Building Permit Fees in Carmel, IN (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$325.00

$325.00 building permit

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$450.00

$450.00 building permit

New single-family home

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

$1,350.00

$1,250.00 building permit + $100.00 certificate of occupancy (class ii)

How Carmel calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on floor area. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Class II Structure - New (ILP)

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$650.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Class II Structure - Addition

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$350.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Class II Structure - Remodel

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$250.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Class I Structure - New

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$1,250.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Class I Structure - Addition

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$950.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Class I Structure - Remodel

Floor area	Fee
Over 0 sq ft	$750.00 + $0.25 per additional sq ft or fraction

Added to every matching permit

Certificate of Occupancy (Class II): a flat $100.00 (Residential · new construction)
Certificate of Occupancy (Class I): a flat $250.00 (Commercial · new construction)

What counts as project value

Floor area (square feet). Improvement Location Permit fees are a base fee plus a rate per gross square foot by structure class and work type; construction valuation is not used in the 2026 schedule.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $650.00 for the first 0 sq ft + $0.25 × 2,400 per sq ft over = $1,250.00
Certificate of Occupancy (Class II): flat fee = $100.00
Total before trade permits: $1,350.00.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Construction inspection, Class II structure	$100.00 each inspection
Reinspection, Class IIWhen: failed inspection	$150.00 each
Timed/same-day/weekend inspectionWhen: timed, same-day or weekend inspection requested	2x regular fee
Electrical permit, Class II structureWhen: meter base or panel upgrade, solar, generator or vehicle charging installation	$100.00 each
Re-review fee, Class IIWhen: plans re-reviewed	$250.00 each
Permit late fee, Class II new or additionWhen: permit obtained late (work started first)	$1,000.00 each
Builder Application (annual fee)When: builder registration	$150.00 per year
Tree Preservation - preconstructionWhen: tree preservation inspection required	$500.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Electrical permits: Class I structure $200, Class II structure $100 (meter base/panel upgrade, solar, generator, vehicle charging).

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
Submit to Department of Community Services, Division of Building Safety.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.

Source record

Effective: 2026-04-27
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Department of Community Services, Division of Building Safety
Valuation: Floor area (square feet)
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (4)

Construction inspections ($100 each for Class II, $200 Class I) are part of the stated fee calculation but the number of inspections per project is not stated, so they are not in the calculator total.
Class I/Class II are not defined in the Carmel schedule; Class II is read as the Indiana Class 2 structure (IC 22-12-1-5: townhouse or one- or two-dwelling-unit building), cited from the state Building Commissioner's interpretation CEB-2021-12.
Whether additions also pay the C/O fee is not stated (C/O modelled for new construction only).
Class I residential per-unit fees and basement-finish rate not in the calculator.

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 Carmel compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $325.00 in Carmel: 14% below the national median of $380.00, and the 3rd highest of 6 places we cover in Indiana (state median $275.00).

A $75,000 addition costs $450.00 in Carmel: 45% below the national median of $820.58, and the 3rd highest of 6 places we cover in Indiana (state median $310.00).

A $350,000 new home costs $1,350.00 in Carmel: 54% below the national median of $2,918.63, and the 2nd highest of 6 places we cover in Indiana (state median $1,278.00).

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

Carmel permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Carmel, IN?

A $25,000 remodel: $325.00. A $75,000 addition: $450.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $1,350.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Carmel permit fee?

Carmel lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Carmel determine project value?

Floor area (square feet). Improvement Location Permit fees are a base fee plus a rate per gross square foot by structure class and work type; construction valuation is not used in the 2026 schedule.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: Electrical permits: Class I structure $200, Class II structure $100 (meter base/panel upgrade, solar, generator, vehicle charging).

When did these Carmel fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Apr 27, 2026 (“DOCS 2026 Fee Schedule: Building/Inspection related fees effective 4/27/2026”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.