BuildingPermitCost How Milpitas calculates your permit fee
The city charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on floor area. Plan review is a separate charge: its own fee table.
The fee table
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 200 sq ft | $729.00 |
| 200 sq ft – 300 sq ft | $972.00 |
| 300 sq ft – 400 sq ft | $1,458.00 |
| 400 sq ft – 500 sq ft | $1,944.00 |
| 500 sq ft – 1,000 sq ft | $1,944.00 for the first 500 sq ft + $194.40 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 1,000 sq ft – 1,500 sq ft | $2,916.00 for the first 1,000 sq ft + $194.40 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 1,500 sq ft – 2,000 sq ft | $3,888.00 for the first 1,500 sq ft + $291.60 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 2,000 sq ft – 2,500 sq ft | $5,346.00 for the first 2,000 sq ft + $388.80 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 2,500 sq ft – 3,000 sq ft | $7,290.00 for the first 2,500 sq ft + $388.80 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 3,000 sq ft – 4,000 sq ft | $9,234.00 for the first 3,000 sq ft + $170.10 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| 4,000 sq ft – 5,000 sq ft | $10,935.00 for the first 4,000 sq ft + $243.00 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
| Over 5,000 sq ft | $13,365.00 for the first 5,000 sq ft + $121.50 per additional 100 sq ft or fraction |
Surcharges
- Community Planning Fee (on inspection/permit fee): 5% of the permit fee
- Community Planning Fee (on plan review fee): 5% of the plan review fee
- Technology Fee (on inspection/permit fee): 3.8% of the permit fee
- Technology Fee (on plan review fee): 3.8% of the plan review fee
- CA Strong Motion Instrumentation & Seismic Hazard Mapping (SMIP), residential 1-3 stories: 0.013% of the project value, minimum $0.50
- CA SMIP, all other buildings: 0.028% of the project value, minimum $0.50
- CA Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (SB 1473): $1.00 per $25,000 of value
What counts as project value
Floor area (square feet). Residential plan review and inspection fees are set by square footage of the project (table rows plus a rate per 100 sq ft or fraction above the closest lower row). Valuation is used only for the State SMIP and Building Standards fees; how valuation is determined is not stated.
Worked example: a $350,000 new home
- Building permit fee: $5,346.00 for the first 2,000 sq ft + $388.80 × 4 per 100 sq ft over = $6,901.20
- Plan review fee: $4,606.00 for the first 2,000 sq ft + $183.60 × 4 per 100 sq ft over = $5,340.40
- Community Planning Fee (on inspection/permit fee): 5% of $6,901.20 = $345.06
- Community Planning Fee (on plan review fee): 5% of $5,340.40 = $267.02
- Technology Fee (on inspection/permit fee): 3.8% of $6,901.20 = $262.25
- Technology Fee (on plan review fee): 3.8% of $5,340.40 = $202.94
- CA Strong Motion Instrumentation & Seismic Hazard Mapping (SMIP), residential 1-3 stories: 0.013% of $350,000.00 = $45.50
- CA Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (SB 1473): $1.00 × 14 per $25,000.00 = $14.00
- Total before trade permits: $13,378.37.
Fees people miss
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tract or repetitive plan reviewWhen: tract/repetitive plans | 25% of original plan review fee |
| Revision / deferred submittal plan checkWhen: revisions or deferred submittals | $277.00 per hour |
| Reinspection investigation feeWhen: reinspection | $365.00 per reinspection |
| Inspection investigation fee (work without permit)When: construction without permits | 100% of inspection fee |
| Extension of permitWhen: permit extension | $87.00 each |
| Hourly plan review / inspectionWhen: work billed hourly | $277.00 per hour (plan review); $243 inspection |
How to apply
- Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
- Submit to Office of Building Safety.
- Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.