Dubuque, IA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

City Code section 14-1H-1 adopts "the Plumbing Code as adopted and amended by the State of Iowa Administrative Code 641 Chapter 25" by reference as the Dubuque Plumbing Code, controlling installation, alteration, repair, relocation, replacement, and maintenance of plumbing equipment and systems citywide, with a copy on file at the City Clerk's office. Section 14-1H-2 amends that adopted code locally: fees for each permit are set by the city council rather than a fixed schedule, and up to 80 percent of a permit or plan review fee may be refunded if no work or plan review has occurred, under amended Sections 104.5 and 104.5.3; the printed fee table is deleted entirely in favor of the council-set schedule.

Section 14-1H-3 requires anyone acting as a plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, or hydronic contractor, or performing that work, to hold a state-issued license, except as Iowa Code section 105.11 allows, and requires a licensed master actively in charge of that work for any business performing it, including sole proprietors. Section 14-1H-4 and 14-1H-5 set minimum backflow prevention standards for new residential construction and existing water services, cross-referencing title 13, chapter 1, article D. Section 14-1H-6 charges an inspection fee, set by the city manager, for inspections outside normal business hours or without a specifically indicated fee. Appeals of plumbing code decisions go to the Building Code Advisory and Appeal Board under section 14-1A-6, per section 14-1H-7.