Raleigh Water Tap & Capital Facility Fees (2026)
Raleigh Water, the City of Raleigh’s public utility, provides water and sewer to addresses inside its service area and charges a new house two kinds of one-time fees: capital facility fees for system capacity, and tap fees when city crews install the service lines. Under the FY27 Development Fee Guide (effective July 1, 2026), a home with a 5/8-inch meter pays $1,447 (water capital facility fee) + $2,223 (sewer capital facility fee) + $290 (meter) = $3,960 when the service stubs already exist. If the city must also tap the mains, add $5,756 for the 3/4-inch water service and $5,155 for the 4-inch sewer service, for $14,871. The key local limit is the road: the city does not install taps across divided roads or streets 45 feet or wider, so on those lots you cannot count on a city tap.
Official fees at a glance
The table lists every verified Raleigh Water row from the FY27 guide (pages 33 to 35). Three groups matter for a house. Capital facility fees (City Code 8-2092 and 8-2092.1) are the capacity buy-in and scale with water meter size. The sewer fee is keyed to the water meter too. Tap fees (Ordinance 8-2039) are lump-sum prices for city crews to install a water or sewer service from the main. You pay them only if the city does that work. The meter charge (City Code 8-2005) covers the meter itself. The guide says the capital facility fees are unchanged from FY26. Some other fees in the guide are indexed to construction costs, 2.43% for FY27.
| Service | Category | Fee | Meter | Amount | Basis | Effective | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer — Capacity | ||||||||
| Sewer | Capacity | Sewer Capital Facility (SCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092) | 1" | $5,558 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer | Capacity | Sewer Capital Facility (SCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092) | 3/4" | $3,335 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer | Capacity | Sewer Capital Facility (SCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092) | 5/8" | $2,223 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Sewer — Tap | ||||||||
| Sewer | Tap | Sewer Tap Fee - 4-inch sewer (installation of sewer services) | — | $5,155 | flat fee | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Capacity | ||||||||
| Water | Capacity | Water Capital Facility (WCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092.1) | 1" | $3,618 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Capacity | Water Capital Facility (WCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092.1) | 3/4" | $2,171 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Capacity | Water Capital Facility (WCF) Fee (City Code 8-2092.1) | 5/8" | $1,447 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Meter | ||||||||
| Water | Meter | Water Meter Charge (City Code 8-2005) | 1" | $420 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Meter | Water Meter Charge (City Code 8-2005) | 5/8" | $290 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water — Tap | ||||||||
| Water | Tap | Water Tap Fee - installation of water services (Ordinance 8-2039) | 1" | $6,032 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Tap | Water Tap Fee - 3/4-inch split water (new application) | 3/4" | $859 | flat fee | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
| Water | Tap | Water Tap Fee - installation of water services (Ordinance 8-2039) | 3/4" | $5,756 | by meter size | 2026-07-01 | Official source | 2026-09-24 |
Worked example: a new single-family home
Assumptions: one detached house on a street narrower than 45 feet and not divided, domestic water only, the FY27 guide in effect. The cases differ by whether service stubs exist and by meter size.
Raleigh Water FY27 one-time charges for one house, by scenario (source: City of Raleigh Development Fee Guide FY27, effective July 1, 2026).
| Charge | A. Subdivision lot, stubs in place, 5/8″ meter | B. Infill lot, city installs both taps, 5/8″ meter | C. Infill lot, city installs both taps, 1″ meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water capital facility fee | $1,447 | $1,447 | $3,618 |
| Sewer capital facility fee | $2,223 | $2,223 | $5,558 |
| Water tap (city-installed service) | not charged | $5,756 (3/4″ service) | $6,032 (1″ service) |
| Sewer tap (4″ service) | not charged | $5,155 | $5,155 |
| Meter charge | $290 | $290 | $420 |
| Total | $3,960 | $14,871 | $20,783 |
The arithmetic: A is $1,447 + $2,223 + $290 = $3,960. B adds the two taps: $3,960 + $5,756 + $5,155 = $14,871. C is $3,618 + $5,558 + $6,032 + $5,155 + $420 = $20,783.
In case B, roughly three quarters of the bill ($10,911 of $14,871) is installation, not capacity. That is why the same house can cost about $11,000 less in city fees on a subdivision lot where the developer already built the stubs. Scenario B also assumes a 5/8-inch meter on the 3/4-inch city-installed service line. The guide prices taps by service size and meters by meter size, and we read it that way. Confirm the pairing with Raleigh Water if your plans call for something else.
A 3/4-inch meter falls between the two. Its capital facility fees are $2,171 (water) and $3,335 (sewer), $5,506 together. The FY27 guide lists no meter charge for a 3/4-inch meter, so ask Raleigh Water what it will bill before you budget that size. For a lawn system, a 3/4-inch split water tap is $859 on a new application and $1,775 on an existing one.
What these fees don’t include
None of Raleigh’s charges pay for the private pipe on your lot. After the city’s work ends at the stub, a contractor still has to connect the house:
- Water service line from meter to house: $30 to $150 per foot, about $50 typical (national estimate).
- Sewer lateral from the house to the stub: $50 to $250 per foot, about $100 typical (national estimate).
- Trenching: $4 to $15 per foot in normal soil, about $8 typical (national estimate), and several times more in rock.
- Street crossing where the city will not tap (divided roads, streets 45 feet or wider): a bore or open cut runs $1,000 to $10,000 per crossing, about $4,000 typical (national estimate), plus the contractor’s tap work.
- Plumbing permit: $100 to $1,300, about $300 typical (national estimate).
A house set 70 feet back with typical conditions would add roughly 70 × $50 = $3,500 for water and 70 × $100 = $7,000 for sewer, before trenching. Those figures come from our national benchmark set, not from Raleigh. Build your own total with the calculator:
Estimate utility connection costs
Estimates are planning figures, not quotes. Confirm fees and trench rules with your utility.
How and when you pay
The FY27 guide sets the prices. It does not print one universal payment moment for every fee, so confirm timing with Raleigh Water when you apply. What the guide does say:
- City crews install taps only where the road allows. Across a divided road or a street 45 feet or wider, the city will not tap, so ask Raleigh Water how the service must be installed.
- The city sets the meter. If crews arrive and the service stub is missing or substandard, Raleigh charges a separate $50 “Not Ready” fee.
- Capital facility fees apply to new connections by meter size. A sewer-only connection pays $2,223 per 4-inch sewer service.
Changes to watch
Raleigh issues the Development Fee Guide by fiscal year, so the next edition would cover FY28, starting July 1, 2027. Capital facility fees held flat for FY27. Indexed fees rose 2.43%. We track the guide and will update the rows here when the new edition is posted.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to connect a new house to Raleigh water and sewer?
City fees under the FY27 guide range from $3,960 for a lot with existing stubs and a 5/8-inch meter to $14,871 when the city installs both taps. With a 1-inch meter and city taps, the total is $20,783. Private plumbing from the stub to the house is extra.
What is Raleigh’s capital facility fee?
It is a one-time capacity charge under City Code 8-2092 (sewer) and 8-2092.1 (water). For a 5/8-inch meter in FY27 it is $1,447 for water and $2,223 for sewer. The sewer fee also scales with the water meter size.
Will the City of Raleigh install my water tap?
Usually, for a lump-sum tap fee of $5,756 for a 3/4-inch water service and $5,155 for a 4-inch sewer service. The city does not tap across divided roads or streets 45 feet or wider. In those cases, ask Raleigh Water how the connection must be made.
Did Raleigh’s water fees go up in 2026?
The capital facility fees did not change from FY26 to FY27. Some other fees in the guide are indexed to construction costs, and that index rose 2.43% for FY27.
What is the $50 Not Ready fee?
Raleigh Water charges it when crews come to set a meter but the service stub is missing or not built to standard. Have your plumber confirm the stub before you request the meter.
Related pages
Compare with Charlotte Water fees on the North Carolina utility connection costs hub, or see all cities in tap fees by city. Related guides: water tap fee, sewer tap fee, tap fee vs. impact fee and utility connection cost calculator.
Sources
- Development Fee Guide, FY2027 (pp. 33–35), City of Raleigh / Raleigh Water. Checked Sep 24, 2026.
- National cost estimates: Utility Cost Guide benchmark methodology.