2026 GUIDE • WASHINGTON DC

How much does a campus plan application cost in Washington DC in 2026

Institutions filing a campus plan in Washington DC generally pay $5,000 – $25,000 or more in application and review fees in 2026, with the total scaling to the campus’s size, proposed gross floor area, and the complexity of the hearing and agency referral process.

A campus plan is the long-range land-use framework for a university, hospital, or large institutional campus. It is the heaviest category in the zoning process, and its fees reflect that. This is not a homeowner-scale filing; it is the zoning equivalent of a master plan.

Cost breakdown (2026)

Fee component	Typical 2026 cost
Campus plan application / filing fee	$5,000 – $15,000
Plan review, referral, and hearing costs	$1,500 – $6,000
Notice, posting, and public outreach	$500 – $2,500
Consultants (planner, traffic, counsel)	$10,000 – $100,000+
DOB building permits for phase projects	$1,000 – $10,000+
Technology fee (10%)	~10% of DOB permit fee
Enhancement fee (6%)	~6% of DOB permit fee
Typical application total (excl. consultants)	$5,000 – $25,000

Campus plans often bundle individual building projects that each need their own permit — see DC building permit costs. For the weighted process behind large institutional projects, see DC PUD application costs.

What affects the price

• Campus size and enrollment. Larger institutions file larger, more complex plans with more referral agencies.
• Proposed gross floor area. New square footage drives review depth and later building permits.
• Hearing complexity. Multiple interventions and a long calendar raise cost and time.
• Traffic and environmental analysis. Required studies are often the biggest consultant line.
• Historic resources. Campus landmarks add preservation review.
• Phasing length. A plan covering ten or twenty years gets more scrutiny than a shorter horizon.
• Transportation demand management. Required trip-reduction programs add planning cost.
• Neighborhood agreements. Community benefits negotiated in writing become part of the case record.

How the fee is calculated

The campus plan application is priced by the zoning case fee schedule for major filings, while each construction permit that implements the plan uses the DOB formula:

1. Filing fee: roughly $32 per permit.
2. Base permit fee: tiered by declared construction value — roughly $148 for the first $1,000, then about $10 per additional $1,000. Minimum flat tiers run around $33 – $65.
3. 10% technology fee on the permit fee.
4. 6% enhancement fee on the permit fee.
5. Zoning fee where a zoning review applies.

For institutions, the pattern matters: campus plan fees are large and case-based; building permit fees scale with each project’s declared construction value.

Institutionally, the campus plan fee is a rounding error next to the consultant budget. Planners, traffic engineers, and counsel routinely run into six figures, and the hearing calendar can stretch across multiple semesters.

Plan for phasing. Most campus plans are approved with conditions that unfold over years, and each phase then pulls its own permits, inspections, and closeouts.

Two practical notes. First, campus plans are typically revisited on a fixed cycle, so today’s approval is not permanent. Second, individual buildings still face design review and full DOB permitting, which keeps a steady stream of fees long after the plan is won.

Timeline & steps

1. Pre-file coordination. Engage the Office of Planning and ANC early and assemble the plan.
2. File the campus plan. Submit through the District’s case system with the application fee.
3. Agency referral and review. Multiple agencies comment; expect 3 – 6 months.
4. Public hearings. ANC and commission review, then the zoning body hearing.
5. Decision and conditions. Approvals carry long-term conditions on uses, hours, and mitigation.
6. Implement in phases. Each project then pulls its own DOB permits.

Common mistakes

• Filing before community engagement. Late outreach invites organized opposition.
• Underestimating the calendar. Campus plans routinely take a year or more.
• Ignoring referral agency comments. Unaddressed comments prolong the case.
• Forgetting per-project permits. The plan is the framework, not the construction permit.

FAQ

Who needs a campus plan?

Institutions such as universities and hospitals that occupy a defined campus and seek long-range zoning approval for their development.

How long does approval take?

Typically 9 – 18 months from filing to decision, depending on complexity and community input.

Does the plan approve individual buildings?

It sets the framework and envelope. Individual buildings still need their own design review and DOB permits.

Are fees based on enrollment or square footage?

Case fees are largely fixed by the filing category, but the scope of review — and later permit fees — scale with size and square footage.

Does the 10% technology fee and 6% enhancement fee apply?

They apply to the DOB construction permits implementing the plan, not to the campus plan application fee itself.

Disclaimer

Figures on this page are 2026 estimates based on the DC Department of Buildings fee schedule and zoning case fee tables. Fee schedules change; always verify current amounts with DOB and the Office of Planning before filing. This article is informational and is not legal or financial advice.