Kennewick, WA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- Uniform Plumbing Code as amended by Washington State
- Permit fee
- Set by UPC Section 103.4, Table 1-1
- Floor drain
- Required in every basement, KMC 15.40.060
- Grandfathered systems
- Pre-code plumbing kept if unchanged and hazard-free
- Excluded chapters
- UPC Chapters 12 and 15 not adopted
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine / 90 days jail
- Appeals
- Through KMC Chapter 4.04 process
Summary
Kennewick adopts the Uniform Plumbing Code, as amended by Washington State, to govern plumbing permits inside city limits. Every plumbing job requiring a permit must pay the fee set under UPC Section 103.4, plumbing installed before the code's effective date keeps its lawful status if unchanged and free of hazard, and every basement needs at least one floor drain. Violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors under Title 15's general penalty section.
The Uniform Plumbing Code, as amended by the State of Washington with appendix chapter A, chapter B, chapter D, chapter E, chapter I, are hereby adopted. ... Any plumbing system lawfully installed prior to the effective day of this Code may have its existing use, maintenance or repair continued if the use, maintenance or repair is in accordance with the original design and location and no hazard to the public health, safety or welfare has been created by such system. Section 710.0 shall, however, apply to all plumbing systems whether lawfully installed prior to the effective date of this Code or not. ... Any person desiring a permit required by this Code, shall, at the time of filing an application therefor, pay such fees as are provided in Section 103.4 - Table 1-1 of the 1997 Uniform Plumbing Code. ... There shall be provided at least one floor drain in every basement, located either in the utility room, bathroom or furnace room.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
010). 020). 015). The property owner or a designated agent is responsible for keeping the plumbing system in a safe, sanitary condition. 060). 070). 040). 060).
Violations & Fines
Working without a plumbing permit, or ignoring UPC Section 710.0's cross-connection requirement regardless of when the system was installed, is a Title 15 violation. KMC 15.04.070 makes any violation of Title 15 a misdemeanor, and under the citywide penalty schedule at KMC 1.12.010 a misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for plumbing repairs in Kennewick?
Is my old plumbing grandfathered in?
Does every basement need a floor drain?
What happens if I plumb without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kennewick
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