Permit fee

The permit fee is what the jurisdiction charges to issue a permit. Every department publishes a fee schedule, and the schedule is the authoritative source for what a given project will cost.

How it is usually calculated

• Valuation based. A percentage of the declared job value, often on a sliding scale that decreases as value rises. The most common method.
• Square footage based. A rate per square foot, sometimes varying by construction type.
• Flat fee. For defined simple work such as water heater changeouts or reroofs.
• Trade specific. Fixed amounts per fixture, per outlet, or per unit of equipment.

What else lands on the invoice

The building permit fee is rarely the whole bill. Expect some combination of a plan review fee, trade sub-permit fees, impact fees, state surcharges, technology or scanning fees, and a certificate fee at closeout. On a new house, impact fees frequently exceed everything else combined.

When it is paid

Practice varies. Some departments collect at application, some at issuance, and many split it: a review fee at intake and the balance at issuance. Fees paid at intake are commonly nonrefundable even if the permit is never issued.

After-the-fact penalties

Work started without a permit almost always carries a penalty, typically a multiple of the normal fee, and double is the usual figure. It is a deterrent rather than a cost of doing business, and some jurisdictions go higher for repeat cases.