Lafayette, IN Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Plumbing work in the City of Lafayette runs through the same improvement location permit process that covers all other construction under Section 13.01.060(A)(1): a written application goes to the City Engineer, together with plans and specifications for the work. Section 13.01.060(D) adds a plumbing-specific gate other trades do not face: the City Engineer cannot issue the permit until the applicant furnishes a valid plumbing license number issued by the State of Indiana. Contractors not already under bond to the city must also file a $1,000.00 surety bond before doing plumbing work, renewable annually with the City Engineer, per Section 13.01.060(C)(2); a general contractor's bond runs $5,000.00 by comparison.

The technical standard behind the permit is the Indiana Plumbing Code, adopted from Article 16 of Title 675 of the Indiana Administrative Code at Section 13.01.050(A)(3), along with later amendments as the state publishes them. Once granted, a plumbing permit is void if the work has not started within 120 days, or is suspended for 120 days after starting, and total work cannot run past 12 months without a written extension from the City Engineer's office under Section 13.01.060(K). Doing plumbing work before the permit and license are on file triggers a special investigation and fee under Section 13.01.140.

Section 13.01.060(L) also blocks a new improvement location permit, plumbing or otherwise, until any unpaid fine tied to Chapter 8.08 (Stormwater), Chapter 13.01 (Building Code), or Chapter 10.06 has been paid in full.