Greensboro, NC Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Section 6-262 defines 'plumbing' to include all equipment, appliances, and installations covered by the North Carolina Plumbing Code, and § 6-263 states the article's purpose is to enforce minimum standards for that equipment on premises and in habitable buildings. Section 6-269 requires a permit for 'the installation, extension, alteration, or general repair of any plumbing system,' carving out only minor house-side trap repairs that don't disturb the original water, waste, or vent lines, and even a simple fixture swap requires both a permit and an inspection of the new fixture.

Permits go only to licensed plumbing contractors or an owner working on the residence they live in, per § 6-271, and a licensed contractor may not pull a permit on someone else's behalf under § 6-272. Owners may obtain a property owner's permit for their own home under § 6-270, but that permit is personal to the applicant and doesn't authorize hiring unlicensed help. Every plumbing installation must be inspected before it's covered up, per § 6-274, with a final inspection and certificate of compliance issued under §§ 6-275 and 6-276 once the work passes.

00 each. The plumbing inspector, per § 6-265, enforces all state and local plumbing laws and can revoke a permit under § 6-273 for noncompliance found during the work.