Planning Fee Cost Recovery Calculator

British Columbia Local Government Act, section 462(2). Fees must not exceed estimated average costs of processing, inspection, advertising, and administration.

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Why this tool exists

Section 462(2) of the Local Government Act limits planning fees to the estimated average cost of processing, inspection, advertising, and administration for each class of application. A fee that consistently falls below that cost is effectively subsidized by the broader tax base. A fee that exceeds it may not be lawfully supportable. This tool helps planners and managers estimate where a fee sits relative to cost.

Key requirements under section 462

Average cost, not single-file cost. The fee must reflect estimated average costs across the range of files in that application class, not the cost of any one file. A fee bylaw set on a single complex file will likely over-recover for simpler files in the same class.

Four cost categories. Section 462(2) specifies processing, inspection, advertising, and administration. Staff time and direct costs entered in this tool should fall within those categories. Costs outside these categories, or costs recovered through separate charges, should not be double-counted here.

Defensible, current, and typical. Loaded rates should reflect current actual costs to the local government. Costs that are only occasionally applicable to a file type should be averaged across the class, not applied in full. Assumptions should be reviewable and documented.

Statutory ceiling. The fee must not exceed the estimated average cost. Unlike some other fee regimes, section 462 does not permit fees that generate net revenue above cost. If assumptions suggest the fee exceeds cost, the assumptions and the fee should both be reviewed. A final determination requires legal and financial advice.

Local government or department Fee bylaw or schedule reference Application type Scenario name

Populates illustrative values only — not recommended rates.

1. Staff time

Enter estimated average hours and hourly loaded rate (salary plus benefits and overhead) for each role involved in processing this application type. The loaded rate should reflect full cost to the local government, not salary alone.

2. Direct costs

Enter direct costs usually associated with this application type. Check the box to include a cost in the estimated processing total — only include costs that are typically incurred for this class of application and are not recovered through a separate charge. Uncheck costs that are informational only, vary significantly by file, or are already recovered elsewhere, to avoid double-counting.

3. Application fee

Enter the current and proposed fees for comparison. Select which fee to use in the results panel.

Current fee ($) Proposed fee ($)

Use current fee Use proposed fee

Estimated applications per year (optional)

Result

Total staff cost: $0.00
Total direct costs (included): $0.00
Estimated processing cost: $0.00
Selected fee: $0.00
Cost recovery: —
Subsidy amount: —
Subsidy as % of cost: —
Estimated annual subsidy: —

Enter staff time or direct costs to see results

Scenario summary

Application type	Scenario	Est. cost ($)	Fee ($)	Recovery	Subsidy / Amount above cost ($)	Status

No scenarios added yet. Use Add to summary to capture the current result.

Important. This tool is for general information only. It estimates planning fee cost recovery using user-entered assumptions. It does not replace financial review, legal review, statutory requirements, or local government policy decisions. It may contain errors or omissions. Fees must be reviewed against section 462(2) of the Local Government Act and the local government's own fee bylaw authority. Use at your own discretion. No liability is accepted for decisions made based on this tool.