Tonawanda, NY Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Section 54-5.D(1) requires a plumbing permit before installing, removing or altering any sanitary or storm sewer, waste, vent or water pipe, conductor or plumbing fixture, with a narrow exception in Subsection D(2) for repairs limited to the working parts of a faucet or valve, clearing stoppages, fixing leaks, or replacing a defective faucet or valve, so long as no piping to fixtures is altered. Section 54-5.E requires that all plumbing work, including installing a sump pump, be performed by or under the supervision of a licensed master plumber holding a current license under Chapter 150, Plumbers, Licensing of; the exception is a resident owner of a one- or two-family home doing the work personally, though if that owner subcontracts the work instead, the subcontractor must again be a licensed master plumber.

Applications follow the same § 54-5.F process as a building permit: a description of the work, the Tax Map number and address, and the fee set under § 54-20, paid before the Code Enforcement Officer will issue the permit. Once work is underway, § 54-7.E(1) requires plumbing work to stay uncovered until it is inspected or tested and approved, and any work covered before inspection must be uncovered again under § 54-7.E(2). A reinspection made necessary by incomplete or improper work costs an additional $50 under § 54-7.F.