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Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Water Heater in Silver Spring?
Question: Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Silver Spring / Montgomery County? · Published 2026-10-20 · Updated 2026-10-20
Gas water heater: what's required
- Permit: required for each gas appliance installation, including straight replacements. Only a WSSC-licensed master plumber/gasfitter can activate it.
- Who does the work: a WSSC-licensed gasfitter. The Code doesn't allow homeowners to install gas appliances, and that includes units bought at a big-box store. If you already installed one yourself, WSSC says to have a licensed plumber pull a permit, check the work and schedule an inspection.
- Inspection: within 10 business days of installation, Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The installer is responsible for it, but you can schedule a Short Form inspection yourself at 301-206-4004 with the permit number. Someone has to let the inspector in.
- Cost: the pre-paid Short Form permit is $180 residential (WSSC fee schedule effective July 1, 2026), and that covers the inspection. Make sure your quote includes it.
Electric water heater: usually no permit
- Section 105.2.1.2 of the 2024 WSSC Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code exempts replacing residential plumbing appliances, specifically including electric water heaters, from the permit requirement, as long as the job doesn't replace concealed piping or rearrange valves, pipes or fixtures.
- Moving the heater, replacing more than 10% of the house's piping, or buried work is not exempt.
- New wiring or a new circuit (common when switching to a heat-pump water heater) is electrical work. Ask the installer whether a Montgomery County electrical permit applies.
Tankless, heat-pump and relocations
- Switching from tank to tankless gas usually means a new or larger gas line and new venting, which is gas work under a WSSC permit. Get it in writing that the installer is pulling the permit.
- Older homes that vent through a masonry chimney can need a chimney liner when the water heater is replaced, which can raise the cost a lot. Ask about venting before you accept a quote.
Why the permit matters to you
- WSSC inspects gas appliances because a bad installation can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or explosions.
- WSSC's code requires the plumber/gasfitter to warranty the work for 1 year (inside the building) from the date the final inspection is approved. With no inspection, that clock may never start, and WSSC notes a missed inspection can affect the manufacturer's warranty.
- Home buyers and their inspectors often ask for the permit on a gas water heater. Keep the permit and the passed inspection with your house records.
Checklist before you hire
- Ask for the WSSC license number (it must be on their paperwork and vehicle). Verify it with WSSC Licensing at 301-206-8588.
- Get 3–5 written quotes that list the unit, the permit fee, haul-away, and any expansion tank, drain pan or venting work.
- Confirm who schedules the inspection, and get the permit number.
- Don't make the final payment until the inspection passes. WSSC's own advice is to have them finish halfway before you pay.
Not in WSSC territory?
If your bill comes from DC Water (for example Takoma, DC across the line from Takoma Park), permits come from DC's Department of Buildings, not WSSC. This guide covers Montgomery and Prince George's counties only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to replace a gas water heater in Montgomery County?
Yes. WSSC Water requires a permit for each gas appliance installation, including straight replacements. A WSSC-licensed gasfitter must do the work, and WSSC must inspect it within 10 business days.
Do I need a permit to replace an electric water heater?
Usually not for a like-for-like swap. The WSSC Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code (105.2.1.2) exempts replacing residential electric water heaters, as long as no concealed piping is replaced and no pipes or valves are rearranged.
How much is the WSSC water heater permit?
The pre-paid Short Form permit is $180 for residential work (fee schedule effective July 1, 2026), and the inspection is included. Long Form permits start at a $320 minimum.
Can I install a gas water heater myself in Silver Spring?
No. The Code for Montgomery and Prince George's counties doesn't allow homeowners to install gas appliances. A WSSC-licensed gasfitter has to do it under a permit.
Who issues plumbing permits in Silver Spring: the city or WSSC?
WSSC Water. Silver Spring is an unincorporated part of Montgomery County with no city building department, and WSSC issues plumbing and gas permits and does the inspections for the whole county.
How do I schedule the inspection?
The installer should schedule it. You can also call 301-206-4004 with the Short Form permit number. Inspections run Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Sources
- WSSC Water: Gas Appliance FAQs
- WSSC Water: Plumbing & Gas Inspections
- WSSC Water: Permit Services Fees & Charges (effective July 1, 2026)
- 2024 WSSC Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code (PDF), Section 105
- WSSC Water: Finding and Verifying a Plumber/Gasfitter
- WSSC Water: Information for Homeowners