{"title":"Nelson building permit fees","question":"How much does a building permit cost?","slug":"building-permit-fees","place":{"path":"ca/bc/nelson","name":"Nelson","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":"City of Nelson","url":"https://www.nelson.ca"},"short_answer":"A Nelson building permit costs $100 for work valued up to $5,000, plus $9 for each $1,000 or part of $1,000 above that. Larger projects also pay a damage deposit of $600 to $1,700. Demolition, wood stoves and plumbing have their own fees.","aliases":["building permit fee nelson bc","how much is a permit","permit cost","damage deposit"],"cost":"$100 base (value to $5,000) plus $9 per $1,000 or part over $5,000. Damage deposit $600 (value $50,000 to $200,000), $1,100 ($200,001 to $500,000) or $1,700 (over $500,000).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Development Services and Engineering","value":"250-352-8260","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Development Services","value":"development@nelson.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (consolidated, PDF)","url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404"},{"title":"Building Permits page","url":"https://www.nelson.ca/162/Building-Permits"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Nelson building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/building-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/castlegar","name":"Castlegar","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/slocan","name":"Slocan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/salmo","name":"Salmo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/fruitvale","name":"Fruitvale","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/montrose","name":"Montrose","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/building-permit-fees/"},{"place":"ca/bc/trail","name":"Trail","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/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":"$100 basic fee, covering construction value up to $5,000.","short":"$100 (value up to $5,000)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","section":"Schedule A, BUILDING","quotes":["Charges/Notices on title BUILDING Basic Fee (covers $100 for Construction 1140250-000 construction values up to value to $5000 $5000.00)","BUILDING Basic Fee (covers $100 for Construction 1140250-000 construction values up to value to $5000 $5000.00) Additional Fees to the Basic $9.00 for each $1000 or 1140250-000"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fee_formula":{"label":"How the fee is worked out","value":"$100 for the first $5,000 of construction value, plus $9 for each $1,000 or part of $1,000 over $5,000. Value of the work is the greater of the declared value or the Marshall Valuation Service figure.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","section":"Schedule A, BUILDING","quotes":["Additional Fees to the Basic","$9.00 for each $1000 or","part thereof of","construction value over"]},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019 (Consolidated, PDF)","section":"s. 2.1 'Value of the work'","quotes":["(a) for all construction, the greater of:","the declared value of the work; or","the value calculated using a method stipulated in the “Marshall"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"application_fee":{"label":"Application or plan review fee","value":"The schedule lists the building permit fee as $100 for the first $5,000 of construction value plus $9 per $1,000 above that. Submitting new or substantially revised plans costs $100 or 10% of the building permit fee, whichever is greater. It does not say whether this counts toward the permit fee.","short":"$100 or 10% of permit fee, whichever is greater","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nelson.ca/162/Building-Permits","title":"Building Permits, City of Nelson","section":"City page, Applications","quotes":["Please include the appropriate fee and necessary attachments detailed on the required checklist."]},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","section":"Schedule A, BUILDING","quotes":["Submission of new or","$100 or 10% of the","Building Permit fee,","whichever is greater","Submission of new or           $100 or 10% of the           1140250-000","substantially revised plans    Building Permit fee,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_fees":{"label":"Other fees","value":"Plumbing: $100 basic fee for a homeowner or $50 for a licensed plumber (includes first fixture). Demolition: $50 residential, $200 commercial. Re-inspection: minimum $60, charged from the third re-inspection. Building permit renewal: $100. Damage deposit: $600, $1,100 or $1,700 by value of work.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","section":"Schedule A, PLUMBING and BUILDING","quotes":["Basic Fee (includes first","$100/$50","Homeowner/Licensed","Demolition -","$50/$200","Minimum Fee For Re-","$60","Building Permit Renewal","Building Permit Valued","between $50,000 and","$200,000","$600","$1,100","$1,700"]},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019 (Consolidated, PDF)","section":"s. 11.9, 11.45","quotes":["An applicant for a building permit must pay to the City, at the time of the application, the security deposit as determined in the City Fees and Charges Bylaw.","a third and each subsequent re-inspection","a third and each subsequent re-inspection where it has been determined by the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_pay":{"label":"How to pay","value":"The permit fee must be paid before the permit is issued; the City's page says to include the fee with the application. The damage deposit is paid at the time of application. Methods for building permit fees are not stated.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019 (Consolidated, PDF)","section":"s. 11.8, 11.9","quotes":["Before receiving a building permit for a building or structure, the owner must first pay to the City:","the building permit fee prescribed in the City Fees and Charges Bylaw; and","pay to the City, at the time of the application, the security deposit"]},{"url":"https://www.nelson.ca/162/Building-Permits","title":"Building Permits, City of Nelson","section":"City page, Applications","quotes":["Please include the appropriate fee and necessary attachments detailed on the required checklist."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092, 2008, Schedule A (Development Service Fees), BUILDING and PLUMBING; Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019, ss. 11.8 to 11.18","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","section":"Schedule A","quotes":["BYLAW NO. 3092","REVISED: April 28, 2026","Schedule “A” Development Service Fees"]},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019 (Consolidated, PDF)","section":"s. 11.8","quotes":["the building permit fee prescribed in the City Fees and Charges Bylaw; and"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder Nelson's [Fees and Charges Bylaw 3092](https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404) (Schedule A), the building permit fee is $100 for the first $5,000 of construction value, plus $9 for each $1,000 or part of $1,000 above $5,000. The value of the work is the greater of the declared value or the Marshall Valuation Service figure, under the [Building Bylaw 3456](https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460). If the actual cost ends up higher than the value used, the fee is recalculated and an extra fee charged.\n\nThe fee must be paid before the permit is issued; the City page says to include it with your application. A damage deposit is paid when you apply. The City does not state how building permit fees can be paid.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Other fees: wood-burning appliance $200; demolition $50 residential or $200 commercial; building permit renewal $100; plumbing permit $100 for a homeowner or $50 for a licensed plumber.\n- Submitting new or substantially revised plans costs $100 or 10% of the building permit fee, whichever is greater.\n- Re-inspection: minimum $60, charged from the third re-inspection. Inspections outside normal business hours are $140 and voluntary inspections $100.\n- Starting before the permit is issued can double the permit fee, up to $1,000 extra.\n- The schedule also lists a Tree Deposit of $2,500 per tree under damage deposits; it does not say which trees it covers.\n- Refunds of building application fees: none for fees of $200 or less; 90% before review, 50% before the permit is issued, 25% after issue but before work or inspections (up to 60 days), none once work starts.\n- Development permit and rezoning fees are separate.","sources":[{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/6404","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3092 (Consolidated, revised April 28, 2026, PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://nelson.civicweb.net/document/77460","title":"Building Bylaw No. 3456, 2019 (Consolidated, PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.nelson.ca/162/Building-Permits","title":"Building Permits, City of Nelson","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/nelson/building-permit-fees/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/building-permit-fees.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/building-permit-fees.json"}}