Building Permit Fees in Cranston, RI (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$520.00

$470.00 building permit + $50.00 state levy (r.i. gen. laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), residential

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$1,420.00

$1,320.00 building permit + $100.00 state levy (r.i. gen. laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), residential

New single-family home

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

$5,820.00

$5,720.00 building permit + $100.00 state levy (r.i. gen. laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), residential

How Cranston calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using a fee table based on project value, with a $75.00 minimum. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Project value	Fee
$1 – $10,000	$20.00 per $1,000
$10,001 – $50,000	$200.00 for the first $10,000 + $18.00 per additional $1,000
Over $50,000	$920.00 for the first $50,000 + $16.00 per additional $1,000

Surcharges

State levy (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), residential: 0.2% of the project value
State levy (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), commercial: 0.1% of the project value

What counts as project value

Your contract or bid price. The permit fee is computed on 'Project Valuation'; the state levy is computed on 'Total construction cost'. The schedule does not further define how valuation is determined.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $920.00 for the first $50,000.00 + $16.00 × 300 per $1,000.00 over = $5,720.00
State levy (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1)), residential: 0.2% of $350,000.00 → maximum $100.00 = $100.00
Total before trade permits: $5,820.00.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Tent permit (over 500 sq ft)When: tents only	$150.00 each
Portable (temporary home)When: temporary home only	$250.00 each
Portable storage unitWhen: portable storage unit only	$300.00 each
Wireless communication sitesWhen: wireless communication sites only	$3,500.00 each
School / day care / gym inspectionsWhen: those inspections only	$75.00 each
Working without a permitWhen: work started without a permit	$500.00 each
Zoning certificateWhen: when a zoning certificate is requested	$30.00 each
Certificate of occupancy (1 and 2 family)When: when a certificate of occupancy is issued; not stated whether included with new-house permits	$75.00 each
Expired permit renewalWhen: expired permit renewal	$75.00 each
Building Board of AppealsWhen: appeals only	$75.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted. Plumbing: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted. Mechanical: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Department of Building Inspections & Zoning.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: 401-461-1000 · Cranston City Hall, 869 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910

Source record

Effective: 2026-07-01
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Department of Building Inspections & Zoning
Valuation: Your contract or bid price
Confidence: high

What this page does not cover (5)

The schedule does not say whether partial $1,000 increments are rounded up; modelled pro-rata.
Trade (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) permit fees not listed on this schedule; not extracted.
Whether a certificate of occupancy fee ($75 1+2 family) is charged with every new-house permit is not stated.
QA 2026-11-05 state levy: current R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-108.2(c)(1) (amended effective Jan 1, 2025 and July 1, 2025) sets 0.2% residential (max $100 for 1-4 family dwellings) and 0.1% commercial; the old 0.1%/$50 text is the version 'effective until January 1, 2025'. Schema stores the $100 cap on all residential (5+ family is uncapped by statute).
Cranston's posting says the $100 levy limit is for 'single and two-family dwellings' (the Jan 2025 statute text); the statute as amended July 1, 2025 extends the cap to one- to four-family dwellings. Statute used.

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 Cranston compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $520.00 in Cranston: 37% above the national median of $380.00.

A $75,000 addition costs $1,420.00 in Cranston: 73% above the national median of $820.58.

A $350,000 new home costs $5,820.00 in Cranston: about twice the national median of $2,918.63.

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

Cranston permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Cranston, RI?

A $25,000 remodel: $520.00. A $75,000 addition: $1,420.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $5,820.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Cranston permit fee?

Cranston lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Cranston determine project value?

Your contract or bid price. The permit fee is computed on 'Project Valuation'; the state levy is computed on 'Total construction cost'. The schedule does not further define how valuation is determined.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted. Plumbing: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted. Mechanical: Not separately listed on the Cranston schedule; not extracted.

When did these Cranston fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Jul 1, 2026 (“In accordance with RI State Law as of July 1, 2026”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.