Gaithersburg, MD Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2021 IPC, City Code § 5-14
- Actual enforcement
- Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
- City code applies
- Only where WSSC rules are silent
- Overtime inspections
- 48 hours advance notice required
- Appeal deadline
- 17 days to City Board of Appeals
- Default penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days, § 1-7
Summary
Gaithersburg adopts the 2021 International Plumbing Code as its plumbing code under City Code § 5-14, but § 5-15(1) hands almost all of the actual regulation to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. WSSC's own Plumbing and Gasfitting regulations and inspections govern site and building plumbing work; the City's adopted IPC applies only to whatever WSSC's rules do not already cover.
Sec. 5-15. - Modifications to the International Plumbing Code (2021). The International Plumbing Code 2021, adopted by section 5-14, is hereby modified by the city as follows: (1)General. Any plumbing systems work relating to site/buildings/structures whether existing or new, shall be administered by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). All code requirements, amendment(s) and modification(s) are defined and enforced by their regulation(s) and inspection(s) practices for compliance. Adoption by the City of this code shall apply only to items that are not addressed or covered by the current Plumbing and Gasfitting regulations of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
" Section 5-15, item (1), then redirects enforcement: "Any plumbing systems work relating to site/buildings/structures whether existing or new, shall be administered by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). All code requirements, amendment(s) and modification(s) are defined and enforced by their regulation(s) and inspection(s) practices for compliance," and City adoption of the IPC "shall apply only to items that are not addressed or covered by the current Plumbing and Gasfitting regulations" of WSSC. 2, requires any overtime inspection request to be made at least 48 hours in advance.
1: an appeal of a City Manager decision under the plumbing chapter must go to the City Board of Appeals within 17 days, with a further appeal to the Circuit Court within 30 days of the Board's written decision, governed by the Maryland Rules of Procedure. Because most plumbing work in the city is on a WSSC-supplied water and sewer system, a homeowner or contractor typically pulls a WSSC plumbing permit for the fixture work itself and a City building permit only for whatever falls outside WSSC's Plumbing and Gasfitting regulations.
Violations & Fines
Section 5-15 carries no standalone penalty clause of its own, so a plumbing-code violation not otherwise addressed by WSSC's own enforcement defaults to City Code § 1-7's general penalty: a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who actually issues plumbing permits in Gaithersburg?
Why did Gaithersburg adopt its own plumbing code if WSSC handles it?
Can I appeal a City plumbing permit decision?
How much advance notice do I need for an overtime plumbing inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gaithersburg
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