Lower Merion, PA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Section 115-1 of the Lower Merion Township Code adopts the "International Plumbing Code" published by the International Code Council as the township's Plumbing Code, with three copies kept on file with the Township Secretary or the Building and Planning Department, and incorporates it as provided under Chapter 143, Uniform Construction Code. Section 115-3 makes local additions, insertions, deletions, and changes to that adopted code. It amends IPC Section 106.6.2, Fee schedule, to require that all plumbing permit fees be charged as indicated in Chapter A167 of the township code, the general fee schedule set by the Board of Commissioners.

It amends Section 106.6.3, Fee refunds, so the Code Official must refund the full amount of any fee erroneously paid or collected, up to 80% of the permit fee when no work has been done under an issued permit, and up to 80% of the plan review fee when an application is withdrawn or canceled before any plan review effort has been expended; a refund request must be filed in writing within 180 days of the fee payment. Section 115-3 also rewrites IPC Section 305.6.1 to require building sewers connecting to private disposal systems to sit at least 36 inches below finished grade at the septic tank connection, and IPC Section 904.1 to require open roof vent pipes to terminate at least 12 inches above the roof, or at least seven feet above a roof used for purposes beyond weather protection.

General references in the chapter tie plumbing work to Chapter 62 (Building Construction), Chapter 69 (Contractor Licensing), Chapter 90 (Health and Sanitation), Chapter 92 (Property Maintenance), Chapter 126 (Sewers), and Chapter 143 (Uniform Construction Code).