Plumbing Permit in Buffalo, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a plumbing permit in Buffalo?

Buffalo publishes a dedicated When a Permit is Not Required page for plumbing with exactly four exempt items: repair or in-kind replacement of a faucet, flush valve, supply tube, individual fixture stop, toilet fill valve or flushing mechanism; unblocking drain stoppages that do not cut out or remove piping past the individual fixture traps; repair or replacement of sections of the water distribution system totaling less than 20 linear feet of piping; and repair or replacement of tubular fixture drain assemblies. Property owners, their own maintenance employees, licensed master plumbers and certified factory representatives may do those four without a permit. Everything else, including replacing an individual fixture, needs a plumbing permit, and only a City of Buffalo licensed master plumber may obtain one. A resident owner of a one- or two-family dwelling can be allowed to permit work in the portion they live in if they prove residency and competence to the Commissioner, and under those terms no permit is required to replace a toilet or any sink. Repair or replacement of sections of the water distribution system totaling less than that length. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a plumbing permit cost in Buffalo?

Plumbing permit fee schedule: $50.00 application fee required for all applications, $100.00 plan review fee only if plans are required, $75.00 per reinspection. Fixture fees are $12.00 per fixture for one- or two-family residential, and $50.00 for the first fixture plus $20.00 per additional fixture for commercial and all other property. Underground piping is $60.00 for the first 100 linear feet of any pipe size, then $20.00 per additional 100 linear feet for pipe 6 inches or under and $55.00 per additional 100 linear feet for pipe over 6 inches. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Buffalo?

You can apply through the Buffalo permit portal or contact the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Buffalo?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how Buffalo applies this before you apply.