The rule in 11 cities, with their permit counts
Rules from each city's own page, read 23 October 2026. Counts are all plumbing permits in the city's file over three years to September 2026 (water heaters and new fixtures included; several cities file sewer work with plumbing, as labelled); "usual days" is the typical time from issue to final inspection.
| City | No permit for… | Needs a permit | Plumbing permits | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Stopping leaks; clearing stoppages without replacing "valves, pipes, or fixtures" | A defective trap, drain, soil, waste or vent pipe that must be removed "and replace the same with new material" | 23,406 | 75 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Repairing "Broken drain, waste and vent pipes" and "Leaking fixtures and water pipes" | Work that alters or replaces "the existing water supply line or plumbing piping system" | 20,012 | 113 |
| Saint Paul, MN | — | "Work on electrical, plumbing, piping ... requires trade permits" | 9,237 | 126 |
| Naperville, IL | "The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures" | "the installation or replacement of any trap, drain pipe, water, soil, waste or vent pipe"; "Replacing water or sewer service lines" | 209 (plumbing and sewer) | 360 |
| Anaheim, CA | — | "Re-pipes"; "Add, replace or move plumbing lines or plumbing fixtures" | 720 (plumbing and repipe) | 20 |
| Cary, NC | "Replacement of plumbing fixtures when the work does not change the design or capacity" | Adding or relocating water lines, sewer lines, hose bibs and fixtures | 827 | 10 |
| Sacramento County (unincorporated) | — | "Sewer (new or replacement)"; sewer line repair or replacement is issued online once paid | 1,506 (plumbing and sewer) | 8 |
| Citrus Heights, CA | "TOILET REPLACEMENTS (toilet only)" | "WATER LINES (New, replacement or repair)" and sewer lines, the same | 420 (plumbing and sewer) | 14 |
| Elk Grove, CA | "The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures" | Replacing a concealed pipe: "such work shall be considered as new work" | 875 (plumbing and sewer) | 23 |
| San Diego County (unincorporated) | Stopping a leak; same-spot toilet, faucet or showerhead on the service side of the shut-off valve | A defective concealed pipe removed and replaced "shall be considered new work and require a permit" | 1,421 | 62 |
| Bellevue, WA | "replacing a fixture with a similar fixture in the same location" | A new or moved fixture needing new water lines, drains or vents; any side sewer repair | 1,727 | 190 |
Two more, without plumbing counts in our file: Denton requires a permit "if a water or drain line is cut to make a repair or if parts are replaced", and Denver issues "Water service" work as a plumbing quick permit.
Repair or new work?
The question every one of these rules turns on is whether pipe gets cut out and replaced. Clearing a drain, stopping a leak or replacing the internal parts of a faucet or valve is repair (Austin, Naperville and Minneapolis list these as exempt). Cutting out a defective section, replacing a drain or service line, rerouting supply lines or repiping the house is new work. Water heaters have their own rules; see do I need a permit for a water heater.
What happens if you skip it
- Palo Alto: "an additional penalty fee equal to the amount of the permit fee shall be assessed".
- Seattle: fines of "up to $500 per day" for building without a permit.
A repipe without a permit leaves no inspection behind the walls once they are closed. More in permit vs no permit.
Who pulls it
The plumber, in most cities. San Diego County's fixture exemption applies only when the work is done "by the building owner or a plumbing contractor licensed by the State of California", and its water-heater exemption only by a licensed plumbing contractor. Cary lets owners do their own plumbing if the house stays their primary residence for 12 months after. Saint Paul requires a separate plumbing trade permit on top of any building permit. Hiring a plumber and plumber vs handyman cover the license check.
How long it takes
Plumbing permits close quickly in some cities and slowly in others: the usual one took 8 days in Sacramento County, 10 in Cary and 20 in Anaheim, against 190 in Bellevue and 360 in Naperville. Finish rates run from 92.2% in Cary to 62.8% in San Diego County. Ask for the final before you close the walls.
Check it in five minutes
- Decide which it is: a leak or clog (repair) or pipe being cut out and replaced (new work).
- Ask the plumber whether a permit is included in the quote and who schedules the inspection.
- For a repipe, ask for the permit number before drywall comes off, and the final before it goes back on.
See every Minneapolis plumber by permits filed and finished →
What this does not tell you
We read 13 departments' rules. Our counts are all plumbing permits, not repairs or repipes alone, and repairs done under an exemption leave no record. Gas piping has its own permit rules; Bellevue and Denver list it separately.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the pages under Sources, read 23 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); City of Saint Paul building and trade permits (the City's old approved-permits file up to June 2025, and the City's PAULIE permit system since September 2025), with the contractor named on each permit; City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records); City of Anaheim Accela building permits on single-family homes and ADUs; Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer); City of Citrus Heights building permits on homes (the city's issued-permits layer); City of Elk Grove TRAKiT building permits on single-family, duplex, mobile-home and ADU homes; San Diego County Planning & Development Services building permits on homes in the unincorporated county (the County's open-data permit, contractor and status-history files); City of Bellevue permits on single-family homes and condo units, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to fix a leaking pipe?
Not to stop the leak. Austin, Elk Grove, Naperville and San Diego County exempt repairing leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures. But if a concealed pipe is defective and has to be cut out and replaced, Elk Grove says 'such work shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be obtained', and Austin and San Diego County say the same.
- Do I need a permit to repipe a house?
Yes. Anaheim lists 'Re-pipes' as permit work, Citrus Heights says YES for water lines 'New, replacement or repair', and Naperville requires a permit for 'the installation or replacement of any trap, drain pipe, water, soil, waste or vent pipe'. A whole-house repipe replaces all of that.
- Do I need a permit to replace a toilet or faucet?
Usually not in the same spot. Citrus Heights says no for 'TOILET REPLACEMENTS (toilet only)', Minneapolis exempts sink faucets and toilets if you do not alter the supply line or piping, and Cary exempts fixture replacement 'when the work does not change the design or capacity'. San Diego County limits its exemption to work on the service side of the shut-off valve and outside wall cavities.
- Do I need a permit to replace a sewer line?
Yes. Naperville requires one for 'Replacing water or sewer service lines', Citrus Heights for sewer lines 'New, replacement or repair', and Bellevue for any 'minor repair of, replacement of, revision of' a side sewer. Sacramento County issues residential sewer line repair or replacement permits online automatically once paid.
- How long does a plumbing permit take?
Most are fast. The usual plumbing permit reached its final inspection in 8 days in Sacramento County, 10 in Cary and 14 in Citrus Heights, against 75 in Austin and 113 in Minneapolis.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit to replace a water heater? The rule in 12 cities, and how many get filed
- Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen? The rule in 18 cities, and what is exempt
- Do I need a permit for an electrical panel upgrade? Yes: the rule in 13 cities, and how long it takes
- Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom? The rule in 14 cities, and what is exempt
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Minneapolis? The exempt list, homeowner rule, fees and timing
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Nashville? Metro's rules for fixtures, meters and backflow
For one city
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Construction work exempt from permit — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a Building Permit Required? — City of Anaheim, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Projects Requiring a Building Permit (CHB0600, rev. 08/23) — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Do I need a building permit? — City of Elk Grove, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- PDS 110 Building Permit Requirements per Adoptive Ordinance (rev. 01/01/2026) — County of San Diego (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Work requiring permits — City of Bellevue, WA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Plumbing — City of Denton, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Quick Permits — City and County of Denver CPD (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Construction Without a Permit — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Work Exempt from Permit (rev. 05/20/2015) — City of Palo Alto, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)