New Hanover County, NC Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Chapter 11 of the county code adopts the North Carolina Plumbing Code, Volume II of the State Building Code, as the plumbing code for the unincorporated county (Sec. 11-5), and Sec. 11-9(b) requires every building's plumbing to be installed, altered, or repaired to that code's minimum standards. Sec. 11-81(a)(2) makes it unlawful to install, extend, or generally repair any plumbing system without first securing a permit from the inspection department having jurisdiction over the work site. The $5,000 minor-repair exemption available for single-family residences and farm buildings under Sec.

11-81(a) does not apply once the work adds plumbing or changes a plumbing design, so anything beyond a same-size, same-capacity fixture swap still needs a permit. Application must show the owner's name and address, any authorized agent, and the licensed contractor's name with proof of state licensure (Sec. 11-82). Plumbing permit fees are set on a schedule kept in the office of the plumbing inspector (Sec. 11-87(2)). Once issued, a permit expires six months after issuance if the work has not started, and immediately if work is discontinued for 12 months, after which a new permit must be obtained before work resumes (Sec.

11-88). Sec. 11-6 requires the plumbing inspector to inspect the water supply lines once roughed in, testing them at a minimum pressure of 125 pounds per square inch, and the full water and sewer system must be completed and functioning at normal pressure before final inspection. Changes from the approved plans require the inspector's written approval before work continues (Sec. 11-89), and the inspector may revoke a permit for a substantial departure from the approved plans or for false statements made to obtain it (Sec. 11-90).