Tempe, AZ Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2024 International Plumbing Code (§8-600)
- Permit required for
- Install, alter, repair or replace plumbing (§8-105.1)
- Issuing office
- Building Official, Community Development Department
- Minor repair exemption
- Stoppage/leak fixes without pipe replacement (§8-105.2)
- Unpermitted work penalty
- Investigation fee equal to the permit fee
- Fee adjustment
- Annual CPI adjustment each July 1
Summary
Tempe adopted the 2024 International Plumbing Code by reference under general code § 8-600, and § 8-105.1 of the Tempe Administrative Code requires a permit before installing, altering, or replacing any plumbing system, issued by the Building Official after plan review. Minor repairs like clearing a stoppage or fixing a leak without replacing pipe or fixtures are exempt under § 8-105.2.
105.1 Required. Any owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, change the occupancy or change character/use within an occupancy group of a building or portion thereof or 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 the City of Tempe Construction Codes, or to cause such work to be performed, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit prior to any work being done on the project.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8, Article VI of the general code adopts 'The International Plumbing Code, 2024 Edition,' chapters one through fifteen plus appendices B, C, and E, by reference under § 8-600, with amendments on file with the City Clerk; where the IPC's administrative sections are marked 'Reserved,' § 8-600 directs users to the Tempe Administrative Code instead. That administrative code, adopted separately as Chapter 8, Article I under § 8-100, supplies the actual permit mechanics. 1 requires any owner or authorized agent who intends to install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace a plumbing system to first apply to the Building Official and obtain a permit before work starts.
2. 2 carves out narrow plumbing exemptions: stopping a leak or clearing a stoppage without replacing pipe, fittings, valves, or fixtures; reinstalling a water closet without rearranging plumbing; and swapping a water heater or water-conditioning appliance of the same type and fuel source in the same location in a detached single-family, two-family, or townhouse unit. 4 charges an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, on top of the permit fee itself, for anyone who starts plumbing work before getting the permit. 6 makes it every plumber's duty to comply with both the IPC and the Tempe Administrative Code.
Violations & Fines
Starting plumbing work before the permit is issued triggers an investigation fee equal to the permit fee itself under § 109.4, charged in addition to the required permit fee, and does not excuse the work from any other code requirement. The Building Official can deny a permit outright if the declared project valuation is understated compared to the ICC's Building Valuation Table, and unfinished work can lead to a notice requiring completion or demolition within set deadlines under § 8-105.8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for plumbing work in Tempe?
What plumbing repairs don't need a permit in Tempe?
What happens if I do plumbing work in Tempe without a permit?
Sources & Official References
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