DevFeeFinder
AdministrationSet by special taxCitation Fairfield MC ch. 18

Construction License Tax

Levied by City of Fairfield on new development in Fairfield. Authorized under the Local construction or excise tax under the jurisdiction's taxing power - NOT a Mitigation Fee Act fee. Collected at building permit.

What one house pays

$5,513

For a typical home: a 2,000 sq ft detached house on a 0.13 acre lot, on a new subdivision lot.

Share of Fairfield's total
6%
Total one-time fees here
$87,897
Adjustment
Adjusts only when the board sets a new amount
what the document says

by resolution

The record

Why it exists

“Purpose and authority. The city council hereby declares that the license taxes required to be paid hereby are assessed pursuant to section 37101 of the state Government Code and the taxing power of the city and solely for the purpose of producing revenue. (Ord. No. 80-1, § 1; Ord. No. 86-37, § 2.)”

FMC s. 10.56, Article IV "Taxes on Construction" · source document ↗
What it pays for

“All of the sums collected pursuant to this article shall be deposited in the capital outlay fund and shall be used solely for expenditures as needed for the following capital improvements: major streets, storm drains, bridges and public buildings. (Ord. No. 75-14, § 1; Ord. No. 80-1, § 2.)”

FMC s. 10.62 "Use of proceeds" · source document ↗
Where it applies

“Every person constructing or causing to be constructed or to be altered through the services of any employee, agent or independent contractor or otherwise, any single family residence, multiple dwelling structure, or commercial facility in the city for which a building permit is issued shall pay a license tax computed as follows:”

FMC s. 10.58 "Computation", opening clause · source document ↗
When it was adopted

1975

“(a)Single family residences: $1,120 for each single family residence. (b)Multiple dwelling structures: $800 for each habitation unit to be contained in such multiple dwelling structure. (Ord. No. 75-14, § 1; Ord. No. 78-29, § 1.)”

Fairfield Municipal Code ch. 10 LICENSES, Article IV "Taxes on Construction", s. 10.58 "Computation"; code current through Ord. 2026-02, passed February 17, 2026 · source document ↗
Who adopted it

Ordinance No. 75-14 (amended by Ord. No. 78-29, 80-1, 80-35, 83-28, 84-7, 86-37, 95-30)

“(a)Single family residences: $1,120 for each single family residence. (b)Multiple dwelling structures: $800 for each habitation unit to be contained in such multiple dwelling structure. (Ord. No. 75-14, § 1; Ord. No. 78-29, § 1.)”

Fairfield Municipal Code ch. 10 LICENSES, Article IV "Taxes on Construction", s. 10.58 "Computation"; code current through Ord. 2026-02, passed February 17, 2026 · source document ↗
When it is paid

at building permit

“prior to time of building permit issuance as provided in section 302 of the uniform building code as adopted by the City of Fairfield in section 5.1 of this code. (Ord. No. 75-14, § 1; Ord. No. 80-35, § 1.)”

FMC s. 10.61 "Time and place of payment" · source document ↗
Who collects it

City of Fairfield, the agency that levies it. City of Fairfield, Community Development, Building Safety Division

“NOTE: The fee schedule mentioned above only includes the fees that are collected with the building permit.”

City of Fairfield, Community Development – Building Safety Division, "DEVELOPMENT FEES – RESIDENTIAL FEES", Effective 7/1/26, Rev. June 16,2026, p. 5 closing note · source document ↗
Who is exempt

“Any charitable, religious, educational or governmental association or entity is exempted from payment of the license taxes established in this article as to any residence or structure used solely for conducting its charitable, religious, educational, or governmental activities. (Ord. No. 75-14, § 1.)”

FMC s. 10.64 "Exemptions" · source document ↗
Credits and offsets

“Any oversized improvement required to be constructed pursuant to a subdivision agreement with the city under the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code Section 66410, et seq.), or pursuant to the conditions of a planned development district, conditional zoning, or pursuant to the conditions of a building permit granted for the construction of a commercial facility under Chapter 5 or pursuant to other conditions imposed by the city as a prerequisite to construction shall constitute the basis for credits against the taxes established in section 10.58. (Ord. No. 84-7, § 1.)”

FMC s. 10.59 "Credits" · source document ↗

Every published rate

Land useApplies toBasisEffectiveAmount
—
Single-family detached this home per DU 1 Jul 2026 $5,513

“19 Construction License Tax $5,513 single family dwelling”

City of Fairfield, Community Development – Building Safety Division, "DEVELOPMENT FEES – RESIDENTIAL FEES", Effective 7/1/26, Rev. June 16,2026, item 19, p. 4 · source document ↗
none
Multi-family none per DU — $3,938
the line this rate was read from

“19 Construction License Tax $3,938 each multi-family unit”

the levying document · source document ↗

About these figures

Quoted, not summarized. Every amount and fact on this page is copied from the official document it links to. If we couldn’t find something in a document, we leave it blank instead of guessing.

Before any discounts. Some fees offer credits, waivers or phase-ins. They’re listed above but not subtracted, because whether you qualify depends on your project.

Check the date. Fees change. This page shows what was in force on the date at the top, with a link to the document that set it, so you can confirm the current amount yourself. How all of this is put together.

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