Rockville, MD Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any plumbing work begins
- Issued to
- Licensed master plumber (or owner-occupant)
- Adopted code
- ICC Plumbing Code, 2021 Edition
- Unlicensed work penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 5-246
Summary
Rockville requires a permit before any plumbing work begins, issued to a licensed master plumber except for a narrow owner-occupant exception on a single-family home.
No plumbing work shall be undertaken prior to the issuance of a permit therefor by the administrative authority. Such permit shall be issued to a licensed master plumber, except as provided otherwise in this article. Repairs involving only the working parts of a faucet or valve, clearance of stoppages, repairing of leaks, or replacement of defective faucets or valves may be made without a permit provided no changes are made in the piping to the fixtures.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The City's Plumbing Code, adopted at City Code § 5-251 as the ICC International Plumbing Code, 2021 Edition, bars any plumbing work until the administrative authority issues a permit under § 5-241. That permit normally goes only to a licensed master plumber; a bona fide owner-occupant of a single-family home may pull a permit and do the work personally, provided the owner buys the materials and performs the labor. Applications go on the City's form with the resolution-set fee, and no permit issues until submitted plans show the work will meet the code. Minor faucet, valve and leak repairs that don't change fixture piping are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted plumbing work violates § 5-241 and is a municipal infraction under § 1-9, fined up to Maryland's $400 municipal-infraction maximum; performing plumbing work without a license is a misdemeanor under § 5-246.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Rockville homeowner do their own plumbing work?
What plumbing code does Rockville use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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Plumbing Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle plumbing permits.