Savannah, GA
Savannah Building Permit Cost
A Savannah building permit is the Revenue Ordinance's all-inclusive fee:
$8.00 per $1,000 of Cost of Construction up to $5 million, plus $4.00 per $1,000 between $5 and $10 million, plus $2.00 per $1,000 above that, with a $40.00 minimum, a valuation-banded plan review fee ($40 to $2,000), and a $5.00 technology fee on every permit. The cost side is the City's own formula — floor area × $80.00/sq ft residential or × $125.00/sq ft commercial — not a contractor's declaration.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-inclusive building permit fee ($8 / $4 / $2 per $1,000 marginal)Permit fee | 0.8% of the first $5,000,000, plus 0.4% above $5,000,000, plus 0.2% above $10,000,000 | Every permit of this type | — |
| Plan review fee (valuation-banded flat table)Plan review | Project valuation — $40.00 up to $6,000; $50.00 from $6,000 to $25,000; $100.00 from $25,000 to $50,000; $150.00 from $50,000 to $100,000; $200.00 from $100,000 to $500,000; $300.00 from $500,000 to $1,000,000; $500.00 from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000; $1,000.00 from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000; $2,000.00 above $10,000,000 | Every permit of this type | — |
| Technology fee ($5.00 per permit)Technology fee | $5.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
| Minimum all-inclusive building permit fee ($40.00)Permit fee | the shortfall up to the $40.00 minimum on calculated permit fee | permit fee under 4000 | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A new single-family home in Savannah with 1,800 sq ft of residential floor area.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $144,000 |
| Project area | 1,800 sq ft |
| Occupancy class | Residential |
Example total
$1,357.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 3Rules considered 4
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
All-inclusive building permit fee ($8 / $4 / $2 per $1,000 marginal)Permit feeRevenue Ordinance Art. P §1(A): $8.00 per $1,000 of Cost of Construction up to $5,000,000, plus $4.00 per $1,000 between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000, plus $2.00 per $1,000 in excess of $10,000,000. Cost of construction = floor area x $80/sq ft residential or $125/sq ft commercial.Show the working
| 0.8% of the first $5,000,000, plus 0.4% above $5,000,000, plus 0.2% above $10,000,000 | $1,152.00 |
Plan review fee (valuation-banded flat table)Plan reviewRevenue Ordinance Art. P §1(B)(1): $40 at $0–6,000; $50 at $6,001–25,000; $100 at $25,001–50,000; $150 at $50,001–100,000; $200 at $100,001–500,000; $300 at $500,001–1,000,000; $500 at $1,000,001–5,000,000; $1,000 at $5,000,001–10,000,000; $2,000 over $10,000,000.Show the working
| $200.00 for project valuation from $100,000 to $500,000 | $200.00 |
Technology fee ($5.00 per permit)Technology feeRevenue Ordinance Art. P §19: a $5.00 technology fee is added to all All-Inclusive Building permits, Standalone Trade permits, and similar permits issued by Development Services.Show the working
| $5.00 flat fee | $5.00 |
| Total | $1,357.00 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Minimum all-inclusive building permit fee ($40.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 3 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Cost of construction is 1,800 sq ft × $80.00 = $144,000. The permit fee is $8.00 per $1,000 × 144 = $1,152.00, above the $40.00 minimum. Plan review falls in the $100,001–$500,000 band, $200.00. The technology fee adds $5.00. Total: $1,152.00 + $200.00 + $5.00 = $1,357.00.
What is different in Savannah
Building permits are issued by the Development Services Department and reviewed against the Revenue Ordinance's Article P schedule. Savannah's ladder is marginal: each band's rate applies only to the cost inside that band, so a $6 million project pays $40,000 on the first $5 million and $4 per $1,000 on the next million. Renovation costs may be approved at staff level, and working without a permit adds a $500 penalty or doubles the fee, whichever is greater. Inspections run from footing to final, and re-inspection trips caused by failed work are $50 for the first visit and $100 for each visit after.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This estimate covers the all-inclusive building permit, its plan review, the minimum and the technology fee. It excludes:
- Water and sewer connection charges billed by the City's utilities.
- Board of Architectural Review fees for work inside the historic districts.
- Impact fees under the City's Development Impact Fee program.
- Trade permits for electrical, plumbing or mechanical work filed outside the building permit's scope.
What you need before applying
- Construction Documents and Cost CalculationRequired
Plans are reviewed against the Revenue Ordinance's cost-of-construction definition: floor area multiplied by $80/sq ft for residential or $125/sq ft for commercial construction; renovation costs may be approved at staff level.
- Georgia Contractor License and City RegistrationRequired
General contractors must hold the appropriate Georgia professional license (residential-light commercial or general contractor) and register with the City before pulling permits.
Common questions
How is a Savannah building permit fee calculated?
The Revenue Ordinance sets an all-inclusive fee on cost of construction: $8.00 per $1,000 up to $5,000,000, plus $4.00 per $1,000 from $5 to $10 million, plus $2.00 per $1,000 above $10 million, with a $40.00 minimum. Cost of construction is floor area × $80.00/sq ft residential or $125.00/sq ft commercial.
Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Art. P §1(A)
How much is the plan review fee in Savannah?
Plan review is a flat table on cost of construction: $40 to $6,000; $50 to $25,000; $100 to $50,000; $150 to $100,000; $200 to $500,000; $300 to $1,000,000; $500 to $5 million; $1,000 to $10 million; $2,000 above.
Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Art. P §1(B)(1)
Can I pay for an expedited plan review in Savannah?
Yes, for commercial building permit applications: an expedited review is an additional 50% of the regular all-inclusive building permit fee with a $1,000 minimum, paid at submittal. It is optional; the standard path has no percentage surcharge.
Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Art. P §1(B)(3)
What happens if I start work without a permit in Savannah?
A penalty fee of $500.00 is added to the permit fee, or the permit fee is doubled — whichever is greater (Art. P §1(C)). Re-inspection trips caused by failed or unready work are $50 for the first and $100 for the second and each subsequent visit.
Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Art. P §1(C), §8
What is the technology fee on a Savannah permit?
$5.00 per permit, added to all all-inclusive building permits, standalone trade permits, sign permits, site development permits and similar permits issued by Development Services. It may be collected with the plan review fee or at issuance.
Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Art. P §19
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- OrdinanceCityPrimary source
City of Savannah Revenue Ordinance, Article P — Inspection Fees
Article P §1: $8 per $1,000 of Cost of Construction to $5M, $4 per $1,000 to $10M, $2 per $1,000 above; $40 minimum; cost of construction = floor area x $80/sq ft residential or $125/sq ft commercial. §1(B)(1) plan review bands $40–$2,000. §2 and §4: electrical and plumbing $8 per $1,000 and any fraction thereof, $40 minimum. §19: $5 technology fee per permit.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.