{"title":"Houston building permit fees","question":"How much does a building permit cost in Houston?","slug":"building-permit-fees","place":{"path":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Houston","url":"https://houston.ca"},"short_answer":"In Houston a building permit costs $7 per $1,000 of estimated value, plus plan review of $1 per $1,000 and an application fee of $50 for work under $25,000 ($100 if $25,000 or more). The schedule states no minimum permit fee. Work done without a permit is charged double.","aliases":["building permit fee houston","how much is a building permit houston","permit cost houston bc"],"cost":"Application fee $50 (under $25,000) or $100 ($25,000 or more); permit fee $7 per $1,000 of estimated value; plan review $1 per $1,000.","how_long":"Fees are due before the permit is issued; see the building-permit answer for processing time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Community Development Department","value":"250-845-2238"},{"type":"email","label":"Community Development email","value":"ecdev@houston.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Office","value":"3367 12th Street, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/"},{"title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston","url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/"},{"title":"Building Permits and Inspections, District of Houston","url":"https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/permits-and-inspections/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Houston building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/building-permit/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Houston permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Houston secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/secondary-suite/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Houston zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/smithers","name":"Smithers","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hazelton","name":"Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/building-permit-fees/"}],"topic":{"title":"Building permit fees in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/building-permit-fees/"},"facts":{"minimum_fee":{"label":"Lowest fee","value":"$50 application fee (estimated value under $25,000), plus the permit fee of $7 per $1,000 of estimated value and plan review of $1 per $1,000. The schedule states no minimum permit fee.","short":"None set; $50 application plus $7 per $1,000","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","section":"Schedule B-2, item 1","quotes":["Application Fee - Estimated Value under $25,000 50.00 50.00","Permit Fee $7 per $1,000 of estimated value"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fee_formula":{"label":"How the fee is worked out","value":"Permit fee $7 per $1,000 of estimated value, plus plan review $1 per $1,000. For houses and their accessory buildings, value is set per sq ft (main floor $112.50, garage $34, basement $45); other buildings use an engineer's estimate. Work done without a permit is charged double.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","section":"Schedule B-2, items 1 and 3","quotes":["Permit Fee $7 per $1,000 of estimated value","Plan Review Fee $1 per $1,000 of estimated value","Main Floor per square foot 112.50","Garage per square foot 34.00","Basement per square foot 45.00","Any project undertaken without a permit Double normal rate"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"application_fee":{"label":"Application or plan review fee","value":"$50 if the estimated value is under $25,000; $100 if $25,000 or more. Non-refundable; no text says it counts toward the permit fee. The $450 administration fee on projects over $50,000 is refundable on completion (s. 11.7).","short":"$50 under $25,000 of value; $100 if $25,000 or more","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","section":"Schedule B-2, item 1","quotes":["Application Fee - Estimated Value under $25,000 50.00 50.00","Application Fee - Estimated Value $25,000 and over 100.00 100.00","Administration Fee for all projects over $50,000 450.00 450.00","*Refundable in accordance with section 11.7 of Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005","Administration Fee for all projects over $50,000"]},{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston","section":"s. 11.1 and s. 11.7","quotes":["shall accompany an application for a building permit made under this Bylaw.","will be returned if the work is completed for which the permit has been issued"]},{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston","section":"Schedule A (2005 text), item 3 and application fee","quotes":["$30.00 for any project with a value under $10,000.00;","$350.00 for all projects where the construction value exceeds $10,000.00."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"},"sources_differ":"Conflict: the building bylaw's own Schedule A (2005 text) still shows older amounts (application fee $30 under $10,000 and $50 at $10,000 and over; administration fee $350 over $10,000). The later Fees & Charges Bylaw sets the amounts used here. Neither says whether the application fee counts toward the permit fee."},"other_fees":{"label":"Other fees","value":"Plumbing $6.75 per fixture; sprinklers $6.75 for the first 25 heads, $2.25 each additional; demolition $56.25; moving a building $112.50; re-inspection of rejected work $85; paving deposit $2 per sq ft; landscaping deposit equal to an acceptable contractor quote.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","section":"Schedule B-2, item 2","quotes":["Plumbing per fixture 6.75","Sprinklers - additional heads per head 2.25","Demolition per structure 56.25","Move building or structure per structure 112.50","Re-Inspection of Rejected Work per plan 85.00","Paving Deposits per square foot 2.00","Landscaping Deposits An amount equal to an acceptable quote for the required works"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"how_to_pay":{"label":"How to pay","value":"The permit fee is paid in full before the permit is issued; the non-refundable application fee is paid with the application. All fees must be paid before inspections are requested.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston","section":"s. 11.0 and s. 11.1","quotes":["shall be paid in full prior to the issuance of a permit under this Bylaw","shall accompany an application for a building permit made under this Bylaw."]},{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149531/","title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), District of Houston","section":"\"Building Inspections\", note 2","quotes":["All fees must be paid prior to any inspections being requested."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw No. 1094, 2017, Schedule B-2 (Building Permit Fees), substituted by Amending Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 for 2024 to 2028. Permit rules are in Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","section":"s. 1 and Schedule B-2","quotes":["A bylaw to amend the Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw No. 1094, 2017","BUILDING PERMITS BUILDING BYLAW NO. 906, 2005","Schedule B-2 – Building Permit Fees"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe District of Houston sets building permit fees in [Schedule B-2 of the Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/) (amended by Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, for 2024 to 2028). The permit fee is $7 per $1,000 of estimated value, and plan review is $1 per $1,000. For houses and their accessory buildings, value is set per square foot: main floor $112.50, garage $34, basement $45, additional floors $56.50, carport $22.50, sundeck $22.50. Other buildings use an engineer's estimate.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Pay the application fee with your application: $50 if the estimated value is under $25,000, or $100 if $25,000 or more. It is non-refundable.\n2. Pay the permit fee in full before the permit is issued.\n3. Pay all fees before you request inspections.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Other fees: plumbing $6.75 per fixture; sprinklers $6.75 for the first 25 heads and $2.25 for each additional head; demolition $56.25; moving a building $112.50; re-inspection of rejected work $85.\n- Deposits: paving $2 per sq ft; landscaping equal to an acceptable contractor quote.\n- Work done without a permit is charged at double the normal rate.\n- Projects over $50,000 pay a $450 administration fee, refundable on completion (s. 11.7 of the [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/)).\n- The plan review fee is halved when the permit is issued in reliance on registered professionals' certification (s. 10.2). If a stop-work notice stays outstanding 30 days, 25% of the permit fee is added (s. 18.8).\n- Inspections requested outside office hours are charged for time spent including travel (s. 11.6); the schedule lists no amount.\n- The bylaw's own Schedule A (2005 text) still shows older amounts. The later fee schedule is the one that applies, but confirm with the District.\n- No text we read says whether the application fee counts toward the permit fee. Ask the office.","sources":[{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145026/","title":"Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/","title":"Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149531/","title":"Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), District of Houston","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://houston.ca/our-government/bylaws/","title":"Bylaws & Policies, District of Houston","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/building-permit-fees/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/building-permit-fees.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/building-permit-fees.json"}}