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

# Williams Lake building permit fees

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

**Short answer:** In Williams Lake a building permit costs $80 for work valued up to $1,000, then $80 plus $7 per $1,000 from $1,000 to $10,000, then $6 per $1,000 above $10,000. You also pay a security deposit of $150 to $2,500 when you apply, depending on the project.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Williams Lake, https://www.williamslake.ca)  
**Cost:** $80 up to $1,000 of value; $80 plus $7 per $1,000 from $1,000 to $10,000; then $6 per $1,000 above $10,000. Plumbing $10 a fixture ($80 minimum). Security deposit $150 to $2,500.  
**Where:**
- Email: Building Inspection, building@williamslake.ca
- Phone: Building Inspection, 250-392-8488
- In person: City Hall, 450 Mart Street, Williams Lake, BC V2G 1N3 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Lowest fee:** $80 for work valued up to $1,000.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B, Schedule B, s. 1(a)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "thereof, Building Permit fees shall be based on the estimated value as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction as follows: a) Estimated Value of Construction Fee Up to $1,000.00 $80.00 (One Dollar to One Thousand Dollars) b) $1,000.00 - $10,000.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How the fee is worked out:** Based on the estimated value of construction. $1,000 to $10,000: $80 plus $7 per $1,000. Over $10,000 (up to $10 million): that amount plus $6 per $1,000 above $10,000. Over $10 million: $2.50 per $1,000 above that. Fee is doubled (to a maximum of $10,000) if work starts before the permit.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B, Schedule B, s. 1; s. 10.17](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "Building Permit fees shall be based on the estimated value as determined by the Authority" … "$80.00 plus $7.00 per" … "$6.00 per $1,000.00 value" … "Thereafter $2.50 per" … "is doubled for every permit application if"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Application or plan review fee:** No separate application fee is stated. A security deposit is paid when applying: $150 (house garage/parking structure, pool, or accessory building over 25 m²); $300 (house addition, alteration, renovation or demolition); $1,000 (new house or simple building); $2,500 (complex building).
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B, s. 10.8](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "An applicant for a building permit must pay to the City, at the time of the" … "swimming pool or an accessory building greater than" … "25 square metres: $150.00;" … "for a single family dwelling addition, alteration, renovation, demolition:" … "for a new single family dwelling or simple building: $1,000.00; and" … "for a complex building: $2500.00."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other fees:** Plumbing: $10 per fixture, minimum $80. Sprinkler: $2 per head, minimum $80. Moving permit: $500. Re-inspection: $100 plus GST. Permit renewal: $150 (building), $75 (plumbing). Permit fees double if work starts before the permit.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B, Schedule B, s. 3 to 6, 9](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "For each fixture" … "For each sprinkler head" … "The Moving Permit fee shall be five hundred dollars" … "there shall be a Reinspection fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) plus GST." … "there shall be a renewal fee of $150.00." … "renewal fee of $75.00."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to pay:** The building permit fee is paid to the City before the permit is issued; the security deposit is paid when the application is made.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B, s. 10.7, s. 10.8](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "Before receiving a building permit for a building or structure, the owner must first" … "the building permit fee prescribed in Schedule B; and" … "An applicant for a building permit must pay to the City, at the time of the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Williams Lake Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019, Schedule B – Fees
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)
  - Official wording: "Schedule B – Fees" … "The fees to be charged for the issuance of a Permit under this Bylaw shall be in conformance with the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Williams Lake sets building permit fees in Schedule B of [Building Bylaw 2274](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376). The fee is based on the estimated value of the construction, which is the City's estimate, not the owner's.

- Work valued up to $1,000: $80.
- $1,000 to $10,000: $80 plus $7 per $1,000.
- Over $10,000 (up to $10 million): that amount plus $6 per $1,000 above $10,000.
- Over $10 million: $2.50 per $1,000 above that.

The fee is doubled (to a maximum of $10,000) if work starts before the permit is issued.

## Steps

1. Send your application to building@williamslake.ca or bring it to City Hall.
2. Pay the security deposit when you apply.
3. Pay the permit fee before the permit is issued.

## Good to know

- No separate application fee is stated. The security deposit is $150 (house garage or parking structure, pool, or accessory building over 25 m²), $300 (house addition, alteration, renovation or demolition), $1,000 (new house or simple building) or $2,500 (complex building). It covers damage to public works or lands and is returned on request when inspections are complete. It is not credited to the permit fee.
- Other fees: plumbing $10 per fixture ($80 minimum); sprinklers $2 per head ($80 minimum); moving permit $500; re-inspection $100 plus GST; permit renewal $150 (building) or $75 (plumbing).
- Schedule B wording on the $7 rate is ambiguous, so ask Building Inspection for a quote on your project.
- Fees are not refundable once construction has started.

## Official forms and pages

- [Building Bylaw 2274, 2019, Schedule B Fees (consolidated PDF)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Building permit fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/building-permit-fees.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Wells](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Cache Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/building-permit-fees.md)
- [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/building-permit-fees.md)

## Sources

- [Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019 (consolidated PDF), Schedule B](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/39376) (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 Williams Lake. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/building-permit-fees/_