Jersey City, New Jersey Building Permit Cost Calculator
Estimates permit cost in Jersey City from the city's own published fee schedule — not a national average. Every figure is computed from a rule quoted verbatim from that document, and rules that cannot be computed honestly are shown as the published text instead of a number.
217 jurisdictions with fee schedules on file
Total cost of work, labor and materials
Used by cities that price per square foot
Fences and retaining walls
Electrical permits priced by the ampere
Building Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○New construction, per cubic foot of volume, buildings and structures of all use groups except those listed next Flat fee $0.03 | $0.03 |
○New construction, per cubic foot of volume, use groups A-1, A-2, A-2 [printed twice in the ordinance], A-4, A-5, F-1, F-2, S-1 and S-2 Flat fee $0.15 | $0.15 |
○Renovations, alterations and repairs, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
○Certificate of occupancy, each Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
○Certificate of continued occupancy Flat fee $200.00 | $200.00 |
○Demolition permit, use groups R-3 and R-5 Flat fee $200.00 | $200.00 |
○Demolition permit, all other use groups Flat fee $250.00 | $250.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Jersey City sets its Uniform Construction Code fees by ordinance, as N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.17(a) requires, and the schedule is Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M); the fee for a construction permit is the sum of the building, plumbing, electrical and fire subcode fees plus any miscellaneous permit fees. Building subcode fees for new construction are charged per cubic foot of volume computed under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.28, while renovations, alterations and repairs are charged per $1,000 of estimated cost of work subject to a stated minimum. A nonrefundable plan review fee is charged in addition. On top of the municipal fee the State collects a permit surcharge set at State level by N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19 at $0.00371 per cubic foot of volume of new buildings and additions, or $1.90 per $1,000 of value for all other construction, minimum $1.00; Section 160-1(M)(1)(g) still prints the superseded State rates of $0.00265 per cubic foot and $0.00135 of cost, and the ordinance provides that State changes are incorporated by reference.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/1/2026
Deck Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○New construction, per cubic foot of volume, buildings and structures of all use groups except A-1, A-2, A-2 [printed twice in the ordinance], A-4, A-5, F-1, F-2, S-1 and S-2 Flat fee $0.03 | $0.03 |
○Renovations, alterations and repairs, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M) publishes no deck-specific fee, so a deck permit is priced under the general building subcode schedule: a new deck built as part of new construction or an addition is charged per cubic foot of volume computed under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.28, and work handled as an alteration or repair is charged per $1,000 of estimated cost of work, subject to the stated minimum fee. A nonrefundable plan review fee is added, and the total construction permit fee is the sum of the building, plumbing, electrical and fire subcode fees plus any miscellaneous permit fees. A State permit surcharge set by N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19 is also collected, at $0.00371 per cubic foot of new volume or $1.90 per $1,000 of value for all other construction, minimum $1.00.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/1/2026
Electrical Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○First block of one to ten receptacles, fixtures or devices Flat fee $25.00 | $25.00 |
○Each additional block of up to 25 receptacles, fixtures or devices Flat fee $25.00 | $25.00 |
○Each motor or electrical device rated from one hp or one kw to 10 hp; each transformer or generator rated from one kw or one kva to 10 kw or 10 kva; each replacement of wiring involving one branch circuit or part thereof; each storable pool or hydromassage bathtub; each under-water lighting fixture; household electric cooking equipment rated up to 10 kw; each fire, security or burglar alarm control unit; each receptacle rated from 30 to 50 amperes; each light standard greater than eight feet in height including luminaries; each communications closet Flat fee $10.00 | $10.00 |
○Each motor or electrical device rated greater than 10 hp or 10 kw up to 50 hp or 50 kw; each service equipment, panel board, switch board, switch gear, motor-control-center or disconnecting means rated 225 amperes or less; each transformer or generator rated greater than 10 kw or 10 kva up to 45 kw or 45 kva; each electric sign rated greater than 20 amperes up to 200 amperes including associated disconnecting means; each receptacle rated more than 50 amperes; each utility load management device Flat fee $45.00 | $45.00 |
○Each motor or electrical device rated greater than 50 hp or 50 kw up to 100 hp or 100 kw; each service equipment, panel board, switch board, switch gear, motor-control or disconnecting means rated greater than 225 amperes up to 1,000 amperes; each transformer or generator rated greater than 45 kw or 45 kva up to 112.5 kw or 112.5 kva Flat fee $85.00 | $85.00 |
○Each motor electrical device rated greater than 100 hp or 100 kw; each service equipment, panel board, switch board, switch gear, motor control center or disconnecting means rated greater than 1,000 amperes; each transformer or generator rated greater than 112.5 kw or 112.5 kva Flat fee $412.00 | $412.00 |
○Electrical work for each permanently installed private swimming pool, spa, hot tub or fountain, including required bonding and associated equipment such as filter pumps, motors, disconnecting means, switches, required receptacles and heaters, but excluding panel boards and under-water lighting fixtures Flat fee $46.00 | $46.00 |
○Single and multiple station smoke or heat detectors and fire, burglar or security alarm systems in any one- or two-family dwelling, per dwelling unit Flat fee $23.00 | $23.00 |
○Leak detection system, per system Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
○Certificate of compliance for pools, storage pools, spas and hot tubs, per year Flat fee $25.00 | $25.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Electrical subcode fees under Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, § 160-1(M)(3) are charged in blocks of receptacles, fixtures and devices, and by the rating of each motor, transformer, generator, service equipment or panel. The fee for a construction permit is the sum of the building, plumbing, electrical and fire subcode fees plus any miscellaneous permit fees.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/30/2026
Fence Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Renovations, alterations and repairs, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M) publishes no fence-specific fee. A fence needs a construction permit only where it acts as a pool barrier or will be taller than six feet, and that permit is priced under the general building subcode schedule at a unit rate per $1,000 of estimated cost of work for alterations and repairs, subject to the stated minimum fee, plus the nonrefundable plan review fee. The separate zoning approval that the Division of the Construction Code Official requires for every fence is not covered by this schedule. A State permit surcharge of $1.90 per $1,000 of value of construction, minimum $1.00, is also collected under N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19. | 2026-09-14 (lane B run 1168) PENDING AMENDMENT FLAGGED BY THE PUBLISHER - DO NOT RE-OPEN WITHOUT READING ORD. 25-068. Read via the Municode JSON API (productId 16093, jobId 472619, nodeId CH160FECH_S160-1FESCES). The codified banner reads "Covering Ordinances through 25-054, adopted May 7, 2025 (Supp. No. 52)", and every stored figure was confirmed verbatim in that codified text, including $.027 per cubic foot of volume for new construction of all use groups except A-1/A-2/A-4/A-5/F-1/F-2/S-1/S-2 at $0.15, the $15.00 per $1,000 renovation/alteration/repair rate, the $50.00 short-permit and $100.00 plan-permit minimums, the 25% nonrefundable plan review fee, and the $0.00265 per cubic foot state training fee. HOWEVER the API marks this section IsAmended=true / IsUpdated=true with AmendedBy = [{"Id":1418861,"Title":"Ordinance No. 25-068"}] - an ordinance NEWER than the codified-through ordinance and NOT yet incorporated into the text. Ord. 25-068 could not be read this pass: Municode exposes no ordinance-content endpoint (every /Ordinances/* and /OrdinanceContent route returns 404), jerseycity.legistar.com serves an ASP.NET postback grid with no reachable detail URL and its Legistar web API is not provisioned for this client ("LegistarConnectionString setting is not set up in InSite for client: jerseycity"), and jerseycitynj.gov publishes no ordinance archive at a guessable path. NO FIGURE WAS CHANGED and none was guessed. NEXT PASS: obtain Ord. 25-068 from the City Clerk's published ordinance list and re-price this section if it touched Ch. 160 fees.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/1/2026
Reroof Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Renovations, alterations and repairs including reroofing, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M) publishes no roofing-specific fee, so reroofing that does need a permit is priced under the general building subcode schedule for renovations, alterations and repairs at a unit rate per $1,000 of estimated cost of work, subject to the stated minimum fee, plus the nonrefundable plan review fee. N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.18(c)1i, the State standard Jersey City must follow, likewise directs that reroofing be charged as a unit rate per $1,000 of estimated cost. Note that the State schedule at N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.20(c)2i(7) sets a $65.00 flat fee for roofing and siding on Group R-3 or R-5 structures, but that schedule applies only where the Department of Community Affairs is the enforcing agency, not in Jersey City. A State permit surcharge of $1.90 per $1,000 of value of construction, minimum $1.00, is also collected under N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/1/2026
Retaining Wall Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Renovations, alterations and repairs, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.18(c)1ix, the State standard for municipal fee schedules, requires a municipality to set flat fees for a retaining wall associated with a Class 3 residential structure, at one rate above 550 square feet of surface area and another at 550 square feet or less, and to base the fee on cost of construction for a new retaining wall of any size elsewhere. Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M) does not publish those flat fees, so no retaining-wall-specific figure is available for Jersey City and the general building subcode schedule is what the ordinance provides. Under that schedule the work is charged per $1,000 of estimated cost of work, subject to the stated minimum fee and the nonrefundable plan review fee. A State permit surcharge of $1.90 per $1,000 of value of construction, minimum $1.00, is also collected under N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/1/2026
Shed Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○New construction, per cubic foot of volume, buildings and structures of all use groups except A-1, A-2, A-2 [printed twice in the ordinance], A-4, A-5, F-1, F-2, S-1 and S-2 Flat fee $0.03 | $0.03 |
○Renovations, alterations and repairs, for each $1,000 of estimated cost of work Flat fee $15.00 | $15.00 |
○Minimum fee for short permit for renovations, alterations or repairs Flat fee $50.00 | $50.00 |
○Minimum fee for plan permit for renovations, alterations and repairs Flat fee $100.00 | $100.00 |
Plan review fee, nonrefundable · add-on 25% of the estimated cost of permits — select the permit fee line above to calculate | see rule |
○Electrical subcode, first block of one to ten receptacles, fixtures or devices Flat fee $25.00 | $25.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, Section 160-1(M) publishes no shed-specific fee. A shed that exceeds the exemption thresholds is priced under the general building subcode schedule, per cubic foot of volume computed under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.28 for new construction, or per $1,000 of estimated cost of work where the work is an alteration or repair, subject to the stated minimum fee and the nonrefundable plan review fee. Where electrical work is involved an electrical subcode fee under Section 160-1(M)(3) is added, because the construction permit fee is the sum of the building, plumbing, electrical and fire subcode fees plus any miscellaneous permit fees. A State permit surcharge set by N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19 is also collected, at $0.00371 per cubic foot of new volume or $1.90 per $1,000 of value for all other construction, minimum $1.00. | 2026-09-14 (lane B run 1168) PENDING AMENDMENT FLAGGED BY THE PUBLISHER - DO NOT RE-OPEN WITHOUT READING ORD. 25-068. Read via the Municode JSON API (productId 16093, jobId 472619, nodeId CH160FECH_S160-1FESCES). The codified banner reads "Covering Ordinances through 25-054, adopted May 7, 2025 (Supp. No. 52)", and every stored figure was confirmed verbatim in that codified text, including $.027 per cubic foot of volume for new construction of all use groups except A-1/A-2/A-4/A-5/F-1/F-2/S-1/S-2 at $0.15, the $15.00 per $1,000 renovation/alteration/repair rate, the $50.00 short-permit and $100.00 plan-permit minimums, the 25% nonrefundable plan review fee, and the $0.00265 per cubic foot state training fee. HOWEVER the API marks this section IsAmended=true / IsUpdated=true with AmendedBy = [{"Id":1418861,"Title":"Ordinance No. 25-068"}] - an ordinance NEWER than the codified-through ordinance and NOT yet incorporated into the text. Ord. 25-068 could not be read this pass: Municode exposes no ordinance-content endpoint (every /Ordinances/* and /OrdinanceContent route returns 404), jerseycity.legistar.com serves an ASP.NET postback grid with no reachable detail URL and its Legistar web API is not provisioned for this client ("LegistarConnectionString setting is not set up in InSite for client: jerseycity"), and jerseycitynj.gov publishes no ordinance archive at a guessable path. NO FIGURE WAS CHANGED and none was guessed. NEXT PASS: obtain Ord. 25-068 from the City Clerk's published ordinance list and re-price this section if it touched Ch. 160 fees.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 10/2/2026
Water Heater Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Water Heater Flat fee $30.00 | $30.00 |
○Tankless Heater Flat fee $25.00 | $25.00 |
○Hot Water Boiler Flat fee $30.00 | $30.00 |
○Steam boiler Flat fee $30.00 | $30.00 |
○Gas Piping Flat fee $10.00 | $10.00 |
○Fuel Oil Piping Flat fee $10.00 | $10.00 |
○Water Service (up to 2″) Flat fee $30.00 | $30.00 |
○Water Service (above 2″) Flat fee $60.00 | $60.00 |
○Plumbing fixtures, including water closet, urinal, bidet, bathtub, lavatory, shower, floor drain, sink, dishwasher, drinking fountain, washing machine hose bib, closet bend, coffee maker, gas appliance, gas service connection, ice maker, rain leader, roof drain, sprinkler head, sump pump, trap prime, washing machine tray and yard drain Flat fee $10.00 | $10.00 |
○Back flow Preventer (domestic) Flat fee $10.00 | $10.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Plumbing subcode fees under Jersey City Municipal Code Chapter 160, § 160-1(M)(2) are charged per fixture, appliance, device or connection. The fee for a construction permit is the sum of the building, plumbing, electrical and fire subcode fees plus any miscellaneous permit fees.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/30/2026
See the full write-up: Jersey City building permit cost
Estimate only.Fee schedules change, and building departments set the final valuation and decide which fees apply to your scope. Confirm with the jurisdiction before budgeting. Lines marked “see rule” could not be computed from the published wording and are shown verbatim rather than guessed.