Permit Checker
Pick the job and your state to see whether a permit is normally required, who issues it, what the inspector checks and why the licensed pro pulls it in their own name.
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Data: permit sections of the ICC International Residential, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and NFPA 70 (NEC), as adopted by cities and counties · Updated September 2026
How permit rules work
Where the rule comes from
Nearly every city and county adopts a version of the model building codes (the International Residential, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and the National Electrical Code), and each one opens with a permit section. Replacing a water heater, a furnace, a panel or a sewer line is permit work almost everywhere; the local building department decides the details and sends the inspector.
Why the pro pulls it
A licensed contractor pulls the permit in their own name, which puts their license behind the work. When a contractor asks the homeowner to pull the permit instead, it usually means they cannot, and the responsibility for the work shifts to you.
What happens without one
Unpermitted work surfaces at resale: inspectors, appraisers and title searches look for open or missing permits, and a buyer can require the work to be opened up and inspected. A water heater or furnace with no permit on file is also a common reason an insurer questions a claim.
Common questions
In nearly every city and county, yes, even for a like-for-like swap. The inspection covers the gas or electrical connection, the vent, the relief valve line and, where required, seismic straps and an expansion tank.
Almost everywhere. A mechanical permit covers the gas line, venting, electrical disconnect and condensate drain, and the technician handling refrigerant needs EPA Section 608 certification.
Many places allow a homeowner permit for a house you live in, but then the inspection and the responsibility are yours. A licensed pro pulling it in their own name is the normal path and the one buyers and insurers expect.
Under the model codes a permit lapses after 180 days without an inspection, and most departments allow an extension. A permit that was never closed out shows up at resale the same way a missing one does.
The checker lists it per job. In short: connections, venting, clearances and the safety devices the code requires, not workmanship in general.
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