Building Permit Costs by City in California and Washington: What Homeowners Actually Pay
Building permit fees are almost never included in contractor bids. Realm Advisors see permit surprises on 7 in 10 projects. Here is a city-by-city permit fee table for California and Washington to budget accurately.
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June 10, 2026
In this article:
Why Permit Fees Are Almost Never in Your Contractor's Bid
One of the most consistent budget surprises Realm Advisors see is permit fees. Permit fees and timelines come up in roughly 72% of advisory calls — 287 of 400 calls reviewed — almost always because the contractor did not include them in the bid. This is standard practice: most contractors treat permits as a pass-through cost that the homeowner pays directly to the city.
As one Realm Advisor explained to a homeowner: "Permit and city fees — I'd expect anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000. Varies from city to city, varies by project size and scope. It's almost never included in any contract."
How Permit Fees Are Calculated
Most national sources — including Angi and HomeAdvisor — cite a permit cost range of $150–$7,500. That figure reflects national averages and is nearly useless for a California homeowner: an ADU permit in San Francisco alone can run $30,000–$50,000.
Most California cities use a valuation-based model — a percentage of estimated project value — plus fixed plan check fees. Some cities charge flat fees by project type. The figures below are ranges; your actual number depends on your specific project scope.
Building Permit Fee Table: California and Washington Cities
Permit fees vary widely across California and Washington cities because most jurisdictions calculate costs by project valuation, square footage, plan review, inspections, and required trade permits. ADUs often involve the highest fees because they may trigger planning, utility, school, impact, public works, or fire review. Kitchen and bathroom remodels are usually lower, but separate plumbing, electrical, or mechanical permits can increase totals. Some cities offer fee estimators, online portals, or pre-approved ADU plans, while others calculate final fees only after staff review.
Permit fees are estimates only and may change without notice. Always verify current requirements, fee schedules, trade permit costs, plan review charges, and impact fees directly with the local building department before starting work or finalizing your budget.
The Hidden Fees That Make the Total Higher
The permit fee itself is often just part of what you'll pay to the city. Watch for:
- Plan check fee: typically 65–85% of the permit fee, paid upfront before the permit is issued
- Sewer connection fees: vary by city, typically charged at permit or plan check stage
- Fire department review fees: vary by city, charged at permit or plan check stage
- School impact fees: required in many California districts for ADUs over 500 sq ft. One homeowner discovered this the hard way: "Anything over 749 square feet, you have to pay impact fees to the city. I never knew I was going to need to come up with an extra $5,300."
Why school impact fees stack in some cities
School impact fees are calculated per square foot of new habitable space and are paid directly to the serving school district at permit issuance, not to the city. Some cities are served by a single unified district; others stack an elementary district fee on top of a separate high school district fee, which is one of the biggest reasons ADU costs vary dramatically between neighboring cities. Under California law, the fee generally applies to ADUs 500 sq ft or larger, though some districts exempt smaller units or deed-restricted affordable housing.
The table below shows verified current rates for cities where fee schedules are publicly available. Cities marked as unverified maintain active developer fee programs but do not consistently publish their current adopted rates online. Contact the district directly before finalizing your budget.
Cities where school impact fees could not be fully verified
Current school impact fee schedules could not be fully verified online for San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Culver City, Long Beach, and portions of San Jose and Sacramento. In several cases, districts publish contact pages or fee notices but do not publicly post the currently adopted residential developer fee schedule in a searchable format.
Los Angeles Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, and Oakland Unified School District all maintain active developer fee programs, but the latest adopted fee rates were not consistently accessible through indexed public documents at the time of review.
Homeowners in Sacramento and San Jose should also note that school impact fees can vary significantly by parcel because multiple overlapping elementary and high school districts may apply depending on the project address.
Why San Francisco and Palo Alto Are So Much Higher
SF and Palo Alto permit fees are driven by impact fees, mandatory planning review, and school fees that other cities do not require at the same level. San Francisco also has some of the longest permit timelines: "I'd budget 12 months for the permit in San Francisco. That's not pessimistic, that's just what I see," according to one Realm Advisor.
How Permit Timelines Add to Your True Cost
The permit fee is a one-time line item. The permit timeline is a recurring cost — it delays your contractor's start date, extends your carrying costs, and for ADU projects, pushes back the date you start collecting rent.
Not all cities move at the same pace. San Francisco and Marin County are consistently the slowest markets Realm Advisors work in.
"The permit process in Marin — the city is just slow. I've had projects sit in plan check for 9 months. There's nothing the contractor can do about it." — Realm Advisor
In LA City, ADU plan check review frequently runs 6–9 months even for straightforward projects. In faster-moving cities like Sunnyvale or Bellevue, streamlined online approvals can compress that to 4–8 weeks. If you're financing your project or counting on ADU rental income to offset your mortgage, build the permit timeline into your budget — not just the permit fee.
When a Permit Expediter Is Worth It
A permit expediter navigates the building department on your behalf, managing submissions, responding to correction notices, and tracking your application through plan check. They typically cost $2,000 to $8,000 depending on project complexity and city.
In most cities, an expediter is optional. In a few markets, they consistently save more than they cost, primarily by compressing a 9 to 12 month timeline into 4 to 6 months. For an ADU generating $2,500 per month in rent, every month saved is $2,500 recovered.
Cities where permit expediting is most commonly worth the investment:
- San Francisco — complex fee structures, mandatory planning review, and high correction rates
- Los Angeles City — LADBS submission complexity and plan check backlogs reward experienced navigators
- Marin County — slow county-level review where a well-connected expediter can meaningfully compress timelines
In cities like Bellevue, Tacoma, or Sacramento, the permit process is streamlined enough that most homeowners won't need one.
The One Question to Ask Your Contractor Before Signing
"Are permit fees included in your bid?" If the answer is no, add the appropriate estimate from the table above to your all-in budget before you sign the contract.
You can also verify your contractor's permit-pulling history before signing: California homeowners can search the CSLB database at cslb.ca.gov; Washington homeowners can check at lni.wa.gov.
Related Reading
Getting a permit in your city and not sure what to budget? A Realm Advisor knows the current permit landscape — including hidden fees, typical timelines, and whether a permit expediter is worth it for your project. Free.
