BuildingPermitCost How Wake County calculates your permit fee
The county charges a building permit fee using $0.25 per square foot, plus a $75.00 application fee. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.
The fee table
New one- and two-family dwellings
$0.25 per square foot, plus a $75.00 application fee.
Residential additions and accessory structures
$0.25 per square foot, plus a $75.00 application fee.
Residential alterations and repairs
$0.25 per square foot, plus a $75.00 application fee.
Non-residential and multi-family, per trade
| Project value | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1 – $1,000,000 | $75.00 to $6,314.00, read from the table (10 steps) |
| Over $1,000,000 | $6,314.00 for the first $1,000,000 + $1,500.00 per additional $1,000,000 or fraction |
Show the full table (11 rows)
| $1 – $1,500 | $75.00 |
| $1,502 – $2,500 | $138.00 |
| $2,502 – $25,000 | $204.00 |
| $25,002 – $50,000 | $407.00 |
| $50,002 – $100,000 | $815.00 |
| $100,002 – $200,000 | $1,629.00 |
| $200,002 – $350,000 | $2,852.00 |
| $350,002 – $500,000 | $3,768.00 |
| $500,002 – $750,000 | $5,042.00 |
| $750,002 – $1,000,000 | $6,314.00 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $6,314.00 for the first $1,000,000 + $1,500.00 per additional $1,000,000 or fraction |
What counts as project value
Floor area (square feet). Residential fees are $75 plus $0.25 per square foot of finished gross floor area (no deduction for garage, corridors, stairs, closets); alterations use the gross floor area being altered. Non-residential (and multi-family) fees use project cost in a fixed-fee table, charged per required trade.
Worked example: a $350,000 new home
- Building permit fee: 2,400 sq ft × $0.25 = $600.00
- Application fee: fixed = $75.00
- Total before trade permits: $675.00.
Fees people miss
May also apply (not in the totals above)
- Homeowner Recovery Fee: when licensed general contractor permit for a single-family dwelling; $10.00 on the standard projects.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1st re-inspectionWhen: failed inspection | $100.00 each |
| 2nd re-inspectionWhen: failed inspection | $200.00 each |
| 3rd re-inspectionWhen: failed inspection | $300.00 each |
| 4th and later re-inspectionWhen: failed inspection | $400.00 each |
| Max violations re-inspection feeWhen: 15+ violations at re-inspection | $150.00 each |
| Amend permit & revised site plan feeWhen: scope change, revised plans or site plan, bedroom count change | $60.00 each |
Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Residential trade permit (electrical, mechanical and plumbing, any number of trades): single $75 fee including electrical pole. Commercial: per-trade project-cost table (see commercial variant). Plumbing: Included in the single $75 residential trade permit fee. Mechanical: Included in the single $75 residential trade permit fee.
How to apply
- Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
- Submit to Wake County Permits and Inspections (Planning and Development Services).
- Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.