Building Permit Fees in Apex, NC (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$250.00

$150.00 building permit + $100.00 plan review

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$250.00

$150.00 building permit + $100.00 plan review

New single-family home

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

$950.00

$840.00 building permit + $110.00 plan review

How Apex calculates your permit fee

The town charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on floor area, with a $500.00 minimum. Plan review is a separate charge: a flat $110.00. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

New single family / duplex / townhome

Floor area	Fee
0 sq ft – 3,000 sq ft	$0.35 per sq ft
Over 3,000 sq ft	$1,050.00 for the first 3,000 sq ft + $0.26 per additional sq ft

1-2 family additions/alterations, building trade

Floor area	Fee
0 sq ft – 799.99 sq ft	$150.00
Over 799.99 sq ft	$152.00 for the first 799.99 sq ft + $0.19 per additional sq ft

What counts as project value

Floor area (square feet). Residential permit fees are priced per gross square foot of the structure (new) or of the addition/alteration; no valuation is used.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $0.00 for the first 0 sq ft + $0.35 × 2,400 per sq ft over = $840.00
Plan review fee: flat = $110.00
Total before trade permits: $950.00.

Fees people miss

May also apply (not in the totals above)

Electrical trade fee (1-2 family addition/alteration): when the addition or alteration includes electrical work; $75.00 on the standard projects.
Plumbing trade fee (1-2 family addition/alteration): when the addition or alteration includes plumbing work; $75.00 on the standard projects.
Mechanical trade fee (1-2 family addition/alteration): when the addition or alteration includes mechanical work; $75.00 on the standard projects.

Fee	Amount
Work without permitWhen: work started without a permit	double permit fees
Expired permitWhen: permit expired	half of original permit fee
Plan re-reviewWhen: repeat review	half of review fee at 3rd, 5th, 7th review
Re-inspectionWhen: failed inspection	$100.00 each
Water Resources certificate of occupancy - water/sewer finalWhen: new connection to Town water/sewer	$250.00 each
DrivewayWhen: new driveway	$100.00 per lot
Electric service lateral, single familyWhen: new electric service from the Town of Apex electric utility	$776.00 per service lateral
Express plan reviewWhen: applicant requests express review	$600.00 first hour
Water and sewer system development feesWhen: new water/sewer connection	see page 6

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75. Plumbing: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75. Mechanical: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
Submit to Building Inspections and Permitting.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: (919) 249-3400 · Apex Town Hall, 73 Hunter Street, Apex, NC 27502

Source record

Effective: 2026-07-01
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Building Inspections and Permitting
Valuation: Floor area (square feet)
Confidence: high

What this page does not cover (5)

Commercial building permit (gross floor area x occupancy rate B with area discounts: (A x B x .80) + (1,000 x B) etc.) not modelled; the calculator has no occupancy-group input. Commercial plan review is $100 per trade (stored as one trade).
Addition/alteration electrical, plumbing and mechanical trade fees ($0.09/sq ft, min $75 each) apply when those trades are included; modelled as conditional additional fees.
New-dwelling rates over 3,000 gross SF are stored as base 1050 and rate 0.2625 per sq ft, computed from the printed formula (3000 x $0.35) + (additional SF x $0.35 x .75). Addition band base 152 = 800 x $0.19.
'Gross SF' is not defined (whether garages/porches count); calculator uses entered floor area.
Water/sewer system development fees and electric utility charges 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 Apex compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $250.00 in Apex: 34% below the national median of $380.00, and the 3rd highest of 7 places we cover in North Carolina (state median $214.20).

A $75,000 addition costs $250.00 in Apex: 70% below the national median of $820.58, and the 3rd highest of 6 places we cover in North Carolina (state median $218.40).

A $350,000 new home costs $950.00 in Apex: 67% below the national median of $2,918.63, and the 3rd lowest of 7 places we cover in North Carolina (state median $1,018.00).

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

Apex permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Apex, NC?

A $25,000 remodel: $250.00. A $75,000 addition: $250.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $950.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Apex permit fee?

No. Plan review is charged separately at a flat $110.00.

How does Apex determine project value?

Floor area (square feet). Residential permit fees are priced per gross square foot of the structure (new) or of the addition/alteration; no valuation is used.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75. Plumbing: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75. Mechanical: 1-2 family additions/alterations: $0.09/sq ft (min $75); single trade $75.

When did these Apex fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Jul 1, 2026 (“Fee Schedule - Effective 7/1/2026 (FY 2026/2027)”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.