Building Permit Cost: What Permits Cost and How Fees Work

A residential building permit with plan review costs about $200 to $1,150 for a $15,000 project, $600 to $2,300 for a $50,000 project, and $1,150 to $3,800 for a $100,000 project in the four large-city valuation schedules we checked. Small towns that charge by square foot or flat fee are often cheaper, and trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work can add more. The two numbers that drive your fee are your city's method (valuation, square footage, or flat fee) and whether plan review is a separate charge.

Plug your own project into the building permit cost calculator for a planning range, then confirm with your city's schedule.

Building permit fees by project value in four cities

Most large US cities apply a valuation table, often descended from the old Uniform Building Code's Table 1-A, to the value of the work, then add plan review as a percentage.

Sources: Denver development fees, LAMC Table 1-A and LAMC 91.107, Phoenix PDD fee schedule, Seattle 2026 Fee Subtitle.

About the Los Angeles numbers: they are the base amounts written into the municipal code. The code adjusts every fee for inflation each July 1, and LADBS also adds an issuing fee ($27 in the code), systems surcharges, and state fees, so the actual LADBS charge is higher than shown.

How the math works in each city

• Denver: $35 for the first $2,000 plus $8 for each additional $1,000 or fraction up to $25,000; $220 plus $8 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $420 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $100,000. So $15,000 is $35 + (13 × $8) = $139.
• Los Angeles: $40 plus $1.25 per $100 of total valuation from $2,000 to $20,000; $170 plus $6 per $1,000 from $20,000 to $50,000; $195 plus $5.50 per $1,000 from $50,000 to $100,000. Note the rate applies to the whole valuation, not just the part above the bracket floor.
• Phoenix: $303 for the first $10,000 plus $10 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $703 plus $9 per $1,000 above that.
• Seattle: $325 for the first $1,000 plus $1.60 per $100 to $25,000; $709 plus $1.55 per $100 to $50,000; $1,471.50 plus $1.40 per $100 from $75,000 to $100,000.

Cities that charge by square foot or flat fee

Not every department uses valuation:

• Miami-Dade County (unincorporated, effective October 1, 2026) charges $0.985 per sq ft for new single-family homes and additions, and $0.50 per sq ft of the whole structure for alterations to a single-family home, capped at $870. A 400 sq ft addition is 400 × $0.985 = $394, before a 7.5% county surcharge, 1% and 1.5% state surcharges, and a 5% code administration fee (IO 4-63).
• Chicago multiplies a construction factor ($0.44 for a wood-frame house) by a scope factor and the gross floor area, then applies minimums, such as $900 for an addition to a one- to three-unit building (2026 amended tables). Most residential alterations pay the minimum.
• Austin prices residential plan review by square foot of addition or remodel. A 300 sq ft addition has plan review of $591.69 + (100 × $1.972) = $788.89, plus a $112.76 application processing fee and separate trade inspection fees (FY2026-27 residential fees).
• Small towns often use a per-square-foot rate. Claverack, New York, charges $0.50 per sq ft for additions and alterations with a $100 minimum, plus a $50 certificate fee (2026 fees).

What value will the city use?

In valuation cities, the declared value is your starting point, not the final word. Denver uses "the higher of" ICC building valuation data or your stated value; Phoenix uses the higher of its own calculation or yours; Seattle's director sets value using ICC data. Under-declaring rarely saves money and can delay review while the department recalculates. Denver even publishes floor values for common jobs: a basement finish is valued at no less than $31 per square foot, or $35 with a toilet or kitchen, regardless of the contract price.

Include labor, materials, overhead, and profit for all permitted work. Leave out appliances and furniture that are not part of the construction.

Do you need a building permit?

The model IRC R105.2 exempts:

• One-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq ft
• Fences up to 7 feet
• Retaining walls up to 4 feet, unless supporting a surcharge
• Sidewalks and driveways
• Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work
• Prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep
• Swings and playground equipment
• Small window awnings
• Low, freestanding decks up to 200 sq ft that do not serve the required exit

Cities amend this list. Los Angeles, for example, exempts work valued at $2,500 or less unless it is structural, affects public safety, or changes the use. Anything structural, anything that changes egress, and nearly all new wiring, plumbing, and ductwork need permits. Project-specific rules are covered in the guides for decks, fences, basements, and demolition.

Worked example: a $50,000 kitchen and bath remodel

You are remodeling a kitchen and a hall bath for $50,000, including moving a wall, new circuits, and relocated plumbing.

Denver: building permit $420 + plan review $210 = $630. Denver issues each trade its own permit, valued on that trade's share of the work, so if the electrical portion is $8,000, the electrical permit is $35 + (6 × $8) = $83 under the same table.

Phoenix: $703 permit + $703 plan review = $1,406.

Seattle: $1,096.50 × 2 = $2,193, plus 5% = $2,302.65, plus the $6.50 Washington State Building Code Council fee and separate electrical permits.

Calculator ("Major residential remodel," typical city, standard, $50,000, 300 sq ft, defaults on including trade permits): base $200 + ($50,000 × 0.006) + (300 × $0.08) = $524 to $750 + ($50,000 × 0.018) + (300 × $0.35) = $1,755; add plan review, inspections, and trade permits for about $778 to $3,419.

Who pays for and pulls the permit?

The person doing the work usually pulls the permit: your general contractor, or you as an owner-builder. Some places charge owner-builders less; Miami-Dade's alteration rate for owner-builders is $0.35 per sq ft with a $696 cap, compared with $0.50 and $870 for contractors. Whoever pulls the permit is responsible for inspections and for closing it out. Put the permit fee, plan review, and reinspection responsibility in writing.

What happens if you build without a permit?

The IRC (R108.6) lets cities charge an extra fee for work started before a permit, and most do:

• Denver doubles the permit fees (minimum $100) and adds an investigation fee equal to that late fee.
• Seattle charges an investigation fee that rises with project value, from one times its $292 base fee for work up to $5,000 to 50 times for work over $500,000; $5,001 to $50,000 of work is three times, or $876, plus a civil penalty of $27 per day.
• Phoenix charges an investigation fee of $250 or the permit fee, whichever is greater, up to $2,500 for each day of unpermitted work, and doubles the Table A fee.
• Los Angeles's code sets an investigation fee of double the permit fee, never less than $400.
• Miami-Dade adds 100% of the usual permit fee.

Beyond fees, you risk having to open walls, problems at sale (California's Transfer Disclosure Statement and Texas's seller's disclosure both ask about work done without permits), and questions from insurers.

Mistakes that raise building permit costs

Ignoring plan review. In Phoenix and Seattle, plan review roughly doubles the fee.

Letting the permit expire. Phoenix charges 50% of the current permit fee for a one-time extension; Denver may void permits after 60 days without progress.

Forgetting trade permits and surcharges. Seattle adds 5% to everything; Miami-Dade adds about 15%.

Paying for resubmittals. Austin charges $585.77 for a residential resubmittal or major revision.

Related guides

For inspection and reinspection fees, see the building inspection cost guide. Building a new house or a large addition? The construction permit cost guide covers impact fees, utilities, and certificates of occupancy. Electrical work is priced separately in the electrical permit cost guide.

Permit fees change, often on July 1 or October 1. Use these figures for planning and confirm the current fee with your building department.