Do I need a permit to replace my water service line or sewer line?
The straight answer
Yes, in every city we have verified. Replacing the buried water line from the street is permitted plumbing work, usually with an inspection before the trench is backfilled, and utility locates are required before anyone digs. Sewer lines are drain pipe rather than Poly B, but they sit under the same permit rules in the cities we checked.
The longer version
Yes. The buried pipe from the city’s service valve to your house is private plumbing, and replacing it is permitted work everywhere we have checked. A few verified examples from the permit centre: Victoria requires a permit before installation or alteration of any water service. Hamilton inspects the water service pipe before the trench is backfilled. London confirms plumbing permits for water service pipe replacement. In Montreal the buried service line has its own borough permit process. Calgary’s guidance says the work needs permits and utility locates before anyone digs.
Why it matters for Poly B: polybutylene was buried as water service line through the 1970s and 80s, and those lines have failed after roughly 25 years in the ground. If the pipe where your water enters the house is stamped PB2110 or CSA-B137.8, assume the buried run matches. The service line chapter covers who owns it, replacement methods and the insurance endorsement that helps with the bill.
Sewer lines are a separate pipe. They carry waste out rather than water in, and they were never Poly B. They are usually ABS or PVC drain pipe. Replacing one is still permitted plumbing work in the cities we checked, and Hamilton, for example, tests underground building drains as part of its inspection sequence. Check your city’s page in the permit centre for who can pull the permit and what it costs.
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Grounding
This answer summarizes material sourced in full on the chapter pages it links. If the facts change, the chapter changes first and this answer follows.
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This library is maintained by the team that replaces Poly B every day across Alberta and BC. Red Seal certified plumbers, full remove-replace-restore service including drywall and paint, a 25-year warranty, and the completion certificate insurers ask for.
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