Idaho solar permitting

Grade distribution

Overview

Every Idaho county is scored on the SitePath solar permitting index. About half are graded A or B, meaning they present low to moderate permitting risk for utility-scale solar projects. A sizeable minority sit in the C range — moderate risk with meaningful process uncertainty. A minority are rated D or F — high to very high risk, often due to active moratoria, restrictive setback ordinances, or strong local opposition.

The most favorable jurisdictions in Idaho include Blaine County (grade A), Teton County (grade A), Latah County (grade A). The most challenging include Ada County (grade D), Idaho County (grade D), Bannock County (grade F).

The state's policy environment — No binding RPS — presents headwinds for renewable development, making county-level permitting conditions especially important to evaluate project by project. Bannock County currently has an active utility-scale solar moratorium — a hard barrier for project development that typically requires a board vote to lift.

All counties — sorted by risk score (best first)

About SitePath scoring

Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →