Permit Sonoma announces fee increases for building and other permits

Permit Sonoma announced today it will be raising permit and other service fees by approximately 9 percent starting July 1, 2022.  Permit Sonoma has not raised fees since 2019, and the new fees were determined by an outside consultant. Fees are Permit Sonoma’s primary source of revenue. All complete applications received before July 1 will still be considered under the current fee structure.

Permit Sonoma’s fees are tied to costs and are still lower than those of many similar Bay Area counties. The County Administrator’s Office initiated a comprehensive fee study completed by NBS Consultants in 2021 that led to establishing new fees to align with current services. The study also recommended removing 21 fees and restructuring various others. 

Over the last several years, the cost of providing Permit Sonoma services has increased and exceeded the fees that the agency charges. Permit Sonoma funds approximately 70 percent of its budget with fees, 11 percent with general funds, and grants comprise the remainder. Without fee increases, Permit Sonoma services would need to subsidize permits with general funds to balance the budget. 

Interested members of the public can view the current and new fee structures on the Permit Sonoma Fee Schedule webpage.

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Media Contact:
Bradley Dunn, Policy Manager 
Bradley.Dunn@sonoma-county.org
(707) 321-0502
2550 Ventura Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95403