When Does a Kitchen Remodel Need a Permit? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: it depends on what moves. For a same-layout refresh (new cabinets, counters, flooring, backsplash, paint and same-spot appliance swaps), fourteen of the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover need no permit at all: Albuquerque, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle. Twelve want a plumbing or electrical permit even though no building permit is needed: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Jose, St. Louis, Tucson. Three require a building permit for the refresh itself: Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco. In Cincinnati the page's own sources disagree. Moving the sink needs a plumbing permit on every page except New York's short-move carve-out, and a new circuit needs an electrical permit on every page except Dallas's six-outlet allowance. A wall that comes out takes a building permit almost everywhere. A same-spot sink or dishwasher swap needs a plumbing permit in 14 cities and none in 11. The city's own worked example for a typical remodel runs from $104 in Kansas City to $1,520 in Seattle, with a median of $504, and the person who may pull the permits ranges from any owner-occupant to a licensed professional only. We read each city's exemption list, fee schedule and licensing rule and recorded the city's own reading.

14 / 12 / 3cities need no permit / a trade permit only / a building permit for a same-layout refresh; Cincinnati's page contradicts itself

14cities say a same-spot sink or dishwasher swap needs a plumbing permit; 11 say no, 3 depend on who does it, 2 are silent

$104–$1,520the range of the city's own worked example for a typical kitchen remodel; the median is $504

6cities send part of the job to someone other than the city: a state, a county or a private agency issues the plumbing or electrical permit

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	Same-layout refresh	What turns it into a building permit	The city's own fee for a typical remodel	Who pulls it	Rule the city cites, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	No permit for a refresh	Removing or altering a wall, or enlarging the room. Moved piping, new circuits and a ducted hood are separate trade permits (plumbing, electrical, mechanical).	About $560 for a $30,000 remodel that removes a wall: $364.86 building permit with plan review + trade permits of $67 plumbing, $67 electrical and $61 mechanical. A moved sink plus dishwasher line alone is $67.	The owner-occupant may hold the building permit (one per 12 months). Plumbing and electrical go to an owner only after a 75% written exam; mechanical is for contractors only.	2024 UAC 109.2.1, Table 112-A and 112-C; Building Safety permits page Same-type fixture, receptacle and appliance swaps in the same place are exempt. Trade permits expire 180 days after issuance; plan review runs about two and a half weeks.
Baltimore, MD	Trade permit only	Removing or moving a wall (floor plan and cross-section). Every plumbing, gas, mechanical or electrical fixture change is already permit work, even in the same spot.	$184 for a 250 sq ft gut remodel with 6 circuits, 3 fixtures and a gas line ($151 + $8 tax + $25 application), plumbing and electrical inside. A same-spot sink swap is $31.	Licensed trades only: electricians, master plumbers and gas fitters, plus an MHIC contractor for construction. There is no homeowner trade permit.	BFRCBC 105.2 item 7 and 109.6; DHCD permit category page The building part is $0.30 per sq ft with a $50 minimum, plus the 5% Building Code Permit Tax. Work without a permit draws the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the fee.
Charlotte, NC	No permit for a refresh	A new cabinet layout, cabinet work over $40,000 or any load-bearing change needs a County building permit. Moving the sink, new circuits and a gas range line add trade permits.	About $283 for a $15,000 remodel with a new cabinet layout, moved sink and new circuits (building, electrical and plumbing permits plus a $9 technology charge and $10 recovery fund). A $45,000 remodel that opens a wall, with four trade permits, is about $663.	An owner who lives in the home may pull the trade permits and do the work personally with the Homeowner Trade Work Certificate; hired trades need a North Carolina license.	G.S. 160D-1110 (work up to $40,000); Mecklenburg County handout; LUESA Fee Ordinance Mecklenburg County issues every permit, not the City. A like-for-like dishwasher or disposal swap by a licensed contractor needs none, but an owner doing the same swap does. Plan review only from $175,000.
Chicago, IL	Trade permit only	Moving the sink or gas line, or adding circuits, takes an Express Interior Alteration permit ($250 up to 500 sq ft). Moving a wall needs architect or engineer drawings; a load-bearing wall needs a plan-based permit ($600 minimum).	About $400 for a 200 sq ft gut that relocates the sink, extends the gas line and adds six circuits ($250 alteration + $150 electrical), plus a $600 deposit collected at filing. A same-spot sink swap is a $75 plumbing permit.	Electrical work only by a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor. Plumbing by a licensed contractor, or by the owner of a detached single-family house (Form 401). An owner may act as general contractor once a year.	Table 14A-12-1204.2; DOB list of work not requiring a permit; Express Permit Program Cabinets and counters need no permit only without plumbing or electrical connections. The first inspection must pass within 540 days. Owners 65 and older can have fees waived if they ask before paying.
Cincinnati, OH	City documents disagree ⚠	Moving the sink needs a building permit first, then a plumbing permit. Opening a wall or changing the layout needs a building permit ($173 minimum + $49 processing). New circuits are a separate IBI electrical permit.	About $668 for moving the sink to an island, adding two circuits and opening a wall with $8,000 of structural work; about $847 with $15,000 of building work. Swapping a sink, dishwasher and disposal in place is about $149.	Plumbing: the owner of a single-family home they will live in for a year, with a notarized affidavit. Electrical and HVAC need OCILB-licensed contractors; the page says to confirm owner-occupant electrical with IBI.	RCO 102.10; Cincinnati Building Code; FY2027 B&I fee schedule; IBI fee schedule Electrical permits come from the Inspection Bureau, Inc., a private agency. Residential alterations get Tier 2 review (5 workdays targeted). Hardwired smoke alarms are required when finishes are removed.
Dallas, TX	No permit for a refresh ⚠	Moving a sink or dishwasher drain, gas piping, or removing a load-bearing wall (Residential Alteration Addition Permit with plans). More than six new 120 V outlets or one 240 V outlet needs an electrical permit.	$1,273 for a full remodel with plans and four trades ($181 + $577 plan review minimum + $500 + $15), using the department's 420 sq ft worksheet. One stand-alone trade permit, such as moving the sink, is $321.	A homestead owner may pull interior remodeling, plumbing and mechanical permits, and electrical only after passing the city's oral or written exam. Otherwise registered Master Plumbers and Master Electricians.	Chapter 52 Sec. 301.2 and Table B-II; fee schedule eff. 2025-07-01 Texas law bars value-based residential fees. Non-load-bearing wall removal that adds no floor area needs no permit. Homes in a planned development, SUP or deed-restricted area pay a 10% surcharge.
Fort Worth, TX	No permit for a refresh	Replacing 16 sq ft or more of drywall needs a building permit. Moving the sink, new circuits or a ducted hood each add a trade permit; opening a wall means a four-trade remodel permit.	$406.95 for building, electrical and plumbing work ($357.00 at $119 per trade + $49.95 fees); $525.95 with a fourth trade. A plumbing-only job is $43.42.	A homeowner living in the house may pull building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permits but may not work on the service or main breaker. Otherwise Texas-licensed trades and a registered builder.	Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (eff. 2026-10-01); Administrative Code 105.2; residential permitting page Fees are per trade, not by cost (Texas LGC 214.907). First review comments take 7 business days. A permit expires after 180 days without an approved inspection.
Houston, TX	Trade permit only	A floor-plan change or moved wall needs a Residential Remodel permit with plans; trade permits are issued after it. Any work on plumbing, electrical or mechanical equipment already needs its own permit.	About $500 for a full gut: the remodel permit (about $253 for 250 sq ft) plus plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits, each with a $33.56 admin fee. A sink and dishwasher plumbing permit is about $131.	Building permit: owner, agent or contractor. Plumbing: registered master plumber, or a homesteading owner ($116.11). Electrical: master electricians only, no homeowner permit. Mechanical: licensed A/C contractor; owners only in some instances.	Residential Permitting 101; Top 10 sheet; 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule Texas HB 852 bars valuation fees on residential work, so the remodel permit is priced by square footage with 25% plan review. Processing runs 1 to 15 business days.
Indianapolis, IN	No permit for a refresh	Opening a bearing wall or a new window or door opening (structural permit, $390). Moving the sink or adding a gas line is a plumbing permit; new circuits are an electrical permit. New non-bearing walls are exempt.	$712 for a full remodel in a house up to 1,000 sq ft ($390 structural + $153 plumbing + $169 electrical); about $833 at 1,500 sq ft. Moving only the sink is $153.	The owner may pull the structural permit by filing a Statement of Intent. Plumbing permits for owners only in limited situations; electrical needs a licensed contractor or an owner with the licensing board's written approval.	Sec. 536-201(b); DBNS fee schedule of 2026-01-05; Sec. 875-301 Craft permits carry no application fee. Each craft is inspected at rough-in, then a frame inspection before drywall. Ductwork for a hood over 4 sq ft is licensed HVAC work.
Jacksonville, FL	Trade permit only	Removing a wall or any remodel valued as an alteration ($3.00 per $1,000, $112.50 minimum). A relocated sink or a new circuit alone is a single $60 trade permit; a gas line adds an $80 mechanical line.	About $398 for a $30,000 remodel with a wall removed ($277.88 building + $60 plumbing + $60 electrical); about $595 at $60,000. Florida's 1% and 1.5% surcharges apply to permit fees.	An owner-builder on the deed may permit a remodel of a primary residence not for sale or rent, in person with proof of homestead exemption. Hired electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors pull their own permits.	Ordinance Code 320.402, 320.408(f) and 320.409(6); BID exempt list Swapping light fixtures, switches or receptacles takes a no-inspection permit. Cabinets and counters appear on neither exempt list, so the page says to ask BID. Improvements over $5,000 need a recorded Notice of Commencement.
Kansas City, MO	No permit for a refresh	Moving or removing a non-load-bearing wall is a building permit with no plan review; a load-bearing wall needs plans. Moving the sink or adding a gas line or circuit is a trade permit.	About $104 for moving the sink ($1,000 of plumbing) and adding a circuit ($1,000 of electrical); about $265 for a remodel with $20,000 of building work, $4,000 of electrical and $3,000 of plumbing.	An owner who lives in a single-family home may pull the trade permits and do the work with family or friends (IB146 affidavit). On a two-family home only licensed contractors may pull them.	KCBRC 18-16(b) and 18-20(b)(2); IB100; IB146 Every permit is priced on its own value, with no separate plan review fee, and the building official sets the valuation. Altered permanent lighting must meet the 2021 IECC high-efficacy rule.
Long Beach, CA	Building permit ⚠	Nothing: a same-layout swap of cabinets, counters, flooring and fixtures is already an express combination permit (IB-058 item B3). Moving the sink, adding a circuit, new penetrations or opening a wall means plan review.	About $1,247 for an express 120 sq ft kitchen valued at $48,000 (150% combination permit + $115 processing); about $2,274 for a 150 sq ft layout change with plan check.	A homeowner may pull it for a one- or two-family principal residence after 12 months there, at most twice in three years (IB-029). Otherwise a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license.	IB-058 item B3; IB-077 ($40,000 per 100 sq ft); IB-045; LBMC 18.04.020 Faucet swaps and same-type disposal swaps need none, but sinks and dishwashers do. GFCI and AFCI protection is required on kitchen receptacles. No express service in the Coastal Zone or historic districts.
Los Angeles, CA	Building permit	Any job valued over $2,500: a same-layout cabinet and counter replacement is an express building permit with no plan check. Removing a wall or changing a window opening takes plan check at 90% of the permit fee.	About $975 in city fees for a $50,000 kitchen with building, electrical, vent and plumbing permits. The building permit alone is $423.91 at $20,000 and $677.65 at $50,000; card payments add 2.7%.	Homeowners may apply for every single-family e-permit type, but electrical, plumbing and mechanical owner-builder permits need 12 months of residence and are limited to two structures in three years. Hired trades need a CSLB license.	LAMC 91.106.2; Express Permits IB P/GI 2026-003; LADBS Permit Fee Calculator Replacing the sink, dishwasher or disposal in place is an express plumbing permit at $10 per fixture. Permits over $2,500 trigger low-flow fixtures; $10,000 or more adds impact glazing and a gas shutoff valve.
Louisville, KY	No permit for a refresh	Removing or moving a wall, or a layout change (Metro building permit, $75 minimum). Moving the sink needs a state plumbing permit and new circuits a Metro electrical permit.	About $328 for a $40,000 remodel that opens a wall, adds circuits and moves the sink and dishwasher: $150 building + $100 electrical + $78 state plumbing. Adding a circuit or two under $750 is a $75 electrical permit.	An owner who lives in the home may pull the plumbing permit (affidavit, all work personal) and the electrical permit (notarized certification). The page says to call Construction Review about owner-filed building permits.	LMCO 150.096 (rev. 2024-02-06); KRC R105.2; 815 KAR 20:050 Plumbing permits are the state's, not Metro's. The schedule lists $75 per range hood but does not say it covers a residential hood, so ask. Same-rating breaker swaps are exempt.
Miami, FL	No permit for a refresh ⚠	Cutting a wall or removing a beam or load-bearing support (building permit with plans, trade permits beneath it). Moving the sink or replacing concealed pipe needs a plumbing permit; a new circuit needs an electrical permit.	About $568 for a $30,000 remodel that opens a wall, moves the sink and adds circuits: $260.25 building + two $154 trade permits. About $787.50 at $60,000. A stand-alone plumbing permit is $154.	Owner-occupants of a one- or two-family home may file as owner-builder (FS 489.103(7)) and do their own electrical work (FS 489.503(6)), signing in person. The plumbing exemptions cover licensed contractors only.	City Code 10-5(b) and 10-18; FS 489.103(7) and 489.503(6) Each permit is a $110 minimum plus a $40 application fee and state surcharges. A same-spot sink, disposal or dishwasher swap is exempt only when a licensed plumber does it. Notice of commencement above $2,500.
Milwaukee, WI	No permit for a refresh	Removing or moving walls, changing windows or doors, or rearranging the room (building permit with plans). New circuits are an electrical permit; moving the sink or adding a dishwasher line is a plumbing permit.	$241.09 for a same-layout remodel with 6 receptacles, 4 recessed lights, dishwasher and disposal circuits and plumbing hookups. $1,210.10 for a $30,000, 200 sq ft remodel that removes a wall, including the $250 assessor charge.	An owner may pull the building permit, and plumbing in an owner-occupied single-family home. Electrical goes to a state-licensed contractor; the owner exemption covers only 20 A switch, receptacle or fixture swaps.	MCO 200-24-1.5, 200-33 and 81-6 DNS adds a 1.6% surcharge to permit and review fees. Gas ranges and gas lines are outside the appliance exemption. The page says to ask the permit technician whether the $250 assessor charge applies.
Minneapolis, MN	No permit for a refresh	Opening or removing a wall or cutting structural members (building permit, valuation fee + 65% plan review). Moving the sink is a plumbing permit, a new vent a mechanical permit and new circuits a state DLI permit.	$1,176.83 for a $30,000 remodel that opens walls, with one plumbing permit; state electrical fees are paid to DLI separately. Moving the sink and adding a dishwasher with no wall work is the $85.20 plumbing minimum.	Owner-occupants of one- to four-unit homes can get building permits. Owners of a single-family home may do their own plumbing and mechanical work, but not gas heating equipment, and wiring on a home with its own electrical service.	Minn. R. 1300.0120; city exempt-work list; Section 85.80 Electrical permits come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: $12 per circuit with a $55 per trip minimum. Replacing a dishwasher or disposal on existing hookups needs no permit. Plan review takes 15 business days.
New York, NY	No permit for a refresh	Removing a load-bearing or fire-rated wall, more than 50% or 45 sq ft of a partition, or changing the room layout (alteration filed by a PE or RA in DOB NOW). Moving the sink to another wall or adding piping is a Limited Alteration Application by a Licensed Master Plumber.	About $221 to file a $40,000 kitchen with a wall removed at a 1-3 family home ($130 for the first $5,000 + $2.60 per $1,000); about $606 in an apartment building under seven stories. Electrical ($40 application + per-unit charges), plumber and design fees are extra.	Licensed professionals only: a Licensed Master Plumber files plumbing, a Licensed Master Electrician pulls electrical permits and a PE or RA files alterations, with the permit issued to a Registered GC.	DOB list of work needing no permit; Admin Code 28-105.4.4 and Table 28-112.2; 1 RCNY 101-03 and 101-14 Direct sink or faucet replacement needs no permit, and a master plumber may move up to two fixtures within the room (10 ft) as reported ordinary work. Co-op and condo alteration agreements add private rules; partition removal loses its exemption in special districts and SRO buildings.
Philadelphia, PA	Trade permit only	Moving or enlarging the kitchen, a kitchen in a two-family house, or any structural change (building permit, $76 for the first 500 sq ft). A same-footprint remodel in a one-family home needs only an EZ plumbing permit.	About $140 for a typical same-footprint remodel in a one-family home: $57.50 EZ plumbing permit + about $82.50 for a $3,000 electrical job. About $298.50 with a building permit and a $6,000 electrical job.	Licensed only: a master plumber for plumbing and a licensed electrical contractor for electrical, with a licensed inspection agency. An owner-occupant may hold a building permit only when no trade permit is involved.	L&I fee summary PG_012; EZ Bathroom and Kitchen standard PB_026 Replacing the sink or dishwasher in the same spot is a $31 plumbing permit (plus $7.50 surcharges); faucet and valve swaps need none. EZ excludes Historic Registry buildings and structural work.
Phoenix, AZ	No permit for a refresh	Removing or relocating a wall (building permit with plans; engineering if load-bearing). Moving or adding a sink, new circuits and gas line changes each need their own permit.	About $510 for a 150 sq ft kitchen at the Minor 20% valuation ($255 permit + $255 plan review); about $686 for 200 sq ft at Medium 40% and $766 for 250 sq ft.	An owner-occupant may do plumbing and mechanical work and act as general contractor (ARS 32-1121.A.5). Gas piping is not covered by the state exemption and needs a licensed trade.	2024 PBCC 105.2; Residential Projects page; 2026 Fee Schedule App. A.2; TRT 00002 Valuation is the kitchen area x $170.80 per sq ft x 20% to 60%; a higher contract price replaces it. Plan review is 100% over $5,000. Permits run 24 months.
Pittsburgh, PA	Trade permit only ⚠	A load-bearing wall change (standard Building and Development Application with plan review). Removing a non-load-bearing wall is a one-day EZ building permit; new circuits are a PLI electrical permit; plumbing goes to the county.	About $542 for a layout change with a $40,000 building permit ($254.50), new circuits ($141.50) and a moved sink and dishwasher ($146 from the county). Replacing a dishwasher in place is a $27 county card.	PLI lets the owner work on a primary residence, but its rules require a city electrical trade license for permitted electrical work and an HVAC license for mechanical. An owner-occupant may do plumbing under the county's 2025 rules.	PLI Work Not Requiring a Permit; 2026 PLI fee schedule; ACHD plumbing fee schedule Plumbing permits come from the Allegheny County Health Department, not the city. Each PLI permit has a $130 minimum base fee plus $11.50 in fixed fees. EZ permits issue in one business day.
Portland, OR	Trade permit only	Moving, removing or adding walls, or cutting or resizing a window or door opening (building permit, about $1,498 at $45,000). Relocated piping, new wiring and a vented hood each take a trade permit.	About $617 for a same-layout remodel with three plumbing fixtures ($211.68), two new circuits ($218.40) and a vented hood and gas line ($187.04). About $2,163 for a $45,000 remodel that removes a wall.	A recorded owner (not an LLC) may do plumbing and mechanical work; electrical only if the owner lives there and is not selling or renting within six months. Otherwise licensed trades. Owner building permits are not addressed.	PP&D no-permit list; PP&D 2026 trade fee schedules; ORS 479.540 Dishwasher or disposal swaps on existing hookups are exempt; a new sink with concealed connections in the same spot is not. Every permit adds a 12% Oregon surcharge. Trade permits issue within 24 hours on DevHub.
Sacramento, CA	Trade permit only ⚠	More than one fixture or circuit, or a full same-layout remodel, takes a flat $425 non-structural permit with no plans. Moving or removing a wall, or enlarging a load-bearing opening, is a Residential Remodel permit with plan review.	About $508 for a $15,000 non-structural remodel by an owner-builder ($425 + surcharges). A single sink or dishwasher swap is a $105 plumbing permit ($120.40 at $1,500). About $1,418 for a $60,000 structural remodel.	Homeowners may apply as owner-builders by emailing forms CDD-0200, CDD-0220, CDD-0035 and CDD-0162; state law requires 12 months of residence. Hired trades need a state license.	Table B.1 (fee table); Building Division exempt list; CDD-0162 Value means full contractor market value, even for owner-builders. The structural permit's first review takes 12 working days. Exterior window or door changes need Planning approval.
San Antonio, TX	Trade permit only	Removing or adding interior walls, or replacing sheetrock rather than patching it (Residential Repair building permit, $172.50 or $241.50). Two or more exterior walls go to plan review.	About $388 for a full remodel with walls moved, circuits added and the sink in place ($241.50 building + $73.60 plumbing + $72.86 electrical), or $419 with two 4% surcharges. A sink or faucet swap alone is $65.55.	A homeowner may pull the building permit (attesting to 12 months of ownership after the project) and a homestead plumbing permit for work done personally. Electrical goes to state-licensed electrical contractors only.	City Code 10-6(e)(1)g and 10-6(j); DSD FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule; Home Remodeling FAQ DSD says installing faucets, sinks, receptacles, light fixtures or kitchen hoods needs a permit. Moving the gas range line adds $57.50 + $11.50 per opening, for $456.96. Paper applications add $11.50; cards add 3%.
San Diego, CA	No permit for a refresh	New wiring or piping with no framing or added fixtures takes a $440.82 no-plan building permit that covers all trades. Moving walls, opening an exterior wall or adding fixtures needs a permit with plans.	$440.82 for a no-plan remodel covering plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. About $6,490 with plans: $3,512.92 plan check + $2,228.29 inspection + $737 General Plan Maintenance Fee + $12.16. Five new circuits alone are $176.57.	Electrical and plumbing permits go to licensed contractors or the owner or lessee; the owner pulls the building permit as owner-builder with form DS-3042 (tenants cannot sign), usually in two business days.	SDMC 129.0203(a)(17), 129.0302, 129.0402; IB 203; IB 103 Table 3A; IB 501 Relocating cabinets in the same room is exempt, as are a same-spot fixture swap and a hardwired appliance swap with no added load. Smoke and CO alarms must be upgraded whenever a permit is pulled.
San Francisco, CA	Building permit	Nothing: DBI requires a kitchen/bath permit even for in-kind cabinets, counters, sink and appliances, plus plumbing and electrical permits. Moving the sink or range, or opening a wall, means over-the-counter review with plans.	About $1,050 for an in-kind kitchen ($462.88 building at DBI's $24,663 minimum valuation + $290 plumbing + $305 electrical); about $2,200 for a layout change with plans. Plan review alone adds $962.05.	A licensed B contractor files it. A homeowner may file only for a stand-alone single-family primary residence, doing the work personally and meeting an inspector first; condos and flats cannot use the homeowner route.	SF Building Code 106A.2; SF Electrical Code 89.121; DBI fee table eff. 2026-07-12 Replacing a dishwasher or range on existing wiring needs no electrical permit, but cutting into gas, water or drain piping needs a plumbing permit. The online permit is limited to R-3 homes and pre-1991 R-2 units.
San Jose, CA	Trade permit only	A few fixture and circuit changes take a Kitchen Minor combination permit; opening or moving a wall is Kitchen Major, a structural alteration with plans. Gas line work needs plumbing and mechanical permits.	About $740 for a minor remodel with a few fixture and circuit changes ($211 processing + $367.50 inspection + $162.50 plan check); about $1,850 for a major remodel that opens a wall and relocates plumbing and gas.	A homeowner may pull the permits as owner-builder for a principal residence occupied for 12 months. Any contractor must hold a state license for a job of $1,000 or more.	SJMC 24.02.120, 24.02.130 and 24.02.150; FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges Replacing the sink, faucet, dishwasher or disposal in place is an online permit with no plans. Inspection time is $315 per hour and plan check $325 per hour; the Building Official may adjust the assessment.
Seattle, WA	No permit for a refresh	A layout change over $6,000 or any wall work needs an SDCI construction permit (STFI, priced on value). Moving the sink or running gas needs a Public Health permit; new circuits need an SDCI electrical permit.	About $1,520 for a permitted $30,000 kitchen ($1,162.65 construction + $191 plumbing + about $169 electrical) and about $2,200 at $60,000. SDCI raised construction fees 18% in 2026.	The owner or agent applies for the building permit. An owner-occupant may pull electrical and plumbing permits for work done personally (RCW 18.106.150); contractors need a Washington license and a Seattle business license.	SRC R105.2; Tip 316; 2026 Fee Subtitle Table D-1; PHSKC fee schedule Plumbing and gas permits are Public Health Seattle and King County's, not SDCI's. Replacing up to five outlets or switches like-for-like needs no permit. The construction permit is valid for 18 months.
St. Louis, MO	Trade permit only ⚠	Removing or installing any partition, or cutting a beam or bearing support (building permit, $25 + $10 per $1,000; $275 at $25,000). Plumbing, electrical and mechanical work each need a separate permit.	$185 for a new circuit and a relocated sink ($85 + $100); about $460 for a $25,000 remodel that opens a wall; $685 for a $40,000 gut with a hood. A two-fixture plumbing permit alone is $100.	City-licensed contractors, or an owner-occupant who passes the Building Division's written test (electrical, one-family home) or is certified by the Board of Examiners (plumbing, up to four fixtures). The owner may draw plans.	Ord. 70795 Sec. 105.2 items 12 and 13; Plumbing Code 107.2; Electrical Code 80.8.1 Most trade permits are approved in 1 to 3 business days. Drywall patching up to 25% of a room's wall or ceiling area is exempt. Starting early adds surcharges.
Tucson, AZ	Trade permit only	Removing a load-bearing wall or reconfiguring the room (Residential Interior Addition or Alteration permit with plans, priced on contract value). New piping, outlets, circuits, gas lines and roof vents each need a trade or alteration permit.	About $269 for a trade-only remodel with a dishwasher, a new circuit and a relocated sink ($150 + $50 + $50 + $18.54 filing fee). About $944 for a $25,000 and $1,323 for a $40,000 layout remodel.	An owner-occupant files the Owner/Builder Affidavit (ARS 32-1121.A.5) and pulls the permits; rentals need a licensed contractor, and PDSD wants a general contractor named when a job spans several trades.	PDSD FY27 fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01); ARS 32-1121.A.5 A new dishwasher that connects to water and wiring is trade work; replacing a switch or outlet in the same spot is exempt. A dishwasher and disposal may share one 20 A circuit. Residential trade permits run in the same-day Express Lane.

The status says what a same-layout refresh needs from the city, as the city page reads it on the date it was last verified: nothing, a trade permit (plumbing or electrical) even for a same-spot fixture or appliance swap, or a building permit for the refresh itself. A refresh means new cabinets, counters, flooring, backsplash and paint, plus same-spot appliance swaps, with no fixture moved, no new circuit and no wall changed. The trigger column sorts building permit for any kitchen work, then a moved fixture or layout, then walls or structure only. The fee is the city's own worked example for a typical whole-kitchen remodel with more than one trade, taking the lower example when a page gives two, and sorts by that figure; what each example covers is stated in the cell, so jobs that remove a wall and jobs that only add trade permits are not identical. The pulls-it column sorts owner may pull everything, then owner may pull some, then licensed professionals only. Contractors' own prices are never included. A flag marks a row where the city's documents disagree or a figure is superseded. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

A same-layout refresh needs no permit in 14 cities, a trade permit in 12 and a building permit in 3

Albuquerque, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle say new cabinets, counters, flooring, backsplash and paint, with the sink, appliances and outlets left where they are, need nothing from the city. Two of those carry a condition: Miami and Charlotte exempt a same-spot fixture or appliance swap only when a licensed contractor does it, so an owner doing the same swap needs a permit. Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Jose, St. Louis, Tucson exempt the finishes but want a plumbing or electrical permit for the swaps themselves: a sink or dishwasher replaced in place takes a plumbing permit in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Jose, St. Louis and Tucson, Portland requires one for a new sink with concealed connections, and Jacksonville permits even a light-fixture or receptacle swap (without inspection) and tells owners of a cabinets-only job to ask the Building Inspection Division, because neither of its exempt lists names cabinets. Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco require a building permit for the refresh itself: Los Angeles for any job valued over $2,500, and Long Beach and San Francisco even for in-kind cabinets, counters and fixtures, as an express or online permit with no plans. Cincinnati is the one city whose page cannot say: its plumbing section requires a permit for replacing a fixture and its consumer page lists the same swap as no-permit work.

What turns a kitchen into a building permit: walls and structure in 21 cities, a moved fixture or layout in 6

In 21 cities the building permit is reserved for walls and structure; moved plumbing and new wiring are separate trade permits. Six cities attach a building or alteration permit to a layout or system change: Chicago, San Diego, San Jose, Charlotte, Sacramento and Cincinnati. Charlotte requires one for a new cabinet layout, Chicago and San Diego for a moved sink or new wiring (a $250 Express Interior Alteration and a $440.82 no-plan permit), San Jose for a Kitchen Minor combination permit, Sacramento for more than one fixture or circuit (a flat $425), and Cincinnati for relocated piping. Three cities need one for anything (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Long Beach). Walls have their own thresholds: Dallas exempts a non-load-bearing remodel that adds no floor area; New York exempts up to 50% or 45 sq ft of a partition in an apartment, outside special districts and SRO buildings; Seattle exempts minor alterations of $6,000 or less with no load-bearing change; Fort Worth requires a building permit for 16 sq ft or more of replaced drywall; St. Louis exempts drywall patching up to 25% of a room; Kansas City and Pittsburgh issue non-load-bearing wall removal as a building permit without plans; and Philadelphia lets a same-footprint remodel in a one-family home proceed on an EZ plumbing permit with no building permit at all. A ducted range hood needs its own mechanical or HVAC permit in Albuquerque, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Antonio and St. Louis, and a $30 minimum exhaust line in Baltimore; Cincinnati and Louisville tell owners to ask.

Same-spot sink and dishwasher swaps: a plumbing permit in 14 cities, none in 11

A plumbing permit is required to replace a sink or dishwasher in the same spot in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Philadelphia, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Baltimore, Tucson, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Long Beach, where the fee runs from $27 in Pittsburgh (a county fixture-replacement card) and $31 in Baltimore and Philadelphia to $65.55 in San Antonio, $75 in Chicago, $105 in Sacramento and about $131 in Houston for a sink and dishwasher; San Francisco folds it into a $290 plumbing permit that covers a single kitchen remodel. Cincinnati is on that list because its plumbing section says so, while its consumer page says the opposite. It is exempt in New York, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, San Diego, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Albuquerque, usually as an in-kind fixture replacement with no change to the rough-in or piping. Three depend on the circumstances: Charlotte and Miami exempt the swap only when a licensed contractor does it, and Portland exempts a dishwasher or disposal on existing hookups but not a new sink with concealed connections. Louisville's and Jacksonville's pages only address moving a fixture or swapping a faucet, so they are recorded as silent. Moving the sink needs a plumbing permit in the other 29 cities; New York is the exception, where a Licensed Master Plumber may relocate up to two fixtures within the same room, up to 10 ft, as ordinary work that is reported rather than permitted. Four cities send the plumbing permit to another body: Louisville to the state Division of Plumbing ($50 + $14 per opening), Pittsburgh to the Allegheny County Health Department, Seattle to Public Health Seattle and King County ($137 + $27 per fixture), and Charlotte to Mecklenburg County, which issues every permit there.

New circuits need an electrical permit almost everywhere; replacing an appliance on its circuit usually does not

Every page treats a new circuit for a range, island outlets or under-cabinet lights as electrical permit work, with one allowance: Dallas exempts up to six new 120 V outlets or one 240 V outlet added by extending a circuit or adding a single new circuit, with no service change. The cost varies with how each city counts: Albuquerque charges a $47 administrative charge plus $1.50 per outlet and $8 per 30 A appliance ($67 for range and microwave circuits and eight outlets), Baltimore $6 per circuit ($51 with tax and the application fee for four), Chicago $150 for up to 10 circuits, Los Angeles $107.91 for two circuits and four outlets, Portland $218.40 for two, San Diego $176.57 for up to five, Seattle $160.60 for four, St. Louis $85, Louisville $75 or $100, San Francisco $305 for up to 10 devices and Tucson $50 per added item after the first. Replacing a range or dishwasher on its existing circuit needs no electrical permit in Albuquerque, Indianapolis, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle, and Milwaukee exempts non-gas appliance swaps. Two pages name protection rules: Long Beach requires GFCI and AFCI protection on kitchen receptacles under IB-045, and Tucson lets a dishwasher and disposal share one 20 A circuit. Two cities send the permit elsewhere: Minneapolis to the state Department of Labor and Industry ($12 per circuit, $55 per inspection trip) and Cincinnati to the Inspection Bureau, Inc., a private agency ($121.20 for added wiring).

The city fee for a typical remodel runs from $104 to $1,520, and the three building-permit cities sit in the top six

Six cities come in under $250: Kansas City $104, Philadelphia $140, Baltimore $184, St. Louis $185, New York $221 and Milwaukee $241. Eight sit between $250 and $499: Tucson $269, Charlotte $283, Louisville $328, San Antonio $388, Jacksonville $398, Chicago $400, Fort Worth $407 and San Diego $441. Eleven are between $500 and $999: Houston $500, Sacramento $508, Phoenix $510, Pittsburgh $542, Albuquerque $560, Miami $568, Portland $617, Cincinnati $668, Indianapolis $712, San Jose $740 and Los Angeles $975. Five are $1,000 or more: San Francisco $1,050, Minneapolis $1,177, Long Beach $1,247, Dallas $1,273 and Seattle $1,520. The median is $504. Los Angeles, San Francisco and Long Beach, the three cities that require a building permit for the refresh itself, are all in the top six because they price the permit on valuation, and San Francisco and Long Beach set a floor under that valuation ($24,663 per kitchen at DBI, $40,000 per 100 sq ft in Long Beach). Fort Worth, Dallas and Tucson price by trade ($119 per trade, $125 per trade inspection, $150 for the first item) rather than by cost, and San Diego charges one $440.82 no-plan permit that covers every trade. The examples are not identical jobs: Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Louisville, Miami, Minneapolis, New York and Pittsburgh include a removed or opened wall, while Kansas City, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland, St. Louis and Tucson price trade permits only.

Who may pull the permits: any owner-occupant in 15 cities, only part of the job in 12, no one but a licensed professional in 3

An owner-occupant may pull everything in Charlotte, Dallas (electrical after the city's exam), Fort Worth (not the service or main breaker), Jacksonville, Kansas City (single-family homes only), Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis (after written tests or certification) and Tucson. Twelve cities let the owner pull part of the job: Albuquerque requires a 75% written exam for plumbing and electrical and allows no owner mechanical permit; Chicago and Milwaukee bar owners from electrical work; Houston has no homeowner electrical permit; San Antonio lets an owner pull only the building permit and a homestead plumbing permit; Phoenix and Minneapolis exclude gas work; Indianapolis allows owner plumbing permits only in limited situations and electrical only with the licensing board's written approval, and Louisville's page says to call about owner-filed building permits; Cincinnati asks owners to confirm electrical with IBI; Pittsburgh's licensing rules require a city trade license for electrical and mechanical work; and San Francisco allows only the owner of a stand-alone single-family house, after meeting an inspector. Residence or ownership periods are common: 12 months of residence in Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Jose and Sacramento, a year of occupancy for Cincinnati's owner plumbing permit, 12 months of ownership after the project in San Antonio and no sale or rental within six months for Portland's owner electrical permit. Only licensed professionals may pull the trade permits in three cities (New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore): Baltimore issues electrical, plumbing and gas permits only to city-licensed trades, New York files plumbing through a Licensed Master Plumber, electrical through a Licensed Master Electrician and alterations through a PE or RA, and Philadelphia requires a master plumber and a licensed electrical contractor and says plumbing and electrical are never homeowner permits.

Where the city's documents disagree or leave a gap

Cincinnati's plumbing section says replacing existing fixtures requires a permit and its consumer page lists changing fixtures as no-permit work, so its refresh status is recorded as unclear. Dallas's Table B-II lists $100 for each additional trade that the department's worksheet example does not add. Long Beach's fees are those in force before October 1, 2026, and a new schedule adopted on September 8 was not yet posted. Miami's code prints the residential rate as 0.50 without a percent sign, which the page reads as 0.5%. Pittsburgh's permitting page puts attached houses in the commercial category with a $605 minimum, and its owner rules conflict with its trade-license rule. Sacramento's average-cost page still shows $365 against the $425 building permit fee in its fee table. St. Louis's first scenario row exempts appliances on existing hookups while its plumbing row and FAQ require a permit to replace a dishwasher. Gaps rather than conflicts: Jacksonville's exempt lists do not mention cabinets, Louisville's schedule lists a $75 range hood fee without saying whether it covers a residential hood, Milwaukee's page does not say whether the $250 assessor charge applies, Kansas City's valuation may or may not count exempt cabinet work, and Portland's page does not say whether an owner may pull the building permit. The table flags the conflicts rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor licensing rule, each fetched and quoted on the city's kitchen remodel permit page. The status in the table is the city page's own reading of what a same-layout refresh needs; the trigger, fee and who-may-pull columns are the page's own scenario table, worked example and licensing paragraph. The fee is the city's own worked example for a typical whole-kitchen remodel that involves more than one trade; where a page gives two such examples the lower is used for sorting and both are quoted, and the cell says whether the example removes a wall. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code alone unless the row says so, and nothing is estimated from another city's schedule; where a city's documents disagree or a figure is superseded, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “When Does a Kitchen Remodel Need a Permit? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/kitchen-remodel-permit-triggers/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on what moves. For a same-layout refresh, 14 of the 30 largest cities we compared need no permit (New York, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, San Diego and others), 12 want a plumbing or electrical permit for same-spot fixture or appliance swaps (Chicago, Houston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and others) and 3 require a building permit even for in-kind work (Los Angeles over $2,500, Long Beach and San Francisco). Moving the sink, adding circuits or removing a wall needs a permit in nearly every city.

Not in 26 of the 30 cities, where the page says new cabinets and counters in the same layout are exempt finish work. Los Angeles requires an express building permit for any job valued over $2,500, Long Beach and San Francisco require one even for in-kind cabinets, counters and fixtures, and Jacksonville's exempt lists do not mention cabinets, so its page says to ask the Building Inspection Division. If the new cabinets move the sink, add a circuit or open a wall, those parts need their own permits.

Yes on every page except one narrow case. Moving a sink changes the rough-in, which needs a plumbing permit on 29 of the 30 pages, at $67 in Albuquerque, $85.20 in Minneapolis, $153 in Indianapolis, $290 in San Francisco and $321 in Dallas. New York lets a Licensed Master Plumber relocate up to two fixtures within the same room, up to 10 ft, as reported ordinary work. In Louisville, Pittsburgh and Seattle the plumbing permit comes from the state, county or Public Health rather than the city.

In 14 cities, yes: Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, St. Louis and Tucson (Cincinnati's own consumer page says the opposite). In 11 it is exempt: Albuquerque, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle. Charlotte, Miami and Portland depend on who does the work, and Jacksonville and Louisville do not address it.

Almost everywhere, yes. The exceptions are Dallas (a non-load-bearing remodel that adds no floor area needs none), New York (up to 50% or 45 sq ft of a non-load-bearing, non-fire-rated partition in an apartment, outside special districts and SRO buildings) and Seattle (minor alterations of $6,000 or less with no load-bearing change). Kansas City and Pittsburgh issue non-load-bearing wall removal as a building permit with no plans, Philadelphia handles a same-footprint one-family remodel on an EZ plumbing permit, and a load-bearing wall takes plans wherever the page addresses it.

Using each city's own worked example for a typical remodel with more than one trade: $104 in Kansas City, $140 in Philadelphia, $184 in Baltimore, $185 in St. Louis, $221 in New York, $241 in Milwaukee, $283 in Charlotte, $400 in Chicago, $441 in San Diego, $500 in Houston, $510 in Phoenix, $740 in San Jose, $975 in Los Angeles, $1,050 in San Francisco, $1,247 in Long Beach and $1,520 in Seattle. The median is $504. Some examples include a removed wall and some price only trade permits, so check the cell for what each covers.

In 15 of the 30 cities an owner-occupant may pull every permit, sometimes after an exam or with a residence rule: Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis and Tucson. In 12 the owner may pull only part, usually barred from electrical work (Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, San Antonio) or from gas work (Phoenix, Minneapolis). In Baltimore, New York and Philadelphia only licensed professionals may pull the trade permits.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.