Plumbing Permit in Durham, North Carolina
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system; a contractor licensed under G.S. 87-21 replacing a water heater like for like in a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt under state law.
Issued byDurham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
State law, which Durham City-County Building & Safety enforces, requires a permit before the installation, extension or general repair of any plumbing system. Its one exemption is for one- and two-family dwellings: connecting a replacement water heater needs no permit when a contractor licensed under G.S. 87-21 personally examines the completed work and ensures the gas piping was leak-tested, and the new heater has no greater energy use or thermal input and no change in fuel, location, capacity, or venting and piping. Durham issues plumbing permits through the Land Development Office portal and prices fixture replacements, additions and new construction separately.
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When a permit is usually needed
Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system; a contractor licensed under G.S. 87-21 replacing a water heater like for like in a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt under state law.
What a plumbing permit costs in Durham
How Durham compares in North Carolina
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | It depends | Before adding to or changing the design of the plumbing system, moving or adding... |
| Durhamthis page | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system |
| Greensboro | It depends | Before adding to or altering the drainage, waste, vent, water service or water... |
| Mecklenburg County | Permit required | Any size |
| Raleigh | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system, replacing... |
| Wake County | It depends | Before installing, extending, relocating, replacing or generally repairing any plumbing... |
How to apply in Durham
In Durham, 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:
- For Durham, 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).
- For Durham, 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. Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County sets the exact checklist for Durham.
Where to apply in Durham:
Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County
- 101 City Hall Plaza, Ground Floor, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701
- Phone: 919-560-4144
- Email: permittechnicians@durhamnc.gov
Plumbing Permit in Durham compared with nearby North Carolina localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each North Carolina schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system | No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00 | |
| Charlotte | It depends | Before adding to or changing the design of the plumbing system, moving or adding... | ...charged as a trade permit under the LUESA Fee Ordinance (revised July 1, 2026): $1... | |
| Greensboro | It depends | Before adding to or altering the drainage, waste, vent, water service or water... | ...Fee Schedule, Document #4300 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit/Inspection Fee $... | |
| Mecklenburg County | Permit required | Any size | Plumbing trade permit priced off total construction value with a $59.70 minimum for... | |
| Raleigh | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system, replacing... | ...1, 2026 through June 30, 2027) lists a "Plumbing Utility Inspection Fee" of $133.00... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Durham, 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.
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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).
- In Durham: 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 Durham permit portal or by phone at 919-560-4144.
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 Durham
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Usually needed: Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system; a contractor licensed under G.S. 87-21 replacing a water heater like for like in a one- or two-family dwelling is exempt under state law.
- Budget the fee. Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule E "Fixture Replacement; No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00; 5 fixtures and over $6.86 per fixture; "Electric water heater (permit required)" $65.00. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Durham, 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 Durham permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County. Phone: 919-560-4144. Address: 101 City Hall Plaza, Ground Floor, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701.
- Plan for inspections. In Durham, 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 .
Permitting activity in Durham
In 2025, Durham authorized permits for 4,483 new residential housing units (2,518 single-family, 1,965 in multi-family buildings), valued at $1.3B, up from 2,793 the year before. That works out to about 15.7 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 285,809.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a plumbing permit in Durham?
- State law, which Durham City-County Building & Safety enforces, requires a permit before the installation, extension or general repair of any plumbing system. Its one exemption is for one- and two-family dwellings: connecting a replacement water heater needs no permit when a contractor licensed under G.S. 87-21 personally examines the completed work and ensures the gas piping was leak-tested, and the new heater has no greater energy use or thermal input and no change in fuel, location, capacity, or venting and piping. Durham issues plumbing permits through the Land Development Office portal and prices fixture replacements, additions and new construction separately. Always confirm with the Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County before starting.
- How much does a plumbing permit cost in Durham?
- Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule E "Fixture Replacement; No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00; 5 fixtures and over $6.86 per fixture; "Electric water heater (permit required)" $65.00. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Durham?
- You can apply through the Durham permit portal or contact the Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Durham?
- Under North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-1(a), 87-1(b)(2), 87-14(a)(1), 160D-1113, 160D-1115): A North Carolina homeowner may pull the permit and do the work. G.S. 87-1(a) reaches general contracting only where the cost of the undertaking is $40,000 or more, and G.S. 87-1(b)(2) then exempts a person who constructs or alters a building on land that person owns, provided the building is intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family after completion and the person complies with G.S. 87-14. There is no outright ban on selling, but there is a look-back that works like one: if the building is not occupied solely by the person and his family for at least 12 months following completion, the statute presumes the person did not intend the building solely for that occupancy, which defeats the exemption. G.S. 87-14(a)(1) requires an owner claiming the exemption to execute a verified affidavit attesting that they own the property, that they will personally superintend and manage all aspects of the construction and will not delegate that duty to anyone unlicensed, and that they will be personally present for all inspections required by the State Building Code unless a licensed architect sealed the plans. The inspector transmits that affidavit to the Licensing Board, and if the Board determines the exemption was not available the building permit is revoked under G.S. 160D-1115. The exemption removes the general contractor license requirement only. It does not exempt the work from permits or inspections, and G.S. 160D-1113 provides that when a permit is held by an owner exempt under 87-1(b)(2), no inspection may be conducted without the owner present unless an architect sealed the plans. Confirm how Durham applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Durham
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | cost of the remodel work on a single-family residence | No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00 |
| Deck Permit | It depends | Before building a new deck or altering its load-bearing structure | ...Schedule F "Miscellaneous": "Residential decks (single and two-family)"... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before installing, extending, altering or generally repairing any electrical wiring... | ...7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge): "Minimum electrical permit fee"... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...on individual branch circuits and not covered in other schedules, each" $10.90... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Only when the fence or wall is on a property in a designated flood plain, is used as a... | See schedule |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...of a heating/cooling system with any concealed ductwork or component"... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | cost of the roof replacement work on a single-family residence | ...Surcharge), Schedule F "Miscellaneous": "Residential Reroofing (addition)"... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Technology Surcharge), Schedule C "Accessory Buildings": "No footing" $50.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Schedule G "Miscellaneous": "Solar panel inspections" "Residential"... |
| Water Heater Permit | It depends | Before installing a new water heater, or replacing one with a change in fuel, location... | ...Technology Surcharge), Schedule E: "Electric water heater (permit required)"... |
Plumbing Permit in other North Carolina localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Durham documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this plumbing permit page for Durham was verified. 2 official sources: durhamnc.gov, ncleg.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Plumbing Permit requirements across North Carolina localities