Butte County, CA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Like electrical work, plumbing is not governed by its own standalone chapter. Chapter 28 (Plumbing) carries only an editor's note that the "Former Ch. 28 was repealed and replaced by Ord. No. 3973, § 9, 12-11-07," with its content absorbed into Chapter 26 (Buildings). Section 26-1 adopts the 2025 California Building Standards Code by reference, listing "Part 5, California Plumbing Code" in the table of adopted parts alongside the Building, Residential, Electrical, and Mechanical codes, applying "to and govern all building construction in the unincorporated areas of the county."

Section 26-3.1(c) supplies the permit mechanics: "The following provision shall apply to permits under the 2025 California Residential Code, 2025 California Electrical Code, 2025 California Mechanical Code, and 2025 California Plumbing Code: The rules concerning time limitation of application, expiration, transferability, occupancy, and work exempt from a permit shall be as specified in subsection (a) above." That means a plumbing permit application expires one year after filing if not issued (Section 105.3.2), an issued permit lapses one year after issuance with a 30-day renewal window before a new application and fees are required (Section 105.5), and any mechanical, electrical, or plumbing permit tied to an active building permit stays active as long as that building permit does. Unlike the electrical amendments, the Section 26-3.1(a) work-exempt list adds no plumbing-specific item, so the exemptions in the state-adopted California Plumbing Code apply without a Butte County carve-out.