Montpelier, VT
Montpelier electrical permit fees
Montpelier's fee schedule publishes no stand-alone electrical row — electrical work files through the building permit at the schedule's own rates:
$3.50 per $1,000 for single-family scopes ($30.00 minimum) and $8.00 per $1,000 for commercial or multi-family ($50.00 minimum), plus the $30.00 recording fee per permit.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permit, commercial or multi-family ($8.00 per $1,000, $50 minimum)Permit fee | $8.00 per $1,000 of project valuation, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential | min $50.00 |
| Building permit, single family ($3.50 per $1,000, $30 minimum)Permit fee | $3.50 per $1,000 of project valuation, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is residential | min $30.00 |
| Permit recording fee ($30.00)Surcharge | $30.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
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
An electrical fit-out in a commercial space in Montpelier, valued at $8,000 of scope cost.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $8,000 |
| Occupancy class | Commercial |
Example total
$94.00
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 2Rules considered 3
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Building permit, commercial or multi-family ($8.00 per $1,000, $50 minimum)Permit feeZoning and Building Fee Schedule, BUILDING PERMIT FEES: 'Commercial or Multi-Family — $8.00 per $1000 (round up) ($50 min.)'. Each partial $1,000 rounds up.Show the working
| $8.00 per $1,000 of project valuation, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $64.00 |
Permit recording fee ($30.00)SurchargeZoning and Building Fee Schedule, RECORDING block: 'Permit Recording Fee — per permit: building, river, zoning — $30.' Charged on every permit the schedule covers.Show the working
| $30.00 flat fee | $30.00 |
| Total | $94.00 |
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.
- Building permit, single family ($3.50 per $1,000, $30 minimum) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Commercial row: 8 x $8.00 = $64.00... but wait — the row's arithmetic: $8.00 per $1,000 of $8,000 is $64.00, above the $50.00 minimum, so $64.00 + $30.00 recording = $94.00.
Had the scope priced below $50.00 (under $6,250 of cost), the row's $50.00 minimum would bind instead.
What is different in Montpelier
The Council-set worksheet has no electrical block. The City's application structure routes electrical scope through the Building Permit attachments — the Minor Project or Renovation attachment explicitly covers 'partial home renovations' where electrical work typically rides — so the electrical work prices through the building rows: $3.50 per $1,000 of the scope's cost for single-family work, $8.00 per $1,000 for commercial or multi-family, each partial $1,000 rounded up, with the row minimums and the $30.00 recording fee.
An electrical fit-out valued at $8,000 in a commercial space therefore prices $50.00 on the commercial row (below the $50.00 minimum, so the minimum applies) + $30.00 recording = $80.00. The same scope in a single-family home prices $30.00 (minimum) + $30.00 = $60.00.
Confirm the classification with the Building Inspector before filing — the City asks applicants to 'confirm fee calculations with staff before submitting any payments' (802-223-9506).
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 page prices electrical scope through the building schedule's rows. It excludes:
- A stand-alone electrical fee table — the City publishes none.
- The zoning permit for the project, with its own worksheet lines.
- Development review fees where the electrical work rides a DRB application.
- State electrical licensing, which is a Vermont matter.
Common questions
How much is an electrical permit in Montpelier?
There is no stand-alone electrical row — electrical work prices through the building schedule's rate applied to the scope: $3.50/$1,000 single-family ($30 min) or $8.00/$1,000 commercial ($50 min), plus $30.00 recording.
Why does the building rate apply?
The City's application structure routes electrical scope through the building permit attachments; the worksheet has no electrical block.
What does an $8,000 commercial electrical scope cost?
$64.00 at the rate + $30.00 recording = $94.00. Below $6,250 of scope, the $50.00 row minimum binds.
Should I confirm the fee before paying?
Yes — the City asks applicants to confirm fee calculations with staff (802-223-9506) before submitting payments.
Is the recording fee charged per permit?
Yes — $30.00 per permit, building, river or zoning alike.
How do I file?
With the Development Application cover sheet and the relevant building attachment, by email or at 1 Blanchard Court Suite 205.
Do partial thousands round up?
Yes — the schedule's rows say '(round up)'.
Who sets these numbers?
The Montpelier City Council.
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
Zoning and Building Fee Schedule (set by City Council)
Read 2026-09-26 as an Excel workbook (HTTP 200), transcribed in full. BUILDING PERMIT FEES: Single Family, single unit — $3.50 per $1000 (round up), $30 min.; Commercial or Multi-Family — $8.00 per $1000 (round up), $50 min.; Fire & Life Safety Inspection $125. RECORDING: Permit Recording Fee per permit (building, river, zoning) $30; Decision Recording Fee $15/page.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.