Bathroom remodel permits, explained
Cosmetic work such as painting, tiling, new cabinets or countertops usually needs no permit. Moving or adding plumbing fixtures, new circuits or outlets, a new exhaust fan, replacing a tub or shower, or changing walls usually does, and some cities require a permit for every bathroom remodel. Layout changes usually need plans.
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Get my permit · $399Key facts
- The model International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105.2, lists painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work as exempt from a permit.[1]City of Federal Way, Washington, Residential permit exemptions
- Hayward, California, requires a permit for all types of bathroom remodels, from replacing the tub or shower enclosure to a complete reconfiguration, with drawings.[5]City of Hayward, California, Development Services, Residential Bathroom Remodels
- Lower Salford adds one more line: fees are doubled if work begins without an approved permit in hand.[9]Lower Salford Township, Pennsylvania, 2026 Permit Fee Schedule, Common Residential…
- Pleasanton says its first-round review of bathroom plans is typically completed within three weeks, depending on how complete the plans are.[6]City of Pleasanton, California, Building and Safety, Residential Bathroom Alteration…
- Washington's seller disclosure statement asks whether there have been any conversions, additions or remodeling and, if so, whether all building permits and final inspections were obtained.[11]Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.020, seller disclosure statement for improved…
Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom?
Sort your project into what touches the surfaces and what touches the systems behind them. The model International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105.2, lists painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work as exempt from a permit[1]. Plumbing, electrical, ventilation and structure are where permits start.
| Work in the bathroom | Permit? | Example rule |
|---|---|---|
| Paint, wallpaper, flooring, cabinets | Usually no | IRC exemption[1]; San Diego[2] |
| New countertop, refaced cabinets | Usually no | Laguna Hills, California[4] |
| Vanity swapped in the same configuration | Often no | Miami-Dade County, unless plumbing, ventilation or wiring is relocated or altered[3] |
| New showerhead, light fixture, switch, outlet in place | Often no | San Diego[2] |
| Replace a tub, shower or sink | Often yes | Laguna Hills: removal, replacement or relocation of showers, tubs or sinks[4] |
| New circuit or outlet, new exhaust fan | Yes | San Diego: adding circuits needs a permit[2]; Laguna Hills: electrical and exhaust fan work[4] |
| Move a toilet, sink or shower | Yes, with plans | Pleasanton, California[6] |
| Remove or move walls | Yes, with plans | Pleasanton; structural calculations for load-bearing walls[6] |
Some cities do not draw the line at all. Hayward, California, requires a permit for all types of bathroom remodels, from replacing the tub or shower enclosure to a complete reconfiguration, with drawings[5]. Santa Clarita lists home remodeling among the projects that need a building permit, excluding painting, finished flooring, moldings, cabinet replacement and wallpaper[10].
Plumbing: a repair or new work?
The model code exempts stopping leaks and clearing stoppages, and removing and reinstalling a toilet, as long as no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged[1]. Once a concealed pipe has to be removed and replaced, it counts as new work and a permit and inspection are required[1]. Miami-Dade exempts some like-for-like plumbing repairs when done by a licensed plumbing contractor, such as replacing faucets, toilet fixtures and sink fixtures[3].
Florida's new small-project exemption
Since July 1, 2026, a Florida law lets some home improvement projects under $7,500 on single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses skip the building permit, but Miami-Dade notes that electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural work always require permits, that homes in a flood hazard area are not eligible, and that a project cannot be split up to avoid the rules[3]. Most bathroom remodels involve plumbing or electrical work.
Plans or no plans
The size of the paperwork depends on whether the layout changes:
- Like-for-like. Sacramento issues a Minor Bathroom Remodel Permit without plans when the work is limited to removing and replacing fixtures and finishes in kind, subject to field verification[8]. Pleasanton processes like-for-like remodels, and a tub replaced by a shower no larger than 36 by 60 inches with no layout change, with an application only[6].
- Layout change. Pleasanton requires plans for new bathrooms, relocated or added fixtures and removed walls, with an existing floor plan and a proposed floor plan showing every fixture, wall, door and window[6]. Sacramento requires a complete plan review when openings in the bathroom's perimeter walls are created or relocated[8].
- Structure. If load-bearing walls are removed or altered, Pleasanton requires structural calculations from a qualified design professional, and curbless shower conversions that recess the floor framing need structural details[6].
What inspectors check
Bathrooms are full of specific code requirements, and inspectors check them. A few that come up in real city handouts:
- Outlets. All new bathroom receptacles must be GFCI-protected and tamper-resistant in Hayward, with a dedicated 20-amp circuit when outlets are added[5]; Laguna Hills wants at least one outlet within 3 feet of the outside edge of each basin[4].
- Exhaust fan. Hayward requires a humidity-controlled exhaust fan rated at 50 cfm, with a backdraft damper and the exhaust point at least 3 feet from a property line or openings into the building[5].
- Shower. Showers need at least 1,024 square inches of floor and room for a 30-inch circle, with walls finished in a nonabsorbent surface at least 6 feet above the floor[6].
- Glass. Windows within 60 inches of a tub or shower need tempered glass in Pleasanton when the glass is less than 60 inches above the standing surface[6].
- Alarms. Pleasanton requires smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the required locations before final inspection[6]; Hayward requires them when the value of the work exceeds $1,000[5].
- Before covering walls. Santa Clarita requires rough inspections of framing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work before they are covered or concealed[10].
What a bathroom permit costs
| Place | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Pleasanton, California (2026) | $375 per bathroom remodel, trade fees included; a plan review fee of 75 percent of permit fees, $180 minimum, when plans are reviewed; a 5 percent technology fee[7] |
| Lower Salford Township, Pennsylvania (2026) | $555 for an interior renovation such as a bathroom: $200 building up to 280 square feet, $100 electric, $100 mechanical up to $3,500, $150 for up to five plumbing fixtures, $5 state and township fee[9] |
Lower Salford adds one more line: fees are doubled if work begins without an approved permit in hand[9]. Your permit file shows your own city's fees, with the link to its schedule.
How long it takes
Pleasanton says its first-round review of bathroom plans is typically completed within three weeks, depending on how complete the plans are[6]. Santa Clarita does small projects over the counter, while other plan reviews can take several weeks[10]. A complete first submission is the part you control.
Skipping the permit
Unpermitted remodels tend to surface when the house is sold. Washington's seller disclosure statement asks whether there have been any conversions, additions or remodeling and, if so, whether all building permits and final inspections were obtained[11]. During the work, Santa Clarita can issue a stop work order for unpermitted construction; if work continues, the owner faces fines and a lien on the property[10]. The All-in offer prepares the file, files it with you and follows the city's comments until the permit is approved.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to replace a toilet or a vanity?
Often not when it is a direct swap in the same place. The model code exempts the removal and reinstallation of water closets that does not involve replacing or rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures, and Miami-Dade County exempts vanity replacement in the same configuration. Moving the plumbing, wiring or vent changes that.
Do I need a permit to retile a bathroom?
Tiling is listed with painting, carpeting, cabinets and countertops as finish work exempt from a permit in the model International Residential Code. Some cities still require a permit for any tub or shower replacement, such as Hayward, California.
Do I need a permit to convert a tub to a shower?
Usually yes. Pleasanton, California, handles a tub-to-shower replacement no larger than 36 by 60 inches with an unchanged layout as a permit without plans; changing the layout or moving fixtures needs plans.
How much is a bathroom remodel permit?
Cities publish their fees. Pleasanton, California, charges a fixed $375 per bathroom remodel in 2026, trade fees included, and Lower Salford Township, Pennsylvania, lists $555 for an interior renovation such as a bathroom.
How long does the review take?
Pleasanton says the first-round review of bathroom plans is typically completed within three weeks, depending on how complete the plans are. Like-for-like remodels there need no plans at all.
We handle the permit. You build your bathroom remodel.
- Your city's rule, for your addressThe code section, its link and the date we checked it.
- Site plan and dimensioned drawingsDistances to your property lines, ready for the application.
- The form, where to file it, and the published feePlus the documents list and an HOA request template.
- Reviewed, then revised until approvedWith All-in, after every comment from the city, for up to 6 months.
Sources
- City of Federal Way, Washington, Residential permit exemptions (International Residential Code, Section R105.2). Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of San Diego, California, Development Services, When is a Permit Required? (February 2025). Checked October 13, 2026.
- Miami-Dade County, Florida, Regulatory and Economic Resources, Permit Exemptions. Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Laguna Hills, California, Building Division, Residential Bathroom Remodels (revised 02/2023). Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Hayward, California, Development Services, Residential Bathroom Remodels (revised 4-12-17). Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Pleasanton, California, Building and Safety, Residential Bathroom Alteration Requirements (01.26). Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Pleasanton, California, Building Permit and Plan Review Fees (January 1, 2026). Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Sacramento, California, Bathroom Remodels handout CDD-0418 (last revised 01-01-2026). Checked October 13, 2026.
- Lower Salford Township, Pennsylvania, 2026 Permit Fee Schedule, Common Residential Project Fees. Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Santa Clarita, California, Building and Safety, Stop Work Order Information. Checked October 13, 2026.
- Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.020, seller disclosure statement for improved residential real property. Checked October 13, 2026.