Code Library
Tempe Plumbing Codes and Permits
Every Tempe plumbing rule we cover, sorted by topic. Each page says what the rule means and links to the official Tempe source.
- Adopted plumbing and gas codes
- 2024 IPC and 2024 IFGC with Tempe amendments (City Code Ch. 8, Art. VI and VII; last amended by Ord. O2026.24, 2026-06-04). Tempe does not use the UPC.
- Where the code is hosted
- Municode, Tempe City Code (Chapter 8 building, Chapter 27 sewers, Chapter 33 water)
- Permit portal
- Accela Citizen Access
- Permit Center
- 31 E. 5th St., 480-350-4311
Backflow Prevention
Backflow Prevention in every city- City ProgramVerified Sep 2026Tempe Backflow Prevention Program; City Code 33-107(e)Stolen or moved backflow assembly in Tempe: replacement and permitIf a Tempe backflow assembly is stolen, report the theft to Tempe Police, then replace it promptly with the same type of assembly. Replacing or relocating one needs a plumbing permit, and after any repair, overhaul or move the city inspects it and a certified tester retests it under City Code 33-107(e).
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 33-103 and 33-104Tempe City Code 33-103 and 33-104: backflow assemblies on plans and how to install themIn Tempe, a required backflow assembly must be shown on the construction plans for new buildings, additions with new services and changes of use, and the city must approve it before the building permit is issued. Section 33-104 then sets where it goes, how big it is, and that a reduced pressure assembly stays above ground.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 33-105Tempe City Code 33-105: which commercial properties need a backflow assembly?Tempe City Code 33-105 lists the premises that must have a backflow assembly on each water service connection: shopping centers, food processing, hospitals, car washes, laundries, tall buildings, booster pumps and about 35 more. Most get a reduced pressure assembly; a few low-hazard cases get a double check. Restaurants are not named in the table.
- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 33-107Tempe City Code 33-107: backflow assemblies must be tested every yearTempe City Code 33-107 makes the water user responsible for testing every required backflow assembly at installation and at least once a year, at the user's expense, using a Tempe-approved certified tester. The city mails a notice first, and a missed test can end in a water shutoff under 33-109.
- Local AmendmentVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 8-600, IPC 608.7.2 (as amended)Tempe IPC 608.7.2: which facilities need a secondary backflow assembly?Tempe's amended IPC 608.7.2 requires a reduced pressure backflow assembly at each point of service delivery for hospitals, surgical clinics, medical buildings, laboratories, morgues, veterinary hospitals, grooming shops, industrial occupancies, plants that handle food or chemicals, auxiliary water systems and construction water services. Interconnected services need at least a double check each.
Sewer Lines
Sewer Lines in every city- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 27-175Tempe City Code 27-175: who owns and repairs the sewer line, even under the street?Under Tempe City Code 27-175, the property owner owns and repairs the whole sewer line from the building to the city main, including the part in the city right of way, up to and including the tap and saddle on the main. The section, as amended in January 2026, has no exception for pipe under the street.
- Permit FeeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 27-173 and 27-174; Appendix A fee scheduleTempe sewer tap fees: what City Code 27-173 and 27-174 charge for a new connectionTempe charges $1,100 for a six-inch sewer tap in an alley and $1,800 in a local or collector street, both including pavement replacement, and $110 for the machine tap alone. Anyone making their own tap gives 24 hours' notice, pays a $15 inspection fee, and needs a city inspector on site.
Water Supply and Pipes
Water Supply and Pipes in every cityCommercial Plumbing
Commercial Plumbing in every city- City CodeVerified Sep 2026Tempe City Code 27-22, 27-15(c); IPC 416.3 and 1003 as amendedTempe City Code 27-22: grease traps, interceptors and the garbage disposal banTempe City Code 27-22 lets Public Works require every non-residential sewer user to install, clean and maintain grease traps and interceptors at its own expense, under city rules. A food service kitchen needs a trap or an interceptor, a commercial dishwasher means an interceptor, and commercial garbage disposals are barred.
- City ProgramVerified Sep 2026Tempe Public Works FOG Program; FOG Rules and Procedures (2017); City Code 27-22Tempe FOG inspections: pumping schedule, records and what inspectors checkTempe inspects restaurant grease devices on a routine schedule. Inspectors check that a permitted hauler is pumping the device every 30 or 90 days by size, that pump-out records are on site, that the device is intact, that the right fixtures drain to it and that no disposal is connected.
Also in the library: Uniform Plumbing Code · Arizona · Valley-Wide · Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler · Gilbert · Glendale · Surprise
Need It Done To Tempe Code?
Call a licensed plumber who pulls the permit and passes inspection the first time.