Lake Charles, LA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Sec. 6-35, in Chapter 6's Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code article, adopts the International Plumbing Code, 2021 edition, as amended by the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 17, Part I, Section 111, effective January 1, 2023, and the standards apply to the erection, installation, alteration, repair, relocation, replacement, addition to, use, or maintenance of plumbing systems citywide, plus nonflammable medical gas, vacuum piping, and sanitary vacuum collection systems; fuel gas piping and gas water heaters are instead governed by the International Fuel Gas Code. Sec. 6-38's general permit requirement covers plumbing systems by name, requiring an owner or authorized agent to apply to the building official and obtain a permit before installing, altering, or replacing any plumbing system regulated by the code.

Sec. 00 minimum permit fee overall. Sec. 6-202 separately requires anyone contracting or bidding plumbing work to hold a plumbing license and to register with the plumbing official, and bars anyone without a master or journeyman plumber's certificate of competency issued by the Louisiana State Plumbing Board from working at the trade or advertising as a plumber in the city, though a homeowner working on their own occupied single-family dwelling is exempt from the license requirement.