Building Permit Fees in Bismarck, ND (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$260.95

$260.95 building permit

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$518.45

$518.45 building permit

New single-family home

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

$1,473.45

$1,473.45 building permit

How Bismarck calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on project value, with a $40.00 minimum. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Residential

Project value	Fee
$1 – $500	$40.00
$501 – $2,000	$40.00 for the first $500 + $1.85 per additional $100
$2,001 – $25,000	$67.75 for the first $2,000 + $8.40 per additional $1,000
$25,001 – $50,000	$260.95 for the first $25,000 + $6.10 per additional $1,000
$50,001 – $100,000	$413.45 for the first $50,000 + $4.20 per additional $1,000
$100,001 – $500,000	$623.45 for the first $100,000 + $3.40 per additional $1,000
$500,001 – $1,000,000	$1,983.45 for the first $500,000 + $2.85 per additional $1,000
Over $1,000,000	$3,408.45 for the first $1,000,000 + $2.20 per additional $1,000

Commercial

Project value	Fee
$1 – $500	$40.00
$501 – $2,000	$40.00 for the first $500 + $1.85 per additional $100
$2,001 – $25,000	$67.75 for the first $2,000 + $8.40 per additional $1,000
$25,001 – $50,000	$260.95 for the first $25,000 + $6.10 per additional $1,000
$50,001 – $100,000	$413.45 for the first $50,000 + $4.20 per additional $1,000
$100,001 – $500,000	$623.45 for the first $100,000 + $3.40 per additional $1,000
$500,001 – $1,000,000	$1,983.45 for the first $500,000 + $2.85 per additional $1,000
Over $1,000,000	$3,408.45 for the first $1,000,000 + $2.20 per additional $1,000

What counts as project value

Local valuation table. New residential valuation = gross sq ft of each area x city price per sq ft (garage $25.00, 1st floor $165.67, 2nd floor $79.50, unfinished basement $15.25, finished basement $36.75, deck $15.75, covered deck $22.50, covered patio/entry $15.00, basement finish $21.50, detached shed $15.00, detached shop/garage $25.00). Alterations use the total bid amount.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $623.45 for the first $100,000.00 + $3.40 × 250 per $1,000.00 over = $1,473.45
Total before trade permits: $1,473.45.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Septic/drainfield permitWhen: septic system	$75.00 each
Manufactured home permitWhen: manufactured home	$150.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Plumbing: $40 up to $2,000; $40 + $1.65 per additional $1,000 to $20,000; $69.70 + $1.10 per $1,000 to $100,000; $157.70 + $0.60 per $1,000 above. Mechanical: Same table as plumbing. Electrical: Electrical permits $25.00 (sheet dated 1/10/2018).

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Community Development Department, Building Inspections Division.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: 701-355-1465 · PO Box 5503, Bismarck, ND 58506-5503

Source record

Effective: not stated
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Community Development Department, Building Inspections Division
Valuation: Local valuation table
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (4)

No precise effective date: the residential sheet says 'Last Revised 1/01/25'; the Permit Fees page says 'Permit Fees Effective January 1, 2020'
The table says 'for each additional $100/$1,000' without 'or fraction thereof'; partial increments not counted (rounding unstated)
Commercial and additional/trade fee sheets are dated 1/10/2018 (before 2020)
Title 4 (double fee for work without a permit) not read; city vs Burleigh County: this record is the City of Bismarck

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 Bismarck compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $260.95 in Bismarck: 31% below the national median of $380.00.

A $75,000 addition costs $518.45 in Bismarck: 37% below the national median of $820.58.

A $350,000 new home costs $1,473.45 in Bismarck: 50% below the national median of $2,918.63.

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

Bismarck permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Bismarck, ND?

A $25,000 remodel: $260.95. A $75,000 addition: $518.45. A $350,000 new single-family: $1,473.45. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Bismarck permit fee?

Bismarck lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Bismarck determine project value?

Local valuation table. New residential valuation = gross sq ft of each area x city price per sq ft (garage $25.00, 1st floor $165.67, 2nd floor $79.50, unfinished basement $15.25, finished basement $36.75, deck $15.75, covered deck $22.50, covered patio/entry $15.00, basement finish $21.50, detached shed $15.00, detached shop/garage $25.00). Alterations use the total bid amount.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Plumbing: $40 up to $2,000; $40 + $1.65 per additional $1,000 to $20,000; $69.70 + $1.10 per $1,000 to $100,000; $157.70 + $0.60 per $1,000 above. Mechanical: Same table as plumbing. Electrical: Electrical permits $25.00 (sheet dated 1/10/2018).

When did these Bismarck fees take effect?

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