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Montgomery, AL Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopted code
International Plumbing Code 2024
Base permit fee
$50.00
Per-fixture fee
$3.00 each
Late-start penalty
100% of permit fee
Max misdemeanor fine
$500.00 / 180 days

Summary

Montgomery, Alabama adopted the 2024 International Plumbing Code as its Plumbing Code and requires a permit for erection, installation, alteration, repair, relocation or addition to plumbing systems. Permits carry a $50 base fee plus per-fixture charges, and starting work first doubles your cost.

The "International Plumbing Code 2024" published by the International Code Council... be and is hereby adopted as the "Plumbing Code of the City of Montgomery"... Subsection 108.2 Fee Schedule. The fees for all plumbing work shall be as indicated in the following schedule: Base Fee $50; For Each Fixture $3; House Sewer $5; Electric Water Heater $5... WORK COMMENCING BEFORE PERMIT ISSUANCE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A FEE EQUAL TO 100% OF THE ORIGINAL PERMIT FEE

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).

Full Breakdown

City Code Sec. 5-71 adopts the International Plumbing Code 2024 as the "Plumbing Code of the City of Montgomery," governing installation, alteration, repair, relocation, replacement and addition to plumbing systems, including medical gas, vacuum piping and sanitary/condensate vacuum collection systems within city limits. Fuel-gas piping and gas-fired water heaters fall instead under the International Fuel Gas Code, and private sewage disposal must separately satisfy Montgomery County Health Department regulations. 2) sets a $50 base fee, then $3 per fixture, $5 for a house sewer connection, $5 for an electric water heater, and $3 each for dishwashers, garbage disposals, washing machines, rain leaders/roof drains, ejectors/pumps/sumps, drain or vent pipe repairs, and vacuum breakers or backflow devices.

Re-inspections are free the first trip, $25 the second trip, and $50 for the third and any later trip. 6 fee-refund and stop-work framework. 00 fine or 180 days imprisonment, with each additional day treated as a separate offense.

Violations & Fines

Working without a permit triggers a fee equal to 100% of the permit cost in addition to the permit fee itself. Ignoring a written stop-work order is a misdemeanor under IPC Subsection 114.4, punishable by a fine up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 180 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Montgomery, Alabama?
Yes. Installing or replacing an electric water heater is a permitted plumbing alteration under the city's adopted IPC, and the amended fee schedule sets a specific $5.00 charge for an electric water heater on top of the $50.00 base plumbing permit fee.
What happens if I start plumbing work before getting a permit?
Subsection 108.5/108.6 of the locally adopted IPC imposes a fee equal to 100% of the original permit fee for work commenced before permit issuance, charged in addition to the regular permit fee you still owe.
Who handles private sewage disposal permits in Montgomery, Alabama?
The city's Plumbing Code expressly defers private sewage disposal to the Montgomery County Health Department, so those installations are approved under county health regulations rather than the city plumbing permit process.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Montgomery

All Montgomery rules

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