. The permit fee is set by city council resolution¹².

We could not confirm a certificate-of-occupancy process or an owner-builder rule for projects inside the city, so ask City Hall at 208-337-4641¹³. Utility connections for a manufactured home must be inspected and permitted¹⁴.

How do septic permits work inside Homedale?

Septic permits come from Southwest District Health, not from the city. SWDH permits septic tanks and drainfields for residential and commercial properties, and must conduct an on-site evaluation before issuing a subsurface sewage disposal permit¹⁵. Idaho's seven public health districts administer the state septic rules¹⁶.

Inside Homedale, the city's code requires a building within reach of a public sewer to connect: the public sewer must be within 300 feet of a property line of the building, and connection is required within 15 days of official city notice⁶. Where public sewer is unavailable, a private system must meet the rules of whatever authority has jurisdiction, and must be abandoned in favor of the public sewer when it becomes available¹⁷. We could not confirm a separate city septic permit, so call SWDH at 208-455-5400¹⁵.

Building a home in Homedale: the steps, in order

Ask Homedale City Hall which zoning district the lot is in and whether the intended home type is allowed there⁴¹³.
Check whether public sewer is within reach of the lot; if not, contact Southwest District Health about a site evaluation⁶¹⁵.
Apply for the city building permit before any construction or manufactured home placement²¹¹.
If you need a well, the well owner or driller must first obtain a drilling permit from the Idaho Department of Water Resources⁹.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work requires a state permit when it is performed¹⁸.
Get required inspections; manufactured home installations must be inspected and approved before anyone occupies the home¹⁹.

What stays with Owyhee County (and what to check before you buy)?

Land outside Homedale city limits is governed by Owyhee County, not the city. Owyhee County requires a building permit for structures over 200 square feet in unincorporated areas²⁰, and county zoning there is separate; see the Owyhee County page for those rules.

Wells are a state matter: Idaho requires a drilling permit from the Idaho Department of Water Resources before a well is drilled⁹. Owyhee County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%²¹, and about 6.9% of its soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system on lots without sewer²².

Watch-outs

Homedale's zoning district schedule, including setbacks, minimum dwelling size and lot coverage, was not available to us, so confirm the numbers for your district with City Hall before you buy⁴.
Do not apply the county's rules to a lot inside Homedale: Owyhee County's building permit threshold applies to unincorporated land only²⁰.
Living in an RV on a Homedale lot is limited by the city's 45-days-in-12-months living-quarters definition⁷.

Sources

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Homedale publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Owyhee County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Homedale, Idaho