# Permit Needed



## Steveking (May 16, 2014)

Today I was demoing out a tub low and behold the local plumbing inspector magically appears:jester:asked for my permit I said I need a permit for a tub replace answer yes went down paid the ransom of fifty bucks.i question the inspector what other plumbing jobs that need a permit besides the obvious well he said you cut a pipe I want a permit huh? Install a prv a want a permit cut ABS Pex Cpc Copper I want a permit this city is so small that inspectors drive around looking for contractors and go on people's property to see what's up good thing didn't install my clients 3 handle PP.location of city is the last beach in so cal can see the Tijuana bull ring.


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## BC73RS (Jan 25, 2014)

Wow, and how many illegals slipped by when he wasn't looking? Oh wait, wrong thread.
Money grab or job protection, your choice.:icon_wink:


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Steveking said:


> Today I was demoing out a tub low and behold the local plumbing inspector magically appears:jester:asked for my permit I said I need a permit for a tub replace answer yes went down paid the ransom of fifty bucks.i question the inspector what other plumbing jobs that need a permit besides the obvious well he said you cut a pipe I want a permit huh? Install a prv a want a permit cut ABS Pex Cpc Copper I want a permit this city is so small that inspectors drive around looking for contractors and go on people's property to see what's up good thing didn't install my clients 3 handle PP.location of city is the last beach in so cal can see the Tijuana bull ring.


What kind of jobs do you think a permit is needed?


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

Steveking said:


> Today I was demoing out a tub low and behold the local plumbing inspector magically appears:jester:asked for my permit I said I need a permit for a tub replace answer yes went down paid the ransom of fifty bucks.i question the inspector what other plumbing jobs that need a permit besides the obvious well he said you cut a pipe I want a permit huh? Install a prv a want a permit cut ABS Pex Cpc Copper I want a permit this city is so small that inspectors drive around looking for contractors and go on people's property to see what's up good thing didn't install my clients 3 handle PP.location of city is the last beach in so cal can see the Tijuana bull ring.


A Tub replacement absolutely requires a permit.

_*1.8.4.1 Permits.* A written construction permit shall he
obtained from the enforcing agency prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, relocation or alteration of any plumbing system.
_

Technically, even replacing a faucet could require a permit but no one calls that. Incidental repairs and maintenance do not require a permit. 

Mark


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

Around here, the only thing you don't need a permit for is replacing a washer and clearing a stoppage. 
There was one city that had two part time inspectors, I think they were trying to get away with not having to pay benefits. One of the inspectors was pretty laid back. He still worked with the tools and understood if you had to cheat a little. Like if you only had room to run 1½" pipe but the only place you could put the vent was 6" over the max distance. He did fail me once because the carpenter for a house flipper installed the gas dryer vent and held it together with screws.
The other inspector spent his free time driving around town looking for plumbing trucks and calling town hall to see if they had a permit. If they didn't he would walk in and start busting balls. I heard of one instance when a guy was snaking a drain and he walked in demanding a permit. Wasn't too long after that he wasn't an inspector after that.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

bct p&h said:


> Around here, the only thing you don't need a permit for is replacing a washer and clearing a stoppage.
> There was one city that had two part time inspectors, I think they were trying to get away with not having to pay benefits. One of the inspectors was pretty laid back. He still worked with the tools and understood if you had to cheat a little. Like if you only had room to run 1½" pipe but the only place you could put the vent was 6" over the max distance. He did fail me once because the carpenter for a house flipper installed the gas dryer vent and held it together with screws.
> The other inspector spent his free time driving around town looking for plumbing trucks and calling town hall to see if they had a permit. If they didn't he would walk in and start busting balls. I heard of one instance when a guy was snaking a drain and he walked in demanding a permit. Wasn't too long after that he wasn't an inspector after that.



I've learned to pick my battles with permits. I work for a city with thousands of multi family homes. If a plumber found a parking spot 4 houses away from where he is working am I supposed to bang on every door looking for him. I don't go looking for trouble, I've got enough crap to handle already. And for all I know he's visiting his mom. Permits should be pulled for everything, but they don't, and I'm ok with it until I have to deal with a problem. I sleep fine every night with the inspections I've made for the permitted work.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Steveking said:


> Today I was demoing out a tub low and behold the local plumbing inspector magically appears:jester:asked for my permit I said I need a permit for a tub replace answer yes went down paid the ransom of fifty bucks.i question the inspector what other plumbing jobs that need a permit besides the obvious well he said you cut a pipe I want a permit huh? Install a prv a want a permit cut ABS Pex Cpc Copper I want a permit this city is so small that inspectors drive around looking for contractors and go on people's property to see what's up good thing didn't install my clients 3 handle PP.location of city is the last beach in so cal can see the Tijuana bull ring.


IB? I lived there for a few years when I first started plumbing. I did a mainline replacement from the house to the street in Chula Vista once without pulling a permit. (I now know I had no business doing the job as I had only been plumbing for a few months, and only two weeks of training.) Thought I was going to get busted when I had to call the city to get out there because the city sewer was broken and I couldn't hub on to it. Nothing ever came up about it. The company I worked for had to hire 4-5 new guys a week to replace the ones that quit.


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## JorgensenPlbg (Jul 12, 2010)

I was at a Doctor appointment and had a phone call from the inspector questioning me as to where and what I was doing. I thought that was pretty ballsy!


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

plumbdrum said:


> I've learned to pick my battles with permits. I work for a city with thousands of multi family homes. If a plumber found a parking spot 4 houses away from where he is working am I supposed to bang on every door looking for him. I don't go looking for trouble, I've got enough crap to handle already. And for all I know he's visiting his mom. Permits should be pulled for everything, but they don't, and I'm ok with it until I have to deal with a problem. I sleep fine every night with the inspections I've made for the permitted work.


I don't see the point in pulling a permit for small stuff like changing a faucet or replacing a pipe that has a hole in it. The thing that gets me is when people don't pull permits for things like water heaters, especially gas ones. If someone ever comes in after you and screws with it and something happens and you don't have an inspectors signature saying when you left it everything was OK you're screwed. You have no proof that it wasn't your wrong doing. At least with a passed inspection you have a leg to stand on if someone decides to sue you.


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

A little off subject but I got a audit from a local city that said I performed work in their city without a city biz license and wanted me to pay 3 years back permit fees and pay current for supposedly doing biz in 2012 and with permit fees and penaltys they wanted near 2grand, ended up having to prove that I didn't do biz in their city and had to figure out that it was a chain of jersey mikes and it was their home base that was in the city that wanted to collect the license fees for not the city the sub shop was in that was billed out too


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

In NJ. Where uniform construction code governs the trade codes, replacement of faucets and various other repairs are exempt from permit, as per the attached.


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

ToUtahNow said:


> A Tub replacement absolutely requires a permit.
> 
> 1.8.4.1 Permits. A written construction permit shall he
> obtained from the enforcing agency prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, relocation or alteration of any plumbing system.
> ...


In your state. Please keep in mind the state-to-state and region-to-region differences in our trade.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

mccmech said:


> In your state. Please keep in mind the state-to-state and region-to-region differences in our trade.


No fault of yours but just for clairification, the OP is in our state.


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

mccmech said:


> In your state. Please keep in mind the state-to-state and region-to-region differences in our trade.


Yes, the OP lives in my State so I was giving him the code which would apply to him. I have my inspectors certificate under both IAPMO and IPC plus I am licensed in multiple States. I've learned a few codes over the last 40+ years.

Mark


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

ToUtahNow said:


> Yes, the OP lives in my State so I was giving him the code which would apply to him. I have my inspectors certificate under both IAPMO and IPC plus I am licensed in multiple States. I've learned a few codes over the last 40+ years.
> 
> Mark


Duly noted. However, since your response, as well as responses on other topics, are sometimes generalized to the point that someone might interpret it as a nation wide thing, I felt the need to clarify the differences we all work under.


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

gear junkie said:


> No fault of yours but just for clairification, the OP is in our state.


You're absolutely correct, it was no fault of mine. The post I quoted made a very general statement, not specifically referring to any particular jurisdiction, and then proceeded to cite a section of a code which we all may, or may not, adhere to. Hence my clarification.


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## Steveking (May 16, 2014)

Hey I don't mind pulling a permit but this building department drives the city streets looking for contractors if he finds one they will roll up on your job to see "what's going on here" If I cut a pipe any kind he wants a permit if I install a Prv he said I need a permit because the system is know closed and he wants a expansion tank told him what if install Prv with internal bypass he actually quoted the price of 600xlc said it needed to be inspected and this building department has odd hours and every other Friday it's closed so if I fix a copper line I got to get a permit yes you do


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## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

Either a ) u chase him out with hammer and plAy the heavy so he does not bother u agsin 

B) let him know it was an emergency fix and as soon as it was done you would be right down there 

Here they will mske u get a permit to cap off a fixture . Fookin b.s. 
As for existing they tell me as long as the existing p trap is not touched - only fixture outlet pipe you are good for re and re


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

What's a permit?


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## Plumb Bob (Mar 9, 2011)

Inspector and code enforcement drive around the small town I live in, looking for people working without permits and or business license. Although they will not enforce state contractor law. Pathetic...


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

When I built mt Quonset Building in Utah, I met the inspector in another County. His office was in the back of a candy store. He told me he was going to be on vacation so just take pictures as we went.

Mark


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

The village where I work the former inspector was going fishing the day I was plumbing an addition, he stopped by in the am as I was laying out and passed it without a hole drilled, so some places here are so relaxed others want a permit for replacing a Moen cartridge. 
I tried the emergency card once, almost went to jail, apparently the city secretary didn't like me turning the curb stop off to stop a house from flooding. But if I had a permit I would have been ok.


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

We all learn as we go I guess. I think most plumbers would know a permit is required to change out a tub. I guess all the guys that claim to follow all codes would. Darn it i forgot to pull a permit on my moms garbage disposal last week lol. I forget exactly what requires a permit but think its limited to repair and not replacement, changing a toilet permit, repairing not required. Years ago I was involved in changing toilets on a water saving program through a city I asked about the permits and was told they were waved . So they bend their own rules too!


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

One of my neighbors is trying to change a covered porch into an additional room over the weekend...

I have a feeling Monday is going to suck for him...
The neighborhood chat is buzzing....:laughing:


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## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

Dpeckplb said:


> I tried the emergency card once, almost went to jail, apparently the city secretary didn't like me turning the curb stop off to stop a house from flooding. But if I had a permit I would have been ok.


You mean they would rather have had the house flood????? Take it no shut off in the house?
I know our codes are relaxed here BUT I don't think anything would have been said about that!!!


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

I am so glad Texas finally changed their laws on permit required jobs. Now it states specifically that no permit is required for repair of leaks, toilet replacements, faucet replacements, control valve replacements and garbage disposal replacement. Now, a city can require it but the law no longer requires one. Some small municipalities require a permit for a T&P replacement. 

I have had an inspector where I'm at pass a job prior to completion because I sent him photos of the completed job. He knows my work by now and he's the only plumbing inspector.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Roto-Rooter said:


> You mean they would rather have had the house flood????? Take it no shut off in the house?
> I know our codes are relaxed here BUT I don't think anything would have been said about that!!!


Apparently the line splitting at the corp. Before the shut off in the house doesn't count. Even though it was Sunday the home owner should have dialed the municipal office before us. The guy who showed up with the inspector tagging along(overtime on a winter Sunday) just laughed and said your more qualified than us. The inspector agreed it was an emergency, but the secretary wanted me nailed to the wall. I guess it helps to have an inspector in your corner.


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