James City County, VA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum plumbing permit
- $52.50
- Per fixture fee
- $7.35 each
- Water distribution system
- $15.75 per building
- Sewer depth minimum
- 12 inches below grade, Sec. 4-3(2)(c)
- Code adopted
- Virginia USBC Plumbing Code, Sec. 4-3
- Default penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500, Sec. 1-10
Summary
Sec. 4-3 adopts the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code's Plumbing Code for the county, sets building sewers at a 12-inch minimum depth, and Appendix A's Sec. 4-8 fee schedule charges $52.50 minimum for a plumbing permit plus $7.35 per fixture, $15.75 for a water distribution system, and $7.35 per sewer connection or drain.
(2)Plumbing Code (Current Model Code edition referenced in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code):a.Wherever the parenthetical phrase "date of adoption of this code" appears, substitute the word and numbers "September 1, 1974."b.Wherever the parenthetical phrases "name of municipality" or "name of jurisdiction" shall appear, substitute the words "County of James City."c.The minimum depth for building sewers is 12 inches below grade.d.A public water main or public sewer system shall be considered available to a structure when a structure is within the distance to the public water main or sewer as required by the "James City Service Authority Regulations Governing Utility Service." ... 4-8 Plumbing Permit •Minimum Plumbing Permit Fee $52.50 •Installation of each plumbing fixture or appliance $7.35 •Installation of the water distribution system in each building $15.75 •Connection of any building drain to a public or private sanitary sewage disposal system $7.35
Full Breakdown
Sec. 4-3(2) adopts the Plumbing Code referenced in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, substituting 'County of James City' for the jurisdiction and September 1, 1974 for the code's adoption date, and adds two of its own amendments: building sewers must sit at least 12 inches below grade, and a public water main or sewer is considered 'available' to a structure only within the distance set by the James City Service Authority Regulations Governing Utility Service. The county's own fee schedule sits in Appendix A under the code reference 4-8, Plumbing Permit.
50. 35 for each sewer, manhole, roof drain or similar device, whether sanitary or storm. 50 supplement for work proposed in the floodplain. Sec. 00 or less is refunded. Chapter 4 carries no plumbing-specific penalty, so an unpermitted plumbing installation defaults to Sec. 00 fine and twelve months in jail, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Installing plumbing fixtures, water distribution lines, or sewer connections without the Sec. 4-8 plumbing permit, or burying a building sewer at less than the 12-inch minimum depth set by Sec. 4-3(2)(c), violates Chapter 4. With no plumbing-specific penalty in the chapter, Sec. 1-10 applies by default: a Class 1 misdemeanor, up to a $2,500.00 fine and twelve months in jail, each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in James City County
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