Why This Exists

Permit fee data has historically lived behind enterprise paywalls: insurance adjuster software, contractor licensing databases, claims management platforms. If you're a homeowner trying to figure out how much a building permit costs in your city, your options were: call the permit office and wait on hold, or guess.

We built this database by individually researching published municipal fee schedules across 29+ U.S. cities. Every number links to its source document on the city's official website. If a fee changes, you can verify it yourself.

This is the free public version of data that previously only existed behind enterprise paywalls. A journalist doesn't have an Xactimate license. A homeowner planning a remodel doesn't. But they can both use this database, and they can verify every number against the source URL.

The database is updated quarterly. If you find an error or a city we're missing, let us know.

Dave is also the founder of TheFatBook.com, a Kelly Blue Book-style cost index for home renovation. Bid fairness checker, true cost calculator, and per-city pricing across 25 metros built from BLS wages and Craftsman labor hours.

And EG3.com, consumer technology guides reviewed against primary datasheets and FCC filings rather than marketing copy.