---
title: "Kitchen Remodel Permit: When You Need One, Plans and Costs"
description: "Do you need a permit for a kitchen remodel? What is exempt, what triggers building, electrical, plumbing and gas permits, what cities ask for, and real fees."
url: https://yespermit.com/kitchen-remodel-permit/
updated: 2026-10-13
language: en-US
---

# Kitchen remodel permits, explained

Replacing cabinets and countertops alone is finish work, exempt from a building permit under the International Residential Code. A remodel that moves the sink, adds circuits or lighting, relocates a gas range or removes a wall needs permits in cities such as Glendora, California. Pleasanton, California, requires a permit for every new, relocated or remodeled kitchen.

*Updated October 13, 2026. Every regulatory fact below links to its official source.*

## Key facts

- The International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105.2, exempts painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work from a building permit.[^1]
- Pleasanton, California, asks that the plan preparer's name, title, license number if any, address, phone and signature go on each sheet, and that like-for-like remodels with no layout change can be processed with an application only, without plans.[^3]
- Palatine, Illinois, requires kitchen receptacles to be 20 amp and GFCI protected, placed so that no point along the countertop is more than 24 inches from an outlet.[^4]
- A worked example for a $40,000 remodel in Oakdale: the 2025 schedule charges $467 for the first $25,000 plus $12 for each additional $1,000, so $647 for the permit, $420.55 for plan review and $97.05 for the fire surcharge, $1,164.60 before the electrical permit.[^6]
- In Jerusalem, New York, working without a permit costs $250 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater, and a stop work order $250.[^7]

**We handle the permit. You build.** All-in, until approved: $399 (Fall 2026 launch price, valid through November 30, 2026; regular price $499), approved or your money back ([conditions](https://yespermit.com/guarantee/)): [order](https://yespermit.com/all-in/). Prefer to file it yourself? [Permit Kit](https://yespermit.com/permit-kit/), $349.

## Do you need a permit for a kitchen remodel?

It depends on what the remodel touches. The International Residential Code (IRC), Section R105.2, exempts painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work from a building permit[^1]. The same list is short on plumbing: stopping leaks is exempt, but replacing a concealed defective pipe or trap needs a permit[^1].

Most kitchen remodels go past finish work. Here is where the line falls in four places:

| Where | What needs a permit | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Federal Way, Washington (IRC R105.2) | Cabinets and countertops are exempt finish work; concealed piping is not | [^1] |
| Glendora, California | Removing and replacing or relocating base cabinets, countertops, sinks or installed appliances, changes to lighting, replacing wallboard, and changes to electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems | [^2] |
| Pleasanton, California | All new, relocated or remodeled kitchens | [^3] |
| Fairfax County, Virginia | Changes to walls, heating or air conditioning, electrical and plumbing work | [^5] |

The gap between the model code and Glendora is wide: the same countertop swap is exempt finish work under the IRC and a permitted remodel in Glendora[^1][^2]. That is why the first question is always your own city's rule, not a national one.

## Which permits a kitchen usually involves

A kitchen touches every trade, and many cities issue a separate permit for each:

- **Building**, for walls, windows, doors and layout changes. Pleasanton sends layout changes, new or enlarged windows, new sliding doors and wall removals to plan review[^3].
- **Electrical**, for new circuits, outlets and lighting. Pleasanton processes added circuitry and lighting with an application, without plans[^3].
- **Plumbing**, for a moved or added sink, a dishwasher or a disposal. Palatine, Illinois, asks for plumbing drawings for every relocated or new fixture[^4].
- **Gas**, when the range moves. Palatine asks for the material and size of the gas piping[^4].
- **Mechanical**, for the range hood. Pleasanton requires a kitchen exhaust that discharges directly outside[^3].

## What the city asks for

Palatine's handout lists what reviewers there expect on the drawings, and it reads as a good checklist anywhere[^4]:

1. A cover sheet with the building codes, the address, the square footage and the project notes.
2. A full floor plan, to scale, including the use of the adjacent rooms.
3. Existing and new cabinet and appliance layout, framing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC, and windows and doors.
4. Every existing and new receptacle and switch.
5. Plumbing drawings or isometrics for relocated or new fixtures, with pipe materials, and a venting detail for an island sink.
6. For walls to be removed, whether they are load-bearing and how that was determined.
7. A written scope of work and the signed contract.
8. Whether smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed to code or will be.

Pleasanton, California, asks that the plan preparer's name, title, license number if any, address, phone and signature go on each sheet, and that like-for-like remodels with no layout change can be processed with an application only, without plans[^3].

## Code rules the plans must show

The figures below come from the cities' handouts. Glendora and Pleasanton apply the California codes, which are based on but not identical to the national models; your city's adopted code is the one that counts.

### Outlets and circuits

Palatine, Illinois, requires kitchen receptacles to be 20 amp and GFCI protected, placed so that no point along the countertop is more than 24 inches from an outlet[^4]. Glendora requires at least two 20-ampere small appliance circuits serving the kitchen, dining room and pantry outlets, a separate 20-amp circuit for the disposal and the dishwasher, an outlet at each countertop space 12 inches or wider, outlets no more than 20 inches above the countertop, GFCI and AFCI protection at countertop receptacles, and tamper-resistant receptacles[^2].

### Plumbing

Pleasanton requires a sink with hot and cold water, a drain line of at least 2 inches, a dishwasher discharging through an approved air gap above the sink, and an island loop vent for a sink in an island or peninsula[^3]. Glendora caps kitchen faucets at 1.8 gallons per minute at 60 psi[^2].

### Ventilation and clearances

Pleasanton requires a range hood duct of smooth metal, sealed with mastic or metal tape, ending at least 3 feet from property lines and openings and 10 feet from forced air intakes[^3]. Glendora requires at least 30 inches of vertical clearance above the cooktop to combustible material or metal cabinets, unless a listed appliance installed above it allows otherwise, and a kitchen ceiling of at least 7 feet[^2].

### The surprise: the whole house

In Pleasanton, when a permit is issued for remodeling, every non-compliant plumbing fixture in the home must be upgraded to current water-efficient standards, including toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush and showerheads at 1.8 gallons per minute[^3]. A kitchen permit there can put new toilets on the budget.

> **Where we stop**
> We draw the floor plans, the electrical and plumbing layout and the notes your city asks for. If you remove or alter a load-bearing wall, Pleasanton requires structural calculations from a qualified design professional[^3], and Glendora says engineering may be required[^2]. We are not engineers: we tell you at the start when your project needs one.

## What a kitchen permit costs

Kitchen permits are usually priced on area or on the value of the work:

| Where | Fee basis | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jerusalem, New York (2026) | Remodeling: $0.15 per sq ft, $50 minimum | [^7] |
| Canandaigua, New York (2026) | Renovation: $0.30 per sq ft, $100 minimum | [^8] |
| Oakdale, Minnesota (2025) | Building permit on valuation, plan review 65% of the permit fee, fire surcharge 15% of the permit fee; electrical for remodels $100 with 2 inspections and up to 10 circuits | [^6] |

A worked example for a $40,000 remodel in Oakdale: the 2025 schedule charges $467 for the first $25,000 plus $12 for each additional $1,000, so $647 for the permit, $420.55 for plan review and $97.05 for the fire surcharge, $1,164.60 before the electrical permit[^6]. For a 200-square-foot kitchen, Jerusalem's remodeling fee would hit the $50 minimum, since $0.15 × 200 is $30, and Canandaigua's the $100 minimum[^7][^8].

## How long it takes

Pleasanton says its first-round review is typically completed within three weeks, depending on how complete the plans are[^3]. Like-for-like work there skips plan review entirely[^3]. The rest is in your hands: a submittal that already shows the outlets, the venting and the wall details avoids the correction round.

## Remodeling without a permit

The penalties are set in advance. In Oakdale, the electrical permit fee is doubled if the work starts before the permit is issued[^6]. In Jerusalem, New York, working without a permit costs $250 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater, and a stop work order $250[^7]. In Fairfax County, unpermitted construction rules also apply to homes that changed hands, regardless of when the work was done[^5].

## Your kitchen permit file

A kitchen permit file is a floor plan with the existing and new layout, the electrical and plumbing plan, the wall details and the notes from your city's handout. Our Permit Kit prepares it from your city's own rules. The All-in offer adds the review before filing and follows each city comment until the permit is approved.

## Common questions

### Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets and countertops?

Under the International Residential Code, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work are exempt from a building permit. Some cities are stricter. Glendora, California, requires a permit when base cabinets, countertops, sinks or installed appliances are removed and replaced or relocated, and Pleasanton, California, requires one for any remodeled kitchen, with no plans needed for like-for-like work.

### Do I need a permit to move my kitchen sink?

Relocating a sink changes the plumbing, which brings plumbing permits and drawings. Palatine, Illinois, asks for plumbing drawings or isometrics for every relocated or new plumbing fixture, and a venting detail for a new island sink.

### Can I remove a kitchen wall?

Only after you know whether it is load-bearing. Palatine, Illinois, asks applicants to say whether walls to be removed are load-bearing and how that was determined, and to include structural details and calculations if they are. Pleasanton, California, requires structural calculations by a qualified design professional for a load-bearing wall.

### How long does a kitchen permit take?

Pleasanton, California, says its first-round review is typically completed within three weeks, depending on how complete the plans are. Like-for-like remodels there can be processed with an application only, without plans.

### Is the city's permit fee included in your price?

No. The permit fee is paid to your city or county. Your permit file shows the fee from its published fee schedule, with the link, before you file.

## Get it done

**We handle the permit. You build.** All-in, until approved: $399 (Fall 2026 launch price, valid through November 30, 2026; regular price $499), approved or your money back ([conditions](https://yespermit.com/guarantee/)): [order](https://yespermit.com/all-in/). Prefer to file it yourself? [Permit Kit](https://yespermit.com/permit-kit/), $349.

## Sources

[^1]: [City of Federal Way, Washington, Residential permit exemptions (International Residential Code, Section R105.2)](https://www.federalwaywa.gov/page/residential-permit-exemptions), checked October 13, 2026.
[^2]: [City of Glendora, California, Building and Safety Division, Kitchen remodel requirements (handout 8.20.25)](https://www.cityofglendora.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/community-development/building-division/forms-and-documents/kitchen-remodel-handout-8.20.25.pdf), checked October 13, 2026.
[^3]: [City of Pleasanton, California, Building and Safety Division, Residential kitchen alteration requirements (JLA 01.26)](https://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/assets/our-government/community-development/permits-forms-fees/Kitchen%20complete%20Plans%20v2%20complete.pdf), checked October 13, 2026.
[^4]: [Village of Palatine, Illinois, Community Development Department, Kitchen remodel handout](https://www.palatine.il.us/DocumentCenter/View/745/Kitchen-Remodel-Handout-PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
[^5]: [Fairfax County, Virginia, Department of Code Compliance, Unpermitted Construction (September 2024)](https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/code/sites/code/files/Assets/documents/PDF/building-trade-unpermitted-construction.pdf), checked October 13, 2026.
[^6]: [City of Oakdale, Minnesota, Ordinance 942, 2025 Fee Schedule](https://www.oakdalemn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7944/Ordinance-942---Revising-the-Fee-Schedule-for-2025), checked October 13, 2026.
[^7]: [Town of Jerusalem, New York, Department of Code Enforcement and Zoning Administration Fee Schedule 2026](https://jerusalem-ny.gov/applications/Building-Permit-Fee-Schedule.pdf), checked October 13, 2026.
[^8]: [City of Canandaigua, New York, Fee Schedule 2026](https://canandaiguanewyork.gov/DocumentCenter/View/625), checked October 13, 2026.

---

Source page: https://yespermit.com/kitchen-remodel-permit/ · YesPermit, sold by LACANGEL GROUP SAS, 1 rue Marguerin, 75014 Paris, France. Prices in US dollars, taxes included. YesPermit prepares permit applications; it is not an architect, engineer or law firm, and the city or county decides on every permit. Site summary for AI assistants: https://yespermit.com/llms.txt