Why are fees charged for a fire code inspection?
VFD does not have sufficient resources to fund a comprehensive code enforcement program. With current public demand for resources and staffing, VFD cannot routinely inspect all buildings in the City. The frequency of these inspections is one of the factors used by the insurance industry to determine insurance rates. The purpose of establishing fees for fire safety inspections is to partially recover the cost of service delivery. The fees implemented January 1, 2008 will offset costs but do not fully fund the fire safety inspection program. How much is the inspection and permit fee? The fee for your fire safety inspection is based on a schedule that considers occupancy type, occupancy use and square footage. A single fee is charged for the initial inspection and the first re-inspection. Subsequent re-inspections are charged an hourly rate of $65 per hour. Some businesses may also require a fire code use permit(s), which also helps offset the cost of enforcing more detailed requirements
