How Much Does a Building Permit Cost? The Real Number

Podcast: Your Home Building Coach with Bill Reid · William W. Reid

Opublikowano: 2026-09-20

Building permit fees aren't calculated the way most homeowners assume. Your contract price doesn't set the fee. The city uses a valuation table — a published standard that estimates what a project like yours generally costs to build. If your stated number comes in below the table, they use their own number. Your permit fee runs off their valuation, not your negotiated price. WHAT THE PERMIT FEE ACTUALLY INCLUDES The base building permit fee typically lands between 1 and 3 percent of project valuation. On a $180,000 project that's roughly $2,000 to $5,000. But the base permit is only the first li...