The Harbour City makes permit fees a moving target — literally, they built a calculator for it. Here's how the system works and who actually picks up the phone.
First, the boundary check that trips up half the applicants: Nanaimo addresses stretch well past city limits. If your property is in Cedar, Lantzville, Extension, or the rural fringes, you're likely under the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) — a completely separate permit office with its own fees and queue. Confirm your jurisdiction before drawing a single plan, or type your address into our Permit Finder.
The usual BC list applies: new construction, additions, structural changes, secondary suites, decks above grade thresholds, demolition, and plumbing alterations. Electrical and gas permits are provincial — those run through Technical Safety BC, not the city.
Nanaimo sets permit fees under its Fees and Charges Bylaw 2021 No. 7336, based on construction value — plan on roughly 1% of project value as a budgeting number, then get your exact figure from the City's own online permit fee calculator. Watch the extras the calculator warns about: connection fees, plumbing fixture fees, sprinkler fees, and Development Cost Charges (DCCs) can add meaningfully to a bigger build.
Plan on 4–8 weeks for straightforward residential work from a complete application, longer for new builds or anything needing development-permit review. Nanaimo's construction market has been running hot, so queue length varies by season — call ahead for the current picture.
| Purpose | Contact |
|---|---|
| Building Inspections | 250-755-4429 |
| building.inspections@nanaimo.ca | |
| Counter | Service & Resource Centre, 411 Dunsmuir St, Nanaimo |
| Online | nanaimo.ca → Property Development → Building Permits |