Permit fees

Permit fees must be paid when you submit your Building Permit application. Building Permit fees are determined by the License, Permit and Processing Fees Administrative Order #15. Permit fees shall be calculated using the following table:

Fees table of contents:

Building Fees

Building Fees (Residential, 4 units or less) Minimum Fee $25.00 For new construction or addition to existing buildings; fees are based on the floor area.
Description Fee

All floors at or above the average finished grade surrounding the building

 $3.23 per square metre ($0.30 a square foot)
All floors below the average finished grade, not more than 1.67 sq meters (5.5 ft) $2.69 per square metre ($0.25 a square foot)
Basements - finished/unfinished at greater than 1.67 sq meters (5.5 ft) $1.08 per square metre ($0.10 a square foot)
Attached and detached garages $1.08 per square metre ($0.10 a square foot)
Renovation and repairs $5.50 per $1000.00 of the estimated value of construction
Mobile Home Application Fee (Private or Park Lots) Mobile Home Application Fee $25, Residential Development Permit Fee $200
Sheds & Accessory Buildings $1.08 per square metre ($0.10 a square foot) - $50 Development Permit fee Depending on the complexity of your project, additional fees may be required. If the property is located in Bedford, a Grade Alteration Permit is required. A $200 Engineering Review fee may also apply.
Demolition Permit $50.00 (engineering related fees may apply)
Swimming Pools $5.50 per $1000.00 of the estimated value of the project with a minimum $25.00 fee Development Permit fee of $50.00. Depending on the complexity of your project, additional fees, including engineering related fees, may be required.
Decks $5.50 per $1000.00 of the estimated value of your project with a minimum fee of $25.00, Development Permit fee of $50.00 and depending on the complexity of your project, additional fees, including engineering related fees, may be required. If the property is located in Bedford a lot grading permit is required.
Solar (Roof & Ground Mounted Collectors) $150.00 (engineering related fees may apply)
All other construction $5.50 per $1000.00 of the estimated value of construction (engineering related fees may apply)

Plumbing Fees
Description Fee
New residential construction to contain four units or less $50.00 per unit
Other multiple unit residential buildings $25.00 per unit
Additions or renovations to residential buildings (no new units) $25.00
Non-residential buildings - 5 or less fixtures $25.00
Non-residential buildings - 6 or more fixtures $50.00

Development fees
Description Fee
Residential: New Res-up to 2 units, enclosed adds, Res or Multi-use, Ind, Comm or Institutional (MICI) renovations, and leasehold improvements) $200.00
Commercial Development Permit Fee (includes: Multi-use, Industrial, Commercial or Institutional (MICI)) $500.00
Basic Development Permit Fee(includes: Home Occupation, Occupancy Only and Accessory Structures such as Decks, Pools, Sheds, and Fence) $50.00
Zoning Confirmation Letters $150.00
Non-Substantive Site Plan Approval OR Level 1 (I) Site Plan Approval $500.00
Level 2 (II) Site Plan Approval $1,000.00
Downtown Substantive Site Plan Approval OR Level 3 (III) Site Plan Approval $2,000.00
Variance $1,000.00
Appeal of Variance $1,000.00

Solid Waste Charge

(New Additions/ICI) fees adjusted annually
Description Fee
Residential units (new) $248.29 per unit
ICI (institutional, commercial, industrial) (all) $1.94 per square metre ($0.18 a square foot)

Engineering Related Fees

(for non-Engineering specific permits)
Description Fee
Engineering Related Fees (for non-Engineering specific permits, i.e. demolition permit, development permit, etc.) $200.00
Lot Grading $200.00
Grade Alteration $200.00
Top Soil Removal $200.00
For blasting less than 50 cubic metres of rock $100.00
All other blasting applications $600.00

Right of Way Related Fees

Streets and Services Fees and Deposits (Name of valid contractor required at time of application) Encroachment Fees pursuant to By-law E-200, Respecting Encroachments Upon, Under, or Over A Street
Description Fee
Driveway access/culvert $200.00
Lateral connection to main $200.00
Sewer cap-off $200.00
Future settlement charge $90.00 to $390.00 (varies by street)
Deposit $1000.00 (refundable, upon approved reinstatement)
Encroachment up to 1.5 square metres $60.00
Encroachment from 1.5 to 2.5 square metres $95.00
Encroachment over 2.5 square metres $125.00
Encroachment other than those described in paragraph 4(a)(iv) of Bylaw E-200 shall be subject to an annual rental fee $1.00 per 0.1 square metres of such encroachment, with a minimum fee of $10.00.
Temporary Encroachments shall be subject to a daily rental fee for the temporary use of the street or a part thereof during construction at the following rate:

(a) $0.30 per square metre for the travelled way;

(b) $0.25 per square metre for the sidewalk between the curb and 2 metres back from the curb face; and

(c) $0.15 per square metre for the balance of the sidewalk and to the street line or property line which shall be payable monthly in advance, with the first month's payment due at the time the license is issued and subsequent payments being due one month from the time of the previous due date.

(d) where the encroachment occupies any part of a metered parking space,it shall be deemed to occupy the total metered parking space and the daily rental fee shall apply to 16.7 square metres of travelled way.

Halifax Water Fees

Regional Development Charges (RDC)* — Wastewater and Water New construction or additions/renovations resulting in new units *RDC fee deferral of up to 25% is available on fees in excess of $100,000
Description Fee
RDC - Wastewater: Single unit dwelling $4,080.80 per unit
RDC - Wastewater: Multiple unit dwelling $2,740.84 per unit
RDC - Wastewater: Commercial $2.24 / sq. ft. ($24.11/m2)
RDC - Wastewater: Addition of a single secondary/ backyard suite $1,400.88
RDC - Water: Single unit dwelling $182.88 / unit
RDC - Water: Multi-unit dwelling $122.83 / unit
RDC - Water: Commercial $0.09 / sq. ft. ($0.97/m2)
RDC - Water: Addition of a single secondary/ backyard suite $62.78
Halifax Water inspection of water, wastewater and stormwater service connections $90 / site visit
Halifax Water inspection of backflow prevention devices $90 / site visit
Halifax Water inspection of driveway culverts $90 / site visit
Halifax Water tapping for water service connection up to 75mm $375 / connection
Halifax Water tapping for water service connection greater than 75mm $125 / 25mm/ connection

Other Fees
Description Fee
Home or Business Occupancy, Occupancy only $50.00
Expired Occupancy Renewal $100.00
A Permanent Sign includes but is not limited to Projection, Roof, Ground, Billboard, Fascia $200.00 per sign

Fee waiver for affordable housing developments

In the winter of 2017, Regional Council approved an amendment to By-law B-201 Respecting the Building Code that allowed for the exemption of building permit fees for developments proposed by not-for-profit organizations or charities that include affordable units. The waiving of building permit fees is intended to support the expansion of the non-profit housing stock in the Municipality.

The amendment applies to building permit fees associated with the following:

  • construction
  • demolition
  • additions
  • renovations
  • repairs, and 
  • attached signs

Eligibility

For the building permit fee to be waived the following criteria must be met:

  • the applicant must be a not for profit or registered charity
  • the subject property must be owned by the applicant or a government body/agency or combination thereof
  • the development, in which the permit is applied for, must be the subject of an agreement or must have received funding from government agencies such as Housing Nova Scotia or CMHC requiring at minimum of 25% of the total floor area of the development (inclusive of commercial and residential components) to include affordable housing units, and
  • the applicant must have fully paid all taxes or all interim payments due to the Municipality

View the Frequently Asked Questions document for more information. Click here to fill out a permit fee waiver.