What's Required in New York City
- Retiling, painting, plastering, floor resurfacing and direct fixture replacement need no permit (DOB); hired contractors need a DCWP HIC license
- Direct replacement means the fixture's hot and cold shutoff valves and trap are not altered (DOB Plumbing Permits page)
- Relocating up to two fixtures within the same room, no more than 10 ft, is ordinary plumbing work by a Licensed Master Plumber (Admin Code §28-105.4.4)
- Alteration, rearrangement, relocation or removal of piping must be supervised by a Licensed Master Plumber, who obtains the permit (LAA in DOB NOW)
- Any electrical installation or modification requires an electrical permit and a Licensed Master Electrician
- Non-load-bearing, non-fire-rated partition removal up to 50% of the wall or 45 sq ft in Group R needs no permit, with special-district and SRO exceptions
- Enlarging or relocating the bathroom is an alteration filed by a PE or RA; permit issued to a Registered GC
- The plumber must arrange DOB tests and inspections of completed piping
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in New York City?
Not for the cosmetic half of the job. DOB's plumbing page states that simple repairs or direct replacement of existing faucets or fixtures such as toilets and sinks are cosmetic work and do not require a permit, where direct replacement means the fixture's hot and cold shutoff valves and trap are not altered. Tile, paint, plaster, a new vanity in the same place and a resurfaced floor are on the same side of the line. The permit line is the piping: work involving the alteration, rearrangement, relocation or permanent removal of any piping must be supervised by a Licensed Master Plumber, who obtains the permit and arranges DOB's tests and inspections. Wiring needs a Licensed Master Electrician and an electrical permit, and a change to the room's footprint is an alteration filed by a PE or RA.
NYC Bathroom Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | DOB filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Retiling, painting, new vanity or medicine cabinet in the same place, resurfacing the floor | None (HIC-licensed contractor if hired) | DOB "Does my project require a permit?" |
| Replacing a toilet, sink or faucet in the same spot with the same shutoffs and trap | None (direct fixture replacement) | DOB Plumbing Permits page |
| Moving up to two fixtures within the bathroom, no more than 10 ft | Ordinary plumbing work by a Licensed Master Plumber, reported monthly, no permit | Admin Code §28-105.4.4 |
| Relocating the toilet or shower drain, adding a fixture, new waste or vent piping | Limited Alteration Application (LAA) by a Licensed Master Plumber | DOB LAA page; Table 28-112.2 LAA row |
| New GFCI circuit, exhaust fan wiring, heated floor | Electrical permit by a Licensed Master Electrician | DOB Electrical System owner requirements |
| Removing part of a non-load-bearing, non-fire-rated partition (up to 50% of the wall or 45 sq ft) in an apartment | None, with special-district and SRO exceptions | 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 2, III.2 |
| Enlarging the bathroom, moving walls beyond that, or adding a bathroom | Alteration filed by a PE or RA in DOB NOW | Admin Code §28-105.4.2.1 |
How Much Does a Bathroom Permit Cost in NYC?
Under Administrative Code Table 28-112.2 (as amended by Local Law 128 of 2024, in effect since December 21, 2025), a Limited Alteration Application at a one-, two- or three-family home has a $130 minimum filing fee. If the job also needs an alteration by a PE or RA, that filing is $130 for the first $5,000 of job cost plus $2.60 for each additional $1,000, so a $30,000 bathroom with a new layout files at about $195. In apartment buildings under seven stories the LAA minimum is $195 and the alteration is $225 for the first $3,000 plus $10.30 per additional $1,000, which puts the same $30,000 job at about $503. An electrical permit under DOB rule 1 RCNY 101-03 starts at a $40 application fee plus per-unit charges for outlets and fixtures. The plumber, electrician and design professional charge separately.
Who Files a Bathroom Permit in New York City?
LAA filings are made in DOB NOW: Build and may be submitted only by Licensed Master Plumbers, Licensed Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractors and Licensed Oil Burner Installers; the LAA covers plumbing work that does not include construction work and, with limited exceptions for new installations, is meant for repair and replacement of existing piping systems that do not need a PE or RA. Ordinary plumbing work under Administrative Code §28-105.4.4, including relocating up to two fixtures within the same room within 10 feet, needs no permit but must be performed and reported by a Licensed Master Plumber. Electrical work of any kind needs a permit and a Licensed Master Electrician; listed minor replacements need the permit but not a DOB inspection. A bathroom whose walls move is an alteration filed by a Registered Design Professional, with the permit issued to a Registered General Contractor, plus a Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Home Improvement Contractor license at one- to four-family homes.
Inspections
The Licensed Master Plumber arranges the DOB tests and inspections of completed piping before it is closed in, so schedule tile after the rough plumbing inspection, not before. DOB inspects electrical work other than the listed minor items. In a co-op or condo, the building's alteration agreement is a private requirement on top of all of this.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in New York City
Split the job into cosmetic and filed work
Tile, paint, vanity and same-spot fixture swaps: no permit. Piping moves, new circuits and wall changes: filed by the licensed trade or a PE/RA.
Plumbing through a Licensed Master Plumber
Two-fixture moves within 10 ft are reported ordinary work; anything else is an LAA in DOB NOW, $130 minimum at a 1-3 family home.
Electrical through a Licensed Master Electrician
Electrical permit for GFCI circuits, fans and heated floors; $40 application fee plus per-unit charges.
Layout changes through a PE or RA
Alteration in DOB NOW, $130 for the first $5,000 of job cost plus $2.60 per $1,000 above that at a 1-3 family home; permit to a Registered GC with an HIC license.
Rough inspection before tile
The plumber schedules the DOB plumbing test and inspection before walls and floors are closed; DOB inspects non-minor electrical work; sign-off follows.