What's Required in Cincinnati
- No permit for tile, paint, vanity cabinets and countertops; permits for any change to piping, wiring, ductwork or walls.
- Plumbing permit for replaced fixtures ($68 first fixture) or new fixtures ($97); building permit first when piping is relocated.
- IBI electrical permit for new circuits, GFCI outlets or an exhaust fan circuit ($121.20 pre-calculated).
- Building permit with plans for moving walls or creating a new bathroom; $173 minimum plus $49 processing.
- Licensed plumber, or the single-family owner-occupant under a notarized affidavit and permit.
- OCILB-licensed electrical contractor registered with the city for electrical permit work.
- Shower pan test and rough plumbing and electrical inspections before tile, insulation or drywall.
- Safety glazing near tubs and showers; hardwired smoke alarms when interior finishes are removed.
Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom in Cincinnati?
Not for the finishes. Tiling, painting, a new vanity cabinet and a new countertop are finish work the Residential Code of Ohio exempts, and Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17.1(1) allows minor maintenance without notice. The same ordinance says minor repairs never include altering, replacing or relocating waste, vent, water or drain piping, electric wiring or mechanical equipment, so the plumbing and electrical inside the remodel are permitted work.
Plumbing is the permit most bathroom remodels need. The department's Plumbing Inspections section states that the replacement of existing fixtures requires a permit and inspection, and that plumbing work beyond repair or fixture replacement generally needs a building permit first. Faucets, valves, washers and leak repairs are excluded from the plumber requirement. Electrical work, from a new GFCI circuit to an exhaust fan, is a separate permit from the Inspection Bureau, Inc. (IBI), which issues all electrical permits in the city. A building permit enters when you move or remove a wall, enlarge the room or convert another room into a bathroom. Note that the department's consumer page lists changing fixtures as no-permit work, which conflicts with the plumbing section; check with 513-352-3280.
How much does a Cincinnati bathroom remodel permit cost?
The schedule effective July 1, 2026 prices plumbing per fixture: one replacement $68, two $101, three $134, four $167; new fixtures $97, $130, $163, $196; $33 each beyond that. Plumbing replacement applications without plans skip the $49 processing fee, but the surcharges (3% technology, 1% training, 1% financial recovery, 5% planning, 1% state) add about $11 per $100. IBI charges $60 processing plus $60 for added wiring at a single-family house, pre-calculated at $121.20. A building permit for an alteration is valuation based on the building work alone: $173 up to $4,000, $203 at $5,000, $336 at $10,000, plus $49 processing.
Worked examples: replacing the toilet, lavatory and tub in place is three replacement fixtures, $134, about $149 with surcharges. A remodel that relocates those three fixtures ($163, about $181), adds a circuit for a fan and GFCI outlets (IBI $121.20) and moves a wall with $10,000 of building work ($336 + $49 = $385, about $427) totals roughly $729. Converting a closet into a new half bath is two new fixtures ($130, about $144) plus the building permit and the IBI permit.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Re-tile, paint, new vanity cabinet, new mirror and lights on existing wiring | No permit | Finish work exempt; swapping a light fixture is minor electrical repair |
| Replace a faucet or shower valve | No permit or plumber | CBC 1105-13 excludes faucet, valve and washer replacement and leak repair |
| Replace toilet, lavatory and tub in the same locations | Plumbing permit, about $149 | 3 replacement fixtures $134 + surcharges; Plumbing Inspections says replacements need a permit |
| Move the toilet or shower drain | Building permit + plumbing permit, from about $246 + $108 | Relocated piping needs a building permit first; new fixture $97 |
| New exhaust fan circuit and GFCI outlets | IBI electrical permit, $121.20 | $60 processing + $60 added wiring; file through ezTrak |
| Move a wall, $10,000 of building work | Building permit, about $427 | $336 + $49 + surcharges; Tier 2 review |
| Add a half bath in a closet | Building + plumbing + IBI permits | 2 new fixtures $130 + building permit + $121.20 electrical |
Inspections that catch bathrooms
Rough plumbing and rough electrical must pass before framing, insulation or drywall inspections; the department publishes a Shower Pan Test form because the pan is tested before tile goes on. The repairs application reminds remodelers that safety glazing is required near bathtubs and showers, that hardwired smoke alarms are required when interior finishes are removed, and that drywall on a dwelling-separation wall is inspected before hanging. Plumbing Inspections offers same-day inspections if you call by 9 a.m.; IBI schedules for the next business day.
Who can do the work, and timing
Plumbing must be done by a registered plumbing contractor, licensed journeyman or registered apprentice, except that the owner of a single-family home who will live there for a year may do the work personally under a permit with a notarized affidavit; the exception does not cover two- or three-family houses. Electrical permit work must be by an OCILB-licensed contractor registered with the city. General contractors need the $131.25 city registration, while an owner-occupant of a one- to three-family home may act as their own builder. Residential alterations and interior plumbing get Tier 2 review, targeted at 5 workdays; permits expire after a year without an inspection, and unpermitted work draws an investigation fee equal to the permit fee.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Cincinnati
Decide what moves
Fixtures staying put need only a plumbing permit; relocated fixtures or walls add a building permit; any new wiring adds an IBI permit.
File the building permit if needed
Submit the building permit application with plans to the Permit Center at 805 Central Avenue and pay the $49 processing fee.
Pull the plumbing and electrical permits
Your plumber files with Plumbing Inspections with a waste and vent schematic (or you file with an owner affidavit); your electrician files with IBI through ezTrak.
Rough-in and pan test
Schedule plumbing by 9 a.m. for same-day inspection, IBI for the next business day, and the shower pan test before tiling.
Finals
Plumbing, IBI and the building inspector each sign off; keep the permit posted until then.