Madera County, CA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- California Plumbing Code
- Permit required
- Per building or structure
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Madera County only
- Blocked if
- Underlying structure is unpermitted
Summary
Unincorporated Madera County adopts the California Plumbing Code and requires a separate county plumbing permit before any installation, alteration, repair, replacement, or remodel of a plumbing system in a building or structure.
It shall be unlawful for a person, firm, or corporation to make an installation, alteration, repair, replacement, or remodel a plumbing system regulated by this code except as permitted in Section 104.2, or to cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate plumbing permit for each separate building or structure.
Madera County shall not issue plumbing permits for work in, on, or under, unpermitted structures. For plumbing work to be installed in, on, or under, existing structures building permits must be obtained, inspections completed and passed prior to the issuance of any other permits.
(Ord. No. 702, § 5, 12-13-22)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 14.20 adopts the California Plumbing Code for the unincorporated area, and Section 14.20.110 makes it unlawful to install, alter, repair, replace, or remodel a regulated plumbing system without first obtaining a separate plumbing permit for each building or structure. The county also won't issue a plumbing permit for work in, on, or under a structure that itself lacks a building permit: the structure must be permitted and pass inspection first. The Department of Engineering and General Services (building official) administers and inspects the work; a defective or unsanitary plumbing system can also be declared a nuisance under Section 14.20.040.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted plumbing work is a misdemeanor under the code's general penalty, Section 1.12.010: up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both, with each day of the violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to repipe my house or replace a water heater in unincorporated Madera County?
Can I pull a plumbing permit for an unpermitted addition?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera County
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera County to another location·View the California building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.