Short answer: the city's own worked example for a new or full HVAC system runs from $56 in Fort Worth to $840 in San Jose across the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover, and the median is $222. Six are under $150: Albuquerque, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles. Ten are $150 to $249: Charlotte, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tucson. Eight are $250 to $499: Chicago, Dallas, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle. Six are $500 or more: Cincinnati, Long Beach, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose. A like-for-like furnace or AC change-out costs less: nothing for some equipment in Chicago, Phoenix and Dallas, and $39 in Fort Worth to $315 in San Jose in the other 27, with a median of $105. Eleven cities charge a flat line, eleven itemize the equipment, seven price on the job's value and San Jose bills inspection hours. Ten of the examples include the electrical permit for a new circuit and twelve leave it out, so read the cell before comparing two totals. This page covers the fee; for when a swap needs a permit at all, see Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Furnace or AC? 30 Cities Compared. We read each city's fee schedule, exemption list and licensing rule and recorded the city's own reading.
Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.
All 30 cities
| City | New or full system | The city's own example | How the fee is priced | Like-for-like swap | Who may pull it | Schedule the city cites, and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | Under $150 | $103 for a full split system with new ductwork and a new gas outlet: $47 administrative charge + $22 condensing unit + $14 air handler + $14 duct system + $6 gas outlet. New or altered wiring needs a separate electrical permit ($47 plus items). | UAC Table 112-C, itemized with a 1.0 regional modifier: $47 administrative charge, $14 per furnace, air handler or duct system, $22 per condensing unit up to 36,000 BTU output ($40 above that), $6 per gas outlet, $16 to repair or alter a unit. | $61 for a gas furnace on the existing gas line ($47 + $14), and $83 for an AC condenser up to 36,000 BTU with a new coil or air handler ($47 + $22 + $14), both mechanical permits. | No. Only a New Mexico CID-licensed mechanical contractor. The homeowner exam route exists for electrical and plumbing permits but not for mechanical, and equipment and ductwork can only be installed by a licensed contractor. | 2024 Uniform Administrative Code Table 112-C; Building Safety permits page; UAC 111.1 Trade plan review, 25% of the permit fee, applies only when plans are required. Re-inspections are $47. Work started without a permit pays an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, and a trade permit is void 180 days after issuance if no inspection is requested. |
| Baltimore, MD | Under $150 ⚠ | $115 for a furnace, AC and new duct system at a house: $30 + $30 + $25 = $85, plus $5 permit tax and the $25 application fee. Reworking existing ducts with up to 25 diffusers is $62. The condenser circuit adds $6 on the electrician's permit. | BFRCBC 109.6.3: $30 per fuel-burning unit up to 200,000 Btu an hour, AC $5 per ton with a $30 minimum and $300 maximum, a new duct system $25 per system at a 1-2 family dwelling and gas piping $25, plus a $25 application fee and the 5% Building Code Permit Tax. | $57 for a gas furnace up to 200,000 Btu an hour or a 3-ton AC condenser ($30 + $2 tax + $25 application fee). Replacement units are charged the same as new. | No. Section 2802.3 issues mechanical permits only to city-licensed HVACR contractors holding a Maryland HVACR license, gas piping needs a licensed gas fitter and the circuit a licensed electrician. There is no homeowner mechanical permit in the city code. | BFRCBC 109.6.3, 109.5.7, 109.7 and 2802.3; DHCD exempt-work list Skipping the permit risks a surcharge of the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee. Ground units in an interior-side yard must sit at least 3 ft from the side lot line. Most mechanical permits get a rough-in inspection and all get a final. |
| Charlotte, NC | $150 to $249 ⚠ | About $224 for a new system with ductwork in an addition on a $10,000 contract: a County mechanical permit of $145.03 (a real County permit) + about $72.52 for an electrical sub-permit at half that + technology charges, roughly $223.55. | Mecklenburg County LUESA Fee Ordinance (rev. July 1, 2026): valuation table of $59.70 up to $3,000, then $12.19 per $1,000 or part. Sub-permits on one- and two-family change-outs are 50% of the primary trade's fee, with a $3 technology charge on each permit. | $89.55 for the mechanical and electrical permits combined (1.5 x the $59.70 minimum) when the contractor buys them through the County's TIP system, plus $3 on each permit. Bought any other way, a change-out is charged double. | Yes. An owner-occupant who personally does the work on a primary residence, using the Homeowner Trade Work Certificate of Ownership in AccelaMeck; the permit cannot cover someone else's labor. Otherwise a North Carolina-licensed mechanical contractor. | LUESA Fee Ordinance (rev. July 1, 2026); Trades Internet Permits (TIP) page; County handbook Building permits are Mecklenburg County's, not the City's: the City only applies the UDO equipment placement rules and issues no HVAC permit. An owner-occupant doing the work personally on a project under $40,000 pays $60 per trade plus $45 per inspection trip instead. A permit expires six months after issuance if no inspected work has started. |
| Chicago, IL | $250 to $499 | $300 for a new central AC ($150) with new supply ducts ($75) and a gas line extension for a matching furnace ($75), an express mechanical permit. The separate electrical permit for the new circuit is $150 for up to 10 circuits and is not included. A $25 review fee can apply online. | Flat stand-alone fees in Table 14A-12-1204.2: $75 per equipment type and dwelling unit, $150 per dwelling unit for new AC equipment, $75 for duct extension, $75 for gas piping. Fees stack when one permit covers several scopes. | $0, no permit, for an in-kind gas furnace, boiler, ductwork or AC swap (same type, size and shape) at a residential building up to 4 stories. Changing type or fuel, such as furnace to heat pump, is an express mechanical permit at $75 per equipment type. | In part. No permit is needed for the in-kind swap. For permitted work the permit lists a licensed general contractor (an owner may act as one on a primary residence once a year), hardwired connections need a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor, and refrigerant work needs EPA Section 608 technicians. | Table 14A-12-1204.2 (Administrative Provisions); DOB list of work not requiring a permit (Mechanical); Express Permit Program Chicago issues no HVAC trade license. New AC or a heat pump adds a load calculation and site plan, and duct or gas changes add an HVAC drawing. The table is indexed to CPI from 2026, with the first adjusted schedule effective the following January 1. |
| Cincinnati, OH | $500 or more ⚠ | About $554 for a whole new system with ductwork valued at $10,000: $450 new-installation fee + $49 processing fee, with the five surcharges (about $11 per $100). New central air at $5,000 is about $331. An IBI electrical permit for a new circuit (about $105) is extra. | Fee schedule effective July 1, 2026: replacement is flat, $118 for the first unit and $48 for each additional. A new system is valuation-based in the RCO installations column ($249 at $5,000, $450 at $10,000, $618 at $15,000) plus a $49 processing fee when plans are submitted, then five surcharges. | About $131 for a furnace on the existing gas line and circuit ($118 plus surcharges, no processing fee, no separate IBI electrical permit). A furnace and condenser together is $166, about $184. Replacements can be filed online. | Unclear. The city requires OCILB-licensed HVAC contractors registered with the city ($131.25 a year). Cincinnati Building Code 1106-37 exempts an owner of a one- to three-family home who will occupy it for a year, but the HVAC handout is silent on owner permits. | Fee schedule effective July 1, 2026; Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17.4 and 1106-5; HVAC handout A new branch circuit for a condenser, mini-split or air handler needs a separate IBI electrical permit filed through ezTrak. Mechanical permits fall under Tier 2 review, targeted at 5 workdays. Working without a permit adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee. |
| Dallas, TX | $250 to $499 | $446 for a mechanical permit plus a plumbing trade for gas piping: $181 base + $250 for two trades ($125 each) + $15 technology fee. A gas furnace or new system on a mechanical permit alone is $321. A planned development, specific use permit or deed-restricted lot adds 10% of the permit fee. | Chapter 52 Table B-II sets a flat $181 per dwelling unit for alterations of single-family homes, and the fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 adds a $125 inspection fee per trade and a $15 technology fee. Texas law bars value-based residential fees. | $0, no permit, for a like-for-like swap of electric equipment (an AC condenser, heat pump or electric air handler) with no change in rough-in. A gas furnace replacement is a Residential Mechanical Permit at $321. | Yes on a homestead. Texas Occupations Code 1302.053 exempts a person working on a building they own solely as their home, and the city accepts it only for a homestead recorded with the appraisal district. Contractors need a TDLR license and DallasNow registration. | Chapter 52 Sec. 301.2.3 and Table B-II; fee schedule effective July 1, 2025; Texas Occupations Code 1302.053 New heating, cooling and duct systems need a duct blaster performance test and may need a certified third-party energy code provider, a private cost on top of the city fees. Plumbing and mechanical rough and final inspections must be scheduled together since June 1, 2026. |
| Fort Worth, TX | Under $150 ⚠ | About $56 for a 4-ton AC with an 80,000 BTU furnace: $33.08 application fee + $16.46 + $6.10 = $55.64, or $72.51 if the $16.87 technology fee is added. New wiring is a separate electrical permit, with a $6.10 item for a 3 to 5 ton AC plus the application fee. | Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (effective October 1, 2026): $33.08 application fee plus mechanical items by size. Furnace to 100,000 BTU $6.10, condensing unit to 2 tons $6.10, over 2 to 3 tons $10.34, over 3 to 5 tons $16.46, and added duct outlets $1.01 each ($6.57 minimum). | $39.18 for a 2-ton condenser alone ($33.08 + $6.10), a standalone mechanical permit. A 4-ton AC with a furnace is $55.64 to $72.51. Replacing a capacitor or blower motor needs no permit. | Yes at a primary residence. The homestead permit lets an owner-occupant pull a mechanical permit for their own home, shown by an appraisal-district homestead exemption or proof of ownership with matching ID. Otherwise only Texas-licensed (TDLR) contractors. | Fee Ordinance 26-28781; Administrative Code exemptions; residential permitting page and Nuts and Bolts brochure The reinspection fee is $66.15, and a permit expires after 180 days without an approved inspection. A simple change-out usually needs only a final inspection. Requests made before 6:30 a.m. are scheduled the same day. |
| Houston, TX | Under $150 ⚠ | About $138 for a complete 5-ton system (cooling equipment, air handler and ducts): $11.41 per ton + $47 = $104.05, plus the $33.56 administrative fee. A 3-ton system is about $125 all in. An alteration of an existing system at 2% of a $6,000 job is about $201 with the admin fee. Electrical and gas permits are extra. | 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule: complete system $11.41 per ton + $47.00; alteration of an existing system 2.0% of valuation + $47.00; $91.06 minimum; $33.56 administrative fee on top. | About $125 for a 3-ton system: $81.23 rounds up to the $91.06 minimum, plus the $33.56 admin fee. Every replacement needs a mechanical permit and inspection; the page finds no local exemption for a like-for-like swap. | Unclear. A TDLR Class A or B contractor registered with the city pulls it. The city guide says a homeowner may obtain the permit in some instances without listing them (Mechanical Section, 832-394-8850). | 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule (HVAC fees); HPC Alteration of HVAC (HPWCODE 1019); Residential Permitting 101 New wiring needs a separate electrical permit from a registered master electrician and a new gas line a gas permit ($45.53 up to 4 openings) from a registered master plumber. Air-handling and duct systems fed from an external source are $6.04 per ton + $47. The inspection is completed the next business day. |
| Indianapolis, IN | $150 to $249 | $208 for a combined heating and cooling system in a 3,500 sq ft house: $185 up to 2,500 sq ft + $23 for the extra 1,000 sq ft. A furnace-and-AC replacement in a typical house is $185. A new circuit of up to 60 A is covered by the permit; a larger circuit needs a separate $169 electrical permit. | DBNS January 5, 2026 craft permit schedule, flat by structure size: $153 heating or cooling and $185 combined up to 2,500 sq ft, plus $23 per additional 1,000 sq ft. There is no application fee. | $153 for a heating system or a cooling system (a furnace alone, or an AC condenser and coil alone), $185 for both together. A like-for-like swap is not exempt. Reinspections are $175. | In part. Only an owner who also occupies a one- or two-family home, under Sec. 875-321, with written approval from the board that they have the skill, handled through a homeowner exam. Rentals do not qualify and contractors need a city HVAC license. | DBNS 2026 fee schedule; Sec. 536-201(b); Sec. 875-301 and 875-321 Electrical contractors may install all-electric equipment under an electrical permit at $146 heating, $146 cooling or $178 combined, but not the refrigerant work. Extending ducts and an identical water heater swap are exempt. A rough inspection covers ducts before they are covered. |
| Jacksonville, FL | $150 to $249 | $174 for a 5-ton AC ($55) with a 100,000 BTU gas furnace ($22), new ductwork ($17) and new gas piping ($80). Without the gas piping it is $94. Florida's 1% and 1.5% surcharges ($2 minimum each) are not included. | Ordinance Code Section 320.409 mechanical fees, itemized: AC $11 per ton for one to ten tons, furnace $22 for the first 200,000 BTU an hour, duct system $17 for the first 2,000 cfm, gas piping $80, with a $60 minimum per permit. | $60, the minimum, for a 3-ton heat pump swap ($33 of items), a mechanical permit. A gas furnace replacement needs a permit with inspection. A homeowner may ask to waive the inspection for an electric replacement of $5,000 or less, but the permit is still paid. | Yes. A homeowner may permit their own primary residence as an owner-builder if on the deed, appearing in person with proof of homestead exemption. Otherwise a heating, air conditioning and refrigeration contractor certified by the CTQB or the State. | Ordinance Code Section 320.409; Section 320.408(f)(8) inspection exemption; BID mechanical FAQ A failed inspection costs a $45 reinspection fee. A Manual J load calculation is required when the work adds new heated or cooled space. A notice of commencement is not needed under $15,000, and sealed engineering documents are not required for one- to four-family homes. |
| Kansas City, MO | Under $150 | $101.30 for a $12,000 furnace and AC replacement: $58 + 10 x $4.33. A $5,000 replacement is $70.99. A new circuit adds an electrical permit from $52, which is not included. New ducts and systems in an alteration must meet the 2021 energy code. | Section 18-20(b)(2) valuation table for 1-2 family homes: $52 up to $1,000, $58 from $1,001 to $2,000, then $58 plus $4.33 for each additional $1,000 or fraction. | $70.99 for a $5,000 AC or furnace replacement. Contractors replacing AC equipment in an existing system may use the LSR program (IB108) and self-certify instead of waiting for a city inspection; the page gives no separate LSR fee. | Yes at a single-family home. An owner who lives there may pull the mechanical permit and do the work personally with the IB146 affidavit; on a two-family home only licensed contractors may. Otherwise a city-licensed mechanical contractor. | KC Code Sec. 18-20(b)(2) valuation table; Sec. 18-16(b)(2); IB108 LSR program; IB146 LSR also covers duct extensions up to 10 ft and other work valued at $1,000 or less, and the LSR permit must be obtained within 7 days of starting. The mechanical contractor license covers the gas connection to a warm-air furnace burner. This page covers Kansas City, Missouri only. |
| Long Beach, CA | $500 or more ⚠ | About $541 for a system over 33,000 Btu per hour that needs plan review: $100 minimum mechanical permit + $216 minimum plan check + $110 Title 24 energy plan check + $115 processing. A like-for-like express changeout is about $215. A new circuit is a separate electrical permit. | Mechanical Permit and Plan Check Fee schedule, itemized: $15 forced-air unit, $16 compressor, $22 air handler, $19 duct system, with a $100 minimum per permit and a $115 processing fee. Plan check is 100% of the permit fee with a $216 minimum, and energy plan check is $0.064 per sq ft with a $110 minimum. | About $215 for a split-system or furnace-only changeout: items of $53 round up to the $100 minimum plus the $115 processing fee. It is an express mechanical permit with no plans (up to 33,000 Btu per hour in total) and HERS verification. | Yes. A homeowner may pull the permit for a one- or two-family home that is their principal residence under IB-029, at an in-person express appointment. Online permits are limited to registered contractors with a city PIN. | Mechanical Permit and Plan Check Fee schedule; IB-058 items M1 to M6; IB-029; LBMC 18.04.020.F A computer-generated CF-1R and HERS verification are required for every changeout, and a HERS duct test applies to more than 40 linear ft of new ducts. Express service is not available in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District. Unpermitted work draws an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, with a $465 minimum. |
| Los Angeles, CA | Under $150 | $107.91 for a split system with an air handler and duct alteration ($24 AC + $24 air handler + $24 alteration items), an express HVAC permit with no plan check. The 3% and 6% surcharges are included and cards add 2.7%. A new circuit is a separate express electrical permit that the example does not include. | Per-item express permit from the LADBS Mechanical HVAC fee schedule: $24 AC compressor, $19 gas furnace, $24 air handler, $24 add or alter item, with an issuing fee above a $90 subtotal and 3% and 6% surcharges. The Permit Fee Calculator returns $65.95 for one item and $107.91 for two or more. | $65.95 for an AC change-out alone, a furnace alone or ducts alone, and $107.91 for furnace plus AC, filed as an express HVAC permit with no plan check. A new circuit is a separate electrical permit. | Yes. A C-20 contractor, or the homeowner after 12 months in the home, limited to two structures in three years under the owner-builder declaration. | LADBS Express Permits items 5, 6, 7 and 10; Mechanical HVAC fee schedule; LADBS Permit Fee Calculator The calculator prices a separate express electrical permit at $107.91 for a service and panel or $164.05 for a single circuit including its plan check line. A seismic or excess-flow gas shutoff valve is required on permits of $10,000 or more where the building has gas piping. |
| Louisville, KY | $150 to $249 ⚠ | $155 for a house with two systems, an upstairs and a downstairs zone: $105 for the first system + $50 for the second. A furnace and AC replaced together as one split system is a combination system at $105. The page does not say whether a new circuit is covered or needs an electrical permit ($75 up to $750 of work, $100 above). | LMCO 150.096 (revised February 6, 2024) flat residential fee: $105 for the first system and $50 for each additional system, where a system is heating, cooling or a combination. Manufactured fireplaces are $50 per unit. The fee does not depend on equipment price. | $105 for a furnace, AC or heat pump replacement, an HVAC Residential - Replacement permit with three inspections included. A ductless mini-split is also $105. A water heater is a $50 state plumbing permit, not an HVAC permit. | Unclear. Kentucky's licensing law exempts an owner working on property they own and occupy, but the page found no document saying whether Construction Review issues an HVAC permit to an owner; call (502) 574-3321 before a DIY install. | LMCO 150.096 (revised February 6, 2024); Kentucky Residential Code R105.2; KRS 198B.674 The state, not Metro, issues the water heater plumbing permit. The value-based table in the same schedule is for commercial work. Inspectors check the installer's license. |
| Miami, FL | $150 to $249 ⚠ | About $198 for a $20,000 two-system job: the $110 minimum (0.5% would be $100) + $40 application fee + $44 solid waste surcharge + $4 state surcharges. A $9,000 split-system replacement is about $180. A new circuit is a separate electrical permit ($110 + $40), and the Miami-Dade county surcharge is not included. | City Code 10-18 as amended: 0.50 of the estimated construction cost, read as one-half of one percent, with a $110 minimum, plus a $40 application fee, a solid waste surcharge of $0.22 per $100 ($26 minimum) and state surcharges of 1% and 1.5%. | About $180 for a $9,000 split-system replacement over $2,500 ($110 minimum + $40 + $26 + $4), a mechanical permit with inspection. Contracts up to $2,500, and coil, compressor or refrigerant-line replacement by a licensed contractor at any value, need no permit. | Yes. An owner-occupant of a one- or two-family home may file as owner-builder under Florida Statute 489.103(7), appearing in person. The coil, compressor and duct-repair exemptions apply only when a licensed mechanical contractor does the work. | City Code 10-5(b) and 10-18; City Code 10-20 (SAVE pilot); Florida Statute 489.103(7) The SAVE pilot halves city permit fees for qualifying energy-efficient HVAC and processes them in three business days, until February 12, 2027. A re-inspection costs $57. No sealed drawings are needed for a residential replacement. |
| Milwaukee, WI | $250 to $499 ⚠ | $319.24 for a new furnace, 3-ton AC and new ductwork in a 2,000 sq ft house: the HVAC permit is $192.64 ($55 + $60 + $50, plus the 1.6% surcharge and $25 processing) and the electrical permit at the $100 minimum is $126.60. A new 4-ton central AC alone is $96.12. | MCO 200-33-23 flat per-item fees: heating unit $55 up to 150,000 BTU (plus $25 per extra 50,000), AC $60 up to 3 tons (plus $10 per extra ton), ductwork $2 per 100 sq ft with a $50 minimum, plus a $25 processing fee and DNS's 1.6% surcharge. | $80.88 for a like-for-like 80,000 BTU gas furnace ($55 + $0.88 + $25). A straight electric condenser swap is unclear: the code exempts non-gas appliances but the DNS checklist says an AC needs a permit, so call the Permit and Development Center. | Yes. DNS lets owners who live in the home pull permits for their own work. The city requires a Home Improvement Contractor License of contractors doing heating and cooling at 1-2 family homes, and any new wiring needs a licensed electrical contractor. | MCO 200-33-23; MCO 200-24-1.5-f-4; DNS checklist Plan review is not needed for equipment replacement, AC-only systems or duct alterations costing $10,000 or less. Condensers must sit in side or rear yards outside the required setbacks. Work must start within 180 days of issue. |
| Minneapolis, MN | $150 to $249 | $217.60 for a whole new heating and cooling system at an existing 1-2 family home, Level 3: $216.60 + a $1 state surcharge. Level 3 also covers extending the system into unconditioned space or seven or more supply or return openings. New homes and additions pay 1.99% of the mechanical contract value. | Mechanical permit application, three flat levels for existing 1-2 family homes plus a $1 state surcharge: Level 1 $84.20, Level 2 $132.40, Level 3 $216.60. New homes and additions: 1.99% of the mechanical contract value with an $84.20 minimum. | A central AC or heat pump replacement is Level 1 at $85.20. A furnace or boiler change-out is Level 2 at $133.40, and a furnace and AC together cost the same $133.40 because Level 2 includes Level 1 work. | In part. An owner who lives in a single-family home can do their own mechanical work under Section 85.80, but not on gas-fired heating equipment. All gas piping and venting needs a licensed gas installer on a separate permit. | Minneapolis mechanical permit application fee levels; Minnesota Rules 1300.0120; Section 85.80 On a complete system replacement in an older home the inspector may first check the old heating plant for asbestos. New fuel-burning equipment needs an ORSAT heat test record, heat loss calculation and operating manual on site, and concealed or attic ductwork needs a rough-in inspection with duct blaster results. |
| New York, NY | $150 to $249 ⚠ | About $156 in DOB filing fees for a $15,000 central or split system at a 1-3 family home, filed as an Alteration with the Mechanical Systems work type: the $130 minimum covers the first $5,000, plus $2.60 per additional $1,000. A $25,000 rooftop unit in a building under seven stories files at about $452. The PE or RA's fee is separate. | DOB filing fee under Admin. Code Table 28-112.2 (as amended by L.L. 128 of 2024): $130 minimum for the first $5,000 at a 1-3 family home, then $2.60 per $1,000. Other buildings under 7 stories: $225 for the first $3,000, then $10.30 per $1,000. | $0, no filing, for a packaged AC up to 5 tons in a 1-2 family home or up to 3 tons in any existing building, window units included. A central or split system is filed: $130 minimum, about $140 for a $9,000 job. A boiler or furnace is filed by the licensed trade. | No. A PE or RA files in DOB NOW: Build, the permit goes to a Registered General Contractor, and a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license is added in 1-4 family homes. A new circuit needs a licensed master electrician. | 1 RCNY 101-14 Tables 1 and 2; Admin. Code Table 28-112.2 (L.L. 128 of 2024); DOB NOW mechanical filing guide NYC has no HVAC contractor license, and the page calls the PE or RA fee to prepare the filing the larger cost; ask for the two to be priced apart. The Energy Conservation Code and asbestos rules for buildings before April 1, 1987 apply even where the mechanical filing is exempt. |
| Philadelphia, PA | $250 to $499 | About $267 for a full system replacement: $189 flat for ductwork including its appliances + $7.50 surcharges = $196.50, plus an electrical permit for the new circuit at its $63 minimum + $7.50. The $100 filing fee is credited toward the permit. | L&I construction fee summary, flat rates for 1-2 family homes: $69 per appliance, $189 flat for ductwork including appliances, $189 flat for fuel gas piping, plus $3 city and $4.50 state surcharges on every permit. Electrical is $25 per $1,000 with a $63 minimum. | $76.50 ($69 + $7.50) for a straight furnace, condenser, air handler or heat pump swap, an EZ mechanical permit with no plans. A swap that extends the gas piping uses the $189 flat fuel gas line. | No. There is no homeowner mechanical permit: a licensed contractor performs all work, sheet metal goes to a registered technician, and a licensed electrical contractor pulls the electrical permit. | L&I construction fee summary (July 2026, effective October 1, 2026); EZ Ductwork and Warm-Air Appliances standard PB_029 A Manual J load report, Manual S equipment selection and a Duct and Envelope Testing form go to the inspector. The page says the July 2026 fee summary keeps the same mechanical rows as January 2025. Boilers are also regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. |
| Phoenix, AZ | $500 or more | About $534 for a rooftop unit that needs new structural support, valued at $6,600 in the Miscellaneous Construction guide: Table A permit fee $267 + 100% residential plan review $267. A $4,500 furnace or AC replacement is $243 with no plan review under $5,000. A higher contractor invoice sets a higher fee. | Table A of the 2026 Development Fee Schedule (Appendix A.2, effective January 20, 2026) on a valuation: $195 for the first $1,000 + $12 per additional $1,000 or fraction. Residential plan review is 100% above $5,000 when plans are reviewed. | $0, no permit, for an outdoor unit of 5 tons or less replaced in kind in the same spot at the same or lower weight. An indoor furnace, air handler or attic unit is a mechanical permit: $243 on the $4,500 city valuation. | In part. Permitted mechanical work may be done by an owner-occupant of a single-family home on their own house, but the page lists gas furnaces and gas lines as licensed trade only and the state small-job exemption never covers gas connections. | 2026 Development Fee Schedule Table A; Miscellaneous Construction guide valuations; 2024 PBCC 105.2 Mechanical item 8; Permit Guide TRT 00823 A new evaporative cooler is $207 on a $2,000 valuation. Work started without a permit draws an investigation fee of at least $250 plus a doubled permit fee. Emergency replacements may start first with the application filed within 72 hours. |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $250 to $499 ⚠ | $333 for a $20,000 heat pump system that also needs a new circuit: $141.50 mechanical + $50 zoning review + $141.50 electrical. An $8,000 condenser replacement is $191.50 and a $6,000 furnace is $141.50. | PLI 2026 residential base fee of $6.00 per $1,000 of construction value, $130 minimum, plus a $4.50 state training fund fee, a $5.00 digital record retention fee and a $2 technology fee at the minimum. Zoning review adds $1.00 per $1,000, $50 minimum, for exterior equipment. | $141.50 for a $6,000 furnace, an EZ mechanical permit with no plans issued within one business day. Replacing an outdoor AC or heat pump in the same spot adds zoning review, about $191.50 for an $8,000 job. | Unclear. PLI's licensing rules require a city HVAC or Mechanical trade license to replace any mechanical system, in practice a licensed contractor, but its EZ page lists homeowners at a primary residence among those who may do residential EZ work; confirm with PLI. | PLI 2026 fee schedule; PLI mechanical permit and EZ pages; City Code 1002.02 Outdoor units within 5 ft of a side lot line must be screened to stay EZ eligible, and a front-yard unit or a home generator needs a standard permit. Wiring a new outdoor unit is a separate electrical permit. Emergency replacements may be made first if the application is filed by the next working business day. |
| Portland, OR | $500 or more | About $522 for a furnace, heat pump, AC, gas line, dryer vent and bath fan: line items total $292, or $327.04 with the 12% surcharge, plus a $194.88 electrical permit for the new circuit. A heat pump install with its circuit is about $382. | 2026 mechanical schedule, per item for one- and two-family work: furnace $91, heat pump $84, AC or air handler $44 each, gas piping up to 4 outlets $25, alteration $51, with a $167 minimum fee and Oregon's 12% surcharge. Electrical is $174 for the first branch circuit. | $187.04 for a like-for-like gas furnace: the $91 line is billed at the $167 minimum plus the 12% surcharge. A heat pump or AC also needs an electrical permit, so a ducted heat pump replacing a furnace is about $382. | Yes for the mechanical permit: the recorded owner, not an LLC. The new circuit is stricter: the owner may wire it only in a home they own and live in and are not selling or renting within six months, otherwise a licensed contractor pulls it. | PP&D 2026 mechanical and electrical fee schedules; Development Hub PDX permit pages Reinspections are $167, and work started before the permit draws an investigation fee of at least $167. A site plan is required for AC and heat pump lines. Permits issue within 24 hours of payment and expire after 180 days without an inspection. |
| Sacramento, CA | $250 to $499 | About $254 for a $20,000 heat pump system pulled by a contractor: $175 flat + $17.50 technology surcharge + $52 General Plan fee + $1 green building fee + $8 business operations tax. A cut-in of a system where none existed uses the same permit. HERS rater fees are separate and are not city fees. | Table B.1 (effective July 19, 2025) flat $175 HVAC minor permit with no plan review, plus a technology surcharge of 10% of the permit fee, a General Plan fee of $2.60 per $1,000 of job value, a green building fee of $1 per $25,000 and a business operations tax when a contractor holds the permit. | About $214 for an $8,000 furnace and AC change-out pulled by the owner-builder: $175 + $17.50 + $20.80 + $1 = $214.30, a minor permit with no plans and a virtual inspection. | Yes. Homeowners can pull a residential HVAC change-out online for a single-family home or duplex. State law exempts a homeowner from licensing on a principal residence lived in for the 12 months before completion, with the work done before sale. | Table B.1 (effective July 19, 2025); Public Permit Portal minor HVAC permit; CEC HERS guidance A condenser moved to a new spot needs Planning Express sign-off and must be screened from street views, and rooftop units need Planning review. The city's average-cost page lists $225 for a change-out or new unit. Minor HVAC permits are for one- and two-family homes only. |
| San Antonio, TX | $150 to $249 | About $164 for the first central systems in a two-zone house: $88.55 + $63.25 = $151.80, or $163.94 with the two 4% surcharges, inspection included. A split system with a gas furnace is $82.92, or $89.55 with surcharges. Electrical and gas permits are separate. | DSD FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule: $57.50 base on existing homes plus $7.19 per condensing unit, coil, air handler or heat pump and $11.04 per gas furnace. The first new central system is a flat $88.55, each additional $63.25, and duct outlets are $2.30 each. | $71.88 for a heat pump and air handler change-out ($57.50 + $7.19 + $7.19), or $77.63 with the two 4% surcharges; a condenser, coil and gas furnace is $82.92. Replacing equipment needs a mechanical permit even like for like. | No. DSD says homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for HVAC work. The contractor needs a Texas mechanical license registered with the city and lists the SEER2 rating on the application. | DSD FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised September 2026); City Code 10-6 Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee. A failed inspection costs $57.50 to re-inspect, paper applications add $11.50 and card payments add 3%. |
| San Diego, CA | $250 to $499 | $308.09 for a full split-system change-out, furnace plus condenser ($176.57 + $131.52), as a Simple Permit. A heat pump package unit or the first mini-split head is $176.57, and each added head $52.39. With no plan review, the $737 General Plan Maintenance Fee and $12.16 mapping fee do not apply. | Information Bulletin 103 Table 1B prices residential mechanical work per item: condensing unit $131.52, furnace or forced-air unit $176.57, heat pump package unit $176.57, each added air handler or head $52.39, exhaust fan $105.98. | $131.52 for the condensing unit alone and $176.57 for a furnace or forced-air unit, a no-plan Simple Permit applied for online. A furnace plus condenser is $308.09. In-place repairs, controls and recharging need no permit. | Yes. SDMC 129.0406 allows the permit to go to a licensed contractor or the property owner or lessee. The owner signs Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042 and normally receives it in two business days; tenants cannot sign the form. | Information Bulletin 103 Table 1B; SDMC 129.0402(b), 129.0404 and 129.0406 A HERS rating by a certified independent rater is required for major HVAC changes and for more than 40 ft of new duct. Equipment over 400 lb needs structural calculations, and a building permit if the structure is altered. Records fees are non-refundable, so small add-ons may appear on the invoice. |
| San Francisco, CA | $500 or more ⚠ | About $595 for a heat pump converting a furnace, with its electrical permit: Category 1M mechanical $290 + $305 for up to 10 devices. The page calls it roughly $710 if the wiring runs past 10 devices. A building of 2 to 6 units pays Category 2M at $420. | DBI Table 1A-C flat categories for permits issued on or after July 12, 2026: Category 1M $290 for a furnace, hydronic system or heat pump in one residential unit, 2M $420 for 2 to 6 units, $519 per hour for work outside the categories. Electrical is Table 1A-E: $305 up to 10 devices. | $290 for a like-for-like furnace swap in one home, a Category 1M mechanical permit with up to two inspections. A new gas line adds a plumbing permit and a new circuit an electrical permit. | In part. A homeowner may take a mechanical permit only for a stand-alone single-family house they own and only for work they do themselves, and an inspector at the Permit Center may require a contractor instead. Condo and flat owners must use a licensed contractor. | DBI Table 1A-C (mechanical) and Table 1A-E (electrical), July 12, 2026; DBI mechanical permit worksheet Plumbing and mechanical need separate permits, so a new gas run to a furnace adds a plumbing permit. Re-inspections are $259 per half hour. New exterior equipment that needs a building permit also needs plans, and the page says DBI does not define exactly which installations cross that line. |
| San Jose, CA | $500 or more ⚠ | Roughly $840 for a full system replacement with new wiring: a $315 mechanical permit + $211 processing + a $315 electrical permit for the new circuit. The page says the online checkout shows the exact total, before any itemized adjustment. | FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges: $315.00 per hour of required inspection time, with miscellaneous mechanical permits at the greater of a $315 per hour minimum or the itemized amount. A $211 (1.0 hour) permit processing line applies when the permit is filed at the counter. | About $315 for a furnace or condenser change-out that passes in one inspection, or about $526 with the $211 processing line on a counter-filed permit. Furnace, AC and heat pump change-outs are online permits with no plans. | Yes. A homeowner improving a principal residence occupied for 12 months may pull the permit as owner-builder and do the work personally; any hired installer must be state-licensed for jobs of $1,000 or more. | FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges (effective July 1, 2026); SJMC 24.02.100 and 24.02.140 A new AC or heat pump circuit is an electrical permit at the same $315 minimum. Work done without a permit is charged two times the plan review and inspection cost. Equipment in the rear setback keeps 5 ft from the rear line. |
| Seattle, WA | $250 to $499 | About $396 for a job that needs all three permits: SDCI mechanical $63.37 + SDCI electrical for a new 30 to 50 A circuit and back-up heat about $168.63 + a Public Health gas piping permit $164 ($137 + $27 for one outlet). A heat pump alone is about $232 and a gas furnace with new gas piping about $227. The page says a three-permit job lands near $400. | 2026 Fee Subtitle Table D-8: $60.35 per furnace, heat pump or other heating unit, including attached ducts and burners, plus the 5% technology fee. Electrical is itemized from Table D-15 with a $105.12 online minimum; gas piping is Public Health's $137 + $27 per outlet. | $63.37 for a furnace swap on the existing circuit and gas line ($60.35 + $3.02 technology fee), an online mechanical permit. No electrical permit is needed if the circuit is unaltered and no gas permit if the gas line is untouched. | Yes. SDCI's mechanical pages do not restrict who applies. The electrical permit goes to a licensed electrical contractor or the owner-occupant doing the wiring, and gas piping to a registered contractor or a homeowner doing the work. | 2026 Fee Subtitle Tables D-8, D-15 and D-2; Seattle Electrical Code 80.50(B)(4); Public Health Seattle and King County 2026 fee schedule Ductwork permitted on its own is priced on value (Table D-2) plus a one-hour $292 review minimum. The gas piping permit is King County's, not SDCI's. Mechanical plans reviewed with a building permit carry no additional mechanical fee, and mechanical permits are valid for 18 months. |
| St. Louis, MO | $150 to $249 ⚠ | $190 for a furnace and condenser billed as separate items ($25 application + $40 + $40 = $105) plus an $85 electrical permit ($25 + $60) for a new circuit; the page says a furnace swap with a new circuit runs about $150 to $190. Billed as a combination unit the mechanical permit is $65. | Ordinance 70800 residential mechanical fee table: a $25 application fee on every permit plus $40 per furnace, $40 per condensing unit or $40 for a combination furnace and condensing unit. Failing to request an inspection costs $50, and a faulty-work re-inspection is $25. | $65 ($25 + $40) for a furnace only, a condensing unit only or a matched system billed as a combination unit; $105 if the city bills the furnace and condenser separately. Replacing a minor part needs no permit. | In part. Only the owner-occupant of a single-family dwelling under the Homeowners Permit exception, who shows the Mechanical Equipment Inspection Section enough knowledge to install the system and holds EPA Universal Technician certification if refrigerant is handled. | Ordinance 70800 residential mechanical fee table; Mechanical Code 106.1 and 106.2; electrical fee table A new circuit or disconnect is a separate electrical permit by a city-licensed electrical contractor or a tested owner-occupant. The Building Division's pages do not say which permit covers a residential gas connection or what new ductwork costs, so ask the Mechanical Section. Cards carry a 2.55% fee. |
| Tucson, AZ | $150 to $249 | About $219 for a system replacement plus a new electrical circuit: $150 first item + $50 additional item + the 1% digital filing fee ($18.54 minimum). Ductwork not on the trade list may be assigned a valuation instead, so the page says to ask for an estimate if the ducts are rebuilt. | PDSD fee schedule effective July 1, 2026: a flat trade permit. The Air Conditioner or Heater Repair or Replace item is $150 and covers up to two units (half an hour of review and two inspections included), each additional item is $50, plus a 1% filing fee with an $18.54 minimum. | About $169 for an AC or furnace replacement, or both together: $150 + $18.54, one trade permit item. Load and sizing calculations are required for replacement equipment too. A same-size evaporative cooler swap needs no permit outside preservation zones. | Yes. A homeowner can file the Owner/Builder Affidavit for a home they own and occupy under A.R.S. 32-1121.A.5, and rentals need a licensed contractor. PDSD notes a licensed HVAC contractor must ensure code compliance, so most are filed by the installer. | PDSD fee schedule effective July 1, 2026; load and sizing calculation requirement; PDSD Policy 2025.01-IE Extra review or inspection time is billed at the hourly rate. Residential trade permits run in the same-day Express Lane. Switching between propane and natural gas needs a permit and inspection. |
The status is the band of the city's own worked example for a new central system or a full replacement, the larger job the page prices rather than a simple swap: the total the page states, including every city fee the example bundles (the mechanical permit, plan review, surcharges, and the electrical or gas permits where the page adds them). The job differs by city and the cell says what it is: a rooftop unit that needs new support in Phoenix, a whole new system with ductwork valued at $10,000 in Cincinnati, a system that needs plan review in Long Beach, a heat pump with its circuit in San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Sacramento, and a furnace and AC replaced together in Kansas City and Indianapolis. A lower or higher figure the page gives only for another job is noted in the cell, not used. Contractors' prices, engineers' and architects' drawing fees, HERS raters and utility charges are never included. The swap column reports what the page says a like-for-like furnace or AC change-out costs in city fees, with $0 only where the page exempts that equipment; New York exempts packaged units only and is counted at its filing fee for a central or split system. The fee-basis column sorts a flat line first, then a valuation table, then itemized equipment fees, then hourly. The who-pulls-it column sorts an owner first, then limited or conditional, then licensed contractor only. A flag marks a row where the city's own documents disagree or the page calls a figure an estimate or says to confirm it. Download the table as CSV.
What the comparison shows
The city's own example for a new or full system is under $150 in 6 cities and $500 or more in 6
Under $150: Fort Worth $56, Kansas City $101, Albuquerque $103, Los Angeles $108, Baltimore $115 and Houston $138. $150 to $249: Louisville $155, New York $156, San Antonio $164, Jacksonville $174, St. Louis $190, Miami $198, Indianapolis $208, Minneapolis $218, Tucson $219 and Charlotte $224. $250 to $499: Sacramento $254, Philadelphia $267, Chicago $300, San Diego $308, Milwaukee $319, Pittsburgh $333, Seattle $396 and Dallas $446. $500 or more: Portland $522, Phoenix $534, Long Beach $541, Cincinnati $554, San Francisco $595 and San Jose $840. The median of the 30 is $222. The examples are not the same job. Fort Worth prices a 4-ton AC with an 80,000 BTU furnace, Houston a complete 5-ton system, Kansas City a $12,000 furnace and AC replacement, Albuquerque a full split system with ductwork and a gas outlet, Baltimore a furnace, AC and new duct system, and Jacksonville a 5-ton AC with a gas furnace, new ducts and new gas piping. Phoenix prices a rooftop unit that needs new structural support, Cincinnati a whole new system with ductwork valued at $10,000, Long Beach a system over 33,000 Btu per hour that needs plan review and Portland a furnace, heat pump, AC, gas line, dryer vent and bath fan. San Francisco prices a heat pump converting a furnace with its electrical permit, Pittsburgh a $20,000 heat pump system with a new circuit and San Jose a full system replacement with new wiring. Chicago prices a new central AC with new ducts and a gas line extension and Minneapolis a whole new heating and cooling system. The six at $500 or more each price a larger job than a swap: Portland's bundles an electrical permit, Phoenix's adds 100% plan review, Long Beach's adds plan check and an energy review, Cincinnati's is priced on the system's value, and San Francisco's and San Jose's add an electrical permit.
A like-for-like swap is $0 in 3 cities and $39 to $315 in the other 27
Three cities exempt some equipment from a permit: Chicago for an in-kind furnace, boiler, ductwork or AC at homes up to 4 stories, Dallas for electric AC, heat pump or air handler swaps with no change in rough-in, and Phoenix for an outdoor unit of 5 tons or less in the same spot at the same or lower weight. Dallas's gas furnace replacement is $321 and Phoenix's indoor furnace or air handler is $243. In the other 27 the city's own figure for a single-unit change-out runs $39 in Fort Worth to $315 in San Jose, and the median is $105. 13 are under $100, 10 are $100 to $199 and 4 are $200 or more (Sacramento $214, Long Beach $215, San Francisco $290 and San Jose $315). Cities that price each piece of equipment charge different amounts for an AC and a furnace: Minneapolis $85.20 for an AC or heat pump against $133.40 for a furnace, San Diego $131.52 for a condensing unit against $176.57 for a furnace, and Albuquerque $83 for a condenser with a coil or air handler against $61 for a furnace. New York also exempts packaged units (up to 5 tons in a 1-2 family home, up to 3 tons in any existing building) but files a central or split system, so it is counted at its $130 filing fee. The rules for when a swap needs a permit are on the replacement rules page.
11 cities charge a flat line, 11 itemize the equipment, 7 use the job's value and San Jose bills hours
A flat per-unit, per-system or per-level line sets the fee in Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Sacramento, Louisville, Tucson and St. Louis: Sacramento's $175, Indianapolis's $153 for heating or cooling and $185 for both, Louisville's $105 plus $50 for a second system, Minneapolis's three levels at $84.20, $132.40 and $216.60, San Francisco's $290 Category 1M, Seattle's $60.35 per unit, Tucson's $150 first item, Philadelphia's $69 per appliance, St. Louis's $25 plus $40 per unit, Dallas's $181 plus $125 per trade and Chicago's $75 and $150 lines. A valuation table sets it in New York, Phoenix, Miami, Charlotte, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati: New York $130 for the first $5,000 plus $2.60 per $1,000, Phoenix $195 for the first $1,000 plus $12 per $1,000, Pittsburgh $6.00 per $1,000 with a $130 minimum, Kansas City $58 plus $4.33 per $1,000, Charlotte $59.70 plus $12.19 per $1,000 over $3,000, Miami 0.50 of cost with a $110 minimum and Cincinnati for a new system (its replacements are a flat $118). Itemized equipment fees set it in Los Angeles, Houston, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Albuquerque and Long Beach: Los Angeles $24 per item, Houston $11.41 per ton plus $47, Jacksonville $11 per ton and $22 per furnace, Albuquerque a $47 charge plus $14 and $22 items, Fort Worth a $33.08 application fee plus item fees, San Antonio $57.50 plus $7.19 per unit, San Diego per-item lines, Baltimore $30 per unit, Milwaukee $55 per heating unit and $60 per AC, Portland per item with a $167 minimum and Long Beach per fixture with a $100 minimum. San Jose charges San Jose: $315.00 per hour of required inspection time. A valuation formula can move a job fast: a $5,000 job pays $70.99 in Kansas City and $249 in Cincinnati's new-system column, while a flat line stays the same at any price.
10 examples include the electrical permit and 12 leave it out
The example includes the electrical permit for a new circuit in Seattle, Portland, Philadelphia, San Jose, Charlotte, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Tucson, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Another twelve say a new circuit is a separate electrical permit that the example does not include: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami, San Antonio, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Louisville, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Albuquerque and Long Beach. Indianapolis says a circuit of up to 60 A is covered by the heating and cooling permit. Six examples also add a gas charge: Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Dallas, Jacksonville and Albuquerque. In Seattle that gas piping permit is Public Health Seattle and King County's, not SDCI's, at $137 plus $27 per outlet. So the totals are not the same bundle: San Jose's $840 and San Francisco's $595 include a second permit, while Cincinnati's $554 does not and Houston's $138, Los Angeles's $108 and Fort Worth's $56 do not either. An electrical permit when included is priced at $63 minimum in Philadelphia, $141.50 in Pittsburgh, $194.88 in Portland, $85 in St. Louis and $315 in San Jose.
Surcharges, plan review and test fees move the total
Surcharges and fixed charges sit on top of the base fee in many cities: Portland's 12% Oregon surcharge, Seattle's 5% technology fee, San Antonio's two 4% surcharges, Cincinnati's five surcharges of about $11 per $100, Milwaukee's 1.6% surcharge and $25 processing fee, Philadelphia's $3 city and $4.50 state surcharges, Baltimore's $25 application fee and 5% Building Code Permit Tax, Miami's $40 application fee, Fort Worth's $33.08 application fee and $16.87 technology fee, Sacramento's 10% technology surcharge, General Plan fee and business operations tax, Long Beach's $115 processing fee and San Jose's $211 processing line. Plan review is a separate charge where plans are reviewed: Long Beach's $216 minimum plan check and $110 energy plan check are most of its $541, Phoenix adds a 100% residential plan review above $5,000 and Albuquerque adds 25% of the permit fee only when plans are required. Energy-code testing is its own cost: San Diego, Long Beach and Sacramento require HERS verification, Dallas and Minneapolis a duct blaster test, and Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Chicago a Manual J or load calculation. Starting without a permit costs more: Baltimore adds the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the permit fee, San Antonio doubles the permit fee, Phoenix charges at least $250 plus a doubled fee, San Jose two times the plan review and inspection cost, and Long Beach, Albuquerque and Cincinnati an investigation fee equal to the permit fee.
Who may pull it: an owner in 15 cities, conditions in 10, a licensed contractor only in 5
Fifteen pages say an owner may pull the permit, usually with a condition: Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Portland, Dallas, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Sacramento, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Tucson, Kansas City and Long Beach. The conditions include 12 months of residence in Los Angeles, San Jose and Sacramento, a homestead in Dallas and Fort Worth, a deed and homestead proof in Jacksonville, a recorded owner who is not an LLC in Portland, an owner who lives in the home in Kansas City (single-family only), Tucson, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Miami, and an owner affidavit or verification form in Tucson, Kansas City and San Diego. Ten are limited or unclear: Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Louisville, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. They include Indianapolis's written board approval and homeowner exam, St. Louis's knowledge check and EPA certification for refrigerant, Minneapolis's bar on gas-fired equipment, San Francisco's stand-alone single-family house, Chicago's once-a-year owner-as-contractor rule and Phoenix's gas carve-out, while Houston, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati leave the owner route open. Five pages say only a licensed contractor may: New York, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Albuquerque. Seattle's page does not restrict who applies for the mechanical permit.
Where the city's documents disagree or the page calls the figure an estimate
New York: 1 RCNY 101-14 exempts packaged units up to 5 tons in a 1-2 family home, while the page says NYC311 requires a permit above 3 tons. Houston: The page prices a complete system per ton and an alteration at 2% of cost (about $201 on $6,000) without saying which line a like-for-like replacement uses, and the homeowner route is only 'in some instances'. Miami: The City Code prints 0.50 without a percent sign and the page reads it as one-half of one percent; the county code-compliance surcharge rate is not stated, so every total is an about figure. San Jose: The page calls $840 a rough total, adds the $211 processing line only for counter-filed permits and says the online checkout shows the exact amount. Charlotte: The page says a change-out bought outside TIP is charged double and also 2 times the maximum permit fee, and gives the electrical sub-permit and the total as about and roughly figures. San Francisco: The page says a heat pump conversion with wiring past 10 devices is roughly $710, but $290 plus the $450 electrical line for 11 to 20 devices is $740. Baltimore: Section 109 has no separate heat-pump line, so the page reads a heat pump or mini-split under the air-conditioning rate and says DHCD sets the final classification. Fort Worth: The page says the $16.87 technology fee is listed for all applications and permits, but its worked examples show the job with and without it (about $56 or about $73). Milwaukee: MCO 200-24-1.5-f-4 and the DNS homeowner page exempt non-gas appliance replacements including air conditioners, while the DNS checklist lists Air conditioner: Yes. Louisville: The page could not confirm whether Construction Review issues an HVAC permit to an owner or whether the HVAC permit covers a new circuit, and tells the reader to ask. St. Louis: The page says to ask which line the Mechanical Section applies ($65 as a combination or $105 as separate items), puts the circuit total at about $150 to $190, and notes an older 1992 chapter that still mentions a $25,000 minor-repair threshold. Pittsburgh: PLI's permitting page puts attached single- and two-family dwellings in the commercial category with a $605 minimum base fee, and its licensing rules conflict with its EZ page on whether a homeowner may do the work. Cincinnati: The HVAC handout does not say whether the department issues a mechanical permit to an owner, so the page tells the reader to ask the Permit Center. Long Beach: These are the fees before 2026-10-01; the Council approved a new schedule on 2026-09-08, effective 2026-10-01, not yet posted. The table flags these rows rather than resolving them.
Method
The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor and owner-builder rules, each fetched and quoted on the city's HVAC permit page. The status in the table is the band of the city page's own worked example for a new central system or a full replacement, using the total the page states and every city fee the example bundles; the job differs by city and the cell says what it is. Where a page also gives a figure for a smaller or different job, the cell notes it and the status does not use it. The swap column is what the page says a like-for-like furnace or AC change-out costs in city fees, with $0 meaning the page exempts that equipment. The pricing and owner columns are the page's fee section and scenario table, and the owner counts come from its licensing paragraph. Contractors' own prices, engineers' and architects' drawing fees, HERS raters and utility charges are never included. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code or another city's schedule; where a city's documents disagree or a page calls a figure an estimate, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.
BuildPermitGuide, “How Much Does an HVAC Permit Cost? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/hvac-permit-fees/Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.
Frequently asked questions
The city pages behind this table
Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.
- Albuquerque, NM
- Baltimore, MD
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tucson, AZ
Related: Do you need a permit to replace a furnace or AC · HVAC Permit Guide · How much does a building permit cost · Electrical panel permit fees compared · HVAC permits in all 50 cities · Which cities changed their permit fees in 2026 · Permit fee change log · Open data exports