Portland, ME
Portland Maine plumbing permit fees
A plumbing permit in Portland, Maine reads the same cost-of-work formula the building permit prints:
$30.00 for the first $1,000 plus $10.00 per additional $1,000 of the plumbing scope's cost. There is no per-fixture rate on the permit itself — the declared cost of the plumbing work drives the fee, so a $2,500 water-heater-and-fixture job prices $50.00 and a $12,000 repipe prices $140.00.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing permit, cost of work to $1,000 ($30.00)Permit fee | $30.00 flat fee | Project valuation up to $1,000 | — |
| Plumbing permit ($30.00 for the first $1,000 + $10.00 per additional $1,000)Permit fee | $30.00 + $10.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $1,000, or fraction thereof | Project valuation over $1,000 | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A bathroom repipe in Portland, Maine with a plumbing cost of work of $12,000.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $12,000 |
| Occupancy class | Residential |
Example total
$140.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 1Rules considered 2
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Plumbing permit ($30.00 for the first $1,000 + $10.00 per additional $1,000)Permit feeCity of Portland, Maine permit documents: '$10 PER $1,000 + $30 FOR THE FIRST $1,000' of cost of work — the same formula in clean type on the City's sign-permit application ('$30 for the first $1,000 of cost of work; $10 per $1,000'). Partial thousands round up.Show the working
| $30.00 + $10.00 per $1,000 of project valuation above $1,000, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $140.00 |
| Total | $140.00 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Plumbing permit, cost of work to $1,000 ($30.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 1 fee rule in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Cost of work $12,000: $30.00 for the first $1,000 plus $10.00 for each of the 11 additional thousands: $30.00 + 11 x $10.00 = $140.00.
A $2,500 job would price $30.00 + 2 x $10.00 = $50.00 (the partial thousand rounds up).
What is different in Portland
Plumbing permits issue from the same division on the same formula. The declared cost of the plumbing work — not a fixture count — drives the fee: $30.00 for the first $1,000, $10.00 for each additional thousand or part. A $2,500 water-heater-and-fixture job prices $50.00; a $12,000 repipe prices $140.00.
The City's plumbing forms price some individual installations flat on their own rows; the cost-of-work formula is the general permit charge that scales with the job. Partial thousands round up, as on every page of this city.
Maine's plumbing inspections run municipally through the same division; no state fee rides the municipal permit.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This is the City's cost-of-work plumbing permit charge. It excludes:
- The building permit for the project the plumbing belongs to.
- Flat installation rows on the City's plumbing forms for specific fixtures.
- Sewer and water connection charges, which are Portland Water District and city-sewer bills.
- State charges — none are added.
Common questions
How much is a plumbing permit in Portland, Maine?
$30.00 for the first $1,000 of plumbing cost of work plus $10.00 per additional $1,000 — $140.00 at $12,000 of work.
Is there a per-fixture charge?
Not on the permit itself — the fee reads the cost of work. Individual fixture installations may sit on the City's flat plumbing rows.
Does the water heater need its own permit?
A water heater replacement is plumbing work permitted on its own; its cost prices through the same formula.
Who inspects the work?
The City's Code Enforcement / Inspections Division.
Does the state add a fee?
No — Maine does not add a surcharge to municipal plumbing permits.
How is a partial thousand charged?
It rounds up: $2,500 of work prices as 3 thousands above the first.
How does a $2,500 job price?
$30.00 + 2 x $10.00 = $50.00.
Is plan review charged?
The City's forms print no separate plan-review percentage.
Do sewer connections ride the permit?
No — sewer and water connection charges are separate bills.
How do I apply?
Through the Code Enforcement division or the City's online portal.
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
City of Portland, Maine — Building or Use Permit (permit-fee formula as printed)
The City's own permit form prints the fee formula: '$10 PER $1,000 + $30 FOR THE FIRST $1,000' of cost of work. The same formula in clean type on the City's 2013 sign-permit application ('$30 for the first $1,000 of cost of work; $10 per $1,000' above) confirms the reading. The City's website migrated platforms in 2025-2026 and legacy DocumentCenter fee pages 404 at read time; the permit documents in the archive carry the formula the City charges.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.