Permit Fees

[Riding Hood Signs]

Curious to how much you all charge as a shop for pulling permits. Do you charge differently for commercial jobs vs. small businesses? Different fees for customers in a historic district that may require various meetings, paperwork, etc.

 

[Gino]

Everyone gets charged the same. No favoritism here. Time and materials, plus an aggravation fee.

 

[Riding Hood Signs]

Everyone gets charged the same. No favoritism here. Time and materials, plus an aggravation fee.

Care to share your rate?

 

[bigben]

I charge 100$ to get the permit if the customer don't want to do it himself.

 

[Brandon708]

I charge $250 for to pull a permit. I call it Permit Procurement Fee. It includes artwork, paperwork and drive time to drop off and pick up.

 

[2B]

Permit Amount + Time involved + material + Misc = Price the customer pays.
meaning there is no "set price"

Each town we work with has different rates depending on the type, size, and location for the intended sign.

 

[Gino]

Like 2B, there's no set rate. You just can't. Borough A might be a quick phone call and an elevation drawing, while City X, you might hafta fill out a 4 page questionnaire, which most of the time, only the customer can fill out. You might hafta go back to Township B once or twice, adding up still more time, then again, Municipality Y might require more drawings and you need to go back to the drawing table. Places C and Z might make you sit in on a council meeting and that'll take evening hours, too. Charge dearly for it, is all I can say.

 

[JTBoh]

Been at 700+ for a while now. Most of the time we'll be around 850.
Includes permitting, engineering, preparation, travel, and "wait time".

And no - for channel letters/etc., no one seems to take issue with it.

 

[rjssigns]

Did a job years ago that not only required a permit from the city, but one from the fire and police departments and public works.

 

[bannertime]

Did a job years ago that not only required a permit from the city, but one from the fire and police departments and public works.

And I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a flat wall sign too!

 

[rjssigns]

And I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a flat wall sign too!

Yup. Was a big one though. 4 feet wide by 24 feet tall. Needed a lift to put it in place so everyone had their hand out.

 

[JTBoh]

I've had to get a plumbing and septic approval on a sign before. It was a wall sign.
We also, from time to time, run into environmental approvals. No joy there.

 

[rjssigns]

I've had to get a plumbing and septic approval on a sign before. It was a wall sign.
We also, from time to time, run into environmental approvals. No joy there.

Plumbing and septic approval for a sign. That's crazy.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm usually $225, Most of the time the cities I deal with are easy. I can email them my design proofs and pay online or over the phone and I can pick up the permit on my way to do the job.

 

[Z SIGNS]

We are +- $1,000...and most of the time that does not seem like enough

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

I charge $75 to fill out the forms, if the customer is pulling permits. They can usually use my proof drawings to pull the permits.

Now if it's the hysterical... I mean historical district, the price usually goes to $350, because I know I'm going to have to go to the meeting, and explain why I am using the material that my customer needs.

And on top of the acquisition fee, I charge them the cost of the permit, but at cost.

 

[JTBoh]

Plumbing and septic approval for a sign. That's crazy.

I think that one was a clerical mistake... but still had to visit that part of the building office. They looked at me reeeaaaal funny and then rubber stamped it. Guess that was easier than causing a chitshow lol.

 

[jman]

$150 if it's the town my shops in or $250 if its county.

Includes renderings with specs, paperwork, drop off and pick up.

Of course if its somewhere not so local travel is added to that.

Hardest thing to get is affidavit, rest for ground and wall signs is easy.

 

[petrosgraphics]

in our area we have a lot of historical, which means a meeting, most do not start until 7:00 pm. there are times when you are the last one on the eve. agenda. you can sit there for upwards to 3 hours, you have to charge the cust. by the hour. you can be sitting next to a lawyer, you can't tell me they are not charging by the hour for the same reason you are there. board of appeal meeting are a whole different animal. this could be several meetings over a 2-3 week period.. you have to bill it out as such. whether you get approval or not.

 

[jman]

Same here with the historical crap. It's annoying cause it's a $350 app fee for a variance plus permits plus getting a sign company to pull permits.

My pricing is for my typical permit for a wall or ground sign. I haven't gotten into Electrical signs except face change outs.

I pulled a permit in my town Tuesday, it was ready later that day. County, had it approved in 3 days. The town I JUST moved my commercial office in has had my application for 2 weeks. Simple 18x48" flat sign and another 30x18" for next to my shop door with unit number.