Plumbing Permit in Los Angeles County, California

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a plumbing permit in Los Angeles County?

A plumbing permit is required in unincorporated Los Angeles County for new, expanded, or replaced plumbing items, and the county states plainly that a permit is required for a water heater installation or replacement. Title 28, Section 103.7 exempts only three things: repairing leaks in drains, soil, waste or vent pipe where no trap, drainpipe, soil, waste or vent pipe is replaced; clearing stoppages or repairing leaks in pipes, valves, or fixtures where the repair does not involve or require replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes, or fixtures; and a plumbing system set up for exhibition purposes with no connection to a water or drainage system. Simple residential plumbing that needs no plan review can be self-issued as an Express Plumbing Permit or Express Sewer Permit through EPIC-LA. Always confirm with the Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division before starting.

How much does a plumbing permit cost in Los Angeles County?

Plumbing Code Fee Schedule (Title 28 of the Los Angeles Code, Ord. No. 2013-0050), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35 for issuing each permit; $24.47 for each plumbing fixture or trap or set of fixtures on one trap including drainage vent, water piping and backflow prevention devices, with hose bibbs counted as fixtures; $24.47 for each water heater and/or vent; $24.47 for each permanent-type dishwasher; $24.47 for repair or alteration of drainage and/or vent piping per fixture; $24.47 for a low pressure gas piping system of 5 outlets or less plus $6.20 for each additional outlet, or $100.62 for each medium or high pressure system; $70.18 for each drainage or sewer backwater valve; $81.78 for each solar potable water-heating system including water heater and vent. Investigation fee for work done without a required permit is not less than $504.47, or $252.23 for one or two family dwellings when the work is performed by an owner-builder. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

How long does a plumbing permit take in Los Angeles County?

Express Plumbing and Express Sewer Permits are self-issued online: the building permit is automatically issued after all required fees are successfully paid. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.

Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Los Angeles County?

You can apply through the Los Angeles County permit portal or contact the Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Los Angeles County?

Under California law (Business & Professions Code 7044(a)-(b); Business & Professions Code 7031.5): California exempts an owner from contractor licensing under section 7044 when they personally perform all the work on their own property, or any work they do not perform themselves is done by their own employees paid only wages, and none of the improvements are intended or offered for sale. It also exempts an owner who directly contracts with licensed contractors for each trade, as long as no more than four of the single-family residential structures involved are intended or offered for sale in a calendar year; this route does not apply if the owner instead contracts with a general contractor for the construction. A homeowner may also improve their own principal residence without a license, as long as the work is done before any sale, they have actually resided there for the 12 months before completion, and they have not used this exemption on more than two structures more than once in any three-year period. 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 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 civil penalty of up to $500. Confirm how Los Angeles County applies this before you apply.