Sammamish, WA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code
- Adopting section
- SMC § 16.05.140
- Private sewer distance trigger
- Public sewer more than 200 feet away
- Min. drain slope
- 1/4 inch per foot (2 percent)
- Permit issuer
- City permit center, Chapter 16.20 SMC
Summary
Sammamish enforces the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code with local amendments covering pool drainage, sewer connections and drainage piping slope, and every new plumbing installation or alteration needs a permit through the City's Construction Administrative Code.
16.05.140 Uniform Plumbing Code adopted. The 2021 Edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code...as adopted by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-56 WAC...is hereby adopted by the City of Sammamish, together with the following amendments: (1) Amend UPC Section 311.0, Independent Systems...Swimming pools shall be provided with a separate and independent drainage system, which shall connect with a public or private sewer...The main building drain shall be equipped with an accessible backwater valve outside of the building or structure and upstream of the pool drain connection.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance O2026-598, and legislation passed through August 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
140 adopts the 2021 Edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code, as adopted by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-56 WAC, excluding the Administration chapter and Chapters 12 and 14, with a set of local amendments. 20 SMC. 1, setting a minimum horizontal drainage pipe slope of one-fourth inch per foot (or two percent), droppable to one-eighth inch per foot only for four-inch-or-larger pipe with Code Official approval.
Violations & Fines
Working without a required plumbing permit, or in violation of approved plans, is an unlawful act under SMC § 16.20.530 and is treated as a civil code violation. The building official can issue a notice of violation or stop work order, and penalties run through SMC Title 23, Civil Code Compliance, including per-day noncompliance fines starting at $250/day for the first 15 days and rising to $1,000/day past 31 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plumbing code does Sammamish use?
Can I put in a septic system instead of connecting to the sewer?
Do pools need their own plumbing connection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sammamish
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Plumbing Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle plumbing permits.