Fire Inspection Fee by City: What 23 Large U.S. Cities Charge Businesses

Fire inspection fee for a small restaurant and an office in 23 cities

Restaurants pay in most of the priced cities; offices often pay nothing. The median restaurant charge is $150, the median office charge is $0, and California cities sit at the top.

Reference restaurant: A 2,500 sq ft full-service restaurant (Group A-2) with an occupant load of 99 and one kitchen hood suppression system, no sprinkler or fire alarm system. The occupant load stays under the 100-person line used, for example, by Washington, DC's assembly permit, which applies only above 100 persons.

Reference office: A 10,000 sq ft one-story business occupancy (Group B) with no hazardous materials, no sprinkler system and no fire alarm system.

Routine charge: Every fee a city's published fire prevention schedule attaches to the routine inspection cycle: the inspection fee itself plus any annual operational permit or registration that the reference business needs, assuming it passes on the first visit.

Oakland has the highest combined charge at $840: an engine company annual inspection of $224 plus a $392 place of assembly permit for the restaurant (FY 2026-27 master fee schedule). San Jose follows at $702, all of it the minimum annual Fire Safety Permit for the restaurant (2025-26 fees).

Three of the 23 cities charge nothing for either reference case: San Antonio (Sec. 11-16), Philadelphia (L&I fee regulations) and Tucson (TFD fee schedule). Their schedules price reinspections, system permits and specific hazards, not the routine visit.

For the inspections themselves and what an inspector checks in each building type, see the restaurant guide and the office guide.

Square feet, occupant load, inspector hours or no routine charge

Cities use four billing models, and the model decides whether a small office pays anything.

• Square-footage bands or per-square-foot rates for most commercial occupancies: Tampa, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Albuquerque, Portland, Aurora and Minneapolis. These are the cities where the office pays (for example $250 in Albuquerque and $90 in Jacksonville).
• Assembly occupancies only: New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, Colorado Springs and San Jose charge the restaurant through an assembly permit, an annual Group A inspection fee or high-risk registration, and the low-rise office pays $0.
• Hourly or flat per-visit billing: San Diego bills $282 per hour for annual inspections of assemblies and other listed occupancies (San Diego); Oakland charges a flat $224 per engine-company annual inspection; Mesa charges a flat fee per visit on risk-based cycles.
• No routine charge: San Antonio, Philadelphia and Tucson.

12 of the 23 cities (52.2%) charge the reference office nothing for a routine inspection. Where an office does pay, the median is $120. Where the restaurant pays, the median is $179.50.

Inspection cycles differ. Mesa inspects low-risk occupancies every three years ($161) and high-risk occupancies under 12,000 sq ft every year ($268), plus a $15 annual permit for every business. Aurora restarts its cycle every one, two or three years by occupancy risk. Our table counts one cycle, so a triennial fee is not divided by three.

Failing the inspection: free second visits and escalating ladders

A failed inspection usually costs less than the routine fee itself: the median first charged reinspection is 0.67 times the restaurant charge. Seven cities raise the fee with each return visit.

Four cities waive the first reinspection outright: Jacksonville, Albuquerque, Mesa and Washington, DC. Tampa charges nothing if the reinspection is satisfactory and double the initial fee if it is not (Tampa). San Diego covers a second visit inside its hourly fee and adds $300 per visit from the third (San Diego).

Portland has the steepest ladder: $250, $400 and $700 for the first three reinspections with one violation class open, a ratio of 2.8 from first to third (Exhibit A). Aurora goes from $66 to $183 (2.77 times) and Dallas from $171 to $255 (1.49 times).

In 3 cities the first charged reinspection costs more than the routine restaurant charge: Tampa (2.0 times), Portland (2.5 times) and Austin, where a $148 hourly reinspection compares with a $30 annual system permit. In 10 cities it costs less. Violations that most often trigger a return visit are ranked in our fire code violations report.

Hood suppression tests, small alarm and sprinkler jobs, after-hours visits

One-time system fees vary more than routine fees. A hood suppression system permit, test or plan review costs from $50 to $1,149 (median $235).

Albuquerque charges $50 for a wet chemical system protecting up to 5,000 sq ft (Albuquerque). Oakland charges $1,149 for any pre-engineered system, including UL 300 kitchen systems (Oakland). New York charges $285 for a mechanical-only acceptance test and $580 for a mechanical and electrical test (Appendix A). How hood systems are serviced between inspections is covered in our kitchen hood suppression guide.

Published inspector hourly rates run from $65 in Washington, DC to $392 in Oakland across 16 cities, with a median of $136.50. Los Angeles bills $379 per hour for inspection and re-inspection under its January 5, 2026 Section 118 schedule (LAFD Section 118).

After-hours inspections carry minimums of one to four hours. The smallest after-hours bill is $160 in San Antonio (2 hours at $80) and the largest is $1,375 in Oakland (2.5 hours at $550). Columbus adds a $30 trip charge to a 4-hour minimum at $123.24, for $522.96 (after-hours request form).

Which of the 50 largest cities publish a usable fee schedule

We could price both reference cases in 23 of the 50 largest cities, home to 64.0% of the 50 cities' population. The rest were blocked, moved or not found.

The 23 priced cities hold 32,849,001 residents out of 51,316,953 in the 50 largest cities (Census Vintage 2025, SUB-EST2025). Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, Fresno, Nashville, Detroit, Milwaukee and Denver could not be read because the city website blocked or did not answer automated requests. Columbus and Miami publish after-hours rates but no routine fee we could find.

How to read your own city's fire marshal inspection fee

Four questions decide what a business pays: the billing model, the occupancy class, the cycle length and the reinspection rule.

• Find the billing model: square-footage band, occupancy permit, hourly rate or none. The model sets whether an office or retail space pays at all.
• Check the occupancy thresholds. Assembly permits often start at 50 occupants (Oakland, San Diego, Aurora) or another figure (New York bands start at 75; DC's permit applies above 100).
• Check how often the inspection recurs. Mesa's low-risk cycle is three years; Aurora uses risk-based cycles and DC ties the inspection to business license renewal.
• Read the reinspection rule before the first visit. Four of the 23 cities waive the first reinspection; seven escalate.

Which inspections and permits apply to a building type is summarized in our requirement finder. State-level code editions are compared in fire code adoption by state, and Texas, Florida and North Carolina specifics are on the Texas, Florida and North Carolina pages.

Ratios behind the comparison

Download the calculations (CSV)

Where the numbers diverge

1. The median routine charge for a 2,500 sq ft restaurant is $150 across 23 of the 50 largest U.S. cities (2026 schedules).^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]}
2. The highest restaurant charge is $702 in San Jose, the minimum annual Fire Safety Permit for 2025-26.^[12]
3. 12 of 23 cities (52.2%) charge nothing for a routine inspection of a 10,000 sq ft office.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]}
4. The highest office charge is $250, in Albuquerque, where the Fire and Life Safety Fee is collected with business registration.^[21][22]
5. Oakland has the highest combined charge for both reference businesses, $840 under its FY 2026-27 master fee schedule.^[25]
6. San Antonio, Philadelphia and Tucson charge no routine fee for either reference business; they price reinspections, systems and hazards instead.^{[14][18][19][27]}
7. The four California cities priced have a median combined charge of $609, against $210 for the other 19 cities.^{[25][12][3][4][6]}
8. The median first charged reinspection costs 0.67 times the routine restaurant charge (17 cities).^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]}
9. Jacksonville, Albuquerque, Mesa and Washington, DC waive the first reinspection.^{[16][21][22][23][24]}
10. Portland's reinspection fees climb from $250 to $400 to $700 for the first three return visits with one violation class open (2019 schedule).^[20]
11. Published inspector hourly rates range from $65 (Washington, DC) to $392 (Oakland); the median of 16 cities is $136.50.^[24][25]
12. One after-hours fire inspection costs at least $160 in San Antonio and at least $1,375 in Oakland; the median minimum of 10 cities is $412.^[14][25]
13. Hood suppression system permit, test or plan review fees range from $50 (Albuquerque) to $1,149 (Oakland), median $235 across 11 cities.^[21][22][25]
14. The 23 priced cities hold 64.0% of the population of the 50 largest U.S. cities (Census Vintage 2025).^[1]

Summary

• We priced a 2,500 sq ft restaurant and a 10,000 sq ft office in 23 of the 50 largest U.S. cities using each city's own published fee schedule.
• The restaurant's routine charge has a median of $150 and ranges from $0 to $702.
• The office pays nothing in 12 cities; the highest office charge is $250.
• 20 of 23 cities (87.0%) charge at least one of the two businesses for the routine inspection; 3 charge neither.
• California cities charge a median $609 for both businesses combined, against $210 for the others.
• A first charged reinspection costs a median 0.67 times the routine restaurant charge; 4 cities waive it and 7 escalate with each visit.
• Inspector hourly rates run from $65 to $392; after-hours minimums from $160 to $1,375.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides, services and research

• Requirement Finder: fire inspection checklist by building and system
• Restaurant fire inspection checklist
• Office building fire inspection checklist
• Fire Protection Acquisitions in the U.S., 2020 to 2026
• Hotel Fire Safety Compliance
• Industrial fires and explosions investigated by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, 1998 to 2026
• Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Statistics

Methodology

Scope. We started from the 50 most populous incorporated places in the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 city estimates (consolidated cities use the balance figure). For each, we looked for the fire department's or fire marshal's own published fee schedule, ordinance or fee page. We opened 31 documents from 25 cities between 2026-10-26 and 2026-10-27 and saved a copy of each.

Reference cases. Restaurant: 2,500 sq ft, Group A-2, occupant load 99, one kitchen hood suppression system, no sprinkler or fire alarm system. Office: 10,000 sq ft, one-story Group B, no hazardous materials. The routine charge is every fee the schedule attaches to the routine inspection cycle for that business (inspection fee, annual operational permit, registration), assuming it passes on the first visit. Where a fee is billed by the hour, one inspector hour is assumed. Where a city assigns risk classes, we assumed the restaurant is high risk and the office low risk (stated per city in table t4).

Inclusion and exclusion. A city enters the medians only when both reference cases could be priced from documents we opened. Columbus and Miami contribute only after-hours rates. Fees charged by contractors for testing systems, false alarm fines, hazardous materials permits, plan review based on construction valuation, technology surcharges and state fire marshal fees are excluded. State fire marshal schedules were not compiled in this release.

Conflicting or dated figures. We used the newest adopted schedule each city links today. Several are old (Colorado Springs 2015, Washington, DC 2017, Portland and Albuquerque 2019, Los Angeles FY 2019-20 operational permits) and are flagged with their dates in table t1. Where a schedule shows both adopted and proposed figures (San Jose), we used the adopted figures and report the proposed ones in the notes.

Derived metrics. Medians include cities that charge $0. The cost index is 100 times a city's combined charge divided by the median combined charge ($255). The reinspection multiple divides the first charged reinspection fee by the routine restaurant charge and is undefined where the routine charge is $0. All calculations are in scripts/analyze.py and derived_metrics.csv.

Limitations. 23 of 50 cities is not a random sample: cities that block automated requests or publish fees only in code libraries are missing. Real bills depend on how a city classifies the occupancy, the systems present and the time an inspector spends. Some cities inspect on two or three-year cycles; our figures are per cycle.

Not legal advice. This report summarizes published municipal fee schedules for comparison. It is not legal, tax or compliance advice, and fee amounts change by ordinance. Confirm the current fee with your local fire prevention bureau before budgeting or filing.

Last updated 2026-10-27. Data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0: credit 'Fire Life and Safety, Fire Inspection Fees by City (2026)'.

This report presents published data with its limitations. It is not legal, engineering, financial or investment advice. Requirements depend on the code edition your state and local fire marshal have adopted; confirm with your authority having jurisdiction.

Sources, ranked by quality

Tier 1: primary and official sources (31)

• [1] U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 (SUB-EST2025), Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025 estimates. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [2] FDNY. 2022 New York City Fire Code, Appendix A (Fees). Fire Code effective April 15, 2022. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [3] Los Angeles Fire Department, Board of Fire Commissioners. FY 2019-20 Annual Cost of Special Services Fee Adjustments (C.F. 19-0956). FY 2019-20 schedule (latest operational permit table retrievable). Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [4] Los Angeles Fire Department. Fire Development Services, Section 118 Plan-Check and Inspection Fees. Effective January 5, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [5] Phoenix Fire Department. Fire Prevention Fee Schedule, effective 1/20/2026 (V1.1). Effective January 20, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [6] San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. Inspection Services. Rates as published on the page, accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [7] Dallas Fire-Rescue, Inspection & Life Safety Education Division. Schedule of Permit Fees 2024 (Ordinance 32556, effective 10/01/2023). Ordinance effective October 1, 2023. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [8] City of Tampa, Tampa Fire Rescue. Fire Code Compliance Inspection Fees. Page marked updated October 2016. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [9] City of Chicago (American Legal Publishing). Municipal Code of Chicago 15-4-030, Annual inspections. As amended June 17, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [10] City of Fort Worth, Bureau of Fire Prevention. Ordinance No. 26-28781, fire code related fees. Effective October 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [11] City of Fort Worth. Bureau of Fire Prevention / Fire Marshal's Office page and Q&A. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [12] City of San Jose. Departmental Fees and Charges, Fire (2025-2026 adopted, 2026-2027 proposed). FY 2025-26 adopted fees. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [13] City of Charlotte, Charlotte Fire Department. Charlotte Fire Department FY27 User Fee Schedule. Fiscal year 2027 (from July 1, 2026). Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [14] City of San Antonio. San Antonio Fire Code Amendments 2024 IFC, Sec. 11-16 Fees for certain permits and services. Effective May 1, 2025 (Mar. 2025 printing). Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [15] City of Fort Worth, Bureau of Fire Prevention. Q&A for Bureau of Fire Prevention / Fire Marshal. Undated; accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [16] City of Jacksonville. City Fees: Fire and Rescue Inspections (Section 420.104) and Plan Review Fees (Section 123.102). Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [17] City of Austin. Exhibit A, City of Austin Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Fees, Fines and Other Charges (Fire – General Fund). Fiscal year 2025-26. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [18] City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections. Regulations governing fee increases for permits and licenses (effective January 1, 2025). Effective January 1, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [19] City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections. Philadelphia Administrative Code Chapters 4-11 course (Chapter 9, Fees). June 26, 2024. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [20] City of Portland, Portland Fire & Rescue. Fire regulations fee schedule, Exhibit A (Ordinance 189527). Dated July 1, 2019. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [21] City of Albuquerque, Albuquerque Fire Rescue Fire Marshal's Office. Chapter 83, Required Inspections, Fees and Rates. Fire and Life Safety Fee in force since July 1, 2019. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [22] City of Albuquerque, Fire Marshal's Office. Fire and Life Safety Fee overview. Process start July 1, 2019. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [23] City of Mesa. Schedule of Fees and Charges, Mesa Fire and Medical. Updated for July 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [24] DC Fire and EMS Department. District of Columbia Fire Code Permit and Inspection Fee Schedule (DCMR 12H Section 113). Updated April 27, 2017. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [25] City of Oakland. Master Fee Schedule, Fire Department, FY 2026-27 adopted. Effective July 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [26] City of Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs Fire Department 2015 Fee Schedule, Code Services. 2015 schedule (current link on CSFD fee page). Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [27] City of Tucson, Tucson Fire Department. TFD Fee Schedule, Rev. 07.01.25. Revised July 1, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [28] City of Aurora, Aurora Fire Rescue. Aurora Fire Rescue Fees. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [29] City of Minneapolis. Commercial building registration. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [30] Columbus Division of Fire, Fire Prevention Bureau. Request for After-Hours Inspection. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.
• [31] City of Miami. Get an After Hours Fire Inspection. Accessed 2026-10-27. Accessed 2026-10-27.