Plumbing Permit in Lakewood, Colorado
Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs in Lakewood. The CITY of Lakewood issues and inspects plumbing permits directly (via eTRAKiT, Permit Type 'Plumbing' — Commercial or Residential subtype) — Colorado's DORA State Plumbing Board licenses individual plumbers/master plumbers statewide, but does not issue permits for work inside Lakewood's jurisdiction. Governed by the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC).
Verified 2026-07-01 · Source
When you need this permit
- eTRAKiT Permit Type 'Plumbing' with subtypes Commercial and Residential
- Water heater/boiler replacement requires the applicant to have Plumbing contractor registration with the City of Lakewood (or Mechanical contractor registration, for boiler replacement)
- All plumbing contractors and sub-contractors must be registered with the City of Lakewood via eTRAKiT
- As owner-occupant of a single-family detached home, a homeowner may pull the plumbing permit and perform the work themselves
- Work governed by the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted by the City of Lakewood
Required documents
- Req
Plumbing Permit Application (via eTRAKiT)
Apply online; select Permit Type 'Plumbing', subtype Commercial or Residential; for water heater/boiler only replacement, use the Residential System Replacements — Replace Water Heater subtype
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water Heater / Boiler Replacement (flat fee — single-family, duplex, or townhome, per appliance) | $80.00 | City of Lakewood Building Permit & Inspection Fee Schedule, Flat Fee Permits table (effective Jan 1, 2021, current published version) |
| General Plumbing Permit Fee — valuation-based (standard Building Permit Fee table) | Assessed on the plumbing work's valuation (labor + materials) using Lakewood's standard Building Permit Fee table — $26.00 minimum (valuation $1.00-$500.00) scaling up to $5,570.15 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $3.45 per additional $1,000.00 | VERIFIED — general plumbing scopes (re-piping, fixture additions, sewer/water line work) are not in the Flat Fee Permits table (only Water Heater/Boiler replacement is, at $80.00) so they fall under the fee schedule's own governing rule: 'With the exception of the fees listed in the FLAT FEE PERMITS table, all building permit fees are based on total valuation including labor and materials.' Confirmed by re-fetching the full 2-page fee schedule PDF (Playwright browser-fetch past the Akamai/edgesuite WAF, then pdftotext -layout) and reading it in full — no additional standalone flat plumbing fee line exists beyond water heater/boiler. The Building Permit Process for Contractors handout corroborates that plumbing systems' labor/materials are included in building-permit valuation and that stand-alone 'plumbing repairs' not tied to a building permit are obtained separately via eTRAKiT on that same valuation basis. |
| Reinspection Fee | $80.00 per hour (minimum charge: 1 hour), or total hourly cost to the city if greater | — |
Review timeline
~0–0 business days
Typical estimate — confirm current times with the Lakewood building department
Inspection process
- 1
Underground / Under-slab
Before concrete pour — pipe slope, materials, cleanouts
- 2
Rough-In
After pipes installed, before walls closed
- 3
Final
All fixtures connected, no leaks, proper venting verified
Tips
- Lakewood — not the Colorado DORA State Plumbing Board — issues and inspects plumbing permits for work inside city limits, per the City's own eTRAKiT Permit Types documentation. Plumbers/plumbing contractors need their Colorado DORA license AND separate City of Lakewood contractor registration.
- Water heater and boiler replacement is a flat $80.00 permit per appliance for single-family, duplex, or townhome units — one of the simplest permits in Lakewood's fee schedule.
- To replace a water heater, the applicant (homeowner or contractor) must have Plumbing contractor registration with the city; boiler replacement can use either Mechanical or Plumbing contractor registration.
- General plumbing scopes beyond water heater/boiler replacement (re-piping, fixture additions, sewer/water line work) aren't in the Flat Fee Permits table, so they're billed on the standard valuation-based Building Permit Fee schedule — confirm current tier amounts via eTRAKiT or 303-987-7500, since the fee schedule itself notes fees 'change periodically.'
Frequently asked questions
- Who issues plumbing permits in Lakewood — the city or the State of Colorado?
- The City of Lakewood issues and inspects plumbing permits directly through eTRAKiT (Permit Type 'Plumbing'). The Colorado DORA State Plumbing Board licenses individual plumbers and master plumbers statewide, but permit issuance for work inside Lakewood is handled by the city, which also requires its own separate contractor registration.
- How much does a water heater replacement permit cost in Lakewood?
- A water heater or boiler replacement in an existing single-family, duplex, or townhome unit is a flat $80.00 permit fee per the City of Lakewood's published fee schedule.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-01.
- City of Lakewood — Public Works Department, Permit Counter (Building Division) — official building department
- City of Lakewood Building Permit & Inspection Fee Schedule (effective Jan 1, 2021, current published version) — Flat Fee Permits table
- City of Lakewood eTRAKiT Permit Types info sheet (rev. 2022-01-06) — Systems and Residential System Replacements sections
- City of Lakewood Codes and Loads handout — 2021 IPC adoption
- Colorado DORA — Colorado Plumbing Board (confirms statewide plumber licensing role, distinct from local permit issuance)
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 Lakewood building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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