Houston building permit fees

How much does a building permit cost in Houston?

Houston, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

Lowest fee	$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.Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees, Schedule B-2, item 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Application Fee - Estimated Value under $25,000 50.00 50.00 Permit Fee $7 per $1,000 of estimated value
How the fee is worked out	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.Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees, Schedule B-2, items 1 and 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording 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
Application or plan review fee	$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).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.Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees, Schedule B-2, item 1; Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005, s. 11.1 and s. 11.7; Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005, Schedule A (2005 text), item 3 and application fee · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording 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 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 $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.
Other fees	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.Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees, Schedule B-2, item 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording 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
How to pay	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.Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005, s. 11.0 and s. 11.1; Building Permit Application Guide, "Building Inspections", note 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording 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. All fees must be paid prior to any inspections being requested.
Bylaw	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.Bylaw No. 1182, 2023, Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees, s. 1 and Schedule B-2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording 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

How it works

The District of Houston sets building permit fees in Schedule B-2 of the Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw (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.

Steps

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.
Pay the permit fee in full before the permit is issued.
Pay all fees before you request inspections.

Good to know

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.
Deposits: paving $2 per sq ft; landscaping equal to an acceptable contractor quote.
Work done without a permit is charged at double the normal rate.
Projects over $50,000 pay a $450 administration fee, refundable on completion (s. 11.7 of the Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005).
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).
Inspections requested outside office hours are charged for time spent including travel (s. 11.6); the schedule lists no amount.
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.
No text we read says whether the application fee counts toward the permit fee. Ask the office.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Telkwa · Smithers · Granisle · New Hazelton · Hazelton · Terrace

Building permit fees in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Bylaw No. 1182, 2023 (PDF), Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule B-2 Building Permit Fees (read 2026-11-08)
Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston (read 2026-11-08)
Building Permit Application Guide (PDF), District of Houston (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaws & Policies, District of Houston (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.