FAQs

Orange County Environmental Protection Division is implementing certain non-wetland natural resource permitting fees. The affected permit types include:

• Lakeshore Protection
• Boat Dock Construction
• Boat Ramp Construction
• Shoreline Alteration, including hardening
• Shoreline Alteration, including dredging

Wetland impact permit application fees were reviewed and updated separately in 2024 as part of the County’s Wetland Code update.

The affected fees had not been reviewed or updated since 2007. The previous fees no longer reflected the County’s cost to provide permit review, inspections, coordination, public hearings and compliance services.

The updated fees are based on a cost-of-service analysis. The study used real permit case studies and staff input across all review levels. Staff hours for each permit type were quantified to determine the estimated cost of processing each permit.

The analysis considered the staff time and services required to process each permit type, including:

• Application review
• Site inspections
• Staff coordination
• Public hearings, when applicable
• Compliance monitoring

Fees for the affected permit types range from $717 to $2,546 starting October 1, 2026, and $1,308 to $4,910 starting October 1, 2027, depending on permit type.

Because the fees had not been updated since 2007, the previous amounts no longer reflected the staff time and resources needed to provide these services.

The updated fees are being phased in over a two-year period beginning Oct. 1, 2026. The second phase takes effect Oct. 1, 2027.

Natural resource permitting helps protect Orange County’s lakes, shorelines and other environmental resources. Adequate staffing and cost recovery support timely permit review, compliance monitoring and enforcement.

The fee update is intended to strengthen the County’s ability to provide permitting and compliance services that support environmental protection.

Peer counties charge a wide range of fees, from nominal amounts to several thousand dollars depending on project scope. Orange County’s fees fall within this range and reflect the County’s more rigorous environmental review process.