Scranton, PA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Chapter 201, Construction Codes, Uniform, adopted by Ordinance No. 16-2010, incorporates the 2009 International Plumbing Code along with its Appendixes B through E as part of the City's Uniform Construction Code, alongside the 2009 International Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Residential and other codes. The City's separate plumbing chapter, Chapter 345, has been repealed and marked (Reserved), so plumbing work in Scranton is governed through Chapter 201's adopted IPC together with the permitting mechanics in Chapter 203, Contractors, Permits and Inspections. Section 203-7B makes it unlawful to install, repair, alter, enlarge or replace equipment tied to a building's operation, expressly including sanitation, toilet and drainage facilities, without first filing a written application with the Bureau and obtaining a formal permit.

Section 203-7C is specific about who may file that application: an application for a permit for a plumbing or heating installation must be filed by a master plumber or mechanical contractor, distinct from the general contractor route used for other building work. Before the Bureau will issue the permit, Section 203-7D requires zoning approval, sewer planning modules where applicable, and drawings and specifications covering plumbing among other trades, stamped and certified by a Pennsylvania-registered professional, plus proof of liability insurance of at least $500,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence for the contractor performing the work.