Plumbing Permit in Greensboro, North Carolina
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before adding to or altering the drainage, waste, vent, water service or water distribution system, and before installing a fixture, water heater or appliance that connects to them.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Greensboro requires a separate plumbing permit for each trade on a job. Its own list of triggers covers installations, alterations or additions to the sanitary drainage, waste or vent systems, installation of fixtures, water heaters and appliances requiring connection to the building DWV, water service or water distribution system, installation or replacement of sewer and water service systems, and special application equipment such as water softeners and grease traps. The published exemption is narrow and statutory: no permit is required for replacements that do not change size or capacity. A homeowner may pull the plumbing permit for a house they own and live in if they sign an affidavit, do the work themselves and the house is not for sale or lease at the time of the request.
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 adding to or altering the drainage, waste, vent, water service or water distribution system, and before installing a fixture, water heater or appliance that connects to them.
What a plumbing permit costs in Greensboro
How Greensboro compares in North Carolina
No North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | It depends | Plumbing is charged as a trade permit under the LUESA Fee Ordinance (revised... |
| Greensborothis page | It depends | Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4300 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum... |
| Mecklenburg County | Permit required | Plumbing trade permit priced off total construction value with a $59.70... |
| Wake County | It depends | 'Residential Trade Permit Fee - $75. |
How to apply in Greensboro
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. City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) sets the exact checklist for Greensboro.
Where to apply in Greensboro:
City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections)
- Development Services, Melvin Municipal Office Building, Upper Ground Level, Room UG10, 300 W. Washington St., Greensboro, NC 27401
- Phone: 336-373-2155
- Email: DevelopmentServices2@greensboro-nc.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 Greensboro permit portal or by phone at 336-373-2155.
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 Greensboro
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Usually needed: Before adding to or altering the drainage, waste, vent, water service or water distribution system, and before installing a fixture, water heater or appliance that connects to them.
- Budget the fee. Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4300 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit/Inspection Fee $ 85.00'. Fixtures are priced per unit, 'Water Heater, all kinds 7.00 ea.', 'Sewer 7.00 ea.', 'Water Line - Existing House 7.00 ea.', 'Backflow Preventer $15.00 ea.', 'Gas Connection for Water Heater Replacement 10.00 ea'. 'Extra Inspection Fee, First Follow-up $ 45.00'. The schedule states the fees 'shall apply to old work as well as new'. 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 Greensboro permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections). Phone: 336-373-2155. Address: Development Services, Melvin Municipal Office Building, Upper Ground Level, Room UG10, 300 W. Washington St., Greensboro, NC 27401.
- 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 Greensboro?
- Greensboro requires a separate plumbing permit for each trade on a job. Its own list of triggers covers installations, alterations or additions to the sanitary drainage, waste or vent systems, installation of fixtures, water heaters and appliances requiring connection to the building DWV, water service or water distribution system, installation or replacement of sewer and water service systems, and special application equipment such as water softeners and grease traps. The published exemption is narrow and statutory: no permit is required for replacements that do not change size or capacity. A homeowner may pull the plumbing permit for a house they own and live in if they sign an affidavit, do the work themselves and the house is not for sale or lease at the time of the request. Always confirm with the City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) before starting.
- How much does a plumbing permit cost in Greensboro?
- Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4300 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit/Inspection Fee $ 85.00'. Fixtures are priced per unit, 'Water Heater, all kinds 7.00 ea.', 'Sewer 7.00 ea.', 'Water Line - Existing House 7.00 ea.', 'Backflow Preventer $15.00 ea.', 'Gas Connection for Water Heater Replacement 10.00 ea'. 'Extra Inspection Fee, First Follow-up $ 45.00'. The schedule states the fees 'shall apply to old work as well as new'. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Greensboro?
- You can apply through the Greensboro permit portal or contact the City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Greensboro?
- 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 Greensboro applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Greensboro
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | Not specified | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | Electrical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4100 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit Fee 85.00'. |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Mechanical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4200 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Inspection Fee $... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Not specified | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | cost of the construction, installation, repair, replacement or alteration | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
| Shed Permit | It depends | length, width or height of the accessory building | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. |
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 Greensboro documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections). 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
Permit office
City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections)
336-373-2155Permit portal