Job 12 of 16
Plumbing permits, office by office
The office that issues your plumbing permit depends on where the parcel sits: usually the city inside city limits, and Kitsap County or Pierce County on unincorporated land.
Revised November 4, 2026
How it changes, sheet by sheet
City Permit Center, online guide, 360-874-5533. The city's undated form says an availability letter is needed when another district supplies water or sewer.
Kitsap County Department of Community Development, online portal only. The county's fee sheet, revised 6/3/2026, gives valuation-based fees with a $75 minimum outside new single-family homes.
The city lists an application for minor residential plumbing work and a public portal. We could not open the form, so its scope is unknown, including water heaters. Work joined to a city utility falls under civil permits.
Pierce County Planning and Public Works. Its page says permits are issued right after online payment, and a yard sprinkler system needs one so the device can be inspected.
For the city, Planning and Development Services at Tacoma, (253) 591-5030. Ruston runs its own: (253) 759-3544 ext 4, a building permit and to-scale site plan for a main-to-house sewer line, and possibly a street excavation permit within 15 feet of the right-of-way.
The same Tacoma office. Like-for-like replacement, re-pipe and water heater are listed as over-the-counter requests. Tacoma Water, not the permit office, issues permits from main to meter.
Tacoma's office within city limits; the county's office for unincorporated Browns Point and Dash Point.
The city's Planning and Development Services, 253-460-2509, under the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code. Sewer and health department permits come before the building permit. Inspections: 253-460-2540.
Personal water or sewer line repairs take a no-fee Public Works permit; call (253) 564-8900 first. Fixtures go through Planning and Building, 253-564-8902. The 2026 residential fee is $40 plus $15 per item, plus a 15% administrative fee.
The city says it is not a full-service agency and sends sewer and water permits to outside agencies. Its brochure wants a permit for plumbing except stopping leaks. Permit center: 253-512-2261. Who issues for a Tillicum sewer connection is unconfirmed.
Community Development has a combined building, mechanical and plumbing application. Building inspection: 253-983-2077.
City Permit Center, (253) 835-2607, online through My Building Permit. King County Public Health lists Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County as its plumbing areas, not Federal Way.
Fife: permit types run through SmartGov, and sewer connections go to Engineering/Public Works. Milton: a search summary of the city's page names Planning and Community Development, 253-922-8738; confirm there. Edgewood, 253-952-3299: its FAQ wants a permit for hose bibs and ice makers and exempts like-in-kind basin and toilet swaps.
Building Division, online through CityView, 253-864-4165 option 1. The form wants a water availability letter outside the city's water service area; check with Engineering Services at (253) 841-5577.
Does state law settle whether you need a permit?
No. Washington's plumbing chapter says it is not meant to dispense with the requirements of any valid local plumbing code. Who may do the work and whether the work needs a permit are separate questions. The first is on the plumber certification page; the second belongs to your local office.
Is a small swap exempt?
It depends which side of a boundary you stand on, and the lists do not match:
- Kitsap County's page names stopping leaks and replacing a sink, tub or shower among its exceptions.
- Puyallup's page says replacing or relocating a toilet, sink, shower, tub or hose bib needs a permit.
- Pierce County's guide exempts stopping a leak, but wants a permit and inspection for removing a defective part and fitting new material.
- Tacoma says certain residential work may be exempt, under IRC R105.2 and TMC 2.02.540.
- Edgewood exempts some like-in-kind swaps.
Don't carry a neighbor's answer across a line. Name the exact fixture when you call.
A tub or shower swap shows why: the same job is exempt on one list and permitted on another, so ask before you buy. One page for comparing parts is tub and shower faucets. PlumbingSupplyAndMore and this atlas are run by the same team.
Who can hold the permit?
Local offices word this themselves. Tacoma's permit tip sheet says residential permits go only to the property owner or a licensed contractor. Pierce County's page says a homeowner can do their own work, citing RCW 18.27.090 and RCW 18.106.150. When a permit is issued, state law has the jurisdiction hand over a written notice covering license laws and what using an unlicensed plumbing contractor can cost a homeowner.
Which work needs a second permit?
Lines outside the house often do, and from a different office. A side sewer has its own path: Tacoma sends it through Planning and Development Services, and Ruston wants a building permit. Backflow devices for sprinklers have a Tacoma ePermit of their own, explained under backflow and irrigation. For water heaters and gas piping, Pierce County wants a separate gas-piping permit any time gas pipe is changed or added.
If you hire the job out, read what a firm says it does before asking who pulls the permit. For an example only, from a firm in Bucks and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, not here, see a plumbing firm's service page. Central Plumbing & HVAC is run by the same team as this site, and it works in Pennsylvania, not here.
Check your own address
- Pierce County parcels: search the county's public GIS map to learn whether you are inside city limits. Kitsap parcels: ask Community Development.
- Tell the permit counter the exact fixture and whether any pipe moves.
- Ask whether an inspection follows and how long booking takes.
- Keep the closed permit with your house papers for the next sale.
Source notes
- RCW 18.106.150. Checked November 4, 2026.
- RCW chapter 18.106. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Residential permits, City of Tacoma. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Wastewater resources, City of Tacoma. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Sanitary and storm sewer, Town of Ruston. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Permit Center, City of Federal Way. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Permits, City of Fircrest. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Public Works, City of Fircrest. Checked November 4, 2026.
- Types of permits, Tacoma permit tip sheets. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Residential plumbing and mechanical permit, City of Port Orchard. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Information regarding building permits, City of Port Orchard. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Prepare, apply and manage permits, Kitsap County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Do I need a building permit, Kitsap County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Fee schedule, Kitsap County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Building permits, forms and fees, City of Gig Harbor. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permits, City of Gig Harbor. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Residential permits, Pierce County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Mechanical and plumbing, Pierce County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Work exempt from permit guide, Pierce County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Plumbing FAQ, Pierce County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- When is a building permit required, City of University Place. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Who to call, City of University Place. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- City codes, City of University Place. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Miscellaneous permit and inspection information, City of University Place. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Building and planning fee schedule 2026, City of Fircrest. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permit center, City of Fircrest. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permit center, City of Lakewood. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Do I need a building permit, City of Lakewood. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Customer service, Lakewood Water District, listing the city permit center. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Community Development, Town of Steilacoom. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Steilacoom utility services, Town of Steilacoom. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Plumbing applications and permits, King County. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permit types document, City of Fife. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Building Division, City of Milton. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permit FAQ, City of Edgewood. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Permit services, City of Puyallup. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.
- Application for plumbing permit, City of Puyallup. Seen only as a search summary on November 4, 2026; confirm on the page.