---
title: Victoria building permit fees
question: "How much does a building permit cost?"
place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/victoria
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Victoria
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/building-permit-fees/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/building-permit-fees.json"
---

# Victoria building permit fees

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

**Short answer:** A City of Victoria building permit costs a $100 application fee plus a permit fee of 1.40% of the cost of construction, not counting plumbing and electrical. Plumbing is 1.40% of the plumbing cost plus $100. The City states no minimum permit fee.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Victoria, https://www.victoria.ca)  
**Cost:** Building: $100 application fee (non-refundable) + 1.40% of cost of construction. Plumbing: 1.40% of plumbing cost + $100. Work done without a permit: 2.8% on the first $20,000, then 1.4%.  
**How long:** The application fee is due when your application is complete; other fees are due when the permit is issued.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building and Inspection Services, 250-361-0344
- Email: Permit Services, permits@victoria.ca

## Key facts

- **Lowest fee:** No minimum permit fee is stated. The $100 application fee is due with the application (non-refundable); the permit fee is 1.40% of the cost of construction.
  - Source: [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), Fees & Deposits (Sept 3, 2026)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "Building permit - application fee" … "(required at time of application)" … "1.40% of cost of construction*"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19, s. 19(2), 19(3)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "An application fee is non-refundable."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How the fee is worked out:** Permit fee is 1.40% of the cost of construction (not including plumbing and electrical value). Cost is the greater of the contract price or the Chief Building Inspector's fair-market estimate. Work done without a permit: 2.8% on the first $20,000 and 1.4% on the rest. A 5% reduction (max $500) applies with sealed plans and letters of assurance.
  - Source: [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), Fees & Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "1.40% of cost of construction* (not including plumbing & electrical value)" … "2.8% of cost of construction up to $20,000" … "1.4% of the cost f construction for the remainder in excess of $20,000" … "the permit fee shall be reduced by 5% up to a maximum of $500"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19, s. 19(9)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "the contract price including professional fees and a reasonable allowance"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Application or plan review fee:** $100 application fee is paid at the time of application. It is non-refundable and is a separate charge; the bylaw does not say it counts toward the permit fee.
  - Source: [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), Fees & Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "Building permit - application fee" … "(required at time of application)"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19, s. 19(2), 19(3)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "An application fee is non-refundable."
  - Source: [Guide to Building Permit Fees and Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/guide-building-permit-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "The application fee is due at the time of application."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other fees:** Plumbing permit: 1.40% of plumbing cost plus $100. Re-inspection $50, extension $100, revision after issuance at least $100, excavation deposit 1.2 times the backfill cost. Deconstructing a single-family dwelling or duplex: $500 administration fee plus $19,500 refundable waste management fee.
  - Source: [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), Fees & Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "Plumbing permits" … "1.40% of cost of plumbing work + $100" … "$50 re-inspection fee" … "$100 permit extension" … "1.2 times the estimated cost to backfill the excavation" … "$100 for each sign"
  - Source: [Guide to Building Permit Fees and Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/guide-building-permit-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "Demolition and" … "Deconstruction Administration Fee" … "Refundable Waste" … "When a single-family dwelling or duplex is being deconstructed."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to pay:** The application fee is paid when the application is complete (the City sends a payment link). All other fees and deposits are due when the permit is issued. Once approved, the City sends a fee summary.
  - Source: [Guide to Building Permit Fees and Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/guide-building-permit-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "The application fee is due at the time of application. All other fees are due upon issuance of the permit."
  - Source: [Building Permits, Fees](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/building-renovating/apply-permit/building)
  - Official wording: "you will receive a fee summary with all the fees and deposits required for a building permit"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19, s. 19(1)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "must be paid in full"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw No. 17-113, Schedule A (Fees); current amounts shown on the City's Fees & Deposits schedule dated September 3, 2026.
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
  - Official wording: "a permit fee, calculated in accordance with Schedule A to this bylaw, must be paid in full" … "BYLAW NO. 17-113"
  - Source: [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), Fees & Deposits](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
  - Official wording: "0018BLDG2021 PERMIT AND DEPOSIT RATES"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The fees are set in Schedule A of the [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated), and the City's Fees & Deposits schedule (September 3, 2026) shows current amounts. The cost of construction is the greater of the contract price or the Chief Building Inspector's fair-market estimate. The City states no minimum permit fee.

## Steps

1. Pay the $100 application fee when the City sends a payment link after your application is complete. It is non-refundable, and the bylaw does not say it counts toward the permit fee.
2. Pay the permit fee (1.40% of the cost of construction) and any deposits when the permit is issued. The City sends a fee summary once your application is approved.
3. For plumbing work, the fee is 1.40% of the plumbing cost plus $100.

## Good to know

- Work done without a permit pays 2.8% on the first $20,000 and 1.4% on the rest.
- With sealed plans and letters of assurance, the permit fee is reduced by 5%, up to $500.
- Other fees: re-inspection $50, permit extension $100, excavation deposit 1.2 times the backfill cost, revision after issuance at least $100.
- Deconstructing a single-family dwelling or duplex: $500 administration fee plus a $19,500 refundable waste management fee.
- Development cost charges and amenity cost charges are separate from these fees.

## Official forms and pages

- [Permits and Inspections, Fees and Deposits (PDF, dated September 3, 2026)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits)
- [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated)
- [Guide to Building Permit Fees and Deposits (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/guide-building-permit-fees-and-deposits)

## Related questions

- [Victoria building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/building-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Building permit fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Oak Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/building-permit-fees.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/building-permit-fees.md)

## Sources

- [Permits and Inspections Fees and Deposits (PDF, September 3, 2026), City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/permits-and-inspections-fees-and-deposits) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building and Plumbing Regulation Bylaw 17-113 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule A and section 19](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/building-and-plumbing-regulation-bylaw-17-113-consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Guide to Building Permit Fees and Deposits (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/guide-building-permit-fees-and-deposits) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Permits, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/building-renovating/apply-permit/building) (read 2026-11-05)

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