Pasco County, FL Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Section 18-118 makes the plumbing volume of the Florida Building Code the governing standard for every plumbing installation, alteration, repair, or replacement in the unincorporated county, whether the fixture connects to a public water and sewer system or is part of a medical gas system. Section 18-36 folds plumbing into the general permit requirement, listing the erection, alteration, or repair of a plumbing system among the work that needs a county building permit unless the building official grants a written exemption; a kitchen remodel that touches plumbing is not exempt even though cosmetic work like painting is.

Section 18-38 holds both the property owner and anyone who contracts for or performs the plumbing work jointly and severally responsible for securing that permit first. Because plumbing often intersects with septic and well systems, section 18-42 requires the building official to route applications to the county health department for review of waste treatment and disposal systems, including septic tanks, and of private water-supply and disposal wells, before those permits are approved. Section 18-41 limits who may even apply: only an owner who shows a licensed plumbing contractor and subcontractors are responsible for the work, or an owner who personally appears and signs the owner-builder disclosure statement required by Florida Statutes; corporate owners cannot use that exemption.

A plumbing permit lapses under section 18-50 if six months pass with no inspected work showing diligent progress, and the fee for the permit itself is set by county resolution under section 18-40.