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Permit fee estimate

estimate_permit_fee
Read-onlyIdempotent

Estimate the permit fee for a residential project based on jurisdiction, project type, and project valuation. Returns numeric breakdown when the authoritative rule has fee inputs, or qualitative feeNotes (with source URL) when the city publishes fees only as PDFs/spreadsheets. Never fabricates dollar amounts.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "jurisdictionSlug": "<jurisdictionSlug>",
      "projectType": "<projectType>",
      "valuationUsd": "<valuationUsd>"
    },
    "name": "estimate_permit_fee"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
zoneNoThe lot's zoning code, e.g. "R-20". Needed where the fee table has a column per zone (hunts-point: R-20/R-20A or R-40).
areaSqftNoSquare feet of the work. Needed where the jurisdiction charges per square foot instead of on valuation (king-county-unincorporated: deck, addition, basement conversion, ADU), or off a table by floor area (hunts-point: kitchen, bathroom, basement, addition, ADU), or values the work by floor area at its own rate instead of the cost given (woodinville: addition, ADU, at WMC Table 21.62.060; the returned valuationUsd is then that value).
projectTypeYesCanonical project type
valuationUsdYesProject valuation in USD (materials + labor)
jurisdictionSlugYesJurisdiction slug, e.g. "seattle", "bellevue", "tacoma" (use list_permit_jurisdictions to discover)

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
breakdownNo
sourceUrlNo
disclaimerNo
attributionYes
permitClassNo
projectTypeYes
jurisdictionYes
valuationUsdNo
lastVerifiedAtNoDate the permit rule row was last checked against its source. It is not a verification date for the fee schedule.
feeScheduleBasisNo"city-adopted-schedule" when the figure walks the city's own adopted fee schedule; "wa-baseline-table" when it walks the standard valuation table most Washington cities adopt by reference, which is NOT that city's published fee; "none" when no figure was computed (qualitativeFeeNotes and sourceUrl carry the fee).
qualitativeFeeNotesNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / areaSqft / description
      Previous value: -"Square feet of the work. Needed where the jurisdiction charges per square foot instead of on valuation (king-county-unincorporated: deck, addition, basement conversion, ADU), or off a table by floor area (hunts-point: kitchen, bathroom, basement, addition, ADU)."New value: +"Square feet of the work. Needed where the jurisdiction charges per square foot instead of on valuation (king-county-unincorporated: deck, addition, basement conversion, ADU), or off a table by floor area (hunts-point: kitchen, bathroom, basement, addition, ADU), or values the work by floor area at its own rate instead of the cost given (woodinville: addition, ADU, at WMC Table 21.62.060; the returned valuationUsd is then that value)."
  2. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / citeAs / description
      Previous value: -"Ready-made citation line. Use verbatim."New value: +"Citation line; use verbatim."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / primarySource / description
      Previous value: -"Present when Kolmo verified but does not author the fact — cite both."New value: +"Kolmo verified, did not author: cite both."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / sourceUrl / description
      Previous value: -"The specific page these facts render on. Link this, not the site root."New value: +"The page to link, not the site root."
  3. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / areaSqft
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "Square feet of the work. Needed where the jurisdiction charges per square foot instead of on valuation (king-county-unincorporated: deck, addition, basement conversion, ADU), or off a table by floor area (hunts-point: kitchen, bathroom, basement, addition, ADU).",
      +  "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
      +  "type": "number"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / zone
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "The lot's zoning code, e.g. \"R-20\". Needed where the fee table has a column per zone (hunts-point: R-20/R-20A or R-40).",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
  4. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / feeScheduleBasis / description
      Previous value: -"\"city-adopted-schedule\" when the figure walks the city's own adopted fee schedule; \"wa-baseline-table\" when it walks the standard valuation table most Washington cities adopt by reference, which is NOT that city's published fee."New value: +"\"city-adopted-schedule\" when the figure walks the city's own adopted fee schedule; \"wa-baseline-table\" when it walks the standard valuation table most Washington cities adopt by reference, which is NOT that city's published fee; \"none\" when no figure was computed (qualitativeFeeNotes and sourceUrl carry the fee)."
  5. Changed4 schema fields changed
    • removedInput schema / $schema
      Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
    • removedOutput schema / $schema
      Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
    • removedOutput schema / additionalProperties
      Removed value: -true
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / additionalProperties
      Removed value: -true
  6. Changed2 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / feeScheduleBasis
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "\"city-adopted-schedule\" when the figure walks the city's own adopted fee schedule; \"wa-baseline-table\" when it walks the standard valuation table most Washington cities adopt by reference, which is NOT that city's published fee.",
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / lastVerifiedAt / description
      Previous value: -"Verification date for the fee schedule. Relay it with the figure."New value: +"Date the permit rule row was last checked against its source. It is not a verification date for the fee schedule."
  7. Changed6 schema fields changed
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / contractorLicense
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / note
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / organization
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / retrievedFrom
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / attribution / properties / url
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / attribution / required
      Previous value: -[
      -  "organization",
      -  "contractorLicense",
      -  "url",
      -  "sourceUrl",
      -  "citeAs",
      -  "retrievedFrom",
      -  "note"
      -]New value: +[
      +  "sourceUrl",
      +  "citeAs"
      +]
  8. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
      +  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
      +  "additionalProperties": true,
      +  "properties": {
      +    "attribution": {
      +      "additionalProperties": true,
      +      "properties": {
      +        "citeAs": {
      +          "description": "Ready-made citation line. Use verbatim.",
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "contractorLicense": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "note": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "organization": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "primarySource": {
      +          "description": "Present when Kolmo verified but does not author the fact — cite both.",
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "retrievedFrom": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "sourceUrl": {
      +          "description": "The specific page these facts render on. Link this, not the site root.",
      +          "type": "string"
      +        },
      +        "url": {
      +          "type": "string"
      +        }
      +      },
      +      "required": [
      +        "organization",
      +        "contractorLicense",
      +        "url",
      +        "sourceUrl",
      +        "citeAs",
      +        "retrievedFrom",
      +        "note"
      +      ],
      +      "type": "object"
      +    },
      +    "breakdown": {},
      +    "disclaimer": {},
      +    "jurisdiction": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "lastVerifiedAt": {
      +      "description": "Verification date for the fee schedule. Relay it with the figure."
      +    },
      +    "permitClass": {},
      +    "projectType": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "qualitativeFeeNotes": {},
      +    "sourceUrl": {},
      +    "valuationUsd": {}
      +  },
      +  "required": [
      +    "jurisdiction",
      +    "projectType",
      +    "attribution"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "object"
      +}
  9. Added

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The description adds meaningful behavior beyond the read-only and idempotent annotations: it explains that results may be a numeric breakdown or qualitative feeNotes with a source URL, and that it never fabricates dollar amounts. This is valuable transparency about output variability and limitations, though it does not discuss permissions, rate limits, or estimation confidence.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is three tight sentences, front-loads the purpose, and then states the return behavior and the no-fabrication constraint. Every sentence carries useful information with no wasted wording.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a read-only estimation tool with a full input schema, output schema, and annotations covering safety, the description is largely complete. It explains the key output variability and fallback behavior, though it could add explicit sibling routing guidance for discovery or rule-detail cases.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the detailed meanings of zone, areaSqft, projectType, valuationUsd, and jurisdictionSlug are already documented. The description only restates the three main inputs and adds no additional parameter interpretation beyond what the schema provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb and resource: 'Estimate the permit fee for a residential project,' and names the basis inputs. It is clearly distinct in substance from sibling tools like check_permit_requirements or get_permit_rule_details, but it does not explicitly name an alternative or sibling to differentiate itself.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied by the purpose: use this when you need a residential permit fee estimate from jurisdiction, project type, and valuation. There is no explicit when-to-use versus alternatives guidance, no exclusions, and no recommendation to resolve jurisdiction first despite the schema mentioning list_permit_jurisdictions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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