Hammond, IN Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum permit fee
- $50
- Fee under $15,000 valuation
- $50 + 1.75% of contract
- Fee over $15,000 valuation
- $120 + 1.25% of contract
- Inspection fee
- $75 per project
- Stop-work re-permit surcharge
- $250 residential / $500 commercial
- Civil penalty (§ 10.98 schedule)
- $250.00
Summary
In the City of Hammond, Indiana, plumbing work requires a permit before it starts, with a $50 minimum fee. The City Controller issues permits and the Inspection Department reviews sewer and water-main taps, with the Chief Plumbing Inspector overseeing the work.
Before any plumbing work of any kind shall be commenced for any building or structure, or on any lot or premises; or before the excavation shall commence on any street, avenue, road, sidewalk or highway, or any other public place, excepting repairs under $500, proper permits shall first be obtained. ... TOTAL VALUATION on any construction shall be the contract price, and shall include, but not be limited to, all labor, materials, subcontractors, permanent equipment and/or fixtures and all costs associated with job supervision. Minimum plumbing permit fee shall be $50. ... For a total valuation from $500 to $50 base fee + (1.75% x contract amount) $15,000 ... For a total valuation of $15,001 and $120 base fee + (1.25% x contract above amount) ... Inspection fee (all projects) $75
Full Breakdown
20, no plumbing work may begin on any building, structure, lot or premises, and no excavation may begin on any street, sidewalk or public place, until a permit is obtained, except for repairs under $500. 25% of the contract amount. A separate inspection fee of $75 applies to all projects, with a $50 red-tag inspection fee, a $50 additional or special inspection fee, and a $75 fee for a subsequent inspection of the same violation. Water taps run $200 residential and $350 commercial; sewer and sanitary taps run $300 for residential and two-family, $500 for three or more units or commercial, and $700 for industrial.
A permit extension costs 50% of the original permit cost, and a required bond for right-of-way or street opening is $10,000. 11 may open a street, alley or public place to tap a public sewer or install water service, and the Board of Public Works and Safety must approve digging into any public right-of-way; the Sewer Department must be notified before any tap or connection. A person who obtains a permit after a residential stop-work order pays an additional $250, and after a commercial stop-work order an additional $500.
Permits cannot be assigned, transferred or sublet, and no contractor may pull a permit for use by another contractor. 21 requires that air-conditioning and refrigeration installations using city water, plus water and waste pipes, be installed under the supervision of a master plumber, with inspection by the Chief Plumbing Inspector.
Violations & Fines
Working without a plumbing permit is a scheduled ordinance violation under § 10.98, payable at the city's Ordinance Violations Bureau with the City Clerk as Violations Clerk; the schedule in § 10.98 sets a $250.00 civil penalty for a Plumbing Permit Required violation (citing § 156.20) and a separate $250.00 penalty for a Plumbing Contractor License violation (§ 156.10). A violator may pay the civil penalty directly to the Violations Clerk or contest it at trial. Where no specific penalty applies, § 10.99's general penalty allows a fine up to $2,500, rising to $7,500 for a repeat offense, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small plumbing repair in Hammond, Indiana?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hammond
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