Residential Building Fee Estimator FAQs

The following information is provided to assist the user in obtaining an estimate for new residential building permits.

• This estimator does not contain fee information for commercial/industrial building permits, or any buildings built in addition to existing construction.
• All fields are required. If unsure of an input, enter “0”, but be aware that these fees will not be included in the estimate at this time. However, once a building permit is submitted, final building permit costs may increase once all requirements are known.
• Exemptions and exceptions are not accounted for in this fee estimator and may lower the final building permit cost if they are granted by the respective agencies/departments.

Permit Type

Select from the list of new residential dwelling options. Fees may vary depending on type selected. Duplexes are the only residential multi-family dwelling. All larger multi-family dwellings are considered commercial multi-family dwellings. Residential Single Family Dwelling Standard Plans may only be used on areas where a recorded tract map exists.

Number of Units

Estimated number of NEW residential units to be added to proposed property. The default unit is 1 for all permit types. If multiple units are entered, be aware that this estimate assumes that all units will be of the same size and specifications.

APN

Refers to the property’s 8-digit APN (Assessor Parcel Number). Please enter numbers ONLY (no commas, dashes, spaces, letters or any other punctuation). Ex: 12345678

APN must be a vacant, residentially zoned parcel. If your APN is not accepted and you believe it meets the criteria, please submit a comment through the Kern County Vacant Residential Parcel Viewer Web Map.

Building Square Footage

Total square footage of each residential building proposed. If multiple units are being proposed as part of the project, be aware that this estimate assumes that all units will be of the same size and specifications. Please enter numbers ONLY (no commas, dashes, spaces, letters or any other punctuation). If unsure, enter “0”. 

HVAC Square Footage

Only include portions of proposed residential building(s) to be equipped with Heat/Air, as of project completion. This number should not exceed the Building Square Footage. Please enter numbers ONLY (no commas, dashes, spaces, letters or any other punctuation). If unsure, enter “0”. 

Fire Sprinkler Square Footage

The California Residential Code section R313. 2 requires automatic residential fire sprinkler systems be installed in newly constructed one- and two-family dwelling units. Only include portions of proposed residential building(s) to be equipped with automatic fire sprinkler systems, as of project completion. This number should not exceed the Building Square Footage. Please enter numbers ONLY (no commas, dashes, spaces, letters or any other punctuation). If unsure, enter “0”. 

Construction Type

Select from the list of designated construction types. Fees may vary depending on type selected.

Solar System Size (kWh)

As of January 1, 2020, the State of California’s building codes mandate that new single-family homes and multi-family dwellings up to three stories high MUST install solar panels. The solar panel system should be sized to provide for the full annual energy usage of the home/residential dwelling, which will vary greatly depending upon building size, energy consumption and efficiency. For more information, please visit: https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-efficiency-standards/online-resource-center/solar. 

If uncertain of the estimated kWh (kilowatt hours) for your proposed project, you may enter “0” at this time.