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Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom? The rule in 14 cities, and what is exempt

Yes, if the remodel moves a fixture, replaces a tub or shower, or opens a wall; often no if you only retile, swap a vanity or replace a toilet or faucet in the same spot. That line holds in most of the 14 building departments whose rules we read, though four of them (Columbus, Naperville, Sacramento County and Citrus Heights) list "kitchen or bath remodel" as permit work outright. Austin filed 7,109 remodel permits in three years and Minneapolis 5,552.

By Contractor Records · data through October 17, 2026

The rule in 12 cities, with their permit counts

Rules from each city's own page, read 22 October 2026. Our files do not separate bathrooms from other remodels, so the counts are all remodel permits (kitchens, basements and alterations included) over three years to September 2026; "usual days" is the typical time from issue to final.

City Exempt Needs a permit Remodel permits Usual days to final
Austin, TX "Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops"; drywall repair to 128 sq ft, not a tub surround "a new installation or replacement of a shower, tub, or combination tub and shower" 7,109 67
Minneapolis, MN Cabinets, countertops, tile; faucets and toilets if "You do not alter or replace the existing water supply line or plumbing piping system" Any change to supply lines or piping 5,552 161
San Francisco, CA — "In-kind bathroom remodel (no change to the floor plan or walls)": over-the-counter, no plans; layout changes need plans 5,126 180
Sacramento County, CA — "Kitchen/Bath remodel" and "Shower/tub encl replacement" 2,933 85
Columbus, OH — "Kitchen or bath remodel": permit and plan review 2,621 155
Cary, NC "Replacement of plumbing fixtures when the work does not change the design or capacity"; cabinets Sinks, toilets, an exhaust fan, wall demolition or addition 1,857 84
San Diego, CA "minor renovations like painting, wallpapering and installing flooring or cabinets" A no-plan permit if nothing structural changes and "no added plumbing fixtures" 1,681 162
Naperville, IL Painting, wallpaper, carpet, trim "Remodeling of a building (i.e. kitchen, basement and bathrooms)" 1,057 175
Arlington County, VA Cabinets, non-gas appliances and fixtures "in the exact same location" Moving pipes or drywall 777 112
Citrus Heights, CA — "KITCHEN / BATH REMODEL": permit yes 713 101
Bellevue, WA "replacing a fixture with a similar fixture in the same location" Showers and bathtubs; a new or moved fixture 675 216
Denver, CO — "Showers, tubs, and sinks" and "Water closets" are quick permits 3,530 —

Two more: Seattle exempts "minor repairs or alterations that cost $6,000 or less in any 6-month period", but not work on the building envelope or load-bearing supports. Saint Paul exempts tiling, cabinets and countertops but requires trade permits for any electrical, plumbing or HVAC change.

The pattern: the building permit question is about walls and fixtures; the plumbing and electrical permits follow the pipes and wires. A bathroom that keeps its layout and only gets new surfaces is exempt in most of these cities; a new shower, a moved toilet or an added fan is not.

What happens if you skip it

  • Miami: work started before a permit is charged "two times that specified in the fee schedule, plus an additional base fee" on a homestead, four times on other property.
  • Palo Alto: "an additional penalty fee equal to the amount of the permit fee".
  • Seattle: fines of "up to $500 per day" for building without a permit.

Our permit vs no permit guide covers legalizing work after the fact and what seller forms ask.

Who pulls it

The remodeling contractor, or the plumber and electrician for their parts. Saint Paul spells out that electrical, plumbing and HVAC changes need their own trade permits on top of any building permit, so ask who pulls each. Owners can pull their own in many places: Cary lets owners do their own building, plumbing and electrical work if the house stays their primary residence for 12 months after. Our owner-builder guide and hiring a remodeling contractor cover the trade-offs.

How long it takes

Remodel permits stay open for the length of the job. The usual one closed in 67 days in Austin, 112 in Arlington County and 85 in Sacramento County, against 180 in San Francisco. Finish rates run from 90.2% in Sacramento County to 69.4% in Columbus. Tie the last payment to the final.

Check it in five minutes

  1. List what changes: surfaces only, same-spot fixtures, new shower or tub, moved plumbing, new wiring or fan.
  2. Check each item against your city's exempt list; anything past "same spot" needs a permit.
  3. Ask the contractor which permits it pulls and which the trades pull. Prices for permitted remodels are in home remodel cost.

See every Austin remodeler by permits filed and finished →

What this does not tell you

We read 14 departments' rules. Our counts are all remodel permits in each city, not bathrooms alone, and they do not include the separate plumbing and electrical permits a bathroom can need. Condos and HOAs may require their own approval.

How we know this

Rules are quoted from the pages under Sources, read 22 October 2026. Permit counts, usual days to final and finished shares come from each city's permit file over the three years ending September 2026. "Usual days" is the median from issue to final inspection; "reached a final" counts permits a year or more old.

Numbers come from City of Austin issued construction permits; City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS); San Francisco DBI building permits on one- and two-family homes, with the contractor from the city's permit contacts file; Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer); City of Columbus Building & Zoning Services permits on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes (the city's Accela permit layer); Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); City of San Diego Development Services approvals; City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records); Arlington County, VA building and trade permits; City of Citrus Heights building permits on homes (the city's issued-permits layer); City of Bellevue permits on single-family homes and condo units; City and County of Denver residential construction and demolition permits, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.

Questions

  • Do I need a permit to replace a toilet, sink or vanity?

    Usually not if it goes in the same spot. Bellevue does not require a permit 'for replacing a fixture with a similar fixture in the same location', Minneapolis exempts sink faucets and toilets if you do not alter the supply line or piping, and Arlington County exempts fixtures replaced in place. Denver is the exception: sinks and water closets are on its quick-permit list.

  • Do I need a permit to replace a bathtub or shower?

    Yes, in most of the cities we read. Austin says 'a new installation or replacement of a shower, tub, or combination tub and shower is not exempt'. Bellevue says showers and bathtubs require permits, and Sacramento County lists 'Shower/tub encl replacement'.

  • Do I need a permit to retile a bathroom?

    No, in the cities whose exempt lists we read: tiling and similar finish work is exempt in Austin, Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Elk Grove. Austin limits drywall repair to 128 square feet and excludes a tub and shower surround, so tearing out the walls around a tub is a different job.

  • How long does a bathroom remodel permit take?

    Remodel permits stay open for the whole job. The usual one reached its final in 67 days in Austin and 84 in Cary, against 161 in Minneapolis. San Francisco gives an in-kind bathroom remodel an over-the-counter permit without plans.

  • Do I need a permit to add a bathroom exhaust fan?

    In Cary, yes: 'Bathroom exhaust fan' is on its permit list. Elsewhere, the new wiring is the trigger: Bellevue requires a permit for 'adding or moving electrical circuits', and Naperville for electrical work beyond lamps and low-voltage wiring.

Build your own list

Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.

Austin remodel & repairMinneapolis remodelSan Francisco kitchen, bath & remodelSacramento County (unincorporated) remodel, addition & repairColumbus, OH remodel & alterationCary remodel & repairSan Diego remodel & alterationNaperville remodel & repair

Related guides

For one city

All guides →

Sources
  1. Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-22)
  2. Construction work exempt from permit — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-22)
  3. Projects eligible for an Over-the-Counter (OTC) permit — San Francisco DBI (accessed 2026-10-22)
  4. Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection (accessed 2026-10-22)
  5. Typical Residential Projects (BA 3/26) — City of Columbus, OH (accessed 2026-10-22)
  6. Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-22)
  7. When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-22)
  8. Information Bulletin 203: No-Plan Building Permit (July 2024) — City of San Diego (accessed 2026-10-22)
  9. Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-22)
  10. Residential permits — Arlington County, VA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  11. Projects Requiring a Building Permit (CHB0600, rev. 08/23) — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  12. Work requiring permits — City of Bellevue, WA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  13. Quick Permits — City and County of Denver CPD (accessed 2026-10-22)
  14. Do I need a building permit? — City of Elk Grove, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  15. When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-22)
  16. Do You Need a Permit? — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-22)
  17. Construction Without a Permit — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-22)
  18. City of Miami Building Permit Fee Schedule (accessed 2026-10-22)
  19. Work Exempt from Permit (rev. 05/20/2015) — City of Palo Alto, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)