Plumbing permits for a secondary suite in Calgary, what's required?

Adding a secondary suite in Calgary usually involves new plumbing, which needs a plumbing permit, and any new gas work needs a gas permit as well. The City of Calgary issues both, and the rules around who can pull them matter a great deal here.

What triggers a plumbing permit for a suite

Any new plumbing rough-in, added drain, vent or supply line, or a new bathroom or kitchen connection requires a plumbing permit from the City of Calgary. That covers the typical suite scope: a bathroom, a kitchenette or full kitchen, laundry connections, and any new fixture that ties into the existing drain-waste-vent system. Replacing existing water and sewer lines in or around the home also needs a permit. Installing a backwater valve, which the City of Calgary recommends on the sewer pipe or on basement fixtures, needs a plumbing permit as well.

A homeowner cannot take out a permit for a contractor's work. In Calgary, a homeowner plumbing permit is available only when you own the home, you live in it, and you do the work yourself. A secondary suite built by a contractor requires the contractor to pull the permit in their own name. The City will not issue a homeowner permit for concealed plumbing done without a permit after the fact, so the sequence matters: permit first, then rough-in, then inspection, then cover the walls.

The City requires both a rough-in inspection and a final inspection. At the final, the inspector checks that tub and shower water does not exceed 49°C and that toilets have shut-offs.

Gas work is a separate matter entirely. A homeowner in Calgary cannot obtain a gas permit unless they hold an Alberta journeyman gasfitter certificate. Any gas line to a suite kitchen range, a suite water heater, or a suite furnace must be done by a certified gasfitter under a gas permit. Gasfitter Class B covers the residential equipment common in a suite.

Permit fees for a contractor's trade permit start at $116.50 and increase with construction value: $112 plus $9.79 per $1,000 of construction value, plus the 4% Safety Codes Council levy. Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the fee, and a re-inspection costs $327.

The plumbing work itself must meet the National Plumbing Code of Canada 2020, which has been in force in Alberta since April 1, 2023. Gas installations fall under CSA B149.1:25, in force since March 1, 2026.

Before hiring anyone, ask to see the plumber's trade certificate (plumbing is a compulsory certification trade in Alberta under the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act), a WCB-Alberta clearance letter confirming the contractor's account is in good standing, and an Alberta prepaid contracting licence from Service Alberta if any deposit changes hands before the work is complete. Get the scope, permit responsibility, inspection dates, and warranty terms in writing before signing anything.

The one question to put to a plumber before you sign: "Will you be pulling the permit in your name, and can you show me the permit number before the rough-in starts?"