Calculate U.S. Building Permit Fees & Contractor Bond Rules

Commercial building permit fees are calculated using municipal valuation schedules per $1,000 of construction cost, plus mandatory plan check review surcharges (typically 50%–65% of base fees) and technology/state building code surcharges.

A contractor license bond is a mandatory financial guarantee ($10,000–$50,000) required by local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to protect property owners and municipalities against code violations, unpaid permit fees, or incomplete construction.

Standard municipal plan review SLAs range from 3 to 14 business days across fast-track jurisdictions (such as Harris County TX and Maricopa County AZ), and 15 to 30+ business days in comprehensive review markets (such as Los Angeles CA and New York City).

Most AHJ building divisions require stamped architectural and structural engineering plans (signed by a state-registered PE or Architect), COMcheck/REScheck energy compliance calculations, site plan zoning verification, and active contractor license and surety bond certificates.

Under state vested rights statutes (such as Texas Local Government Code Chapter 245), building permit applications submitted prior to municipal ordinance amendments are typically grandfathered under the code rules in effect at the time of initial submittal.