Plumbers in Montgomery County, PA: township licenses, permits and well and septic offices
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What should Montgomery County homeowners know before hiring a plumber?
That there are 62 sets of local rules. The county lists 62 townships, boroughs and municipalities, and plumber licensing and permits are handled at that level. The county's Office of Public Health handles wells and on-lot septic systems. Plumbing is not among the permits and licenses that office lists.
Who licenses plumbers in Montgomery County?
Your township or borough, where it has a rule. Pennsylvania has no state plumbing license, and the Department of Labor and Industry says local requirements for plumbers can be obtained only from the municipality where the work will be done.
Lower Merion is a clear example. It requires mechanical contractors, a category it says includes plumbing, electrical, heating and fire protection contractors, to hold a township license that is based on experience, testing and licensure in their trade. The township keeps a searchable list of licensed contractors, updated every 24 hours, and gives three warnings with it: the list is not comprehensive, it is not an endorsement, and you should always ask for a current certificate of insurance because policies expire through the year.
Lower Merion also separates its license from the state's. It says its mechanical license should not be confused with the state's home improvement registration. The Attorney General's office says master plumbers working on private homes must register as home improvement contractors, and its contractor search can be narrowed to Montgomery County and to plumbing work.
Who issues plumbing permits?
The municipality, or the inspection agency it hires. Labor and Industry says more than 90 percent of Pennsylvania's municipalities administer the state construction code themselves, and that in municipalities that have opted out, certified third-party agencies hired by owners or contractors enforce the residential rules. Either way, the permit question for a water heater, a new bathroom or a sewer repair is answered by the office for your address, not by the county.
Which county office handles wells and septic?
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health issues permits for wells and on-lot sewage, among other facilities. For those two, it asks you to contact the local office: Norristown on 610-278-5117, Pottstown on 610-970-5040, or Willow Grove on 215-784-5415.
For a house on a septic system, the plumbing inside drains to it, so household habits count. The EPA says household tanks are typically pumped every three to five years, and that you should flush only human waste and toilet paper and avoid chemical drain openers, using boiling water or a drain snake instead.
What do Census figures say about Montgomery County homes?
That it is the largest of the four suburban counties. The Census Bureau counts 350,351 housing units, of which 16.0 percent were first built in 1939 or earlier, about one in six, and 8.1 percent built since 2010. More than a quarter of its homes, 26.1 percent, are in multi-unit buildings, the highest share of the four suburban counties. In a condominium or apartment, ask the association or landlord who is responsible for the pipe that failed before you hire anyone.
What about lead in older Montgomery County homes?
Ask your water utility for its record of your service line. The state Department of Environmental Protection says utilities with lead, galvanized-requiring-replacement or unknown lines must notify the people served by them every year, and must submit a baseline inventory to the department by November 1, 2027. A lead action level exceedance, above 15 parts per billion at the 90th percentile, requires public notice within 24 hours.
Where can you complain about a plumber?
To the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, using its online complaint forms. The Federal Trade Commission's advice is to try the contractor first, follow any phone call with a letter sent by certified mail with a return receipt, and keep copies of everything. How to choose a plumber covers the checks to make first, and plumbers who serve the county are on the Montgomery County plumbers page.
Sources
- Montgomery County by the Numbers, Montgomery County
- Licensed Contractor List, Lower Merion Township
- Contractor Licensing, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
- Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Uniform Construction Code, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
- Permitting & Licensing, Montgomery County
- How to Care for Your Septic System, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- Lead and Copper Rule, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Submit a Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission