Plumbing permit requirements across 16 Seattle-area cities
Side-by-side: which of Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Federal Way, Mercer Island, Shoreline, Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Everett, Lynnwood require a permit for a plumbing, and what triggers one — each row quoted from the city's own code or permit page, with the source linked. Fees and review times appear where the city publishes them.
13 of 16 cities have authoritative rules on file · 0 always require a permit · 16 depend on the scope · 0 do not.
King County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Depends on scope | Leak repairs, clearing stoppages and replacing fixtures on accessible connections need no permit; a water heater, new or moved fixtures, new piping or replacing concealed pipe does. A permit is required for replacing or moving an existing hot water heater. A permit is required to install a new fixture, or move an existing fixture, where that requires installing or modifying existing water lines, drains or vents. A permit is required to move an appliance if it requires installing or modifying gas lines, water lines, drains, vents, or electrical circuits. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-08-04 |
city | Depends on scope | Plumbing work needs a permit except minor repairs: stopping leaks and clearing stoppages. Plumbing work requires a permit except minor repairs — stopping leaks in drain/water/soil/waste/vent pipe and clearing stoppages or repairing leaks in pipes, valves, or fixtures are exempt. Federal Way adopts UPC 2021. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Stopping a leak, clearing a stoppage, resetting a toilet and swapping a prefabricated fixture in place without replacing valves or pipes need no permit; a water heater, a new or moved fixture, new piping, a replaced pipe, or a replaced faucet or other valve does, and so does a site-built (tiled) shower or tub. A plumbing permit is required for fixtures/lines, electric water-heater installs, and irrigation backflow devices (a separate over-the-counter plumbing permit is required before the work). The plumbing permit fee is 8% of the building permit fee. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Replacing a fixture even in the same location, or an electric water heater, needs a plumbing permit. Stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and resetting a toilet are exempt. A plumbing permit is required for replacing plumbing/fixtures in the same location and for electric water-heater replacements; leak-stopping, clearing stoppages, and like-for-like water-closet reset are exempt. Typically processed within 2–3 business days. | — | 2–3 days | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Plumbing work needs a permit from the City of Kirkland, not Public Health. Stopping a leak, clearing a stoppage, putting a fixture back and a same-spot fixture swap that changes no valves or pipes are exempt, except in a flood hazard area, a critical area or its buffer, or a wildland-urban interface (WUI) location. A water heater is not a fixture and needs a permit. Kirkland issues its own plumbing permits — from the City's building official, not Public Health – Seattle & King County. KMC 21.06.205 requires anyone who intends to "erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system" to "first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit". Kirkland adopts the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code as amended by the State Building Code Council in chapter 51-56 WAC (KMC 21.24.010). Exempt under KMC 21.06.215(4): stopping or repairing leaks — but replacing a defective concealed trap, drain, water, soil, waste or vent pipe "shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be obtained" — clearing stoppages, repairing leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures and removing and reinstalling water closets, where the repair needs no replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures; and reinstalling or replacing prefabricated fixtures that need no replacement or rearrangement of valves or pipes. KMC 21.06.215: "Permit exemptions shall not apply to areas of flood hazard or city land use critical areas and their required buffers, or locations subject to the construction requirements of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code." The City's Water Heater Replacement page: "Replacing a water heater requires at least one permit." An electric water heater needs a Plumbing Permit; a gas water heater needs a Mechanical Permit, plus a Plumbing Permit "when water piping must be rearranged to accommodate the new water heater." | — | — | Cite verified 2026-09-25 |
city | Depends on scope | Stopping leaks, clearing stoppages, resetting a toilet and swapping a prefabricated fixture without changing valves or pipes need no permit. A water heater, new or moved fixtures, new piping, replacing concealed pipe, replacing a valve (a faucet included), or work on a site-built (tiled) shower or tub needs a plumbing permit. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and removing and resetting the same toilet need no permit; replacing or moving any fixture, faucet or valve, resetting a fixture other than a toilet, a water heater, new piping or a concealed pipe does. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
city | Depends on scope | Leak repairs, clearing stoppages and replacing a prefabricated fixture without replacing or moving any valve or pipe need no permit, except in a flood hazard area or a critical area. A site-built tiled tub or shower, a water heater, new or moved fixtures, new or rearranged piping, a replaced valve, or replacing concealed pipe needs a permit. New or rearranged piping requires a plumbing permit; stopping/repairing leaks and clearing stoppages are exempt, but removing and replacing a defective concealed trap, drain, water, soil, waste, or vent pipe is "new work" requiring a permit. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Stopping leaks, clearing stoppages and swapping a prefabricated fixture without replacing valves or pipes need no permit; a water heater, a new or moved fixture, new or rerouted piping, replacing a valve (a faucet included) or replacing a concealed pipe does. Fixture additions/relocations and water/drain piping require a plumbing permit; stopping leaks, clearing stoppages, and removing/reinstalling water closets (without replacing valves/pipes/fixtures) are exempt. A Residential Fixture Count form is required; a Sewer Availability Certificate is required when fixtures are added. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-05-29 |
city | Depends on scope | In Seattle, stopping a leak or clearing a clog needs no plumbing permit. Replacing anything, even a faucet or a fixture in the same spot or a water heater, needs one, from Public Health – Seattle & King County. SDCI does NOT issue plumbing permits in Seattle — the Seattle Plumbing Code is enforced by Public Health – Seattle & King County, and plumbing permits are applied for there. Side sewer is a third authority (SPU). WAC 51-56 requires a plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation; like-for-like fixture/faucet replacement in the same location is generally exempt. Separately, SDCI requires no construction permit for minor repairs or alterations costing $6,000 or less in any 6-month period — but that exemption never covers load-bearing supports, building-envelope changes, or work reducing egress, light, ventilation or fire resistance, regardless of cost. | Plumbing and gas piping permits in Seattle come from Public Health – Seattle & King County, not SDCI: apply and request inspections through Public Health (https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dph/health-safety/environmental-health/plumbing-gas-piping/applications-and-permits). Public Health's 2026 fee is $137 plus $27 per fixture ($137 plus $27 per outlet for a gas piping permit). | — | Cite verified 2026-07-27 |
city | Depends on scope | Adding, installing or replacing any fixture, including a water heater, needs a plumbing permit. A plumbing permit is required to add, install, or replace any plumbing fixture, including water-heater replacement. Simple permits process same-day to 3 business days; an inspection is required. Permits expire after 180 days without an inspection. | Shoreline's Construction Fees handout (12/2025): a residential mechanical and plumbing permit is $267.00 up to 4 fixtures, plus $12.00 per fixture over 4. Each mechanical or plumbing permit submitted separately is assessed its own $267.00 base. | 0–3 days | Cite verified 2026-09-19 |
Pierce County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Depends on scope | Installing, replacing or relocating a fixture, water heater or piping needs a permit; a like-for-like faucet swap is exempt. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Installing, replacing or relocating a fixture, water heater or piping needs a permit; a like-for-like faucet swap is exempt. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
city | Depends on scope | Leak repair, clearing stoppages and resetting a toilet are exempt. Replacing or rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures — including a defective concealed pipe — needs a permit. Exempt: stopping leaks in drains/water/soil/waste/vent pipe; clearing stoppages; repairing leaks in pipes/valves/fixtures; removing and reinstalling water closets — provided no replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes, or fixtures. Defective concealed-trap or drainpipe replacement = new work, permit required. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-04-29 |
Snohomish County
| Jurisdiction | Permit? | Threshold | Fee | Review days | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
city | Depends on scope | Installing, replacing or relocating a fixture or piping needs a plumbing permit; a like-for-like faucet swap does not. A water heater still needs a permit, but Everett takes water heaters out of its plumbing code, so it is permitted as mechanical work. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
city | Depends on scope | Installing, replacing or relocating a fixture, a water heater or piping needs a plumbing permit. A like-for-like faucet swap is exempt. WAC 51-56 (2021 UPC) requires plumbing permit for installation, replacement, or relocation of any plumbing fixture, water heater, or piping. Like-for-like faucet replacement is exempt. | — | — | Cite verified 2026-10-02 |
How this table is built
Each row reflects the most-recently-verified authoritative rule on file for that jurisdiction and project type. “Pending verification” means we have the jurisdiction in our database but haven't yet personally checked the city page for plumbing rules — those rows fall back to county or WA-state baselines until verified. Sources link directly to the city or county page we read on the verified-on date. See our data-quality leaderboard for how we keep these current.