DevFeeFinder
AdministrationSet by special taxCitation Palm Desert Muni Code Ch. 3.16 (Ord. 35, 1974; amended Ord. 124, 1976; Ord. 186, 1978; Ord. 216, 1979; Ord. 1294, 2015); rate set by Resolution No. 2025-064

Construction Fee / New Construction Tax

Levied by City of Palm Desert on new development in Palm Desert. Authorized under the Local construction or excise tax under the jurisdiction's taxing power - NOT a Mitigation Fee Act fee. Collected At building permit - but the chapter says issuance in one section and application in another.

What one house pays

$800

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

Share of Palm Desert's total
4%
Total one-time fees here
$20,934
Adjustment
Adjusts only when the board sets a new amount
what the document says

by resolution — the chapter fixes the amount by a City Council fee resolution and names no index, no CPI and no automatic adjustment. [no index named]

The record

Why it exists

Acquisition and development of public facilities - parks, playgrounds and public structures

“All the sums collected pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in a special fund for the acquisition and development of such public facilities as parks, playgrounds, and public structures.”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.040 Deposit of moneys (Ord. 35 Sec. 4, 1974; Ord. 124 Sec. 2, 1976) · source document ↗
What it pays for

Parks, playgrounds and public structures, via a restricted special fund

“All the sums collected pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in a special fund for the acquisition and development of such public facilities as parks, playgrounds, and public structures.”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.040 · source document ↗
Where it applies

Citywide; no district, zone or map

“every person constructing any new building or addition or trailer space or remodeling or renovating an existing building or trailer space such that additional habitable building area is created in the city, shall pay to the city”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020 · source document ↗
When it was adopted

1974

“(Ord. 35 Sec. 1, 1974; Ord. 124 Sec. 1, 1976; Ord. 186 Sec. 1, 1978; Ord. 216 Sec. 1, 1979; Ord. 1294 Sec. 2, 2015)”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020, ordinance history note · source document ↗
Who adopted it

Ordinance No. 35 (1974), as amended; rate now set by council fee resolution

“a construction fee in the amount established in a fee resolution adopted by the city council”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020 (as amended by Ord. 1294 Sec. 2, 2015) · source document ↗
When it is paid

At building permit - but the chapter says issuance in one section and application in another

“shall pay to the city, at the time of issuance of the building permit [Sec. 3.16.020] ... Such fees shall be due and payable upon application to the city for a building permit ... provided, however, that there shall be a refund of such fees in the event the building permit is not approved or is not used for such construction [Sec. 3.16.030]”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020 (amended 2015) and Sec. 3.16.030 (Ord. 35 Sec. 2, 1974) · source document ↗
Who collects it

City of Palm Desert

“shall pay to the city, at the time of issuance of the building permit”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020 · source document ↗
Who is exempt

“Notwithstanding subsection A, no fee shall be payable on account of construction of space that is added to an existing single-family dwelling which construction does not exceed two thousand dollars in valuation.”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.020.B · source document ↗
Credits and offsets

None. The only refund is for a permit that never issues.

“provided, however, that there shall be a refund of such fees in the event the building permit is not approved or is not used for such construction.”

PDMC Sec. 3.16.030 · source document ↗

Every published rate

Land useApplies toBasisEffectiveAmount
none
Mobile home none per trailer space — $300.00
the line this rate was read from

“$300 per trailer space – Vacant mobile home lot”

the levying document · source document ↗
—
Single-family detached this home per sq ft 1 Jul 2025 $0.40

“$0.40 per sq. ft. – Dwelling units (gross area under roof)”

City of Palm Desert, "Permit Fees", accordion panel "Construction Fee (Ordinance No. 216)", first bullet; archived copy read 2026-09-19 · 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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