Bothell guide
What Plumbing Work Actually Needs a Permit in Bothell, WA?
Bothell Municipal Code in plain English, plus the jurisdiction question that catches out half the contractors who advertise here.
In Bothell you do not need a permit to clear a stoppage, repair a leak in pipe, valves or fixtures, remove and reinstall a toilet without rearranging pipe, or swap a prefabricated fixture. You do need one to replace concealed pipe, move a fixture, repipe, or do any side sewer work at all. Your permit comes from the City of Bothell through MyBuildingPermit.com, not from King County Public Health, which only covers Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County.
The short version
What is exempt, and what is not
Bothell adopted the Uniform Plumbing Code under BMC 20.02.070, by Ordinance 2344 in 2021. The exemptions live in BMC 20.02.095, and they are unusually clear once translated out of code language.
No permit required
- Clearing stoppages. Any drain, any blockage, snaking or jetting.
- Repairing leaks in drains, water, soil, waste or vent pipe.
- Repairing leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures.
- Removing and reinstalling a water closet, where no valve or pipe is rearranged.
- Reinstalling or replacing a prefabricated fixture, where no valve or pipe replacement or rearrangement is needed. That covers a like for like toilet, faucet or garbage disposal swap.
Permit required
- Replacing concealed pipe. Repairing a leak in it is exempt. Replacing it is not. This is the distinction people miss.
- A whole house or partial repipe. Concealed pipe replacement by definition.
- Moving a fixture to a new position, which means moving drain and vent.
- Adding a fixture where there was not one. Basement conversions, ADUs, added bathrooms.
- Any side sewer work at all, under BMC 18.03.340.
- Storm drainage side sewers, separately, under BMC 18.04.
- Gas piping, which PSE requires inspected before they will set a meter.
Jurisdiction
Your permit does not come from King County Public Health
This is the single most common professional error we see on Bothell jobs, and it comes from contractors who work mostly in Seattle.
Public Health Seattle and King County issues plumbing and gas piping permits, but only for Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County. Bothell is an incorporated city and is not in that program.
| Where you are | Who issues your plumbing permit |
|---|---|
| Inside Bothell city limits Both the King and Snohomish portions | City of Bothell, via the regional MyBuildingPermit.com portal, shared with Bellevue, Kirkland, Kenmore, Issaquah and Burien |
| Unincorporated Snohomish County Bothell East, Bothell West, Maltby, Clearview | Snohomish County Planning and Development Services. Their guidance is stricter: any work performed on the water supply or drainage systems requires a permit |
| Unincorporated King County South of the city | Public Health Seattle and King County |
| Side sewer, anywhere in the city | City of Bothell public works director, under BMC 18.03.340. Northshore Utility District issues sewer repair permits at no charge in their territory |
Which code applies
Washington is on the 2021 UPC until 3 May 2027
So you can date any advice you are given, here is the current code position.
- Washington adopted the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code under WAC 51-56-003, effective 15 March 2024. The 2021 editions remain in force.
- The 2024 code cycle is targeted for final adoption on 16 October 2026, with an effective date of 3 May 2027. Energy code final adoption is targeted for 20 November 2026.
- Washington deleted UPC Chapter 7 Part II, the building sewer chapter, in its entirety. That is why side sewer rules come from your city or district rather than from state code.
- Chapters 12 and 14 were not adopted, and the fuel gas venting and combustion air provisions of Chapter 5 were deleted, so those requirements come through the mechanical and residential code path instead.
Washington specific requirements that come up constantly
- Water heater seismic strapping. Two 20 gauge straps, one in the upper third of the tank and one in the lower third.
- Relief valve discharge. Independently, by gravity, through an air gap, pointing down, terminating no more than 2 feet and no less than 6 inches above grade. That is section 608.5.
- Water heaters in garages. Burners and ignition sources not less than 18 inches above the floor, section 507.13.
- Electric storage water heaters. Must include a CTA-2045-A demand response communications port, section 501.1.2. Very few installers mention this.
- Cleanout clearance. 12 inches in front for pipe 2 inches and under, 18 inches for larger, section 707.9.
- Backflow testing. By a Washington Department of Health certified backflow assembly tester, section 603.2, with WAC 246-290-490 as a referenced standard.
- Pipe insulation. Minimum R-4 on hot and cold piping in unheated spaces, which means every Bothell crawlspace.
- Hose bibs. Non removable, self draining vacuum breakers.
Verification
How to check the contractor pulling your permit
A permit is only as good as the person the inspector meets. Go to secure.lni.wa.gov/verify and check three separate things, because most homeowners only know about the first.
- Contractor registration is active. A specialty contractor in Washington carries a 15,000 dollar bond and either 200,000 dollars public liability plus 50,000 dollars property damage, or 250,000 dollars combined single limit. Registration fee is 150.20 dollars, and a UBI number from the Department of Revenue is required first.
- A separate plumbing contractor license exists. Not the same thing as registration. It carries an additional 6,000 dollar bond and 250,000 dollars combined per occurrence liability with L and I named as certificate holder, filed annually, and it expires 24 months after issue. A general contractor may not self perform plumbing without it.
- The individual technician certificate. PL01 journey level requires 8,000 hours and four or more years, of which at least 4,000 hours and two years must be commercial or industrial. PL02 residential specialty requires 6,000 hours and three or more years. PL04 is residential service only. PL30 backflow specialty covers maintenance and repair but explicitly excludes installation and replacement.
Why bother
The permit is a free second opinion the city gives you
Homeowners often see the permit as a tax on the job. It is more useful than that, and here is the argument for it in this specific market.
- An inspector is the only person on the job with no financial interest in the outcome. The contractor is paid either way. The inspector is not selling you anything.
- It is the step a cheap quote quietly skips. If two quotes differ substantially and one does not mention a permit, that is frequently the difference, and you are the one carrying the risk.
- Unpermitted work surfaces at sale. An added bathroom or a moved fixture with no record becomes a disclosure problem and a negotiating lever for a buyer years later.
- It protects you on side sewers specifically. BMC 18.03.370 makes it unlawful to backfill without inspection, with 24 hours notice and the permit on site. That inspection happens with the trench open, which is the only moment anyone can actually see the work.
- Customers already treat it as the trust signal. In local reviews people cite the inspector commenting that the job was done professionally as their reason for recommending a contractor. That is not an accident.
Straight answers
Bothell plumbing permit questions
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Bothell?
In most cases yes, because the work involves gas or water connections and code required components such as seismic strapping, expansion tank and T and P discharge. BMC 20.02.095 exempts clearing stoppages, repairing leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures, and swapping prefabricated fixtures, but replacing concealed pipe requires a permit. Ask before the work rather than after.
Do I need a permit to unclog a drain in Bothell?
No. BMC 20.02.095 specifically exempts the clearing of stoppages, and separately exempts the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures. Snaking or jetting a drain needs no permit. Any side sewer repair does, under BMC 18.03.340.
Do I need a permit to replace a toilet or a faucet?
No, for a straight swap. BMC 20.02.095 exempts the removal and reinstallation of water closets where no valve or pipe rearrangement occurs, and the reinstallation or replacement of prefabricated fixtures that do not require valve or pipe replacement or rearrangement. Moving the fixture, or replacing concealed pipe, changes that.
Where do I get a plumbing permit in Bothell?
From the City of Bothell, through the regional MyBuildingPermit.com portal shared with Bellevue, Kirkland, Kenmore, Issaquah and Burien. Public Health Seattle and King County issues plumbing permits only for Seattle, Clyde Hill and unincorporated King County, so it does not cover Bothell. In unincorporated Snohomish County it is Snohomish County Planning and Development Services.
Which plumbing code is Washington using right now?
The 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, adopted under WAC 51-56-003 and effective 15 March 2024. The 2024 cycle is targeted for final adoption on 16 October 2026 with an effective date of 3 May 2027. Washington also deleted UPC Chapter 7 Part II, the building sewer chapter, which is why side sewer rules come from your city or district.
Does a side sewer repair need its own permit?
Yes. BMC 18.03.340 makes it unlawful to lay, repair, alter or construct any sewer connected to the public sewer without a sewer permit from the public works director, and BMC 18.03.370 makes it unlawful to backfill without inspection and approval, with 24 hours notice required and the permit on site. Storm drainage side sewers need a separate permit under BMC 18.04. Northshore Utility District issues sewer repair permits at no charge.
Can I pull my own plumbing permit as a homeowner in Bothell?
Homeowners can generally pull permits for work on their own residence, and Snohomish County explicitly allows homeowners to do their own work under a residential plumbing permit. Be aware that a homeowner pulled permit shifts liability onto you rather than the contractor, so if you are hiring someone, the permit should be in their name.
What happens if work was done without a permit?
It usually surfaces at sale, as a disclosure issue and a negotiating lever for a buyer. It can also be a problem at a tenant change on commercial property. Correcting it after the fact means opening up finished work so an inspector can see what was done, which is far more expensive than permitting it at the time.
Related
Other things we fix in Bothell
Sewer Repair & Side Sewer Replacement
Camera first, permit pulled, and the footage handed to you before anyone quotes a replacement.
Water Heater Repair & Replacement
Tank, tankless and heat pump. Plus the PSE and Snohomish PUD rebate deadlines nobody explains.
Repiping, Polybutylene & Galvanized
Canyon Park poly-B and Maywood galvanized, diagnosed honestly before anyone sells you a whole house.
Toilet Repair & Installation
Running toilets, weak flush, wax ring failures and replacements, with the water waste math.
Gas Line Repair & Installation
PSE owns the pipe to your meter. Past that it is yours, and it needs a City of Bothell inspection.
24 Hour Emergency Plumber
Burst pipes, sewer backups and no-water calls, answered around the clock across 98011, 98012 and 98021.
Service area
- 98011
- 98012
- 98021
- Kenmore
- Woodinville
- Mill Creek
- Brier
- Lynnwood
- Bothell East
- Bothell West
Not sure which side of the line your job sits on?
Ask us before the work starts rather than after. We will tell you straight, even if the answer costs us the permit fee.