Lancaster, CA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

The Lancaster Plumbing Code is the 2025 California Plumbing Code, incorporating the 2025 Uniform Plumbing Code with California amendments and Appendices A, B, D, G, H and I, adopted by reference under Sec. 010 to regulate plumbing, drainage, building sewers and private sewage disposal systems citywide. A copy is kept on file with the Building Official in the Community Development Division's Building & Safety office for public inspection. Sec. 020 bars issuance of a plumbing permit to anyone who is not a duly licensed contractor under Chapter 9, Division 3 (commencing with Section 7000) of the state Business and Professions Code, with the same owner-builder carve-out used across Lancaster's technical codes: an owner may pull a plumbing permit for work in a single-family dwelling used exclusively for living purposes, including accessory buildings, that the owner occupies, or on a duplex where the owner occupies one of the two units.

Owners and property managers may not obtain plumbing permits for rental or leased property outside that duplex exception. Permit fees follow the schedule the City Council adopts by resolution under Building Code Sec. 2 (Sec. 080), and a plumbing permit expires if the authorized work has not commenced within 360 days of issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 180 days without a written extension from the Building Official (Sec. 060). Before recommencing expired work, the applicant must obtain a renewal permit, pay all applicable plan-check and permit fees, and pass a mandatory site inspection.

Orders of the Building Official on plumbing work can be appealed to a hearing officer within 10 business days of service, and further to the Board of Appeals, under Sec. 110.