Alachua County approves roughly 25% increase in building-permit fees

Alachua County commissioners voted on Oct. 28 to raise building-permit and inspection fees by generally 25 percent, following a consultant's fee study and a presentation from Growth Management Director Jeff Hayes.

Hayes told the board the building division operates as an enterprise fund and has not fully recovered costs from fee revenue since 2010. "We last updated fees ... in 2023, a small update of about 8 percent," he said, and noted broader inflationary pressure: "The CPI inflation over that time period over the last, you know, 15 years would have been 48 percent." The consultant recommended a range of roughly 20 to 30 percent; Hayes said staff was "comfortable starting off with 25 percent." Commissioner Prizia moved approval of the change; the motion passed.

County staff said the increase is intended to move the building division toward full cost recovery so permit processing and inspection services remain fiscally sustainable. Hayes told commissioners the division is still competitive compared with neighboring jurisdictions and that the fee update is an across-the-board adjustment tied to a detailed fee schedule included in the meeting packet.

The board recorded the motion and carried it by voice vote. The meeting record did not specify a precise effective date in the presentation; staff said implementation details are on the fee-schedule backup and will follow the standard ordinance or administrative timetable.

What happens next: the county will finalize the fee schedule in its administrative materials and notify permit applicants and local builders of the new rates. The motion carried; commissioners did not identify individual roll-call tallies during the public meeting.

Sources: Presentation and motion by Jeff Hayes, Growth Management Director, and Commissioner Prizia at the Oct. 28 Alachua County Board of County Commissioners meeting.