IDAHO FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in Idaho

• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Car In The Parking LotA driver's seat, a running engine, a test, and the questions at the station.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8Carrying Across TownA pistol under a jacket, the school pickup, the courthouse, and a knife.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8Twenty-One Days For The DepositMoving out, normal wear and tear, the itemized statement, and three days' notice before suing.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8Behind On The HouseA notice of default, 115 days to cure, the tax bill, a contractor's lien, and what a judgment cannot reach.

All 10 new in Idaho ↓

Someone asked

“How long does a landlord in Idaho have to return a deposit?”

Getting The Deposit Back

When the lease ends and the tenant surrenders the premises, the landlord refunds the deposit within twenty-one days if the agreement sets no time, and in any event within thirty days. A partial refund comes with a signed statement itemizing what was kept, why, and what was spent.

• Idaho Code § 6-321StatuteSecurity depositsOpens legislature.idaho.gov ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

54 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops11Being stopped4Marijuana and drugs1Impaired driving2Court and money12Your home13Carrying a firearm3Charges and penalties6How you carry yourself2

• The Taillight StopA lamp out after dark, the license and the insurance card, and a suspension the driver forgot.4 steps →
• The Morning CommuteA two-lane highway, a slow truck, a phone in the cupholder, and the points that add up.4 steps →
• The School RunA car seat, belts in the back, a stopped bus, and a school zone.4 steps →
• The Fender BenderA crash on the interstate, the information exchange, a hurt driver, and the patrol car on the shoulder.4 steps →
• Two Wheels In TownA bicycle at a stop sign, an e-bike on the path, a teenager on a motorcycle, and a crosswalk.4 steps →
• The Yellow LightA light turning, a right on red, a drifting lane, and a pedestrian stepping out.4 steps →
• A Car Changes HandsA private sale, the title within thirty days, the registration month, the plates and the tint.4 steps →
• The Lot, The Tow And The ShopA parking spot by a hydrant, a posted private lot, a tow, and a repair bill.4 steps →
• The GloveboxA lapsed policy, a $75 infraction, and a pipe in the console.3 steps →
• Pulled Over In IdahoOut of the car, a passenger, a request to search, and how long a stop may last.4 steps →
• The Cyclist And The CarA cyclist on the road, a right turn, a fall, and the driver's duty to stop.3 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the Idaho Code as the Idaho Legislature publishes it, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Idaho attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real Idaho encounters. Not the whole legal code, not a replacement for a lawyer.