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Do I need a permit to replace my furnace or AC? The rule in 14 cities, and how many get filed

Yes, almost everywhere. In 13 of the 14 cities whose building rules we read, replacing a furnace, air conditioner or heat pump needs a permit; the exempt lists stop at portable units, small parts and, in Austin, duct runs. Naperville is the one exception we found, for an in-kind swap. The permit counts show how routine it is: Columbus filed 21,342 HVAC permits in three years and Colorado Springs 22,485.

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. Counts are HVAC permits in the city's file over three years to September 2026; "usual days" is the typical time from issue to final inspection.

City The rule HVAC permits Usual days to final
Columbus, OH "Replace a furnace or AC unit": permit, no plan review 21,342 115
Colorado Springs, CO (Pikes Peak Regional) Lists air conditioning and furnaces as projects that need a permit; "minor plumbing and heating repairs" generally do not 22,485 21
Austin, TX Exempt: "A portable cooling unit", a minor part, "Replacing supply and return duct runs". The unit itself is not exempt 18,237 118
Cary, NC "Heating and cooling systems and/or components", including furnaces, air handlers, condensing units and heat pumps 9,909 29
Sacramento County, CA "Residential heating and cooling (new install or replacement)", issued over the counter online 7,937 56
Bellevue, WA "A permit is required for installing, moving or replacing a furnace and/or heat pump", and for duct extensions or replacements 5,650 76
Elk Grove, CA Exempt only: portable units and "Replacement of any part that does not alter its approval or make it unsafe" 4,434 50
Arlington County, VA "Replacements or extensions of existing systems can provide mechanical plans or a Mechanical Plan Review Waiver" 2,807 148
Citrus Heights, CA "AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATING (New or replacement)" and "FURNACE REPLACEMENT": permit yes 2,212 62
San Diego, CA "installing HVAC systems, requires a permit" 1,839 103
Anaheim, CA "Add, replace or move registers, ducts or mechanical equipment" (2014 handout) 1,415 64
Palo Alto, CA "A permit is required when replacing existing and installing new mechanical equipment" (2015 handout) 938 69

The exception: Naperville, Illinois says a "New Furnace or A/C unit" needs a permit but an in-kind replacement does not (Guide to Building Permits, revised October 2022). Denver also runs forced-air heating and residential A/C as same-day quick permits, and says replacement equipment "must meet current energy code efficiency standards, verified at inspection".

What happens if you skip it

  • Colorado Springs area: Pikes Peak Regional issues a stop work order until the permit is pulled and files a "Certificate of Alleged Non-compliance" against the property with the county Clerk and Recorder.
  • Palo Alto: work started before the permit carries "an additional penalty fee equal to the amount of the permit fee".
  • Seattle: "If you build without a permit, you may be fined up to $500 per day."
  • Arlington County: "Failure to obtain the required permit is a violation of the law."

More on fixing it after the fact in permit vs no permit.

Who pulls it

The HVAC contractor, in nearly every case. Arlington County asks for "the HVAC contractor's name, address, and license" on certain projects. Owners can do their own in some places: Cary lets an owner do mechanical work on a primary residence they will live in for 12 months after, and Pikes Peak Regional issues homeowner permits only for your own home and only if you do the work, warning that "It is illegal for a homeowner to obtain a permit for a contractor hired to do the work for you." A contractor who asks you to pull the permit in your name is a reason to ask why. Our hiring an HVAC contractor guide covers the licence check.

How long it takes

The usual HVAC permit closed in 21 days in Colorado Springs, 29 in Cary and 50 in Elk Grove, against 118 in Austin and 148 in Arlington County. Finish rates vary too: 86.9% of Arlington County's HVAC permits a year or more old reached a final, against 65.7% in Columbus. Ask the contractor to book the final and send you the result.

Check it in five minutes

  1. Look for "mechanical" on your city's exempt list; if the unit is not there, it needs a permit.
  2. Ask the quote to name the permit and its fee. Our HVAC replacement cost guide shows what permitted jobs cost by city.
  3. After the install, find the permit and its final on your city's portal (how to check).

See every Columbus HVAC contractor by permits filed →

What this does not tell you

We read 14 cities' rules; your city may differ, and the Anaheim and Palo Alto handouts are from 2014 and 2015. Our HVAC counts include new installs and replacements together, and some cities file heat pumps separately. Work done without a permit leaves no record, so we cannot count it.

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 Columbus Building & Zoning Services permits on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes (the city's Accela permit layer); Pikes Peak Regional Building Department permits inside Colorado Springs city limits; City of Austin issued construction permits; Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer); Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); City of Bellevue permits on single-family homes and condo units; City of Elk Grove TRAKiT building permits on single-family, duplex, mobile-home and ADU homes; Arlington County, VA building and trade permits; City of Citrus Heights building permits on homes (the city's issued-permits layer); City of San Diego Development Services approvals; City of Anaheim Accela building permits on single-family homes and ADUs; City of Palo Alto Development Center building permits on single-family, duplex and ADU homes, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.

Questions

  • Do I need a permit to replace an AC unit or furnace with the same kind?

    In 13 of the 14 cities whose rules we read, yes. Columbus lists 'Replace a furnace or AC unit' as needing a permit but no plan review; Citrus Heights lists 'FURNACE REPLACEMENT' and new or replacement air conditioning. Naperville, Illinois is the exception: its guide says an in-kind furnace or AC replacement does not need a permit, while a new unit does.

  • Does replacing ductwork need a permit?

    It depends on the city. Austin exempts 'Replacing supply and return duct runs' at a house. Bellevue says the opposite: duct work extensions or replacements need a permit, along with 'installing, moving or replacing a furnace and/or heat pump'.

  • How long does an HVAC permit take?

    It is usually issued quickly; closing it is the slow part. The usual HVAC permit reached its final inspection in 21 days in Colorado Springs, 29 in Cary and 115 in Columbus. Sacramento County issues residential heating and cooling permits over the counter online.

  • Is a heat pump permitted the same way as a furnace or AC?

    Yes, in the cities that name it. Bellevue's rule covers 'a furnace and/or heat pump', and Cary lists heat pumps with furnaces, air handlers and condensing units. A heat pump usually also needs an electrical permit for its circuit.

  • Can a homeowner pull an HVAC permit?

    In some places, for their own home. Pikes Peak Regional (Colorado Springs) issues homeowner permits only for a primary residence you own and live in, for work you do yourself. Cary lets owners do their own mechanical work if the house stays their primary residence for 12 months after. Arlington County asks for the HVAC contractor's name, address and licence on certain projects.

Build your own list

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

Columbus, OH HVACColorado Springs HVAC & mechanicalAustin HVACSacramento County (unincorporated) HVACCary HVACBellevue HVAC & mechanicalElk Grove HVACArlington, VA HVAC

Related guides

For one city

All guides →

Sources
  1. Typical Residential Projects (BA 3/26) — City of Columbus, OH (accessed 2026-10-22)
  2. Homeowner Permits — Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (accessed 2026-10-22)
  3. Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-22)
  4. Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection (accessed 2026-10-22)
  5. Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-22)
  6. Work requiring permits — City of Bellevue, WA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  7. Do I need a building permit? — City of Elk Grove, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  8. Residential permits — Arlington County, VA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  9. Projects Requiring a Building Permit (CHB0600, rev. 08/23) — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  10. When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-22)
  11. When is a Building Permit Required (form B804, Sept 2014) — City of Anaheim, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  12. Work Exempt from Permit (rev. 05/20/2015) — City of Palo Alto, CA (accessed 2026-10-22)
  13. Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-22)
  14. Quick Permits — City and County of Denver CPD (accessed 2026-10-22)
  15. Construction Without a Permit — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-22)