BuildingPermitCost How Santa Barbara County calculates your permit fee
The county charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on floor area. Plan review is a separate charge: its own fee table. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.
The fee table
New R3/SFD/Duplex (inspection fee)
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 2,500 sq ft | $10,812.00 |
| Over 2,500 sq ft | $10,812.00 for the first 2,500 sq ft + $4.14 per additional sq ft or fraction |
New ADU / residential additions (inspection fee)
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 500 sq ft | $2,538.00 |
| Over 500 sq ft | $2,538.00 for the first 500 sq ft + $4.14 per additional sq ft or fraction |
Residential alteration (inspection fee)
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 300 sq ft | $1,056.00 |
| Over 300 sq ft | $1,056.00 for the first 300 sq ft + $2.79 per additional sq ft or fraction |
New commercial (inspection fee)
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 3,000 sq ft | $7,163.00 |
| Over 3,000 sq ft | $7,163.00 for the first 3,000 sq ft + $2.23 per additional sq ft or fraction |
Commercial alteration or addition (inspection fee)
| Floor area | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 sq ft – 300 sq ft | $1,056.00 |
| Over 300 sq ft | $1,056.00 for the first 300 sq ft + $2.79 per additional sq ft or fraction |
Surcharges
- Technology & Records Maintenance surcharge (on inspection fee): 6% of the permit fee
- Technology & Records Maintenance surcharge (on plan check fee): 6% of the plan review fee
- General Plan Maintenance surcharge (on inspection fee): 3.7% of the permit fee
- General Plan Maintenance surcharge (on plan check fee): 3.7% of the plan review fee
What counts as project value
Floor area (square feet). Building fees are not valuation-based: each permit category has a plan check fee and an inspection fee, each a base amount for a base square footage plus a fee per sq ft over the base.
Worked example: a $350,000 new home
- Building permit fee: table value for 2,400 sq ft: $10,812.00 = $10,812.00
- Plan review fee: table value for 2,400 sq ft: $7,244.00 = $7,244.00
- Technology & Records Maintenance surcharge (on inspection fee): 6% of $10,812.00 = $648.72
- Technology & Records Maintenance surcharge (on plan check fee): 6% of $7,244.00 = $434.64
- General Plan Maintenance surcharge (on inspection fee): 3.7% of $10,812.00 = $400.04
- General Plan Maintenance surcharge (on plan check fee): 3.7% of $7,244.00 = $268.03
- Total before trade permits: $19,807.43.
Fees people miss
May also apply (not in the totals above)
- Intake Processing Fee: when charged at permit intake (schedule does not say which permits); $79.00 on the standard projects.
- Issuance Processing Fee: when charged at permit issuance (schedule does not say which permits); $156.00 on the standard projects.
- Complexity fee: when project has complex features or requires extraordinary processes; $316.80 on the standard projects.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate - plan check / inspectionWhen: hourly-billed services | $313.00 per hour |
| Re-inspection fee (one hour minimum)When: after two failed inspections, work not accessible or not ready | $313.00 per hour |
| Re-check fee (fourth and each successive check)When: fourth or later plan check of the same plan | $313.00 per hour |
| Revisions to permitted projectsWhen: revisions to a permitted project | $313.00 per hour |
| Investigation fee (work without permit)When: work without permit | equal to permit and plan check fee avoided |
Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Item-based plan check + inspection fees (e.g. services $0.85/amp plan check + $1.25/amp inspection up to 1,000 amps). Not fully extracted. Mechanical: FAU/furnace $118 plan check + $235 inspection each; others per schedule. Not fully extracted. Plumbing: Plumbing fixtures $156 plan check + $267 inspection per 10 fixtures; others per schedule. Not fully extracted.
How to apply
- Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
- Submit to Santa Barbara County Planning & Development, Building & Safety Division through Accela Citizen Access.
- Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.