Lake County, IN Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Lake County adopted the Indiana Plumbing Code (IPC, effective 5-2-1986) by reference in § 151.004(A)(7), together with later amendments published in the Indiana Register or Indiana Administrative Code. Section 151.020(A) requires a permit before beginning construction, alteration, repair or maintenance of a building or structure in the unincorporated county from the County Planning and Building Department, and plumbing installed as part of that work falls under the same permit. Section 151.021 requires the application to include a plat or sketch, plans and specifications, and a sworn affidavit form supplied by the Building Department.

The § 151.043 fee schedule prices plumbing separately from the base building fee at $2 per fixture with a $15 minimum. Section 151.025(A) schedules a rough plumbing inspection and a final plumbing inspection among the minimum inspections required for every permit; work found out of compliance at inspection draws an additional $50 fee under § 151.025(B), and a re-inspection after correction costs another $50 under § 151.025(C). A permit is valid for two years from the date of issuance under § 151.023(B), and unused permits are voided if construction has not started within six months under § 151.023(A)(2). Section 151.026 allows an appeal of a Building Department decision to the County Board of Zoning Appeals and then to the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission under I.C. 22-12-7-11 or 22-12-7-12.