How much does a deck permit cost?
A deck permit costs $100 to $500 in 2026. What changes your price is below.
Most deck permits run $150 to $400. The building code exempts a deck that is under 200 square feet, less than 30 inches off the ground and not attached to the house. Almost every attached deck needs one. The permit includes a footing inspection and a final, and the drawing you submit is the part that takes time.
Estimate your deck permit cost
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Is this price fair?
A fair price is $0 to $100.
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Middle of the range: $50
What you are paying for
How we calculate this
Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.
Cost by job
| Small freestanding deck (often exempt) | $0 to $100 |
|---|---|
| Attached deck under 200 sq ft | $100 to $300 |
| Attached deck 200 to 500 sq ft | $150 to $450 |
| Large or multi level deck | $300 to $800 |
| Deck with a roof or pergola | $250 to $700 |
| Replacing decking boards only | $0 to $100 |
| Replacing the whole deck | $150 to $450 |
| Stairs or railing only | $50 to $150 |
What to know before you book
| The exemption | The International Residential Code, which most towns follow, exempts decks under 200 square feet, under 30 inches above grade, not attached to the house and not serving a required exit door. Meet all four and there is usually no permit. Attach it to the house and there is. |
|---|---|
| What you submit | A site plan showing setbacks from the property lines, and a deck drawing with footing size, post size, beam and joist spans, ledger attachment and railing. Most towns publish a deck guide with prefilled spans. |
| Inspections | Footings before concrete, framing before decking, and a final. The ledger board, where the deck bolts to the house, is what inspectors look at hardest because it is what fails. |
| Setbacks | The permit is where the town checks the deck is not too close to the property line. Typical side setbacks are 5 to 10 feet. This is the thing that kills a deck plan, not the fee. |
| Repairs | Replacing boards and railings on the same frame usually needs no permit. Replacing the frame does. |
| HOA | Separate from the permit and often slower. Get HOA approval first; the town does not care about it and the HOA can make you take the deck down. |
Why it costs what it costs
Deck collapses are the one home structure failure that regularly injures people, and the ledger connection is the usual cause. The permit fee buys the inspection of that connection and the footings. It is small; the drawing and the setback check are the real work, and the reason to start the permit before you buy the lumber.
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Common questions
How much is a deck permit?
$100 to $500 in 2026, with most at $150 to $400.
Do I need a permit to build a deck?
Yes if it is attached to the house, over 30 inches high, or over 200 square feet. A small freestanding ground level deck is usually exempt.
Do I need a permit to replace deck boards?
No, if the frame stays. Replacing the frame needs one.
What does the deck inspector check?
Footings, the ledger attachment to the house, post and beam sizes, railing height and stair rise.
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