Laredo, TX Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2018 International Plumbing Code
- Base permit fee
- $50.00 per permit
- Fixture fee
- $6.00 per fixture or trap
- Permit expiration
- Voided after 90 days unstarted
- Enforcing office
- City plumbing inspector
Summary
Laredo requires a state-licensed plumber and a city permit before any plumbing or gas-piping work begins, under the 2018 International Plumbing Code adopted by Sec. 25-3. Permits are issued for $50.00 per job plus itemized fixture fees, and it is a separate offense to let unlicensed work proceed on property you own or control.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of plumbing, do or perform any plumbing as described in this chapter, or to advertise or hold himself out to the public as a plumber without first having procured the necessary license and permits as required in this article or the code adopted by this chapter.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any unlicensed plumber to do any plumbing as described in this chapter, to be done on any premises owned or under the control of such person for which a permit has not first been obtained as provided in the code adopted by this chapter.(c)It shall be unlawful to obtain water service for a new construction prior to obtaining a customer service inspection.(d)It shall be unlawful to obtain a plumbing permit and not comply with this chapter by not providing for the completion of a customer service inspection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 3 | Land Development Code: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
The city adopted the 2018 edition of the International Plumbing Code by reference under Sec. 25-3, along with the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (Sec. 25-6) and the 2018 International Private Sewage Disposal Code (Sec. 25-7), each filed in loose-leaf form at the building development service office. Sec. 25-63 makes it unlawful to engage in the business of plumbing, perform plumbing work, or advertise as a plumber without first obtaining the required state license and a city permit, and it is a separate offense for a property owner or person in control of premises to knowingly allow unlicensed plumbing work to proceed there.
Water service for new construction cannot be connected before a customer service inspection is completed, and holding a plumbing permit does not excuse a contractor from finishing that inspection. Master and journeyman plumbers must hold current state board of plumbing examiners licenses on file with the city's plumbing inspector before working within city limits; journeymen who do not live in Laredo must have their license number on file before starting a job. Permit fees under Sec. 00 per water heater or vent. A permit is automatically canceled if work does not begin within 90 days of issuance, and the plumbing inspector can revoke a permit for defective or unpermitted work after giving the contractor or owner three days' written notice to correct it.
Violations & Fines
Doing plumbing or gas-piping work, or holding yourself out as a plumber, without the required state license and city permit is a separate criminal offense from letting unlicensed work happen on property you control; both carry the general penalty under Sec. 1-6. A permit lapses automatically if work has not started within 90 days, and the plumbing inspector can revoke an active permit and halt work if construction proceeds contrary to the approved plans, with three days to correct the violation before revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Laredo
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