Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in Salinas?

When a bathroom remodel needs a permit

According to the City of Salinas, a permit is required for bathroom remodels that include:

• Replacing the tub or shower enclosure, including tub-to-shower conversions
• Relocating plumbing fixtures or cabinets
• Adding plumbing fixtures, such as a second sink

A permit is not required to replace plumbing fixtures, such as a sink or toilet, in the same location.

Plans are required if walls are removed, added or altered, or if any fixtures are removed, added or relocated.

Who can pull the permit

The City of Salinas issues building permits only to a licensed State of California contractor or to the homeowner. If a homeowner pulls the permit and hires workers, state law requires the homeowner to carry workers' compensation insurance. When you hire a licensed contractor like JKC Construction (CA #1090260), the contractor can handle the application and inspections.

Applications are paperless and go through the city's online permit portal. The city's checklist asks for an existing floor plan, existing and proposed bathroom layouts, a site plan, and the locations of drywall and insulation replacement, mechanical equipment, outlets, lighting and switches.

How the permit process works

Once the application and plans are submitted through the city's paperless portal, the city reviews them and may ask for revisions before issuing the permit. Work can start once the permit is issued, and the city inspects the job during construction before it signs off at the final inspection. Bathroom remodels must comply with the currently adopted California Residential, Electrical, Plumbing, Energy, Green Building and Mechanical codes.

If you are not sure whether your project needs a permit, the City of Salinas Permit Center can answer questions, and a licensed contractor can tell you during the estimate.

Rules that can reach beyond the bathroom

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

When a permit is required for an alteration over $1,000 to a home with an attached garage or a fuel-burning appliance, the home must have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that meet the California Residential Code.

Water-efficient fixtures throughout the house

For homes built on or before January 1, 2017, existing plumbing fixtures anywhere in the house that exceed current flow rates must be upgraded: toilets, showerheads, and bathroom and kitchen faucets. This is required by California Civil Code and CALGreen and noted on your plans.

Construction waste recycling

Projects subject to CALGreen must recycle or otherwise divert construction and demolition debris under the Salinas Municipal Code.

What inspectors check

The city's guide lists the electrical, mechanical and plumbing requirements a remodeled bathroom must meet. Some of the main ones:

Electrical

• GFCI-protected receptacles on a dedicated 20-amp bathroom circuit, with an outlet near each sink
• No switches or receptacles inside the tub or shower space
• High-efficacy lighting, damp- or wet-rated fixtures in the shower, and at least one light on a vacancy sensor

Ventilation

• Bathrooms with a tub or shower need an exhaust fan ducted to the outside, even if there is an operable window
• The fan must be humidity-controlled, ENERGY STAR compliant and switched separately from the lights

Plumbing and shower

• Water-efficient toilets, showerheads and faucets
• Pressure-balance or thermostatic valves for scald protection
• Minimum shower size and door clearance
• Non-absorbent wall surfaces around tubs and showers with showerheads

See the full guide for the exact requirements and code sections.

Outside Salinas city limits

These rules come from the City of Salinas. Homes in unincorporated Monterey County, and in other cities such as Monterey, Seaside or Marina, are permitted by their own building departments, which have their own processes.

Planning a bathroom remodel?

JKC Construction handles the permit, the inspections and the work, from tub-to-shower conversions to full remodels. See our bathroom remodeling services, look through our recent projects, or call (831) 620-2497 for an itemized estimate.