Report a theft in Idaho to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Idaho Code §§ 18-2407 and 18-2408, theft becomes a felony at $1,000. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Idaho at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $1,000. Theft of property worth more than $1,000 is grand theft, a felony, under Idaho Code § 18-2407; anything less is petit theft, a misdemeanor. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Idaho Code §§ 18-2407 and 18-2408 |
| Grading | Idaho has two degrees. Petit theft is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in county jail. Grand theft is a felony, generally punishable by one to 14 years and a fine of up to $5,000 (one to 20 years and up to $10,000 for grand theft by extortion). Grand theft applies regardless of value to firearms, property taken from a person, extortion and anhydrous ammonia, and to livestock worth more than $150 (Idaho Code § 18-2408). |
| Vehicle theft | Idaho's theft statute does not single out motor vehicles, so stealing a vehicle is graded by value and is usually grand theft. Operating a vehicle without the owner's consent but without intent to steal is a misdemeanor, or a felony if damage or property taken exceeds $1,000 (Idaho Code § 49-227); knowingly receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle is a felony (§ 49-228). |
| State police | Idaho State Police |
| Motor vehicles | Idaho Transportation Department, Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Consumer protection | Idaho Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division |
| Online police reports | The Boise Police Department accepts online reports for theft, vehicle break-ins, identity theft, card fraud and lost property inside city limits when there is no known suspect, and recommends calling dispatch when the loss exceeds $10,000 (Boise Police: Report a Crime). Elsewhere in Idaho, online reporting varies by department. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Idaho has no statewide requirement for owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group's summary of state law. |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | No statewide holding period was found; rules are set by cities or counties. |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Idaho. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on legislature.idaho.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
Idaho by the numbers
| Measure | Idaho | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 2,367 reports, 125 per 100,000 residents; ranked 43 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 16,080 reports, 849 per 100,000 residents; median reported fraud loss $490; total reported fraud losses $53.9M | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 901 a year on average, 49.0 per 100,000 residents (2019 to 2023) | ATF National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment |
These figures count reports made to federal agencies, so they measure what was reported, not every theft. National context is on the theft statistics page.
Reporting a theft in Idaho
Idaho's largest city offers one of the broader online reporting systems in the region. The Boise Police Department lets residents file online for theft, vehicle break-ins, identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit or debit card, lost property and vandalism, provided the incident happened inside Boise city limits, is not an emergency, and has no known suspect. Boise defines a known suspect broadly: anyone you or others know how to find, including by a license plate. For losses over $10,000, the city recommends calling dispatch instead.
Outside Boise, report to the city police or county sheriff where the theft occurred. The Idaho State Police patrols highways and supports local agencies but does not run a public online theft form. Call 911 for any crime in progress. Our stolen property guide lists what to collect before you file.
Idaho theft law and the felony threshold
Idaho divides theft into two degrees under Idaho Code § 18-2407. Theft becomes grand theft, a felony, when the property is worth more than $1,000. Penalties under § 18-2408 are:
- Petit theft: a misdemeanor, up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in county jail.
- Grand theft: a felony, generally one to 14 years and a fine of up to $5,000.
- Grand theft by extortion: one to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
Several kinds of property are grand theft regardless of value: one or more firearms, property taken directly from a person, property obtained by extortion, and anhydrous ammonia. Livestock theft is grand theft above $150, and it carries a fine of at least $1,000 that cannot be suspended, plus civil damages, which reflects how seriously a ranching state treats it.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Idaho
Idaho's theft statute does not name motor vehicles, so a stolen car is graded by value and is usually grand theft. Title 49 adds two related offenses: operating a vehicle without the owner's consent (joyriding without intent to steal), a misdemeanor that becomes a felony when damage or property taken exceeds $1,000, and receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, a felony.
Report a stolen vehicle to local police with the plate and VIN (vehicle identification number), then notify your insurer and lender. We found no public stolen vehicle or plate search run by the state. The Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles does not post stolen plate instructions on its registration pages; contact its customer contact center, with your police case number, about replacing a plate. See our stolen vehicle checklist and how to check if an item is stolen.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
We did not find a statewide pawn holding period in Idaho. Pawn and secondhand dealer record-keeping is often set by city or county ordinance, so rules differ across the state. Give the investigating officer serial numbers and photos so they can check local pawn records, and do not try to reclaim an item from a dealer yourself.
Identity theft and fraud help in Idaho
The Idaho Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division takes consumer complaints, runs a scam reporting page, and publishes data security breach notices. Report identity theft to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov; in Boise, identity theft and card fraud can also be reported to police online. Idaho does not require gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, according to the Giffords Law Center, but because firearm theft is grand theft in Idaho, a prompt report matters; see our stolen firearm guide and identity theft checklist.
Checklists for what was stolen
Each guide opens with a checklist in the order to act, with a free printable PDF.
- Domain names
- Identity theft
- Vehicles
- Social media and email
- SIM swap and phone numbers
- Stolen phones
- Bicycles and e-bikes
- Packages and mail
- Wallets, cards and checks
- Passports
- Firearms
- Art and collectibles
- Cryptocurrency
This page is general information about Idaho, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Idaho.
Sources
- Idaho Code § 18-2407 (Grand and petit theft)
- Idaho Code § 18-2408 (Punishment for theft)
- Idaho Code § 49-227
- Idaho Code § 49-228
- Idaho State Police
- Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles
- Idaho Attorney General, Consumer Protection
- Boise Police Department: Report a Crime
- Giffords Law Center: Reporting lost and stolen guns in Idaho