Franklin

ADU Pass helps homeowners in Franklin, Franklin County, Idaho navigate the permit paperwork for building an accessory dwelling unit. This area covers 1 ZIP code.

1 ZIP code

ADU details

ADU legality: unclear

Stateunclear (Idaho accessory-dwelling framework) — Idaho statewide ADU posture per state-adu-research file.
Countywith-restrictions (Franklin County unincorporated zoning) — Franklin County permits ADUs in unincorporated areas under state-law-aligned standards. Within Franklin city limits the city ordinance plus state law govern.
Citywith-restrictions (City of Franklin Municipal / Zoning Code — Accessory Dwelling Units) — City of Franklin permits ADUs under the local ordinance aligned with Idaho statewide framework where applicable.

Idaho leaves ADU regulation to local municipalities under home-rule or Dillon-rule authority. Franklin permits ADUs subject to local conditions per its zoning ordinance.

Cost scenarios

ScenarioSq ft PermitBuildTotal
minimum 150 $1,900 $36,750 $38,650
600 600 $1,900 $147,000 $148,900
midpoint 525 $1,900 $128,625 $130,525
maximum 900 $1,900 $220,500 $222,400
Fee breakdown
Plan review$570
Building permit$1,045
Impact fees$285
Total$1,900

Viability (permitted uses)

  • Long-term rental: yes Long-term rental of ADU generally permitted; landlord-tenant law and any city rental-registration ordinance apply.
  • Short-term rental: with-restrictions STR rules vary by city. Franklin regulates STRs separately from ADU permitting; check local STR ordinance and HOA covenants.
  • Office rental: with-restrictions Detached office rental requires home occupation permit or rezoning.
  • Home office: yes Home occupation permitted with restrictions on signage and customer traffic.
  • Studio / workshop: yes Personal artist studio is a permitted accessory use.
  • Agriculture: with-restrictions Limited urban agriculture permitted in residential zones; livestock varies by district.
  • Relative support: yes Family-occupancy ADU explicitly permitted in single-family zones.

Utilities

  • Water: Franklin Water Utility · 30d connect · $4,500
  • Sewer: Franklin Sewer / Wastewater · 30d connect · $5,500
  • Electric: Franklin Electric Utility · 21d connect · $1,800
  • Gas: Franklin Gas Utility · 30d connect · $1,500

Property values & taxes

Median value$350,000
Median tax$3,500/yr
Effective rate1%

Construction timeline

Detached build24 weeks
Conversion14 weeks
Contractor lead3 months

Realistic total: best 7mo · typical 10mo · worst 16mo

Financing

Insurance impact

Annual premium delta$380
Landlord policyrecommended
Umbrella threshold$1M umbrella when renting

HOA prevalence & preemption

State HOA preemptionno

Idaho HB 166 (2023) preempts HOA and restrictive-covenant bans on ADUs as of 2023-07-01. HOAs cannot create or enforce rules that generally ban ADUs on detached, owner-occupied properties. As of 2023-07-01, no new restrictive covenants may be created to prohibit ADUs on owner-occupied homesteads. HOAs retain authority to impose 'reasonable regulations' on ADUs (size, parking, design, materials) within the bounds of the state floor; they may not use those reasonable regulations to effectively ban ADUs. Idaho's preemption is broader than Hawaii's (which grandfathers pre-Act covenants) but narrower than Colorado's (which voids ALL HOA ADU prohibitions): Idaho focuses specifically on owner-occupied homesteads. The Idaho Homeowner's Association Act, Idaho Code Title 55 Chapter 32, governs HOA powers generally.

Technical envelope (climate & building code)

Climate & energy code

IECC climate zone5B
Heating degree days6,200
Cooling degree days700
Frost depth30"
Design snow load30 psf
Wind design speed105 mph
Seismic design cat.B
Annual rainfall17"
Wildfire exposurelow
Energy codeIECC
Version / adopted2018 / 2021

Building code

Base codeIRC
Version year2,018
Adopted2021
Fire sprinklernone
Egress window5.7 sqft min
Min ceiling7 ft
Attic R-valueR-49 min
Wall R-valueR-20 min

Amendments:

  • Amendment
  • Amendment
Idaho state — ADU law and programs

State ADU law

Idaho enacted statewide ADU preemption through HB 166 (2023), passed by the Sixty-seventh Idaho Legislature and signed by Governor Brad Little, effective 2023-07-01. The act guarantees at least one ADU per residentially-zoned, owner-occupied lot in covered jurisdictions and prohibits cities and counties from outright banning ADUs in residential zones. Local governments may still impose health, safety, and infrastructure standards (parking, setbacks, design review) but may not impose hard maximum size caps. The act simultaneously preempts HOA / restrictive-covenant bans on ADUs as of the effective date (see stateHoaPreemption); covenants recorded before 2023-07-01 are NOT grandfathered for blanket prohibitions on owner-occupied homesteads, distinguishing Idaho from Hawaii's grandfathering approach. The legislature created a follow-on study committee on state and local land-use regulations whose recommendations have produced additional measures in subsequent sessions.

State HOA preemption

Idaho HB 166 (2023) preempts HOA and restrictive-covenant bans on ADUs as of 2023-07-01. HOAs cannot create or enforce rules that generally ban ADUs on detached, owner-occupied properties. As of 2023-07-01, no new restrictive covenants may be created to prohibit ADUs on owner-occupied homesteads. HOAs retain authority to impose 'reasonable regulations' on ADUs (size, parking, design, materials) within the bounds of the state floor; they may not use those reasonable regulations to effectively ban ADUs. Idaho's preemption is broader than Hawaii's (which grandfathers pre-Act covenants) but narrower than Colorado's (which voids ALL HOA ADU prohibitions): Idaho focuses specifically on owner-occupied homesteads. The Idaho Homeowner's Association Act, Idaho Code Title 55 Chapter 32, governs HOA powers generally.

State financing programs

Idaho does not operate an ADU-specific statewide loan, grant, or forgivable-loan program. The Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) is the state's housing finance agency and administers a robust portfolio: first-time-homebuyer mortgages, down-payment assistance, the IHFA Heroes Loan Program (for first responders, military, healthcare, educators), the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (gap financing for affordable rental development), and the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocation. None target ADU construction directly; an ADU-bearing primary residence on an Idaho lot can qualify for the underlying mortgage when other criteria are met. The Idaho Homeowner Assistance Fund operates as a federally-funded mortgage and utility backstop.

State housing programs

Idaho's state-level ADU programs operate primarily through the HB 166 preemption framework (effective 2023-07-01) rather than a separate pre-approved-plan catalog or fee-waiver statute. The state does not maintain a statewide ADU plan library. Idaho Smart Growth (a nonprofit) maintains widely-used model ADU zoning module guidance. The Idaho Legislature's land-use study committee, formed after HB 166, has issued recommendations that have produced incremental land-use legislation but no statewide ADU plan or fee-waiver program. ADU-relevant programs at the state level are essentially limited to the HB 166 preemption itself.

Federal (United States) — ADU-relevant rules and programs

Federal ADU law

The United States has no federal statute that directly regulates accessory dwelling unit entitlement or design. Land-use authority over ADUs resides with states and local governments under the traditional police power. Federal engagement is limited to financing (Fannie/Freddie/FHA/VA/USDA), flood insurance (FEMA/NFIP), and discretionary housing programs (HUD), which are recorded in sibling sections of this file.

Federal financing programs

Federal housing-finance agencies and GSEs set nationwide underwriting rules that govern whether an ADU can be financed, appraised, and counted toward mortgage qualifying income. The relevant actors are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA (HUD), VA, and USDA Rural Development.

Federal tax credits

There is no ADU-specific federal tax credit. ADUs may incidentally qualify for existing federal energy-efficiency and clean-energy tax credits when the ADU construction includes qualifying measures.

Federal housing programs

HUD administers several discretionary programs that can fund ADU-related activity at the grantee's election, but none is an ADU-specific program.

ZIP Code

  • 83237

Post Office

  • 45 S 1st E, 83237