Phoenix Plumbing Codes and Permits
Every Phoenix plumbing rule we cover, sorted by topic. Each page says what the rule means and links to the official Phoenix source.
- Plumbing code choice
- UPC or IPC, as amended (PBCC 101.4.3)
- Where the code lives
- Amendment PDFs on the PDD building code page; City Code (Ch. 28 Sewers, Ch. 37 Water) on phoenix.municipal.codes
Permits and Inspections
Permits and Inspections in every city- Permit FeeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix PDD Fee Schedule, Appendix A.2, Table A: Building Safety Valuation-Based Permit FeeHow does Phoenix calculate a plumbing permit fee?Phoenix charges plumbing permit fees by project valuation using Table A of its PDD Fee Schedule. Jobs valued $1 to $1,000 pay a $195 base fee, or $98 for a residential water heater. Above that, the fee steps up per $1,000 of value, and plan review adds 80 to 100 percent of the permit fee when review is required.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Building Construction Code, IBC Chapter 1 Sections 105.5, 105.5.1 and 105.5.2How long is a Phoenix plumbing or building permit good for?Most Phoenix permits expire 24 months after they are issued under PBCC Section 105.5. The building official can extend one in writing for up to a year at a time if you ask before it expires, and an expired permit can be reinstated within a year. Permits for work started without a permit get only 12 months.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Building Construction Code, IBC Chapter 1 Section 110.3.10.1, item 3PBCC 110.3.10.1: Which plumbing inspections does Phoenix require?Phoenix requires two plumbing inspection stages under PBCC 110.3.10.1. Sewer, drain, vent, water and gas piping must pass a rough-in or underground inspection before it is buried or concealed, and a final inspection follows once fixtures are set and operating or ready to operate. Nothing connects to water, fuel or sewer until the building official authorizes it.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Building Construction Code, IBC Chapter 1 Section 119.1PBCC Section 119: Who may do permitted plumbing work in Phoenix?Under PBCC Section 119.1, permitted plumbing work in Phoenix must be done by a city-licensed journeyman or an apprentice. The exceptions are Arizona-licensed contractors, the owner/occupant of a single-family home working on their own residence, and people installing private water services, sewers or private sewage disposal systems. Apprentices must be supervised at all times.
- Permit FeeVerified Oct 20262024 Phoenix Building Construction Code, Administrative Provisions Sec. 114.1.4 and 114.1.4.1 to 114.1.4.1.4; PDD Fee Schedule (Ord. G-7465), Fees for Work Done Without a PermitWhat happens if plumbing work is done without a permit in Phoenix?The city can stop all work and investigate before issuing a permit. Work started without one pays an investigation fee ($250 or the permit fee, whichever is greater), a doubled permit fee and a job-site meeting fee. Previous-owner work may qualify for waivers of the investigation, additional permit and meeting charges.
- Adopted CodesVerified Sep 2026Phoenix Construction Code History (TRT 00550, Rev. 08/25), Ordinance G-7397Which building and plumbing codes does Phoenix enforce?Since August 1, 2025, Phoenix enforces the 2024 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Plumbing codes and the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, all with Phoenix amendments. Plumbing plans may follow either the UPC or the IPC. Plans submitted after December 31, 2025 must follow the 2024 set.
Gas Lines
Gas Lines in every cityBackflow Prevention
Backflow Prevention in every city- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 37-142 (Chapter 37, Article XII); 37-144(b) (auxiliary water systems); 2024 IPC 608.7.2 as amended by PhoenixCan you connect city water to a well or other water source in Phoenix?Not without written approval from the Water Services Director. Phoenix bars any connection between city water and another water source, such as a well, cooling loop or reclaimed line. Where an auxiliary supply is approved, the service needs an air gap or reduced pressure (RP) assembly at the meter.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026Phoenix TRT 00634 (Rev. 7/25), Section B1; 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code, Administrative Provisions Sec. 105.2, Plumbing, item 6; City Code 37-143Do you need a permit to install or replace a backflow preventer in Phoenix?Yes. Phoenix requires a plumbing permit to install, alter or replace a backflow assembly, and the inspection costs $195 for the first device and $98 for each additional. The 2024 building code exempts repair or replacement of an existing secondary assembly 2 inches or smaller if a certified tester's report is submitted.
- City CodeUpdated Jul 2026Phoenix City Code Ch. 37: Backflow and Cross-Connection ControlPhoenix City Code Chapter 37 runs the city's cross-connection control program. Where a property has a backflow hazard, the owner must install an approved backflow assembly, have it tested every year by a certified tester, and file the results with the city. The rules sit in sections 37-141 through 37-146.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 37-143 (Chapter 37, Article XII); 2024 IPC 312.11.2 as amended by Phoenix; A.A.C. R18-4-215What backflow duties does a Phoenix property owner have?The customer, meaning whoever controls the water system, must get a permit for any assembly, have a certified tester test it at least once a year, file the results on city forms, keep records three years, and pay for repairs. A failed assembly must be fixed and retested. Fire lines need a certified tester who also holds Fire Marshal permission.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 37-146 (Chapter 37, Article XII, Remedies) and 37-145 (Appeals)What happens if you skip your backflow test in Phoenix?Phoenix can charge a civil penalty of up to 1,000 percent of your water charges for each billing period until the problem is fixed, and it can shut off water. Shutoff takes ten days' written notice, or none if the city sees a health hazard. The city can also install the assembly itself and bill you for it.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 37-144(d), (f) and (g); 2024 IPC 608.8.1 and 608.15.3 as amended by Phoenix; TRT 00634 (Rev. 7/25)Where must a backflow preventer be installed at a Phoenix property?Put a required Phoenix backflow assembly as close as practicable to the water meter, above ground, on private property, and never in a pit, vault, meter box or basement. Leave at least 12 inches under it and a 3-foot clear space around a secondary assembly for testing.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 37-144(b) (Chapter 37, Article XII, Backflow Prevention Methods)Which Phoenix businesses need a backflow preventer, and which type?Phoenix lists the uses that need a city backflow assembly. Restaurants, supermarkets and car washes need an air gap or reduced pressure (RP) assembly. Retail shell buildings with several tenants on one service need an RP. Single-family homes are exempt unless a cross connection is found. The assembly goes as close as practicable to the water meter.
Sewer Lines
Sewer Lines in every city- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 28-27 (Chapter 28, Article IV, Connections to Public Sewers and Charges)Do you need a permit to connect to or work on a public sewer in Phoenix?Yes. Phoenix City Code 28-27 bars anyone from uncovering, connecting to, using, altering or disturbing a public sewer without a permit from the Water Services Department. Industrial users get their permit under Article VI, and short temporary discharges need an authorization form filed at least ten days ahead.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026Phoenix Building Construction Code, Administrative Provisions Sec. 105.1, item 2 (IBC Ch. 1 as amended); City Code 28-28 and 28-29Do you need a separate permit for a water or sewer tap in Phoenix?Yes. Phoenix requires a separate Planning and Development permit for work in the public right of way, including sewer or water taps and connections to public sewer and water. It is in addition to your plumbing permit, and the sewer tap application needs a valid plumbing permit first.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code Chapter 28, Article I (Section 28-5, Property owner responsible for cleaning, repair, and replacement of building sewers and connections, and Section 28-5.1)Who is responsible for a broken sewer line in Phoenix?The owner maintains the sewer line from the building to the city main. For a single-family or duplex property, the city repairs a verified break in the public right of way. For anything else, such as a restaurant or fourplex, the owner or the owner's contractor repairs the street or alley section too, under a city permit.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 28-21 and 28-23 (Chapter 28, Article III, Sewer Extensions)Who pays to extend a sewer main in Phoenix?The developer. Under Phoenix City Code 28-21 a developer extending a public sewer main pays to design, permit and build it, including easements and the city's inspection, and hires an Arizona-registered civil engineer. Once the city accepts the extension it becomes part of the public sewer.
Water Supply and Pipes
Water Supply and Pipes in every city- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix City Code 37-53, meter location, relocation and testingCan a plumber or owner move a water meter in Phoenix?No. Phoenix City Code 37-53 lets only authorized Water Services representatives move or remove a meter. If anyone else does, the city shuts off water to the property and won't restore it until the customer pays the cost of putting the meter back. Meters belong on the sidewalk side of the curbline.
- Local AmendmentVerified Oct 2026Phoenix amendments to 2024 IPC 605.25 and 2024 UPC 604.14 (Ord. G-7397, effective 2025-08-01)Can you use PVC, CPVC or PEX water pipe outdoors in Phoenix?No. Phoenix's plumbing code amendments bar nonmetallic potable water pipe, fittings and valves from exposed exterior locations such as roofs, ground surfaces and exterior walls. Exposed outdoor water piping must be an approved metal, listed in the code's material tables.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Water Meter Sizing Guideline (TRT 00142)How does Phoenix size a water meter for a new building?Phoenix sizes water meters from the table in its Water Meter Sizing Guideline (TRT 00142). Each meter size has a maximum flow and fixture unit count, from 20 gpm for a 3/4-inch meter to 1,600 gpm for an 8-inch compound meter. A design over the limit moves up a size, and new building taps start at 1 inch.
- City ProgramVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Water Services Design Standards Manual (2021), Section IV.A, Pressure ZonesWhat water pressure does Phoenix guarantee at the meter?Phoenix's Water Services design manual says about 72 pressure zones run at roughly 50 to 100 psi static and provide at least 40 psi at the customer's meter. That minimum applies only if the property sits within its zone's elevation range; otherwise the developer or owner installs a private booster. Above 80 psi, the owner adds a regulator.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix City Code 37-53When does Phoenix require a separate water meter?Phoenix City Code 37-53 requires a separate water meter for landscape watering of landscaped areas over 10,000 square feet and for water features using 1,000 gallons a day or more, on services set up after January 1, 1990. Water Services design rules also keep fire, domestic and landscape demands on separate connections.
- City ProgramVerified Sep 2026Phoenix Water Services, General Service Issues; Design Standards Manual (2021), Service Connection definition and Section DWho is responsible for the water line to your Phoenix property, the city or you?The water meter is the dividing line. Phoenix maintains the line from the street main to the meter. Everything after the meter belongs to the property owner, including a required pressure regulator. Fire lines and sewer lines use different dividing lines, so a commercial property has more than one.
Drains, Traps and Vents
Drains, Traps and Vents in every city- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 32A-24; Stormwater Policies and Standards Manual (3rd Edition)Phoenix City Code 32A-24: On-Site Stormwater Retention for Commercial SitesPhoenix City Code 32A-24 requires every development to retain its own stormwater, sized by the city manual for the 100-year, 2-hour storm and emptied within 36 hours. Parking lots can pond only six inches, drywells default to 0.1 cfs each, and the owner cleans them at least every three years.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 32C-103 (Stormwater Quality Protection)Phoenix City Code 32C-103: Can You Wash a Parking Lot Into the Storm Drain?No. Phoenix City Code 32C-103 lets only stormwater and a short list of exceptions reach streets, retention basins and storm drains. Commercial pressure washing, dumpster pad rinse water and mop water aren't on the list, so they go to the sanitary sewer, get collected, or need a city discharge permit.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 32C-103 (Stormwater Quality Protection)Phoenix City Code 32C-103: Who Maintains Retention Basins and DrywellsUnder Phoenix City Code 32C-103, the property owner must keep retention basins, drywells and underground storage working as designed and keep maintenance records for five years. On projects of one acre or more built since mid-2022, the city also inventories those controls, inspects them within a year of completion and asks for yearly self-inspections.
- Local AmendmentVerified Oct 2026Phoenix amendment to 2024 IPC 1106.1, Size of conductors, leaders and storm drains (Ord. G-7397, effective 2025-08-01)What rainfall rate does Phoenix use to size roof drains and storm piping?Three inches per hour. Phoenix amends IPC 1106.1 so vertical conductors, leaders, building storm drains, building storm sewers and their horizontal branches are all sized on 3 inches of rain per hour, in place of the base code's 100-year rate from its rainfall figures.
Fixtures
Fixtures in every cityWater Conservation
Water Conservation in every cityCommercial Plumbing
Commercial Plumbing in every city- Local AmendmentVerified Oct 2026Phoenix amendment to 2024 IPC 803.1, Neutralizing device required for corrosive wastes (Ord. G-7397, effective 2025-08-01); 40 CFR 403.6(d)Can a Phoenix business dilute corrosive waste instead of neutralizing it?No. Phoenix strikes dilution from the model plumbing code. Corrosive liquids, spent acids and other harmful chemicals must be neutralized or treated in an approved neutralizing device, and the waste and the treatment method must be approved before installation. Federal rules generally prohibit dilution as a substitute for required pretreatment.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026PBCC Administrative Provisions Sections 105.1.1, 105.1.2 and 117 (2024 IBC Chapter 1 as amended)Can a Phoenix business get an annual permit for plumbing alterations?Yes, for qualifying facilities. Phoenix can issue an annual permit instead of one permit per alteration to an already approved plumbing installation. The holder needs an Arizona registered architect or engineer as its agent and must keep records. In practice the annual permit runs through the city's Annual Facilities Program, Section 117.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026Phoenix FOG Best Management Practices Manual, Installation and Replacement of Interceptors and Appendix B (June 2024)Do you need plan review to replace a grease interceptor in Phoenix?Yes. Phoenix requires plan review for every grease interceptor installed or replaced. A like-for-like swap of a grease trap can be reviewed over the counter. A new gravity interceptor or any re-piping goes through electronic plan review. A certificate of occupancy is required for these reviews.
- City CodeVerified Oct 2026Phoenix City Code 28-15 (Interceptors, Maintenance); Phoenix Water Services FOG Best Management Practices Manual (June 2024)How often must a Phoenix restaurant pump its grease interceptor, and what records must it keep?City Code 28-15 requires the user to keep a Phoenix interceptor working. Grease traps are pumped at least every 30 days and never go past 90. Food service gravity interceptors are pumped at least every three months, and any gravity interceptor when it is over 25 percent full and at least yearly. Keep records on site three years.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Phoenix City Code 28-12 (Interceptors, Required); FOG Best Management Practices Manual (June 2024)Phoenix City Code 28-12: Which businesses must install a grease or oil interceptor?Under Phoenix City Code 28-12, laundries, food service establishments, service stations, auto repair shops, car washes and commissaries must install and operate an interceptor when the Water Services Director finds one necessary. The city's FOG manual goes further: every food service establishment that prepares food on site needs a grease interceptor.
- City CodeUpdated Jul 2026Phoenix City Code Chapter 28: The FOG (Grease) Program for Food-Service BusinessesPhoenix City Code Chapter 28 bars food-service businesses from putting fats, oils, and grease into the city sewer. Under the City's FOG program, a restaurant must install an approved grease interceptor, pump it on schedule, keep service records, and pass city inspections.
- City CodeUpdated Jul 2026Phoenix Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit (City Code Ch. 28)An industrial or commercial business in Phoenix that sends process wastewater to the public sewer usually needs a city wastewater discharge permit first. Phoenix City Code Chapter 28 and its Industrial Pretreatment Program set the rules. This is separate from the FOG grease program, which covers food-service kitchens.
- City ProgramVerified Sep 2026Phoenix Water Services FOG Best Management Practices Manual (June 2024); Phoenix amendments to 2024 IPC 1003.3Phoenix restaurants: When do you need an outdoor gravity grease interceptor instead of a grease trap?In Phoenix a grease trap (hydromechanical interceptor) is allowed only for kitchens with up to four plumbing fixtures and no garbage disposal or dishwasher. More than four fixtures, or any disposal or dishwasher, requires an outdoor gravity grease interceptor, at least 500 gallons with two compartments.
- City ProgramVerified Oct 2026Phoenix Water Services FOG Best Management Practices Manual (June 2024), Routine Inspections; Phoenix City Code Chapters 28 and 32CWhat happens during a Phoenix commercial grease (FOG) inspection?Phoenix Environmental Services inspectors arrive unannounced, in uniform, and try to come in off hours. They check three years of pumping records, the interceptor and how full it is, the count of grease-bearing fixtures and the outside grease and trash area. Problems get an inspector's requirement with a time frame, and extension requests must be in writing.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026Phoenix PDD Commercial and Multifamily Building; PDD Fee Schedule (Ord. G-7465)What permit does a Phoenix business need for a plumbing remodel or tenant improvement?A commercial building permit with plan review, applied for in the SHAPE PHX portal. Phoenix requires it for non-residential remodels, tenant improvements and changes of use. Moving or adding fixtures counts. Swapping a fixture in the same spot, clearing a stoppage or fixing a leak is exempt.
- PermitVerified Sep 2026Phoenix PDD Online Permits flyer (TRT 00933); PDD Online notice on SHAPE PHX; PBCC Sections 105.2 and 110.3.10.1Which minor commercial plumbing jobs can be permitted online in Phoenix?Phoenix's online permits flyer lists three commercial plumbing jobs a licensed contractor can permit online: Replace Water Heater, Minor Plumbing Repipe and Gas Pipe Repair. The work must be minor enough to skip plan review. New permit applications now go through the SHAPE PHX portal.
- City ProgramVerified Sep 2026Phoenix Water Services Design Standards Manual (2021), Fire Line Systems; 2024 Phoenix Fire Code Sections 105.1.2, 105.6.26.10 and 105.7Who approves a fire line connection in Phoenix?Three city departments approve a Phoenix fire line together: the Fire Department, Planning and Development (PDD) and Water Services (WSD). The Fire Code also says fire protection permits go only to current Fire Department business certificate holders, so a plumbing license alone does not let you pull one.
Also in the library: Uniform Plumbing Code · Arizona · Valley-Wide · Maricopa County (unincorporated) · Scottsdale · Paradise Valley · Mesa · Chandler · Gilbert · Tempe · Glendale · Surprise · Avondale · Tolleson · Litchfield Park
Need It Done To Phoenix Code?
Call a licensed plumber who pulls the permit and passes inspection the first time.