Building Permit Fees in Oakland, CA (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$1,531.57

$652.75 building permit + $427.00 plan review + $0.00 zoning inspection, additions/alterations over $25,000 + $77.74 general plan surcharge + $201.49 permit application fee: filing and routing (intake) + $172.59 records management & technology enhancement

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$4,627.41

$1,958.25 building permit + $1,281.00 plan review + $402.97 zoning inspection, additions/alterations over $25,000 + $262.24 general plan surcharge + $201.49 permit application fee: filing and routing (intake) + $521.46 records management & technology enhancement

New single-family home

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

$8,092.10

$2,800.00 building permit + $3,710.00 plan review + $468.72 general plan surcharge + $201.49 permit application fee: filing and routing (intake) + $911.89 records management & technology enhancement

How Oakland calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $8.00 per $1,000 of project value, with a $335.81 minimum. Plan review is a separate charge: $10.60 per $1,000 of project value (minimum $335.81).

The fee table

Residential R3, new construction

$8.00 per $1,000 of project value, with a $335.81 minimum.

Residential R3, repairs/additions/alterations

$26.11 per $1,000 of project value, with a $335.81 minimum.

All occupancies other than R3, new construction

$8.37 per $1,000 of project value, with a $335.81 minimum.

All occupancies other than R3, repairs/additions/alterations

$10.36 per $1,000 of project value, with a $335.81 minimum.

Added to every matching permit

Zoning inspection, additions/alterations over $25,000: a flat $402.97 (a flat $0.00 below $25,000.01) (additions, remodels and alterations)

Surcharges

General Plan surcharge: 7.2% of the fee total
Permit application fee: filing and routing (intake): $201.49
Records Management & Technology Enhancement fee: 12.7% of the fee total

What counts as project value

Not stated in the schedule. Building plan review and inspection fees are charged 'per $1,000 of construction valuation'. The Master Fee Schedule does not say how construction valuation is determined.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $350,000.00 ÷ 1,000 × $8.00 = $2,800.00
Plan review fee: $350,000.00 ÷ 1,000 × $10.60 = $3,710.00
General Plan surcharge: 7.2% of $6,510.00 = $468.72
Permit application fee: filing and routing (intake): fixed = $201.49
Records Management & Technology Enhancement fee: 12.7% of $7,180.21 = $911.89
Total before trade permits: $8,092.10.

Fees people miss

May also apply (not in the totals above)

Field check inspection: when field check requested/required; $268.64 on the standard projects.

Fee	Amount
Zoning inspection, new construction 1-2 residential units ($500,000 or more)When: new construction; row wording ('New Construction up to ... equals $500,000 or more') is unclear	$537.28 per permit
Zoning inspection, new construction 3+ residential units and all other occupancies ($500,000 or more)When: new construction $500,000 or more	$805.92 per permit
Zoning inspection surcharge, new construction over $500,001When: new construction over $500,001	$201.48 per $100,000 over $500,001
Certificate of occupancyWhen: when a certificate of occupancy is issued	$873.09 per permit
Temporary certificate of occupancyWhen: TCO requested	$805.93 per permit
Construction site monitoring (BMPs and C6), new construction and projects over $75,000When: new construction or valuation over $75,000	$537.29 each
Mitigation monitoring, new construction over $200,000When: new construction with valuation over $200,000 subject to ER and sustainability regulations	50% of building inspection fee
Energy plan check (electrical/plumbing/mechanical)When: energy plan check	$402.97 per permit
License and workers compensation verificationWhen: when verification is required	$45.67 per verification
Online submission application fee (instead of intake)When: application submitted online	$134.32 per permit

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Planning & Building Department (One-Stop Permit Center).
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.

Source record

Effective: 2026-07-01
Verified: 2026-11-04
Issuer: Planning & Building Department (One-Stop Permit Center)
Valuation: Not stated in the schedule
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (6)

Valuation method not stated in the Master Fee Schedule
Records Management & Technology fee (12.70% of 'All Fees') is assumed to apply on top of the General Plan surcharge and intake fee; the schedule does not state the compounding order
Zoning inspection fees for new construction ($537.28 / $805.92, 'New Construction up to ... $500,000 or more') are worded unclearly and not added to the total; construction site monitoring (new construction or over $75,000) and mitigation monitoring also not added
Online submission intake fee is $134.32 instead of $201.49; calculator uses the counter intake fee
State-mandated SMIP and CBSC (green building) fees are not listed in the Master Fee Schedule and are not modelled
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit fees (per $1,000 inspection and plan review rates) not extracted; impact fees (affordable housing, transportation, capital improvements) not extracted

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 Oakland compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $1,531.57 in Oakland: about 4 times the national median of $380.00, and the 12th highest of 43 places we cover in California (state median $1,263.01).

A $75,000 addition costs $4,627.41 in Oakland: about 5.6 times the national median of $820.58, and the 7th highest of 45 places we cover in California (state median $2,473.00).

A $350,000 new home costs $8,092.10 in Oakland: about 2.8 times the national median of $2,918.63, and the 21st highest of 47 places we cover in California (state median $6,927.50).

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

Oakland permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Oakland, CA?

A $25,000 remodel: $1,531.57. A $75,000 addition: $4,627.41. A $350,000 new single-family: $8,092.10. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Oakland permit fee?

No. Plan review is charged separately at $10.60 per $1,000 of project value (minimum $335.81).

How does Oakland determine project value?

Not stated in the schedule. Building plan review and inspection fees are charged 'per $1,000 of construction valuation'. The Master Fee Schedule does not say how construction valuation is determined.

When did these Oakland fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Jul 1, 2026 (“Master Fee Schedule, Effective July 1, 2026 (FY 2026-27 adopted)”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 4, 2026.