Plumbing fees and charges
The information on this page, in addition to Council’s plumbing and drainage fees and charges brochure, will help you determine which plumbing and drainage fees will apply to your work.
Fees apply to plumbing applications and assessment, requesting copies of existing drainage plans or certificates, annual backflow device fees, and various types of plumbing inspections under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019 and the Planning Act 2016.
Fees and charges
Council’s plumbing and drainage fees and charges brochure is available through one of the below links. Download the:
Getting started
If you need help determining which fees and charges apply to your proposal, you can discuss your application or other plumbing-related matters with officers from Council’s Plumbing Services Group by calling Council on 3403 8888. You can also find information on the Plumbing and drainage webpage.
For business enquiries on what to include in your application, which application fees to pay and how the assessment process works, call Council’s Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263). It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Types of fees
Plumbing permit application and assessment fees
A permit application fee is charged for all applications lodged. An assessment fee is also charged for applications that undergo assessment by Council before a permit is issued. Applications lodged for Fast-track permit work for a new dwelling house under s37 of the Regulation, or works otherwise declared Fast-track permit work by Council, do not incur an assessment fee. The assessment fee for dwelling houses not lodged as Fast-track is charged at a flat rate. Fees for the assessment of hydraulic plans for buildings other than dwelling houses (commercial and some residential buildings, including civil works or fire services), include a flat base fee, plus a fee for each proposed plumbing fixture, capped point or sub-water meter and for each testable backflow prevention device.
When lodging online, the application and assessment fees are payable upon lodgement unless they exceed $20,000.
Applications that also involve the assessment of an on-site sewage facility, greywater treatment system or performance solution will incur an additional fee for the extra assessment element.
Inspection fees
For dwelling house applications, the inspection fee is paid together with the application and assessment fees upon lodgement. This fee covers a set number of inspections during construction and the issuing of the final inspection certificate. Additional fees are required if further inspections are necessary. Requests for after-hours and priority inspections incur additional fees and do not count towards an application’s set number of inspections.
Where Council is assessing hydraulic plans for works other than a dwelling house, the applicable inspection fee is calculated and indicated on the stamps on the approved plans. This fee is payable prior to the first inspection and covers all regular inspections required during construction (but does not cover after-hours, priority or extended inspections). Inspection fees are recalculated each financial year until paid.
If Council issues an Action Notice for non-compliant work identified during an inspection, a fee will be charged and no further inspections will be carried out until payment has been received and rectification works completed.
Virtual inspections
Council will offer a 50% discount on inspection fees when two or more virtual inspections are conducted for the following application types:
- Plumbing New Dwelling House
- Plumbing New Secondary Dwelling
- Plumbing New Class 10a Building, including Fast-track equivalent applications.
Failed virtual inspections will not count towards the discount.
The discount will be applied to the inspection fees paid at lodgement following the issue of a final inspection certificate.
For further information on virtual inspections, see plumbing inspections and as-constructed plans.
Online application lodgement
Council offers an online lodgement portal where applicants can enter the details of their application, attach plans and documents and pay the relevant fees. Council recommends all plumbing applications be submitted online, as it is the cheapest and easiest way to lodge your application. An additional scanning fee and increased permit fee are applied to applications lodged with hardcopy.