Master Fee Schedule

Pursuant to California law, the City of South Pasadena charges fees to recover the cost of services that provide a direct, identifiable benefit to specific individuals or groups, such as building permits, development entitlements, plan review, recreation programs, facility rentals, encroachment permits, police records and reports, and fire inspections, among others.  The cost recovery level for each fee type is pursuant to the City Council adopted User Fee and Service Charge Recovery Policy that provides a framework for setting, reviewing, and administering user fees and service charges. It is grounded in California constitutional and statutory authority, including Proposition 218, the Mitigation Fee Act, and Government Code Section 54985 et seq., and is consistent with Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) best practices.

City Council adopted on May 6, 2026, Resolution No. 8000 with the new User Fee schedule for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 effective July 6, 2026.

FY 2026-2027 User Fee Schedule(PDF, 396KB)

2026 User Fee Report

The City of South Pasadena engaged Willdan Financial Services to determine the full costs incurred by the City to support the various activities for which the City charges user fees. As the City of South Pasadena seeks to efficiently manage limited resources and adequately respond to increased service demands, it needs a variety of tools. A user fee study provides assurance that the City has the best information and the best resources available to make sound decisions, fairly and legitimately set fees, maintain compliance with state law and local policies, and meet the needs of the City administration and its constituency.

South Pasadena User Fee Report(PDF, 1MB)

Business License Fees

Adopted in 2010, Resolution No. 7105 establishes the Business License Fees. Most activities conducted within the City with continuing and regular basis are considered engaging in business and subject to business tax. All persons or companies conducting business within the City limits of South Pasadena are required to obtain a city business license. This includes but is not limited to retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, service providers, professionals, non-profit organizations, independent contractors, home businesses and residential landlords renting three or more units. Please contact HdL for more information at 626-403-7258 or visit https://southpasadena.hdlgov.com/. 

Fiscal Year 2026-2027 User Fee Schedule