Wake Forest, North Carolina - Town Development Fees
Town of Wake Forest | Wake County | Research Triangle | Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA (northern growth ring, US-1 corridor)
Wake Forest is one of the fastest-growing towns in Wake County, on the US-1 corridor north of Raleigh in the Raleigh-Cary MSA. It is unusual among North Carolina municipalities: it still administers development impact fees, running three separate programs (fire protection facility fees, recreation facility impact fees, and a newly adopted multi-modal transportation impact fee) alongside the standard schedule of rezoning, subdivision, and site plan review fees. Water and sewer are not the Town's to charge, because the City of Raleigh has owned and operated the Wake Forest water and sewer system since a July 2005 regional utility merger; the capacity fees for a Wake Forest project are Raleigh's NCGS 162A-205 System Development Fees. North Carolina does not authorize local general impact fees of the traditional kind or Virginia-style cash proffers. All amounts below are drawn from the Town of Wake Forest FY26 fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025) and the Town's impact fee pages. Verify current amounts with the Town of Wake Forest before relying on them.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development Impact Fees (fire, recreation, multi-modal transportation) | Confirmed | Fire $780.00/home; Recreation $4,370/home (single-family) and $2,528/multi-family unit; Multi-Modal Transportation 6 percent fee (Resolution 2024-78) beginning July 1, 2026 | 2025-07-01 (recreation); 2026-07-01 (transportation) |
| Zoning, Subdivision, and Site Plan Review Fees | Confirmed | Rezoning $750 + $25/acre (general) / $1,000 + $25/acre (conditional) / $2,000 + $25/acre (PUD); Special Use Permit $1,000 + $25/acre; Construction Plans $1,000 + $25/unit; Final Plat $250 + $10/lot | 2025-07-01 (FY26) |
| Utility Tap Fees (water and sewer) | Not administered | The City of Raleigh operates the water and sewer system in Wake Forest (2005 merger); capacity fees are Raleigh's NCGS 162A-205 System Development Fees. Wake Forest charges only private-system plan review ($200 each; $1.141/linear foot) | - |
| Special District Fees | Not administered | North Carolina municipal service districts (NCGS 160A Art. 23) are funded by a district property-tax levy, not a developer application fee | - |
| Proffers | Not applicable | North Carolina does not use Virginia-style cash proffers; NC conditional zoning is governed by NCGS 160D-703 | - |
Development Impact Fees
Source: Town of Wake Forest impact fee pages under Finance / Fees & Charges / Inspections Fees / Impact Fees. This is the block that most distinguishes Wake Forest from its North Carolina peers, which generally do not levy impact fees. Wake Forest runs three separate impact-fee programs, all payable at building permit issuance.
Fire Protection Facility Fees
The fire protection facility fee page carries no printed effective date; the amounts below are current as published (accessed July 2026). The unit of service is 2.74 persons per single-family detached household.
| Development Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single-family detached (per household, 2.74 persons) | $780.00 |
| Single-family attached / multi-family (per residential unit, 2.23 persons) | $681.00 |
| Commercial & Institutional (per 1,000 sq. ft.) | $1,015.00 |
| Industrial & Manufacturing (per 1,000 sq. ft.) | $762.00 |
Recreation Facility Impact Fees (effective July 1, 2025)
The recreation facility impact fee is payable at building permit issuance; land dedication and respective credits are coordinated with Community Development. The 2024 Update phases 80 percent of the increase over five years, with the adopted per-unit amounts printed through July 1, 2029.
| Effective | Single-family detached / Townhouse / Mobile home | Multi-family attached & Multi-family |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 (current) | $4,370 | $2,528 |
| July 1, 2026 | $5,049 | $2,854 |
| July 1, 2027 | $5,728 | $3,180 |
| July 1, 2028 | $6,407 | $3,506 |
| July 1, 2029 | $7,085 | $3,831 |
The prior schedule, effective July 1, 2020, was $3,691 for single-family detached and mobile home and $2,202 for single-family attached and multi-family.
Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Fee
At its December 17, 2024 meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 2024-78 adopting a Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Fee. The resolution authorizes a 6 percent fee beginning July 1, 2026, with an annual index applied starting in 2027 on a five-year rolling average. The Town page states the 6 percent figure and the resolution reference but does not publish the underlying per-unit base schedule the 6 percent applies to, so no calculated example is shown here. Developers should confirm the current calculated amount with Wake Forest Planning.
Fee authority: Town of Wake Forest (Planning, Engineering, Inspections, Finance).
Zoning, Subdivision, and Site Plan Review Fees
Source: Town of Wake Forest FY26 Planning Fees, Subdivision Review Fees, and Site Plan Review Fees, effective the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. Public notices add $1 per mailed notice and $30 per posted notice. Plans may be subject to a separate Fire Prevention Review Fee.
Rezoning and quasi-judicial petitions
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Rezoning - General | $750 + $25 per acre |
| Rezoning - Conditional Zoning | $1,000 + $25 per acre |
| Rezoning - Planned Unit Development (PUD) | $2,000 + $25 per acre |
| Rezoning - PUD / Conditional Zoning minor modification | $500.00 |
| Special Use Permit | $1,000 + $25 per acre ($500 fourth review and each thereafter) |
| Special Use Permit minor modification | $750.00 |
| Special Use Permit - Manufactured Housing Class B & C | $400.00 |
| Variance Request / Appeals / Interpretation (UDO) | $400.00 each |
Amendments, agreements, and administrative fees
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Plan Amendment - Map / Text | $1,000 each (+ consultant peer review at actual cost) |
| Text Amendment | $500.00 |
| Development Agreement | $1,000.00 |
| Annexation Petition | $300.00 |
| Administrative Modification | $250.00 per requested modification |
| Architectural Design Review | $500 (includes first 3 reviews) / $250 thereafter |
| Zoning Verification Letter | $100 per parcel |
| Telecommunications - New Facility / Small Cell (DAS) | $5,000 / $100 per facility (first 5), $50 each additional, $500 consultant review |
| Development Permits - Accessory Structure / Driveway / Fence / Home Occupation / Temporary Use | $200 / $100 / $100 / $100 / $5 |
Subdivision review
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Construction Plans (includes first 3 reviews) | $1,000 + $25 per unit ($500 fourth and thereafter) |
| Master Plan | $1,000 + $25 per unit |
| Master Plan Modification | $500.00 |
| Final Plat: Subdivision | $250 + $10 per lot |
| Final Plat: Exempt / Right-of-way / Easement Dedication | $100.00 |
Site plan review
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Construction Plan - Non-residential | $1,000 + $25 per acre |
| Construction Plan - Residential | $1,000 + $25 per acre + $25 per unit |
| Site Master Plan - Non-residential | $1,000 + $25 per acre |
| Site Master Plan - Residential | $1,000 + $25 per acre + $25 per unit |
| Site Master Plan Modification | $500.00 |
| Final Plat: Subdivision (site) | $200 + $10 per lot |
| Alternative Standards (MSSD) | $150 per requested standard |
Fee authority: Town of Wake Forest Planning, Engineering, and Inspections.
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were either closed by official-source review as not administered, or deferred to the cited source rather than estimated or omitted silently. These items remain under limited-coverage review until these gaps are closed.
Multi-modal transportation impact fee base schedule (not published)
The Town's transportation impact fee page states a 6 percent fee (Resolution 2024-78, beginning July 1, 2026) but does not publish the underlying per-unit base schedule that the 6 percent is applied to. No worked example is computed here. Confirm the current calculated amount with Wake Forest Planning.
Water and sewer System Development Fees (administered by the City of Raleigh)
The City of Raleigh owns and operates the water and sewer system serving Wake Forest under the July 2005 regional utility merger. The developer-facing water and sewer capacity fees for a Wake Forest project are Raleigh's NCGS 162A-205 System Development Fees, charged by meter size; see the Raleigh page for those amounts. Wake Forest itself charges only private water and sewer system plan-review fees ($200 for a water system plan review, $200 for a sewer system plan review, and $1.141 per linear foot for private line review), which are engineering-review charges, not a capacity or tap fee schedule. Closed-search outcome: utility tap fees are not administered by this jurisdiction.
Impact fee effective dates
The fire protection facility fee page carries no printed effective date, so those amounts are presented as current as published (accessed July 2026). The recreation facility impact fee is dated effective July 1, 2025 with an adopted five-year escalation, and the multi-modal transportation impact fee begins July 1, 2026 per Resolution 2024-78.
Special District Fees
Wake Forest publishes no per-application special-district fee. North Carolina municipal service districts (NCGS Chapter 160A, Article 23) are established by council resolution and funded by a district property-tax levy, not a developer application fee. Closed-search outcome: this fee family is not administered by this jurisdiction.
Proffers
North Carolina does not use Virginia-style cash proffers. Cash proffers are a Virginia and Maryland conditional-zoning instrument (Virginia Code Section 15.2-2303.4) with no North Carolina counterpart; NC conditional zoning is governed by NCGS Section 160D-703 and does not support that kind of monetary exaction. Closed-search outcome: this fee family does not apply to this jurisdiction.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Wake Forest - Planning, Engineering, Inspections, Finance | Rezoning, subdivision, site plan review, development impact fees (fire, recreation, multi-modal transportation), and building/engineering review fees | wakeforestnc.gov |
| City of Raleigh Public Utilities (Raleigh Water) | Water and sewer System Development Fees (NCGS 162A-205) and utility tap fees for the Wake Forest service area under the 2005 merger | raleighnc.gov |
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| Planning / Zoning Fees (FY26, beginning July 1, 2025) | Town of Wake Forest - Finance | 2026-07-28 |
| Subdivision Review Fees | Town of Wake Forest - Finance | 2026-07-28 |
| Site Plan Review Fees | Town of Wake Forest - Finance | 2026-07-28 |
| Fire Protection Facility Fees | Town of Wake Forest - Finance / Inspections | 2026-07-28 |
| Recreation Facility Fees (effective July 1, 2025) | Town of Wake Forest - Finance / Inspections | 2026-07-28 |
| Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Fee (Resolution 2024-78) | Town of Wake Forest - Finance / Inspections | 2026-07-28 |
| Water & Sewer Fees (defers to City of Raleigh) | Town of Wake Forest - Finance | 2026-07-28 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-07-29. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the Town of Wake Forest Planning, Engineering, or Finance, and water and sewer capacity fees with the City of Raleigh Public Utilities, before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from the Town of Wake Forest FY26 fee schedule (Planning, Subdivision, and Site Plan Review Fees effective July 1, 2025) and the Town's impact fee pages (fire protection facility fees, recreation facility impact fees effective July 1, 2025, and the multi-modal transportation impact fee adopted by Resolution 2024-78), as of the last-verified date above. ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. Water and sewer capacity fees for a Wake Forest project are administered by the City of Raleigh under the 2005 regional utility merger, not by the Town, and are published on the Raleigh page. The multi-modal transportation impact fee base schedule is not published by the Town (only the 6 percent factor and Resolution 2024-78), and North Carolina charges no traditional local impact fee beyond these adopted programs, no Virginia-style cash proffer, and no per-application special-district fee. Verify all current rates directly with the Town of Wake Forest before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due-diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.