Kent County, DE Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- International Plumbing Code (state edition)
- Permit required for
- Install, alter, repair or replace plumbing systems
- Enforcing office
- Dept. of Planning Services building official
- First-offense fine
- $100 mandatory minimum
- Permit lapses
- If work not started within 180 days
- Unpermitted-work penalty
- Extra fee plus doubled after-the-fact fee
Summary
Kent County adopts the International Plumbing Code for all plumbing work in the unincorporated county and requires a permit from the Department of Planning Services before any plumbing system is installed, altered, repaired or replaced. Applications go to the building official, and work started without one draws escalating fines under Chapter 105.
(5) Plumbing. The provisions of the International Plumbing Code shall apply to the installation, alteration, repair and replacement of plumbing systems, including equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances where connected to a water or sewage system and all aspects of a medical gas system... The International Plumbing Code is governed by the State of Delaware and may be subject to a different edition of the code. ... § 105-4. Permits. A. Required. Any owner or authorized agent who intends to ... erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.
Full Breakdown
D(5) applies the International Plumbing Code, as currently adopted by the State of Delaware, to the installation, alteration, repair and replacement of plumbing systems, fixtures, fittings, appurtenances and medical gas piping connected to a water or sewage system, and separately applies the International Private Sewage Disposal Code to septic systems. A then requires anyone who intends to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace a plumbing system to first apply to the building official and obtain a permit before work begins. A(2). A(6). A). G). E).
Violations & Fines
Plumbing work done without the required permit, or in violation of approved construction documents, is charged under § 105-14.D's schedule: $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, $500 for a third, and no less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 for a fourth and later offense, or up to 10 days' imprisonment, or both. The $100 minimum is mandatory and cannot be suspended, repeat offenders skip warnings, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense (§ 105-14.E). The building official can also issue a stop-work order under § 105-15 carrying the identical fine schedule for continued work after the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does replacing a water heater require a permit in Kent County?
What plumbing code applies in unincorporated Kent County?
What happens if I start plumbing work in Kent County without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent County
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