Brookhaven, NY Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Chief Building Inspector
- Portable equipment exemption
- Listed portable plumbing appliances only
- Fine
- Up to $125 per day
- Jail exposure
- Up to 15 days
- Governing chapter
- Town Code Chapter 16
- Applies
- Unincorporated town, not villages
Summary
Fixed plumbing work in the Town of Brookhaven needs a building permit before anyone picks up a wrench. Town Code § 16-3 requires a permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code, and only listed portable plumbing equipment is exempt. The Chief Building Inspector issues, reviews, and can revoke the permit.
Building permits required. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney, or flue in any dwelling unit. No person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit from the Town. ... (4) Installation of listed portable electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation or cooling equipment or appliances;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4966897; v79 updated 2026-05-28; through 05-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 16, Building Construction Administration, governs the unincorporated Town of Brookhaven outside its incorporated villages such as Patchogue and Port Jefferson. A requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, a category that reaches fixed plumbing installations because the Uniform Code incorporates the Plumbing Code of New York State (defined in Town Code § 30-4 as adopted under 19 NYCRR Part 1222). A(4) exempts solely the 'installation of listed portable electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation or cooling equipment or appliances,' so anything piped or wired into the structure still needs a permit.
' The Chief Building Inspector, appointed by the Commissioner of Planning, Environment and Land Management under § 16-2, reviews and approves applications, and can revoke or suspend a permit issued 'in error because of incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete information' or where the work violates the Uniform Code. Working without the required permit, or violating its terms, exposes an owner or contractor to enforcement under § 16-8: an order to remedy giving 30 days to fix the condition, a stop-work order under § 16-9, and civil or criminal penalties.
Violations & Fines
Section 16-8.C makes a Chapter 16 violation, including plumbing work performed without the required permit, punishable by a fine of up to $125 per day of violation, imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both. A separate civil penalty of up to $125 per day for each day the violation continues is recoverable by the Town in court, and the Chief Building Inspector may also issue a stop-work order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or fixture in Brookhaven?
Who reviews Brookhaven plumbing permit applications?
What happens if I do plumbing work without a Brookhaven permit?
Does Brookhaven's plumbing permit rule apply inside villages like Patchogue?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brookhaven
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Plumbing Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle plumbing permits.