Real Time Billing Explained
Real Time Billing (RTB) procedures apply to fees identified as RTB Deposit in the Planning and Building Department’s adopted Fee Schedule. RTB Deposit Fees are collected at the time of submittal along with a Cost Accounting Agreement signed by the landowner or financially responsible applicant. Unique or complex projects not identified as RTB Deposit on the Department’s adopted final fee schedule may also be converted to a monthly billing process. No work will be performed on RTB applications without a completed and signed cost accounting agreement.
RTB charges are invoiced monthly and can include the following charges:
Initial Processing Fee – Charged on the first RTB invoice to recover cost of service associated with staff costs that are not real time billed to the case. The Fee is calculated as 15% of the RTB Deposit.
Staff Hours – Work associated with the review and processing of applications will be billed at Department’s current hourly rate. Invoices will include Real Time Billing Detail listing entry date, staff’s name, hours, rate, fee amount and description of work performed.
Outside Agency – Invoice will include the following description: billing period, agency’s name, agency’s invoice number. Copies of billed Outside Agency invoices are made available in PermitSLO for registered case billing contacts.
Technology Surcharge Fee – Percentage based fee applied to services provided by the Department of Planning and Building.
Prior to the case’s first real time billing invoice, a RTB Deposit Account will be created in the amount of the RTB Deposit Fee paid. Staff will apply the RTB Deposit Account to invoiced charges until the RTB Deposit Account is depleted. Once the RTB Deposit Account balance is depleted, invoiced RTB charges will be due upon receipt of invoice. Invoices not paid prior to next month’s RTB invoice cycle (typically within 30 days), may create a case processing hold. Once a project is completed and financial case closeout has occurred, any remaining unapplied RTB Deposit Account balances will be refunded.
RTB invoices and payment receipts, including payments made from the RTB Deposit Account, are emailed automatically to the case billing contact. All registered case billing contacts can access fee and payment information, including the ability to reprint invoices, online in PermitSLO.
For information on How to Make a Payment or to make a payment, please visit our webpage Payments .
If you have any questions regarding billing procedures, please contact Planning and Building accounting staff at [email protected] or call 805-781-5600 and request to be connected.
FAQs
Real-Time Billing projects are identified in the Department Fee Schedule and require an RTB Deposit at the time of application. Please note that any project may be subject to Real-Time Billing if additional staff time is needed due to the project's complexity.
At the time you submit your application, you must provide the required RTB Deposit and signed agreement, as applicable. The agreement must be signed by either the property owner or the applicant who is financially responsible for project costs.
Your RTB Deposit will be placed in a dedicated account established specifically for your project.
Here is a list of RTB projects:
- Agricultural Offset Clearance
- Agricultural Preserve Disestablishment or Contract Cancellation
- Amendment to an Approved Land Use Permit
- Certificate of Compliance
- Condition Compliance
- Conditional Use Permit
- CEQA Initial Study
- General Plan Amendment
- LAFCO Application Review
- Lot Line Adjustment
- Minor Use Permit
- Parcel Map
- Tract Map
- Variance
The Real-Time Billing (RTB) Agreement form required for your project depends on the type of application being submitted and is included in the land division or land use permit application package required for project submittal.
The following applications require a signed Project Cost Accounting and Inspection Agreement:
- Tract Map
- Parcel Map
- Lot Line Adjustment
The following applications require a signed Cost Accounting Agreement:
- Agricultural Offset Clearance
- Agricultural Preserve Disestablishment or Contract Cancellation
- Amendment to an Approved Land Use Permit
- Certificate of Compliance
- Condition Compliance
- Conditional Use Permit
- CEQA Initial Study
- General Plan Amendment
- LAFCO Application Review
- Minor Use Permit
- Variance
If all funds in the RTB Deposit Account have been used, additional charges will be billed on a monthly basis. Payment is due upon receipt of the invoice. Failure to pay promptly may result in a hold on the processing of your project until the balance due is paid.
Initial Processing Fee
A one-time fee charged on the first RTB invoice to cover administrative and processing costs that are not billed directly to the project.
Staff Time
Invoices include the billing period, a description of work performed, the staff member's name and the date the work was completed.
Outside Agency Charges
Costs billed to the County by outside agencies that provide project review or services. Copies of outside agency invoices are available in PermitSLO for registered project contacts.
Outside Agency Administration Fee
A percentage-based fee that covers the County's cost of administering outside agency contracts and invoices.
Technology Surcharge Fee (TSF)
A Technology Surcharge Fee (TSF) is added to services and permits that the Department of Planning and Building provides.
After all project costs have been paid and the case has been financially closed, any unused funds remaining in the RTB Deposit Account will be automatically refunded.