What needs a permit
The Building Permits & Inspection Division's FAQ (read 23 October 2026) applies the permit rule to anyone who will "erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system". Its list of typical permit projects names these plumbing jobs:
| Plumbing job | County list | Issued online on payment? |
|---|---|---|
| Sewer line repair or replacement | "Sewer (new or replacement)" | Yes: "Residential sewer line repair or replacement" |
| Water service (meter to house) | "Water Service" | Not on the online list |
| Gas line to an appliance, grill or fireplace | "Gas Line" | Not on the online list |
| Shower or tub replacement | "Shower/tub encl replacement" | Not on the online list |
| Kitchen or bath with moved fixtures | "Kitchen/Bath remodel" | Plan review |
| Water heater | "Water Heater" | Yes, see the water heater guide |
The County's residential exempt list (GI-21) has no plumbing items at all; it covers small sheds, fences, low retaining walls, finish work and similar. The FAQ calls its list "a general guide" and points to section 105 of the California Residential Code. For a repair that is not on either list, such as swapping a faucet, call 916-875-5296 before assuming. This guide covers unincorporated areas; the incorporated cities issue their own permits.
Who can pull it
A CSLB-licensed plumber. California's plumbing classification is C-36 (CSLB Licensing Classifications); check it on Check a License. 87.4% of the 175 firms on County plumbing permits matched an active CSLB license by name. Several of the busiest filers are drain and sewer specialists or HVAC companies; the classification on the CSLB record shows what each is licensed to do.
You, as owner-builder, after signing the County's AP-16 notice: "We will not issue a building permit until you have read, initialed your understanding of each provision, signed, and returned this form". Hiring anyone other than licensed contractors on $500 or more of work may make you an "employer" under state and federal law.
Inspections
Book online, on 916-875-5296 or by text to 855-280-5383, by 5 p.m. for the next day (Scheduling Inspections). The plumbing codes on the County list a house job is likely to use:
| Code | Inspection |
|---|---|
| 341 | Sewer |
| 342 | Water Service |
| 356 | Underfloor Plumbing |
| 344 | Top out Plumbing |
| 347 | Gas Piping |
| 352 / 353 | Gas Pressure Test / Gas Tag number ("auto added together") |
| 349 | Backflow Protection |
| 390 | Misc Plumbing |
| 399 | Final Plumbing |
The FAQ's rule: "Call for an inspection before placing concrete or 'covering' any aspect of construction". On a sewer replacement, agree with the plumber before the dig who books 341 and when, so the trench is not closed first. Keep the signed final job card; the FAQ says it is your Certificate of Occupancy for a home project.
What 1,506 County plumbing permits show
| Measure | Sacramento County plumbing and sewer |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,506 |
| Firms | 175 |
| Firms with a permit in the 12 months to September 2026 | 87 |
| Usual filed value | $9,000 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $6,500 to $11,900 |
| Finaled (permits a year or more old) | 90.6% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 8 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 79.2% / 98.0% |
| Busiest / quietest month (index, 100 = average) | April (128) / December (76) |
Plumbing permits close fast here: 8 days from issue to final, against 71 for County window permits. A plumbing permit still open after a month is worth a call to the plumber. The busiest filer in the 12 months to September 2026 was General Drainworks Inc, with 106 permits, and no busy firm finaled under 70% (0 of 21). Prices: Sacramento County plumbing cost.
See every Sacramento County plumber by share finaled →
Related
Other places' rules: do I need a permit for plumbing repairs, a sewer line and a gas line. The checklist: hiring a plumber; national prices: plumbing labor cost. License steps: Sacramento County contractor license lookup; records: Sacramento County building permit search; counts by year: permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
Our plumbing category is sewer and plumbing permits; water heaters are counted separately. The County's building pages publish no plumbing fee table; the Accela invoice is the price. Unpermitted repairs are not in our numbers.
How we know this
The permit rule, project list and online-issue list are quoted from the Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection Division FAQ, exemptions from its GI-21 list, owner-builder terms from its AP-16 notice and codes from its inspection list, read 23 October 2026. Counts are Sacramento County plumbing and sewer permits on homes in unincorporated areas, October 2023 to September 2026; "finaled" uses permits a year or more old, and days are issue to final.
Numbers come from Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace a sewer line in Sacramento County?
Yes. 'Sewer (new or replacement)' is on the County's permit list, and 'Residential sewer line repair or replacement' is one of the permits it issues automatically online once you pay. The inspection is code 341 Sewer.
- Do I need a permit to repipe a house in Sacramento County?
The County's rule covers anyone who will 'install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any ... plumbing system', and 'Water Service' and 'Gas Line' are on its permit list. Its exempt list (GI-21) names no plumbing work. Expect a permit and a top-out inspection before walls close.
- How long does a plumbing permit take in Sacramento County?
A sewer line permit issues online on payment. The usual County plumbing and sewer permit in our file reached final 8 days after issue, and 90.6% of permits a year or more old were finaled.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit in Sacramento County?
Yes, as an owner-builder after reading, initialing and signing the County's AP-16 notice, which makes you the responsible party of record. A hired plumber should pull it under a CSLB C-36 license.
- How much does plumbing work cost in Sacramento County?
The usual County plumbing and sewer permit was filed at $9,000, and the middle half of plumbers usually file between $6,500 and $11,900. That is the value on the permit, not a quote.
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 for plumbing repairs or a repipe? The rule in 13 cities
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Arlington, VA? The like-for-like rule, gas, and timing
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Sugar Land? Which express permit fits your job, and who may pull it
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Tyler, TX? Yes: $6 a fixture, a $50 minimum, and a licensed plumber
For one city
- Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Scheduling Inspections (inspection codes) — Sacramento County (accessed 2026-10-23)
- GI-21 Residential Work Exempt from Permit — Sacramento County (accessed 2026-10-23)
- AP-16 Notice to Property Owner as Owner Builder — Sacramento County (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Accela Citizen Access — Sacramento County (2026-10-23)
- CSLB Licensing Classifications (2026-10-22)
- Check a License — CSLB (2026-10-22)