Santa Clara, CA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2025 California Plumbing Code
- Appendices adopted
- A, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, R, S
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2081, Nov. 4, 2025
- Cross-reference
- Water connection reports, § 13.15.040
- Enforcement
- SCCC § 15.80.010 / § 1.05.070
Summary
Santa Clara enforces plumbing permits through the 2025 California Plumbing Code, adopted wholesale by SCCC § 15.35.010, effective November 4, 2025 under Ordinance No. 2081. The chapter cross-references the Water and Sewer Department and sewer chapters, tying plumbing permits to the City's water-connection reporting duties.
The 2025 California Plumbing Code, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and the California Building Standards Commission in Part 5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, is hereby adopted and by this reference expressly incorporated and made a part of this chapter as though fully set forth herein. The adoption includes Appendix A, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, R and S. The 2025 California Plumbing Code shall be designated and referred to as the "Plumbing Code" for the City of Santa Clara.
Full Breakdown
010 adopts the 2025 California Plumbing Code, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and the California Building Standards Commission in Part 5 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, including Appendices A, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, R, and S, and designates it the 'Plumbing Code' for the City of Santa Clara. 040. 15. The adoption took effect under Ordinance No. 05. 35 carries no separate local amendment sections beyond the adoption itself, so the 2025 CPC's own permit and fixture requirements control plumbing work citywide. 070.
Violations & Fines
Plumbing work performed without a required permit, or that fails an inspection under the adopted 2025 California Plumbing Code, is a Title 15 violation enforceable under § 15.80.010, prosecutable as a misdemeanor (up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail) or an infraction with graduated fines of $100, $200, and $500 under SCCC § 1.05.070; a plumber's failure to report a water connection under § 13.15.040 is a separate, additional violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plumbing code applies to permits in Santa Clara?
Do Santa Clara plumbers have extra reporting duties beyond getting a permit?
What happens if plumbing work in Santa Clara is done without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara
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Plumbing Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle plumbing permits.