Lake Forest, CA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

104.5 Fees. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this section and as set forth by Resolution of the City Council. Failure to pay fees and obtain a permit before commencing work shall be deemed a violation of this Code, except when it can be proven to the satisfaction of the Building Official that an emergency existed which made it impractical to first obtain the permit. A violation shall result in an assessment of double permit fees for work done prior to permit issuance. Payment of a double fee shall not relieve any person from fully complying with the requirements of this Code nor from any other penalties prescribed herein. For the purpose of this section, a sanitary plumbing outlet on or to which a plumbing fixture or appliance may be set or attached shall be construed to be a fixture. Fees for reconnection and retest of existing plumbing systems in relocated buildings shall be based on the number of plumbing fixtures, gas systems, water heaters, or other appliances involved. When a permit has been obtained to connect an existing building or existing work to the public sewer or to a new private disposal facility, backfilling of private sewage disposal facilities abandoned consequent to such connection is included in the building sewer permit.

B. Section 104.5.3, "Fee Refunds," of Chapter 1 of the Plumbing Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 104.5.3 Fee Refunds.