Allegany County, MD Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

County Code Chapter 415 adopts the Maryland State Plumbing Code as Allegany County's Official Plumbing Code, under authority granted by Article 25, § 3 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (§ 415-1(B)). Per § 415-2(A), the County Commissioners adopted the 1984 Edition of the state code plus any later revisions, and interpretation questions go to the State Board of Commissioners of Practical Plumbing (§ 415-2(B)). Section 415-3(A) requires all plumbing work in the county to be performed by a licensed master, journey or apprentice plumber under the direction of a master plumber licensed in Maryland, Allegany County or Garrett County, with a narrow exception in Subsection D(1) for homeowners doing their own work up to the final connection, provided they sign a release of liability.

New construction plumbing is permitted through the local building permit system, while repair work needs a permit from whichever jurisdiction issues building permits for that area (§ 415-3(B)). Inspections follow the permit: new work must be inspected before the final tie-in to any public or private water or sewer system, and no final tap may be made operational until the Plumbing Inspector notifies the utility, Sanitary Commission or Health Department in writing that the work is approved (§ 415-3(C)). Minor exceptions exist for federal, county or municipal property, gas-company connections, fixture replacements at the same location, and leak or stoppage repairs excluding drain-trap replacement (§ 415-3(D)(2)).

Enforcement runs through § 415-4: violations by a licensed plumber go to the State Board of Commissioners of Practical Plumbing, while violations by anyone else are referred to the State's Attorney for Allegany County for prosecution as a misdemeanor.