Building and Safety collects fees for Building Permit services and new development, including State of California development fees and development fees for certain other agencies. The Building and Safety program is funded by building permit fees and not by tax revenue. B&S fees are intended to provide 100% cost recovery for the B&S services provided.
Some of these fees, like the Permit Application Fee and Plan Review Fee, are collected when a permit application is received by B&S. However, most Building Permit fees are due when the Building Permit is issued.
Fee amounts vary and are calculated based on the size, scope, and value of a construction project. Exact fee amounts are calculated by B&S during the permitting process. For an estimate of Building permit fees for your project, use the County’s Fee Estimator Tool.
Fees collected by Building and Safety pay for direct services associated with inspections, permit issuance, and related services. Other fees collected by B&S provide cost recovery for indirect services that support the permitting process.
You can view a listing of all B&S fees in the adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
B&S fees can be paid online at the County’s Citizen Access portal, ACA, or in person at either of the County’s B&S public counters in Ventura or Simi Valley
Fees for B&S services
The following fees are associated with Building Permit services rendered directly to customers:
Application Fee:
An application fee is assessed for all building permit applications for projects that require a review of the project plans. Single trade permits for small projects, such as water heater change-outs, furnace change-outs, residential electrical panel upgrades, and similar small projects, which are not required to have plans for B&S review, are not assessed an application fee.
An application fee is collected when the application is received by B&S. This fee is later credited to the project when the Plan Review fees are collected and the plans are submitted for B&S review.
The Application Fee amount can be found in Section A of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Plan Review Fee:
A Plan Review fee is assessed for all projects which require construction plans/drawings for review and approval by Building and Safety, such as room additions, large remodels, new buildings and structures, swimming pools and other accessory structures, and large Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) installations.
Plan Review fees are collected at the time of submittal of the plans for review by B&S.
Plan review fees may also apply to the review of projects with buildings located in Flood Zones and Hazardous Fire Areas, or buildings subject to State provisions for energy conservation, disabled access, and/or green building sustainability.
The plan review fee for the structural and architectural systems in a building is calculated as a percentage of the permit fee for the project. Plan Review fees for MEP installations are calculated as a percentage of the permit fees for each of the respective trades. For example, the Plan Review fee for the electrical system is a percentage of the electrical permit fee and not the entire Building Permit fee. The same applies to Plumbing and Mechanical Plan Review fees.
The Plan Review Fees (sometimes referred to as “Plan Check Fees”) can be found in Section B of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Building Permit Fees:
Fees for building inspections conducted during construction of a project are referred to in the B&S Fee Schedule as “Building Permit Fees.” The calculation of these fees is based on the estimated value of the project. The estimated value of a project is called the “Project Valuation" in the B&S Fee Schedule. Its determination is based on the average estimated total construction cost if the project was constructed by a licensed contractor.
Building Permit (Inspection) fees may include surcharges for inspection of systems or building features regulated by the State of California for buildings in Flood Zones and Hazardous Fire Areas, or buildings subject to State provisions for energy conservation, disabled access, and/or green building sustainability.
Building permit (Inspection) fees are collected when the permit is issued by B&S.
You can use our current B&S Fee Tables for a quick reference to Building Permit fees for projects with a known estimated valuation of up to $1 million. For projects with larger valuations, you can calculate an estimate of fees using the County's Fee Estimator Tool. For a more comprehensive listing of fees that may apply to your project, please see the County’s adopted B&S B&S Fee Schedule.
Plumbing Permit Fees
Plumbing Permit fees are based on the type and number of plumbing fixtures installed. For new gas, water, or sewer lines on private property, the fees are based on linear feet of line installed.
Fees for plumbing systems in new buildings are typically based on the square footage of the building with some exceptions.
Plumbing permit (Inspection) fees are collected when the permit is issued by B&S.
A complete listing of fees for various plumbing fixture types can be found in Section F of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Mechanical Permit Fees
Mechanical Permit fees are based on the type, size, and number of HVAC units, fans, or equipment installed and the number of outlets or registers in the system.
Fees for mechanical systems in new buildings are based on the square footage of the building with some exceptions.
Mechanical permit (Inspection) fees are collected when the permit is issued by B&S.
A complete listing of fees for various mechanical equipment types can be found in Section G of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Electrical Permit Fees
Electrical Permit fees are based on the type, size, and a number of electrical fixtures and equipment installed and the number of outlets and switches in the system.
Fees for electrical systems in new buildings are based on the square footage of the building with some exceptions.
Electrical permit (Inspection) fees are collected when the permit is issued by B&S.
A complete listing of fees for various electrical equipment types and installations can be found in Section E of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Special B&S Permit Fees
Fees for Special Permits intended for special uses or projects that require special consideration or requirements can be found in Section C of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule. These include permits for projects such as:
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- Demolition of existing buildings or structures
- Manufactured homes and commercial coaches
- Antennas and equipment for telecommunication
- Agricultural buildings under 3,000 square feet
- Annual Maintenance Permits
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Permit (Inspection) fees for Special Permits are collected when the permit is issued by B&S.
Issuance Fee
An issuance fee is collected at the time the permit is issued. The amount of this fee is based on whether the permit being issued is a Combination (multi-trade) permit or a single-trade permit. The amount of this fee can be found in Section A of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Other B&S Service Fees
A complete listing of other B&S services offered by the Building and Safety Division, and corresponding fees, can be found in Section D of the current adopted B&S Fee Schedule.
Other RMA Fees
Building and Safety collects fees for other RMA indirect services that support the Building Permit function. This section explains these fees.
General Plan Surcharge Fee
This fee is collected on behalf of the RMA Planning Division for every building permit issued. It is collected when the Building Permit is issued.
This fee is not assessed for single-trade permits such as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits.
The fee pays for services associated with the preparation and implementation of the General Plan. This fee does not pay for direct Building and Safety services rendered during the building permit process. However, it may pay for some costs incurred by B&S during the implementation of programs identified in the General Plan.
The current amount of this fee is $0.0065 x the estimated construction value of the project.
Technology Surcharge Fee
This fee pays for the technology and tech support for Building and Safety, including the scanning and/or maintenance of electronic plans, permits, and permit documents. It is collected when the Building Permit is issued.
The current amount of this fee is $0.00375 x the estimated construction value of the project.
Other County Development and impact fees
Building and Safety collects certain development fees for other County agencies. This section explains these development fees.
Fire District Facility Fees
These fees pay for the construction of future Fire Department stations and related facilities that become necessary as a result of new development. These fees are assessed to new construction projects in many areas of the County but do not apply to small single-trade projects, like re-roofs, water heater change-outs, or solar panels.
The amount of this fee varies, depending on the "use" of the building. The fee is collected when the Building Permit is issued.
For more information about this development fee, go to Article 2. - Fire Protection Facilities.
Sheriff Department Facility Fees
These fees pay for future Sheriff Department stations and related facilities that become necessary as a result of new development. These fees are assessed to new construction projects only and do not apply to small single-trade projects, like re-roofs, water heater change-outs, or solar panels.
The amount of this fee varies, depending on the structure type. The fee is collected when the Building Permit is issued.
For more information about this development fee, go to Article 1. – Sheriff’s Facilities.
State Fees
Building and Safety collects certain fees for State of California agencies. This section explains these fees.
Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (SMIP) Fees
These fees are collected by B&S on behalf of the State. SMIP fees fund statewide earthquake preparedness programs and pay for the operation and maintenance of a statewide network of seismographs and related instrumentation.
These fees are collected when the Building Permit is issued. The fee amounts vary, depending on the project valuation and whether the development is residential or non-residential.
The SMIP fee calculation method can be found here.
For more detailed information about this program visit the State Department of Conservation website at here.
California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) Fees
These fees are collected by B&S on behalf of the State. CBSC fees fund the statewide program for the development and maintenance of the State Building Standards Code by the California Building Standards Commission and other agencies responsible for carrying out the provisions of State Building Standards Law and State Housing Law.
These fees are collected when the Building Permit is issued. The fee amounts vary, depending on the project valuation.
For more detailed information about this program, including the fee amount calculation method, click here.