Building Permit Fees by Jurisdiction, From Official Fee Schedules
We translate official fee schedule PDFs into line-by-line permit fee estimates: base permit, plan review, and state levy. Building permit fees only. Trade permits, zoning, inspections, and impact fees are separate.
Data verified from official fee schedules. Last launch review: April 24, 2026.
8 jurisdictions live (7 Virginia + DC). Project types vary per official fee schedule.
Project list updates per jurisdiction. See the Virginia hub for full fee schedules.
Fairfax County, VA · Deck / Residential Alteration · $15,000 project value
Formula: max(cost × 3%, $72) + 50% plan review + 2% VA levy on subtotal. Building permit only - trade permits separate.
Featured Jurisdictions
Actual fee formulas from official .gov documents - not generic ranges.
Same $15,000 deck, two Virginia counties, more than $500 apart
Fairfax County uses percent-of-cost. Chesterfield uses flat fee by category. Same project, different math.
What generic guides never tell you
Same $15,000 deck in Fairfax County. What you'd budget vs. what you actually owe.
| Fee component | Generic guides tell you | PermitPrice shows |
|---|---|---|
| Base permit fee | "$100–$500 range" | $450.00 - max(3% × $15,000, $135) |
| Plan review fee | Rarely mentioned | $225.00 - 50% of base (required in VA) |
| Virginia USBC levy | Never listed | $13.50 - 2% on combined subtotal |
| Other VA surcharges | Unknown | Varies - county-specific technology, environmental, or indirect fees |
| Building permit package | Wrong by $200-$400 | $688.50 building permit only · trade permits separate |
"When evaluating a property for renovation, the permit fee structure is one of the first things to check. Homeowners consistently underestimate the total by forgetting plan review adds 50% on top. The same $15,000 deck runs $688.50 in Fairfax County but only $166.28 in Chesterfield County because the two jurisdictions use fundamentally different fee structures - Fairfax percent-of-cost, Chesterfield flat fee."
Three steps to a verified number
No guesswork. No generic ranges. Real formulas from official fee schedule PDFs.
Find Your Jurisdiction
Select your state, then your county. Every jurisdiction runs its own fee schedule. Fairfax County uses 3% of construction cost. Neighboring Prince William stacks a 26% surcharge on top. Fifteen miles apart, very different bill.
See the Exact Formula
Each jurisdiction page shows the actual formula from the .gov PDF: base permit fee, plan review rate, and every surcharge that stacks on top. Virginia adds a mandatory 2% USBC state levy on the combined subtotal.
Calculate Your Total
Enter your project value. The calculator applies the published formula line by line. A $15,000 deck in Fairfax: $450 base + $225 plan review + $13.50 state levy = $688.50. Trade permits are separate.
Browse by Project Type
Fee data and permit guides for the most common residential projects.
Deck Permit Cost in Virginia
Fairfax County: $688.50 for a $15,000 deck (3% of cost, $72 min). Loudoun: ~$402.90 estimated. Chesterfield: $166.28 flat. Two verified jurisdictions, one estimated.
Read the guide →Pool Permit Cost in Virginia
Fairfax $413.10 all-in for the building permit (flat $270 + plan review + levy). Chesterfield $108.14. Henrico $255 for a $30k pool. Electrical and barrier permits separate.
Read the guide →Shed Permit Cost in Virginia
In Chesterfield, no permit is required under 256 sq ft. Fairfax minimum $110.16. Chesterfield $116.28 (257-400 sq ft). Henrico $102 at or below $5,000 value.
Read the guide →Virginia Building Permit Cost Guide
How Virginia's three-layer permit structure works: local building permit fee, plan review, and the mandatory 2% USBC state levy. Four jurisdictions side by side.
Read the guide →Compare Virginia Jurisdictions
Three live head-to-head comparisons: Fairfax vs Loudoun, Chesterfield vs Henrico, Fairfax vs Chesterfield. See where the same project costs 4x more or 4x less.
Read the comparisons →View all project guides →
Four guides live. More project types being researched against official fee schedules.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your permit cost, two related numbers round out your total budget picture:
Property tax after your project closes
A finished basement or added deck increases your assessed value. See how each jurisdiction calculates ongoing property taxes at CountyTaxTools.com.
Planning new construction or a large addition?
Development impact fees and zoning costs can exceed the building permit fee by 10×. Research them at ZoneFee.com.