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Water Heater / Water Supply Line / Sewer Line Permit in El Mirage, Arizona

Required for installation or replacement of water heaters, water supply lines, and sewer lines in the City of El Mirage, governed by the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted and amended by the City.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Plumbing permit required for installation or replacement of gas, tankless, or solar water heaters; installation of a new water supply line or repair/replacement of an existing line; and installation or repair of a sewer line
  • Gas water heaters: upper and lower combustion air must be installed/maintained if in a closet or confined space; 1-inch clearance on the vent from combustible materials; maximum flex gas pipe length 36 inches with 1/2-inch minimum diameter
  • Tankless water heaters must be installed per manufacturer instructions; gas sizing or electrical supply may require an upgraded line
  • All water heaters: approved water heater pan with 1-inch drain line where required; T&P relief valve discharge pipe must discharge outside, not less than 6 inches above grade; isolation valve on the cold water line; garage installations must have the ignition source elevated; expansion tank required on all tank-type water heaters
  • Water supply line: piping must be an approved material, minimum 12-inch burial depth, shut-off valve before entering the house, sized per the 2006 IRC/IPC, and a backflow preventer (vacuum breaker) at all exterior hose bibs
  • Fees for water heaters are flat fees per the fee schedule; a non-refundable $150.00 application fee applies

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Water Heater (flat fee per fee schedule)City of El Mirage FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule states fees for water heaters are flat fees; specific dollar figure for the water-heater line item was not separately legible in the extracted Building Safety fee table beyond the general BOV categories — confirm exact flat amount with Development Services at 623-972-8116 before applying
Flat fee — see FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule
Water Supply Line / Sewer Line Repair (Based on Value)City of El Mirage FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$75 flat (valuation $1,000 or less); $100 + $6/$1,000 of valuation ($1,001-$999,999); $100 + $5/$1,000 of valuation ($1,000,000+)
Permit Application DepositCity of El Mirage FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule, Building Safety section
$150, non-refundable, due at submittal

Review timeline

Plan reviewEl Mirage’s published plan-review target
10–15 business days

How long did your Water Heater / Water Supply Line / Sewer Line Permit permit actually take in El Mirage?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Plumbing

    Before cover, for sewer line and water supply line work

  2. 2

    Final

    Water heater connections, relief valve discharge, and expansion tank verified; sewer/water line final

See the full El Mirage inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Plans are generally not required for a water supply line repair permit, per the City's Residential Property Improvements guidance.
  • An expansion tank is required on all tank-type water heaters in El Mirage, and the T&P relief valve discharge pipe must terminate outside, not less than 6 inches above grade.
  • Water supply line sizing references the 2006 IRC/IPC per the City's published guidance — this is an older reference than the City's currently adopted 2018-cycle codes; confirm current sizing standard with Development Services if precision matters for a specific project.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, a plumbing permit is required for installation or replacement of a water heater (gas, tankless, or solar), billed at a flat fee per the City's fee schedule, plus a non-refundable $150 application fee.

In El Mirage, the published Water Heater (flat fee per fee schedule) is: Flat fee — see FY25-26 Adopted Fee Schedule. Additional published fees: Water Supply Line / Sewer Line Repair (Based on Value) — $75 flat (valuation $1,000 or less); $100 + $6/$1,000 of valuation ($1,001-$999,999); $100 + $5/$1,000 of valuation ($1,000,000+); Permit Application Deposit — $150, non-refundable, due at submittal. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

El Mirage's published plan-review target for a water heater / water supply line / sewer line permit is 10–15 business days.

You'll need: Building/Plumbing Permit Application (ELM Online Permits); Manufactured Cut Sheet. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

El Mirage requires 2 inspection(s) for a water heater / water supply line / sewer line permit, in order: Rough Plumbing, Final. Schedule each through City of El Mirage Development Services Department — Building Safety / Permit Center (623-972-8116).

Apply through City of El Mirage Development Services Department — Building Safety / Permit Center at 10000 N El Mirage Road, El Mirage, AZ 85335-3607. Phone: 623-972-8116, email: bgomez@elmirageaz.gov. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays). As of January 2, 2024, all plans must be submitted electronically through the ELM Online Permits portal (ci-elmirage-az.smartgovcommunity.com); the Development Services main line is 623-876-2977, TDD 623-933-3258, Fax 623-876-4605.. Official information: https://www.elmirageaz.gov/712/Permit-Center.

El Mirage, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The City of El Mirage runs its own Development Services / Building Safety Department and independently adopts and administers its own construction codes. Source: City of El Mirage Resolution R23-05-10 (adopted May 16, 2023) and City of El Mirage Permit Center page (elmirageaz.gov/712/Permit-Center).; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10 (A Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of El Mirage, Arizona, Adopting the Following 2018 International Codes...), passed and adopted May 16, 2023, effective July 1, 2023. Source: City of El Mirage Resolution R23-05-10 and 'Adopted Codes and Amendments' (PDF), City of El Mirage Building Safety Documents & Quick Links page.; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Local IRC amendments include mandatory heating AND cooling (Section R303.10, capable of maintaining between 68-70°F and 90°F at 3 ft above floor / 2 ft from exterior walls), deletion of R313 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems in its entirety, and Section R301.2 Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria per Table R301.2(1). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Residential Code.; 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments (including Appendix B minimum fire flow amendment, deletion of Appendix M High-Rise retroactive sprinkler requirement, and addition of Appendix O Fire Emergency Access Signage Details), per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023; administered by the El Mirage/Surprise/Youngtown regional Fire Department (El Mirage Fire-Medical Department). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Fire Code.; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 — regulates energy efficiency in design/construction; the code's Chapter 11 residential energy provisions are folded into the IRC (N1101 et seq.) as adopted. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Green Construction Code (IGCC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted by reference, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 — violations may be prosecuted as a civil infraction (fine $50-$1,000 per violation) or a class 1 misdemeanor (up to 180 days imprisonment and/or a fine up to $2,500 per violation, up to $20,000 if the violator is an enterprise). Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, adopted by reference, per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023, together with the Arizonans with Disabilities Act (A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 9, Article 8) and the federal ADA. Source: Resolution R23-05-10.; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference with City of El Mirage local amendments (e.g., an amendment to NEC Article E3908.8 Option Four — electrical metallic tubing wiring methods, requiring an additional equipment grounding conductor sized per Table E3908.12), per Resolution R23-05-10, effective July 1, 2023 (note: electrical code cycle is one edition behind the 2018 ICC set). Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2017 National Electrical Code.; Manufactured housing used as dwellings and private sewage disposal systems are governed directly by the Arizona Department of Housing's Manufactured Housing & Building Division regulations — IRC Appendix E (Manufactured Housing Used as Dwellings) and Appendix I (Private Sewage Disposal) are each deleted in their entirety by City of El Mirage local amendment and replaced with a cross-reference to the state agency's regulations. Source: Resolution R23-05-10, Exhibit — City of El Mirage Amendments to the 2018 International Residential Code, Appendices E and I.. Local amendments apply — see the El Mirage overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the El Mirage building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.