New York Plumbing Code
New York plumbing work is governed by the Plumbing Code of New York State, built on a IPC base.
Confirm the current edition before you size
We deliberately do not state an edition year here. Editions change on three-year cycles and states adopt on their own schedule, so a stale year is the most common way this kind of reference goes wrong — and sizing against the wrong edition fails plan review. Confirm the edition in force with the NYS Division of Building Standards and Codes.
Adopted Code
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Code document | Plumbing Code of New York State | Model knowledge, May 2026. Code family and authority only — confirm the current edition with the authority named.verified 2026-09-25 |
| Based on | IPC base | Model knowledge, May 2026. Code family and authority only — confirm the current edition with the authority named.verified 2026-09-25 |
| Authority | NYS Division of Building Standards and Codes | Model knowledge, May 2026. Code family and authority only — confirm the current edition with the authority named.verified 2026-09-25 |
Local jurisdictions may amend the state code further. Always confirm with the authority having jurisdiction before submitting for permit.
How the New York Code Is Organised
Outside New York City, the Plumbing Code of New York State applies, maintained by the Division of Building Standards and Codes on an IPC base with state amendments published as part of the Uniform Code. Inside the five boroughs none of that applies: New York City enforces the NYC Plumbing Code, a separate document under the Department of Buildings. This is the cleanest and most consequential split of any state — the same design crossing the city line changes code entirely.
What It Changes About Sizing
The NYC Plumbing Code and the state code diverge on fixture unit values, venting and materials, so sizing carries across the boundary only by coincidence. NYC also imposes filing and inspection requirements that shape design decisions, not just paperwork — the practical effect is that city work needs to be designed as city work from the start.
Licensing in New York
The split runs through licensing too. Outside the city, licensing is largely municipal or county-level rather than a single state plumber licence. Inside the city, the Department of Buildings issues the Licensed Master Plumber credential, and filing plumbing work in New York City requires that licence — an out-of-state or upstate credential does not substitute for it.
Cities That Do Something Different
New York City is the carve-out, and it is total rather than partial: separate code, separate licensing, separate filing process through DOB. Beyond the city, individual municipalities add their own amendments to the state code, and larger upstate cities maintain their own permitting requirements.
What Out-of-State Contractors Get Wrong in New York
- 1Sizing NYC work from the Plumbing Code of New York State. The state code does not apply in the five boroughs at all.
- 2Assuming a statewide plumber licence exists. Outside the city, licensing is largely local; inside it, DOB's Licensed Master Plumber is required.
- 3Filing city work without an LMP. The credential is a filing prerequisite, not a formality.
- 4Carrying an upstate design into the city unchanged. Fixture units, venting and materials all differ.
New York in Practice
New York City is outside this code and enforces its own NYC Plumbing Code. For work in the five boroughs the state code does not apply.
Our sizing calculators state the edition and table they use: pipe sizing, drainage slope, gas line sizing. Check them against the NY edition in force before relying on a result.
Code References & Best Practices:
- Place of record for New York: NYS Division of Building Standards and Codes. Confirm the edition in force there.
- Licensing in New York is administered by the NYS Division of Building Standards and Codes.
- Provenance: Model knowledge, May 2026. Code family and authority only — confirm the current edition with the authority named.