---
title: Chetwynd building permit fees
question: "How much does a building permit cost in Chetwynd?"
place: Chetwynd, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/chetwynd
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Chetwynd
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/building-permit-fees/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/building-permit-fees.json"
---

# Chetwynd building permit fees

**Question:** How much does a building permit cost in Chetwynd?

**Short answer:** In Chetwynd a building permit costs $9 per $1,000 of construction value on the first $10,000, plus $6.50 per $1,000 on the rest, with a $75 minimum. Value is the contract cost or the bylaw's per-square-foot rates, whichever is greater.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Chetwynd, https://www.gochetwynd.com)  
**Cost:** $9 per $1,000 on the first $10,000 and $6.50 per $1,000 over that; $75 minimum. No separate application fee is listed.  
**How long:** Fees are paid before the permit is issued, once plans are approved.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Inspection, 250-401-4100 (The Building Inspector is in the office on Tuesdays only.)
- In person: Municipal Office, 5400 Hospital Road, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays).)

## Key facts

- **Lowest fee:** $75 (minimum building permit fee, for retaining walls and similar small jobs).
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, Appendix 1, Building Permit Fees](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Minimum Building Permit Fee (retaining walls, etc.)" … "$75.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How the fee is worked out:** $9 per $1,000 of construction value on the first $10,000, plus $6.50 per $1,000 on the remainder over $10,000. Value is the contract cost or the bylaw's per-square-foot rates, whichever is greater. The fee is cut 10% if an engineer provides a sealed design and on-site supervision.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, Appendix 1](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "First $10,000 of construction value" … "$9.00 per $1,000 of value" … "Remainder of construction value over $10,000" … "$6.50 per $1.000 of value" … "Building Permit cost will be reduced by ten" … "percent (10%)."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, Appendix 2](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Value of residential construction will be calculated as per the contract cost if" … "whichever is the greater amount."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Application or plan review fee:** None set. The Building Bylaw lists no separate application or plan review fee.
- **Other fees:** Re-inspection $40; inspection outside regular hours $65; starting without a permit $400. If a stop work order is issued, penalty of double the permit fee, up to $1,500 (work under $1 million; 15% up to $15,000 above). Damage deposit $500, $250 or $1,000. Move or demolish: $625 under 200 sq ft, $1,250 over (75% refundable). (Sources differ: The $400 charge in Appendix 1 and the 'double the permit fee' penalty in s. 4.15 both address starting without a permit; the bylaw does not say how they fit together. Temporary structure permits have a $250 refundable security deposit and a $200 long-term permit fee (Bylaws 993 and 1010). General bylaw offences carry a fine of $500 to $10,000 (s. 4.11).)
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, Appendix 1](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Re-Inspection Fee" … "$40.00" … "Inspection outside of regular working hours" … "$65.00" … "Charge for starting construction without permit" … "$400.00" … "Single Family Dwellings" … "$500.00" … "Renovations or buildings valued less than $10,000" … "$250.00" … "All other projects" … "$1,000.00" … "Under 200 square feet" … "$625.00" … "200 square feet and over" … "$1,250.00" … "Failure to control debris and rubbish from leaving site" … "pay a penalty equal to double the permit fee for construction valued up to 1,000,000 (one million dollars), such penalty not to exceed $1,500 (one thousand five hundred dollars)" … "such penalty not to exceed $15,000 (fifteen thousand dollars)"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, s. 4.15](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall, if a ‘Stop Work Order’ notice is issued, pay a penalty equal to double the" … "permit fee for construction valued up to"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to pay:** Fees are paid before the permit is issued: once plans are approved a permit is issued subject to receipt of the fees. The method of payment (cash, card, cheque) is not stated for building permits.
  - Source: [Building Permit Guide, October 2024, Guide, Step 5](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Building-Permit-Guide_Chetwynd_October-2024.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Once your plans have been approved, a permit will be issued subject to receipt of" … "applicable fees."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, s. 9.2(c)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the owner or representative has paid all applicable fees as specified in" … "Appendix ‘1’ to this Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, Appendix 1 (Fees and Charges) and Appendix 2 (Formula for Estimating Value of Construction).
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028, Appendix 1 and Appendix 2](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
  - Official wording: "FEES AND CHARGES" … "FORMULA FOR ESTIMATING VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION"
  - Source: [Appendix 1, Fees, Appendix 1 (stand-alone PDF)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Appendix-1-Fees.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING BYLAW NO. 973, 2012" … "FEES AND CHARGES"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Fees are set in Appendix 1 of the District of Chetwynd's [Building Bylaw No. 973](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf). Appendix 2 sets per-square-foot values used to estimate construction value; the contract cost or those rates, whichever is greater, is the value used. The fee is reduced by 10% if an engineer provides a sealed design and on-site supervision, and by 25% when the permit relies on professional Letters of Assurance.

## Steps

1. Ask the Building Inspector (250-401-4100) for your fee once you know the value of the work.
2. Pay once plans are approved; the permit is issued subject to receipt of the fees. The bylaw and guide do not say which payment methods are accepted.

## Good to know

- Minimum permit fee: $75 (for retaining walls and similar small jobs).
- Re-inspection $40; inspection outside regular hours $65.
- Starting work without a permit: $400. If a stop work order is issued, the penalty is double the permit fee, up to $1,500 for work under $1 million.
- Damage deposit: $500, $250 or $1,000. Move or demolish: $625 under 200 sq ft, $1,250 over, with 75% refundable.
- An 85% refund can be requested within one year if construction has not started.
- The bylaw lists no separate application or plan-review fee. Offences under the bylaw can carry a fine of $500 to $10,000.
- These amounts come from a bylaw copy consolidated in 2015. Confirm current fees with the District.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated, Appendices 1 and 2 (PDF)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf)
- [Appendix 1, Fees (PDF)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Appendix-1-Fees.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Chetwynd building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/building-permit.md)
- [Chetwynd permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Chetwynd secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/secondary-suite.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Building permit fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Taylor](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/taylor/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/building-permit-fees.md)

## Sources

- [Building Bylaw No. 973, 2012, consolidated to Bylaw 1028 (PDF), District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Building-Bylaw-No.-973-2012-Consolidated-Version-for-website-Oct-6-2015.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Appendix 1, Fees (PDF), District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Appendix-1-Fees.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permit Guide, October 2024 (PDF), District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Building-Permit-Guide_Chetwynd_October-2024.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Chetwynd. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/building-permit-fees/_