Building Permit Fees in Bessemer, AL (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$251.00

$250.00 building permit + $1.00 application

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$751.00

$750.00 building permit + $1.00 application

New single-family home

$350,000 value, new single-family 2,400 sq ft

$3,501.00

$3,500.00 building permit + $1.00 application

How Bessemer calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using 1% of project value, plus a $1.00 application fee, with a $26.00 minimum. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

1% of project value, plus a $1.00 application fee, with a $26.00 minimum.

Surcharges

State of Alabama CICTP fee (Alabama Building Commission): $1.00 per $1,000 of value

What counts as project value

Your contract or bid price. Fee is 1% of the job cost. The application asks the applicant to state 'the total contract or valuation'.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: 1% of $350,000.00 = $3,500.00
Application fee: fixed = $1.00
Total before trade permits: $3,501.00.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Re-inspection fee (electrical, plumbing, gas/mechanical)	$15.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Itemized schedule on the electric permit application (outlets, fixtures, appliances, motors, services). $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each. Plumbing: Per-fixture schedule on the plumbing permit application. $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each. Mechanical: Gas/mechanical per-item schedule (e.g. water heater @ $3 each). $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Building & Inspections Department online through Online Permit Portal (Tyler EnerGov).
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: Bessemer City Hall, 1700 3rd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020

Source record

Effective: not stated
Verified: 2026-11-04
Issuer: Building & Inspections Department
Valuation: Your contract or bid price
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (5)

No effective/adoption date stated for the fee schedule
Base of the commercial $1 per $1,000 state CICTP fee is ambiguous (valuation vs permit fee)
Whether the $26 minimum applies before or after adding the $1 issuance fee is not stated
Day labor (homeowner) permit fee not stated
Full itemized electrical/plumbing/gas unit prices not transcribed; only minimums and re-inspection fees captured

Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, impact, utility and school fees are usually not included unless they are listed. BuildingPermitCost is not a government permit office, and this is not legal advice.

Report an error · How we verify fees

How Bessemer compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $251.00 in Bessemer: 34% below the national median of $380.00, and the highest of 7 places we cover in Alabama (state median $232.00).

A $75,000 addition costs $751.00 in Bessemer: 8% below the national median of $820.58, and the highest of 7 places we cover in Alabama (state median $607.00).

A $350,000 new home costs $3,501.00 in Bessemer: 20% above the national median of $2,918.63, and the highest of 7 places we cover in Alabama (state median $1,782.00).

Same standard projects everywhere, including plan review and required surcharges. All Alabama places · Compare side by side

Bessemer permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Bessemer, AL?

A $25,000 remodel: $251.00. A $75,000 addition: $751.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $3,501.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Bessemer permit fee?

Bessemer lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Bessemer determine project value?

Your contract or bid price. Fee is 1% of the job cost. The application asks the applicant to state 'the total contract or valuation'.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: Itemized schedule on the electric permit application (outlets, fixtures, appliances, motors, services). $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each. Plumbing: Per-fixture schedule on the plumbing permit application. $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each. Mechanical: Gas/mechanical per-item schedule (e.g. water heater @ $3 each). $26 minimum; re-inspection $15 each.

When did these Bessemer fees take effect?

The schedule does not state an effective date. We last checked it against the official source on Nov 4, 2026.