In Philadelphia, a purely cosmetic bathroom update usually doesn't need a permit: paint, a new vanity cabinet and countertop, new floor tile, a new faucet or light fixture swapped in the same spot. Once you replace fixtures like the toilet, tub or sink, or move or add pipes, you generally need a plumbing permit, and a licensed master plumber has to be in charge of that work. New wiring needs a separate electrical permit and a licensed electrical contractor. For a single-family home where the bathroom stays in its current footprint, the City has a shortcut: the EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Alterations permit, which covers most of a typical gut remodel without plans or a separate building permit.
This is general information based on the City's published rules as of October 2026, not legal advice; for your house, check with the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). The suburbs are covered further down.
Work that generally doesn't need a permit
L&I's building permit page lists projects that may not need a building permit. The ones that matter in a bathroom:
- repairs related to regular maintenance;
- painting, papering and similar wall and ceiling finishes;
- paneling or drywall installed over existing wall surfaces in one- or two-family homes;
- conventional floor coverings that aren't made of fibers (tile, vinyl and the like);
- cabinets and countertops.
The plumbing permit page has its own short list of exceptions: minor repairs with the same material (such as replacing faucets, valves and parts), stopping leaks and clearing clogs, and removing and re-installing a toilet if no pipes or fixtures are replaced or moved. That last one is what lets you pull a toilet to tile under it.
On the electrical side, L&I's electrical permit page treats replacing switches, receptacles and bulbs, and replacing a light fixture to existing conditions, as maintenance that may not need a permit.
So a refresh that only swaps finishes, a vanity, a faucet and a light usually stays permit-free. The fine print: replacing a toilet, tub or sink with a new one is not on the exception list. The plumbing page lists "replacement of any number of fixtures with fixtures of the same kind" as work that needs a permit, just an easy one that doesn't require plans.
Work that needs permits
The plumbing permit page is blunt: you need a permit for plumbing work, including installation, alteration, replacement and repair, apart from the exceptions above. In a bathroom remodel that usually means:
- a new toilet, tub, shower, or sink, even in the same spot;
- moving a fixture, adding a fixture, or running new supply, drain or vent lines;
- converting a tub to a walk-in shower, which usually changes the drain and valve;
- extending or altering gas piping or ductwork, if the remodel touches them.
Electrical work beyond the maintenance list needs an electrical permit: a new circuit, new outlets, wiring for an exhaust fan, a heated floor, or new recessed lights.
A building permit, usually with plans, comes into play when the job goes past the EZ standard: enlarging the bathroom, adding a new one (say, a powder room under the stairs or a bath in a finished basement), structural changes, or work in a two-family or multi-family building.
The EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Alterations permit
L&I's EZ permit standard for bathroom and kitchen alterations (revised July 2026, based on the 2021 codes) lets you get a plumbing permit for a bathroom remodel without submitting plans or getting a separate building permit. For many rowhome and twin owners this is the path a full bathroom gut job takes.
Who qualifies
- Single-family homes only. It doesn't apply to two-family, multi-family or mixed-use buildings. If you own a duplex or a house with a rental unit, plan on the regular permit process.
- Same footprint. The work has to stay within the existing bathroom. Creating a new bathroom or extending an existing one isn't allowed under this permit.
- A Philadelphia-licensed plumbing contractor does the work, and a registered master plumber fills in the fixture schedule on the form.
- No structural work, except limited reinforcement or leveling of a sagging bathroom floor (sistering joists with at least 2x6 lumber, glued and screwed).
- Not for historic properties without prior approval from the Philadelphia Historical Commission. If your house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, contact the Commission's staff while you're still planning.
What it can cover
Under the standard, the permit can include new plumbing fixtures with new branch piping, fixture replacement, a dedicated bathroom exhaust fan, removing or adding non-load-bearing partition walls, replacing plaster or drywall on walls and ceilings, replacing the subfloor, and replacing a window or door in an existing opening (if the house isn't on the historic register). Electrical work still needs its own electrical permit.
What the standard requires
These are the requirements most likely to change what your contractor builds:
- Ventilation. A bathroom needs a window of at least 3 square feet, half of it openable, or else artificial light and an exhaust fan. Bathroom exhaust can't be recirculated inside the house or into another unit, and the fan has to move the required airflow.
- Shower walls. Tub and shower floors, and walls above tubs with shower heads and in shower stalls, need a nonabsorbent surface at least 6 feet above the floor. Gypsum backer board used behind tile has to be a water-resistant type that meets the listed ASTM standards.
- Shutoff valves on the supply to each fixture except tubs and showers.
- No S-traps, except as a direct replacement of an existing one. If the sink drain is re-piped, expect a properly vented trap instead.
- Ceiling height of at least 7 feet must be kept, which matters if you're adding a dropped ceiling or a thicker floor.
- Fixture clearances must meet the code figure printed in the standard. A tight rowhome bathroom sometimes can't fit a larger vanity or a toilet moved a few inches, so ask the plumber to check before you buy fixtures.
Who's allowed to do which part
According to L&I:
- Plumbing: a licensed master plumber must oversee plumbing work, with an active license, current City taxes and insurance on file with L&I. A property owner can file the application, but the master plumber's oversight is still required.
- Electrical: a licensed electrical contractor must perform all electrical work. The owner or their agent hires a licensed electrical inspection agency to do the inspections.
- Everything else: on an existing one- or two-family home, work that doesn't need an electrical or plumbing permit may be done by an owner who lives in the building, or by a registered PA Home Improvement Contractor who holds a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License. Otherwise a licensed Philadelphia contractor must do it.
That means a "one-person crew" offering to redo the whole bathroom, including moving the toilet and adding outlets, should be bringing in a licensed plumber and electrician or holding those licenses themselves. Our guide on how to check a contractor in Philadelphia shows how to look up registrations and licenses.
How the plumbing permit process works
- Applying: online through the City's eCLIPSE system, or in person at the Permit and License Center at 1401 JFK Blvd. by appointment. For the EZ bathroom permit, the "EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Remodel" work type is selected on the electronic application. A licensed master plumber can file it for you as your agent.
- Fees: the plumbing permit page lists a $100 nonrefundable filing fee that's applied to the final permit fee; the rest depends on the work and number of fixtures.
- Timing: the City says most applications without plans take about 5 business days and applications with plans up to 20 business days. Build that into your schedule before demolition day.
- Inspections: inspections are scheduled through eCLIPSE or by phone at (215) 255-4040. A Certificate of Approval is issued once all required inspections pass. Don't close up walls until the rough plumbing has passed, or you may be opening them again.
Older houses: lead and hidden surprises
If the house was built before 1978, tearing out old plaster, tile and painted trim can release lead dust. A paid contractor working in a pre-1978 home generally has to follow the federal lead-safe work rules; our post on lead paint in older Philadelphia homes explains what to ask for. Opening bathroom walls in an older rowhome can also turn up old galvanized or cast-iron drain pipes, soft subfloor around the toilet, or sagging joists. These can change the scope, which is why a fixed price "for everything" before anyone has looked inside the walls deserves a careful read. Our guide to plaster repair vs drywall covers the wall side.
Bucks and Montgomery counties
Outside the city, L&I's rules don't apply. Permits come from your township or borough, which enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. According to the state Department of Labor & Industry, more than 90% of Pennsylvania municipalities administer the code locally, and permit forms, fees and exemptions vary. Call your municipality's code office before work starts and ask which permits a bathroom remodel needs.
A bathroom remodel permit checklist
- Write down the scope: what gets replaced, what moves, and whether any new wiring or outlets are planned.
- Decide which bucket you're in: finishes only (usually no permit), same-footprint remodel in a single-family home (EZ plumbing permit plus electrical permit), or a bigger change (building permit with plans).
- Check whether the house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, and if so, contact the Historical Commission early.
- Confirm that the plumber is a Philadelphia-licensed master plumber and that the electrician is a licensed electrical contractor.
- Ask in writing who pulls each permit, and get the permit numbers before demolition.
- Plan the exhaust fan so it doesn't recirculate air into the house, and confirm fixture clearances before ordering a vanity or toilet.
- If the house is pre-1978, ask how the crew will handle lead-safe work.
- Leave walls open until rough plumbing and electrical inspections pass, and keep the Certificate of Approval with your house papers.
When to call a pro
Bring in licensed help once fixtures are being replaced, pipes or drains move, the floor is soft or sagging, you want new outlets, lights or a fan, or you're adding a bathroom. Those are exactly the parts the City requires licensed trades for, and they're the hardest to fix once tile is up.
On HomeKept you can describe the bathroom project once, with photos and a note on what you want moved or replaced, and compare up to three estimates from local kitchen and bath pros in Philadelphia. It's free for homeowners. When you talk to a pro, ask which permits they'll pull and who holds the plumbing and electrical licenses.
HomeKept needs JavaScript. Please enable it and reload the page. ·
HomeKept necesita JavaScript. Actívalo y vuelve a cargar la página. ·
Для работы HomeKept нужен JavaScript. Включите его и обновите страницу.