Plumbing Permit in Fresno County, California
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before altering, repairing or adding plumbing, gas piping or a septic system in unincorporated Fresno County
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Fresno County issues plumbing permits under Title 15 Chapter 15.20, which adopts the California Plumbing Code and the IAPMO installation standards by reference and adds county amendments, including a rule that gas service to a residence discontinued for a year or longer can only be restored after a pressure test performed under permit. Section 2512 of the Master Schedule of Fees prices plumbing work line by line, with separate charges for drain and waste lines, gas piping, gas appliances, septic changes and backflow devices. Private sewage disposal follows the Fresno County Local Agency Management Program, which replaces Appendix H of the state plumbing code. This applies to unincorporated Fresno County only, not to the City of Fresno, the City of Clovis or the county's other incorporated cities.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before altering, repairing or adding plumbing, gas piping or a septic system in unincorporated Fresno County
What a plumbing permit costs in Fresno County
How Fresno County compares in California
No California jurisdiction we have verified sets a size threshold for this permit, so what actually differs between them is the fee.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | Permit required | Building Inspection Department Service Fee Schedule (Schedule A, effective... |
| Contra Costa County | Permit required | Land Development Fee Schedule S-002 E.6, "Plumbing Permit (Other) $75.00... |
| Fresno Countythis page | Permit required | Section 2512 Plumbing Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Alteration, repair or addition of... |
| Los Angeles | Permit required | Itemized per fixture per LADBS Fee Sch.5 (7/2017), for example a toilet at $23... |
| Los Angeles County | Permit required | Plumbing Code Fee Schedule (Title 28 of the Los Angeles Code, Ord. |
| Orange County | Permit required | Plumbing Permit Application Flat Fee: $363 for FY 2024-25, $383 for FY... |
| Riverside County | Permit required | Residential Plumbing (BPL-RPLU): $274.30 fixed fee, per Appendix A to... |
How to apply in Fresno County
You apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit.
What most plumbing permit applications include:
- A permit is required before any owner or authorized agent constructs, alters, repairs, removes, converts, or replaces a plumbing system regulated by the code (IRC R105.1).
- The application must identify and describe the work, describe the site, state the intended use and occupancy, and be signed by the applicant or an authorized agent (IRC R105.3).
- Two or more sets of construction documents must accompany the application, drawn with enough clarity to show the location, nature, and extent of the proposed plumbing work and how it will conform to code (IRC R106.1, R106.1.1).
- Minor plumbing repairs, such as clearing a stoppage or removing and resetting a water closet without rearranging pipes or fixtures, are exempt from permit (IRC R105.2).
- Once issued, a permit is only valid for a limited window, commonly 180 days, and becomes invalid if the work is not started or is abandoned within that time, though extensions can be requested (IRC R105.3.2, R105.5).
General submittal guidance from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Chapter 1 Scope and Administration, Sections R105 Permits and R106 Construction Documents. Source. Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety sets the exact checklist for Fresno County.
Where to apply in Fresno County:
Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety
- 2220 Tulare Street, Suite A, Fresno, CA 93721 (Development Services and Capital Projects Division; the offices are in Annex A and Annex B of the Fresno County Plaza at Tulare and M streets)
- Phone: 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line)
- Email: PlanCheckBuildingCode2@fresnocountyca.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
Plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
- Piping and equipment placed under a slab or floor must be in place and inspected before any concrete is poured or floor sheathing is installed over it (IRC R109.1.1.1).
- Rough plumbing, along with the mechanical, gas, and electrical rough-in, must be inspected prior to covering or concealment and before fixtures or appliances are set (IRC R109.1.2).
- Rough drain, waste, and vent (DWV) piping is tested with water, air, or (for plastic piping) a vacuum, and must show no evidence of leakage before it is closed in (IRC P2503.5.1).
- The water-distribution piping is tested and must hold tight under the system's working pressure, or under a 50 psi air test for non-plastic piping, before it is concealed (IRC P2503.7).
- The framing inspection cannot proceed until the plumbing rough inspection, along with the mechanical and electrical rough inspections, has been approved (IRC R109.1.4).
- At the final drainage test, each fixture is filled and then drained, and its traps and fixture connections must prove watertight by visual inspection (IRC P2503.5.2).
- Final inspection is made after all work required by the permit is complete, and includes confirming backflow protection, such as vacuum breakers on hose bibbs, is installed (IRC R109.1.6, P2902.4.3).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Fresno County permit portal or by phone at 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line).
Inspection sequence from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Section R109 Inspections and Section P2503 Inspection and Tests. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Plumbing Permit checklist for Fresno County
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before altering, repairing or adding plumbing, gas piping or a septic system in unincorporated Fresno County.
- Budget the fee. Section 2512 Plumbing Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Alteration, repair or addition of a drain or waste line $80.47 each; Gas appliance or vent $42.77 each; Gas piping system other than on-site mains, first 5 outlets $32.64 per system and $6.19 each additional outlet; Change in existing septic tanks by the addition of drain fields or seepage pits or to replace septic tanks $101.86 each installation; minimum plumbing permit fee $65.84 each. New construction or complete remodel of a dwelling up to 3 bathrooms is charged per dwelling unit: $201.47 for one bathroom, $268.43 for two, $295.45 for three, plus $32.64 per additional bathroom fixture. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. You apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit. Start at the Fresno County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety. Phone: 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line). Address: 2220 Tulare Street, Suite A, Fresno, CA 93721 (Development Services and Capital Projects Division; the offices are in Annex A and Annex B of the Fresno County Plaza at Tulare and M streets).
- Plan for inspections. Plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a plumbing permit in Fresno County?
- Fresno County issues plumbing permits under Title 15 Chapter 15.20, which adopts the California Plumbing Code and the IAPMO installation standards by reference and adds county amendments, including a rule that gas service to a residence discontinued for a year or longer can only be restored after a pressure test performed under permit. Section 2512 of the Master Schedule of Fees prices plumbing work line by line, with separate charges for drain and waste lines, gas piping, gas appliances, septic changes and backflow devices. Private sewage disposal follows the Fresno County Local Agency Management Program, which replaces Appendix H of the state plumbing code. This applies to unincorporated Fresno County only, not to the City of Fresno, the City of Clovis or the county's other incorporated cities. Always confirm with the Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety before starting.
- How much does a plumbing permit cost in Fresno County?
- Section 2512 Plumbing Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Alteration, repair or addition of a drain or waste line $80.47 each; Gas appliance or vent $42.77 each; Gas piping system other than on-site mains, first 5 outlets $32.64 per system and $6.19 each additional outlet; Change in existing septic tanks by the addition of drain fields or seepage pits or to replace septic tanks $101.86 each installation; minimum plumbing permit fee $65.84 each. New construction or complete remodel of a dwelling up to 3 bathrooms is charged per dwelling unit: $201.47 for one bathroom, $268.43 for two, $295.45 for three, plus $32.64 per additional bathroom fixture. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Fresno County?
- You can apply through the Fresno County permit portal or contact the Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Fresno County?
- Under California law (Business & Professions Code 7044(a)-(b); Business & Professions Code 7031.5): California exempts an owner-builder from contractor licensing when the owner personally performs the work, or uses only wage employees, on their own property and does not intend the improvements for sale. A homeowner may also directly hire licensed trade contractors for up to four single-family residences a year, or improve their own principal residence without a general contractor's license, as long as they have actually lived there for the 12 months before the work is finished. Selling a self-built structure within one year of completion creates a rebuttable presumption that it was built for sale, which defeats the exemption, and selling five or more structures within a year makes that presumption conclusive. Separately, every city or county that requires a building permit must also require the applicant to file a signed statement giving their contractor license number or the basis of their claimed exemption; a false or missing statement carries a $500 civil penalty. Confirm how Fresno County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Fresno County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No flat deck permit fee is published. |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Section 2511 Electrical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77 each |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences not over 7 feet high are on the county's published list of work exempt from a building permit | The Master Schedule of Fees publishes no flat fence permit fee. |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Section 2510 Mechanical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit $42.77 |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No flat patio permit fee is published. |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Prefabricated pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy are exempt from a building permit only when they are less than 24 inches deep, hold not more than 5,000 gallons, and are installed entirely above ground | Special Services Fees item 21, 'Installation of private swimming pool or spa includes... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Special Services Fees item 16, 'Re-roofing of existing buildings including pre-roof... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses are exempt from a building permit when the floor area is not greater than 120 square feet | For a shed between 120 and 240 square feet the county charges for the Item No. |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | The Master Schedule of Fees has no solar or photovoltaic line item anywhere in Section... |
Plumbing Permit in other California localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Fresno County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Plumbing Permit requirements across California localities
Permit office
Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety
559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line)Permit portal