Blaine, MN Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Section 18-33, in Division 1 of Chapter 18's construction article, folds the state's plumbing rules directly into city law: 'The current state plumbing code adopted by the state board of health, and all its appendices, and all amendments thereafter adopted, is hereby adopted and shall be in full force and effect in the city insofar as applicable to plumbing, gas, piping and building construction.' That means plumbing permits in Blaine are reviewed against whatever edition of the state code is current, not a separate city plumbing standard.

Administration of the section is split three ways: the chief building official is responsible for administering it, the city manager may designate the inspectors who enforce it, and the city council adopts the fee schedule for plumbing permit services by council action. The city clerk keeps one marked 'official copy' of the state plumbing code on file for public inspection, so residents and contractors can check exact requirements before applying. Permit issuance and fee collection more broadly track the state framework cited in § 18-21, authorized under M.S.A. §§ 326B.107 and 326B.153, with a state surcharge added under M.S.A. § 326B.148, and anyone starting plumbing work before securing the permit owes an investigative fee equal to the permit fee on top of it.

Enforcement of chapter 18 as a whole, including plumbing work, runs through the state-certified building official designated under § 18-20, and a violation of the chapter or the adopted state code is a misdemeanor.