IdahoCities and counties may allow land splits for home financing
Idaho cities and counties may offer a simpler process to split land containing a secondary home when a lender requires separate parcels for financing.
What it does
Cities and counties may let owners split land with an existing or approved secondary home for financing without a full subdivision process. A lender must confirm the need.
A financing split does not authorize extra homes or further land splits. Recorded restrictions stay with the land, and owners cannot bypass them through repeated splits.
Argument forOwners could secure financing that requires separate parcels without a full subdivision process, if their city or county offers this option.
Argument againstRestrictions recorded with a financing split could limit current and future owners’ options to divide or develop their property.
More detail
Cities and counties may offer a land-splitting process handled by local officials without the usual subdivision map requirements. The land must contain an existing or approved accessory dwelling unit, meaning a secondary home, or another secondary residential structure. A lender or mortgage underwriter must provide a letter showing that separate parcels are required for financing. The split must serve only mortgage or financing purposes and stay within local housing density limits. Each resulting parcel must have legal access and utility service that meet local standards. The law took effect on July 1, 2026.
These land splits must be recorded with the county recorder, along with a declaration restricting further splits or development that conflicts with these rules. The limits stay with the original land and cover both resulting parcels, including when ownership changes. Owners cannot bypass the limits by transferring, rearranging, or recombining parcels and splitting them again. The process preserves agricultural land protections and does not allow new building lots that violate local zoning or housing density rules.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 30Reported Signed by Governor Brad Little on March 26, 2026 Session Law Chapter 170 Effective: 07/01/2026Became Law
- Mar 26Delivered to Governor at 12:58 p.m. on March 26, 2026To Governor
- Mar 26Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to GovernorMinor
- Mar 25Signed by President; returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 25Received from the House enrolled/signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 25Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to SenateMajor
- Mar 24Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for EnrollingMinor
- Vote recorded Read third time in full –. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 24Read third time in full – PASSED - 32-2-1AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward, Zito, ZuiderveldNAYS – Foreman, LenneyAbsent and excused – Bjerke(Bjerke)Floor Sponsor - ToewsTitle apvd - to HousePassed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 18Read second time; filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 17Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second readingMinor
- Mar 10Introduced, read first time; referred to: Local Government & TaxationMinor
- Mar 10Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 9Rules Suspended: Ayes 65 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 5, read in full as required – PASSED - 64-0-6AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson(Larsen), Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Haws, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Mathias, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – NoneAbsent – Green, Hawkins, Healey, Hill, Manwaring, McCannFloor Sponsor - WheelerTitle apvd - to SenatePassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Rules Suspended: Ayes 65 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 5, read in full as required –. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Read second time; Filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 6Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second ReadingMinor
- Feb 17Reported Printed and Referred to Business
- Feb 16Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for PrintingIntroduced
Housing