Building Permit Fees in Lawrence, MA (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$300.00

$300.00 building permit

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$900.00

$900.00 building permit

New single-family home

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

$4,200.00

$4,200.00 building permit

How Lawrence calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $12.00 per $1,000 of project value. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

$12.00 per $1,000 of project value.

What counts as project value

Not stated in the schedule. The fee page prices building permits per $1,000 but does not say how the construction value is determined (the Massachusetts building permit application asks for the estimated cost of construction).

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $350,000.00 ÷ 1,000 × $12.00 = $4,200.00
Total before trade permits: $4,200.00.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Occupancy permit (Housing Department)When: occupancy permit required	$75.00 each
Housing re-inspectionWhen: re-inspection	$50.00 each
Missed inspection appointmentWhen: missed appointment	$50.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Plumbing: Plumbing: page prints '$2100 + $7.00 per fixture' (apparently $21.00 base, as for gas; not confirmed). Drain permits $45.50 + $26.00; drain layers license $45.50. Mechanical: Gas: $21.00 + $7.00 per unit.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Inspectional Services, Building Department online through Online Permit Application.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: 978-620-3130 · 200 Common Street, 2nd Floor, Room 209, Lawrence, MA 01840

Source record

Effective: not stated
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Inspectional Services, Building Department
Valuation: Not stated in the schedule
Confidence: medium

Inspectional Services Department Fees (City of Lawrence)

What this page does not cover (5)

The fee page states no effective date or adopting vote; the 'Fee Schedule For Permits and Inspections' PDF mentioned in the registry was not found on the city site (only scanned 2014 permit application forms).
No minimum building permit fee and no rounding rule for partial thousands are stated.
How construction value is determined is not stated.
Electrical permit fees are not listed; the plumbing base is printed '$2100' (likely $21.00), not confirmed.
Whether the $75 Housing Department occupancy permit applies to new dwellings is not stated.

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 Lawrence compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $300.00 in Lawrence: 21% below the national median of $380.00, and the 2nd lowest of 5 places we cover in Massachusetts (state median $325.00).

A $75,000 addition costs $900.00 in Lawrence: 10% above the national median of $820.58, and the 3rd lowest of 5 places we cover in Massachusetts (state median $900.00).

A $350,000 new home costs $4,200.00 in Lawrence: 44% above the national median of $2,918.63, and the 3rd lowest of 5 places we cover in Massachusetts (state median $4,200.00).

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

Lawrence permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Lawrence, MA?

A $25,000 remodel: $300.00. A $75,000 addition: $900.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $4,200.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Lawrence permit fee?

Lawrence lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Lawrence determine project value?

Not stated in the schedule. The fee page prices building permits per $1,000 but does not say how the construction value is determined (the Massachusetts building permit application asks for the estimated cost of construction).

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Plumbing: Plumbing: page prints '$2100 + $7.00 per fixture' (apparently $21.00 base, as for gas; not confirmed). Drain permits $45.50 + $26.00; drain layers license $45.50. Mechanical: Gas: $21.00 + $7.00 per unit.

When did these Lawrence fees take effect?

The schedule does not state an effective date. We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.